diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 547bcf3..426c764 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use serde_json::Value;
 use std::env;
 use std::error::Error;
 use std::fs::{create_dir_all, read_dir, read_to_string, write};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use std::process;
 use tera::{Context, Error as TeraError, Tera};
 
@@ -44,10 +45,12 @@ fn run() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
         .map(String::from)
         .collect();
 
+    let template_dir = PathBuf::from(template_dir);
+
     output(&tera, &context, &output_dir, &outputs, &template_dir)?;
 
     if matches.is_present("watch") {
-        watch_mode(tera, context, output_dir, outputs, template_dir)?;
+        watch_mode(tera, context, output_dir, outputs, &template_dir)?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
@@ -72,16 +75,16 @@ fn get_args() -> clap::ArgMatches<'static> {
 
 /// Usually never returns, unless there was an error initializing the watcher.
 /// Handles watching for file changes, and reloads tera if there's a change.
-fn watch_mode<'a>(
+fn watch_mode(
     mut engine: Tera,
     context: Context,
     dir: String,
     outputs: Vec<String>,
-    template_dir: String,
+    template_dir: &Path,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let (tx, rx) = unbounded();
-    let mut watcher: RecommendedWatcher = Watcher::new_immediate(move |res| tx.send(res).unwrap())?;
-    watcher.watch(&template_dir, RecursiveMode::Recursive)?;
+    let mut watcher: RecommendedWatcher = Watcher::new(move |res| tx.send(res).unwrap())?;
+    watcher.watch(template_dir, RecursiveMode::Recursive)?;
 
     for res in rx {
         match res {
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@ fn watch_mode<'a>(
             Ok(event) => {
                 println!("got event {:?}", event);
                 engine.full_reload().expect("Failed to perform full reload");
-                output(&engine, &context, &dir, &outputs, &template_dir)
+                output(&engine, &context, &dir, &outputs, template_dir)
                     .expect("Failed to call output");
             }
         }
@@ -100,12 +103,12 @@ fn watch_mode<'a>(
 
 /// Parses the output values and generates a file for each format specified or
 /// found, if told to generate all outputs.
-fn output<'a>(
+fn output(
     engine: &Tera,
     context: &Context,
     dir: &str,
     outputs: &[String],
-    template_dir: &'a str,
+    template_dir: &Path,
 ) -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     if outputs.contains(&String::from("all")) {
         for output in read_dir(template_dir)? {