diff --git a/spec/keymap-spec.coffee b/spec/keymap-spec.coffee
index 798795f5b..0e659be11 100644
--- a/spec/keymap-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/keymap-spec.coffee
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@ describe "Keymap", ->
   fragment = null
   keymap = null
   resourcePath = atom.getLoadSettings().resourcePath
+  configDirPath = null
 
   beforeEach ->
-    keymap = new Keymap({configDirPath: atom.getConfigDirPath(), resourcePath})
+    configDirPath = temp.mkdirSync('atom')
+    keymap = new Keymap({configDirPath, resourcePath})
     fragment = $ """
       <div class="command-mode">
         <div class="child-node">
@@ -19,6 +21,9 @@ describe "Keymap", ->
       </div>
     """
 
+  afterEach ->
+    keymap.destroy()
+
   describe ".handleKeyEvent(event)", ->
     deleteCharHandler = null
     insertCharHandler = null
@@ -348,3 +353,19 @@ describe "Keymap", ->
       el = $$ -> @div class: 'brown'
       bindings = keymap.keyBindingsForCommandMatchingElement('cultivate', el)
       expect(bindings).toHaveLength 0
+
+  describe "when the user keymap file is changed", ->
+    it "is reloaded", ->
+      keymapFilePath = path.join(configDirPath, "keymap.cson")
+      fs.writeFileSync(keymapFilePath, '"body": "ctrl-l": "core:move-left"')
+      keymap.loadUserKeymap()
+
+      spyOn(keymap, 'loadUserKeymap').andCallThrough()
+      fs.writeFileSync(keymapFilePath, "'body': 'ctrl-l': 'core:move-right'")
+
+      waitsFor ->
+        keymap.loadUserKeymap.callCount > 0
+
+      runs ->
+        keyBinding = keymap.keyBindingsForKeystroke('ctrl-l')[0]
+        expect(keyBinding.command).toBe 'core:move-right'
diff --git a/src/atom.coffee b/src/atom.coffee
index 90c7049c1..8a7b005d2 100644
--- a/src/atom.coffee
+++ b/src/atom.coffee
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ class Atom extends Model
     @workspaceView = null
     @project.destroy()
     @windowEventHandler?.unsubscribe()
+    @keymap.destroy()
     @windowState = null
 
   # Private:
diff --git a/src/keymap.coffee b/src/keymap.coffee
index f9568c41d..555a0df33 100644
--- a/src/keymap.coffee
+++ b/src/keymap.coffee
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ fs = require 'fs-plus'
 path = require 'path'
 CSON = require 'season'
 KeyBinding = require './key-binding'
+File = require './file'
 {Emitter} = require 'emissary'
 
 Modifiers = ['alt', 'control', 'ctrl', 'shift', 'cmd']
@@ -28,6 +29,9 @@ class Keymap
   constructor: ({@resourcePath, @configDirPath})->
     @keyBindings = []
 
+  destroy: ->
+    @unwatchUserKeymap()
+
   # Public: Returns an array of all {KeyBinding}s.
   getKeyBindings: ->
     _.clone(@keyBindings)
@@ -118,9 +122,20 @@ class Keymap
     @loadDirectory(path.join(@resourcePath, 'keymaps'))
     @emit('bundled-keymaps-loaded')
 
+  userKeymapPath: ->
+    CSON.resolve(path.join(@configDirPath, 'keymap'))
+
+  unwatchUserKeymap: ->
+    return unless keymapPath = @userKeymapPath()
+    @remove(keymapPath)
+    @userKeymapFile?.off()
+
   loadUserKeymap: ->
-    userKeymapPath = CSON.resolve(path.join(@configDirPath, 'keymap'))
-    @load(userKeymapPath) if userKeymapPath
+    return unless keymapPath = @userKeymapPath()
+    @unwatchUserKeymap()
+    @load(keymapPath)
+    @userKeymapFile = new File(keymapPath)
+    @userKeymapFile.on 'contents-changed', => @loadUserKeymap()
 
   loadDirectory: (directoryPath) ->
     @load(filePath) for filePath in fs.listSync(directoryPath, ['.cson', '.json'])