diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7dd337e..163f55e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -222,6 +222,8 @@ bigArray.setAutoSync(false);
 * isEmpty() - check if array is empty.
 * isFull() - check if array is full.
 * isValidIndex(arrayIndex) - checks if given array index is valid.
+* watch(listener:fn()) - starts watching for changes using index file
+* unwatch(listener:fn()) - stops watching for changes using index file
 
 #### Big Queue
 
@@ -285,16 +287,17 @@ console.log(bigQueue.dequeue()); // out: world
         * backlog: fn(ByteBuffer) - a function to be called when the array space is maxed out and the oldest entries will be auto-backlogged to free up the space.
         * backlogBatchSize: Number - a number of entries to auto backlog when max size of array is reached
 * enqueue(Buffer) - put buffer to the end of queue
-* dequeue(): ByteBuffer - get element from head of the queue and removes it from the queue
+* dequeue(): ByteBuffer - get element at the head of the queue and remove it from the queue
 * peek(): ByteBuffer - get element from head of the queue
 * each(fn(element: ByteBuffer, index, next)) - iterate through all queue elements asynchronously
 * eachSync(fn(element: ByteBuffer, index)) - iterate through all queue elements in sync mode
 * close() - close and gc queue from the memory
 * flush() - flush the queue
 * size(): Bignum - get size of the queue
-* removeAll
+* removeAll() - removes all elements
+* watch(listener:fn()) - starts watching for changes using index file
+* unwatch(listener:fn()) - stops watching for changes using index file
 
 ### To do:
-* use/check watchFile to detect changes
 * PR to mmap.js to support windows, currently blocked by https://github.com/indutny/mmap.js/issues/3
 # mmap-kit
diff --git a/lib/big-array.js b/lib/big-array.js
index f699018..83b32e6 100644
--- a/lib/big-array.js
+++ b/lib/big-array.js
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ module.exports.Long = Long;
  * @throws IOException exception throws during array initialization
  */
 function BigArray(dir, name, dataPageSize, maxDataSize) {
+
     var options = dir !== null && typeof dir === 'object' ? dir : {
         dir: dir,
         name: name,
@@ -203,6 +204,20 @@ proto.init = function init() {
     this.sync();
 };
 
+proto.watch = function watch(listener) {
+    var metaDataPage = this.metaPageFactory.acquirePage(META_DATA_PAGE_INDEX);
+    debug('watching', metaDataPage.pageFile);
+    this.watcher = this.watcher || Fs.watch(metaDataPage.pageFile, {
+        persistent: false
+    });
+
+    this.watcher.addListener('change', listener);
+};
+
+proto.unwatch = function unwatch(listener) {
+    this.watcher.removeListener('change', listener);
+};
+
 proto.sync = function sync() {
     this.syncMeta();
     this.syncData();
@@ -219,6 +234,11 @@ proto.syncData = function sync() {
 };
 
 proto.isEmpty = function isEmpty() {
+    this.autoSync && this.sync();
+    return this._isEmpty();
+};
+
+proto._isEmpty = function _isEmpty() {
     return this.arrayHeadIndex.cmp(this.arrayTailIndex) === 0;
 };
 
@@ -237,7 +257,7 @@ proto.getIndexPageOffset = function getIndexPageOffset(index) {
 };
 
 proto.initDataPageIndex = function initDataPageIndex() {
-	if (!this.isEmpty()) {
+	if (!this._isEmpty()) {
         debug('array is not empty');
 		var previousIndexPageIndex = Bignum(-1);
         var previousIndex = prevIndex(this.arrayHeadIndex, this.MAX_INDEX);
@@ -265,7 +285,7 @@ proto.initDataPageIndex = function initDataPageIndex() {
 proto.syncTailDataIndexFromMemory = function syncTailDataIndexFromMemory() {
     debug('syncTailDataIndexFromMemory');
 
-    if (!this.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!this._isEmpty()) {
         var tailIndex = this.arrayTailIndex;
         var tailIndexPageIndex = this.getPageIndex(tailIndex);
         var tailIndexPage = this.indexPageFactory.acquirePage(tailIndexPageIndex);
@@ -429,6 +449,10 @@ proto.append = function append(data) {
     debug('tail data index is %s', this.tailDataPageIndex);
     debug('<-----------');
 
+    if (typeof data === 'string') {
+        data = new Buffer(data);
+    }
+
     // prepare the data pointer
     if (this.headDataItemOffset.add(data.length).gt(this.dataPageFactory.pageSize)) { // not enough space
         this.headDataPageIndex = nextIndex(this.headDataPageIndex, this.maxDataFiles);
@@ -523,9 +547,9 @@ proto.syncTailIndexToMemory = function syncTailIndexToMemory() {
 };
 
 proto.flush = function flush() {
-    this.metaPageFactory.flush();
     this.indexPageFactory.flush();
     this.dataPageFactory.flush();
+    this.metaPageFactory.flush();
 };
 
 proto.shift = function shift() {
diff --git a/lib/big-queue.js b/lib/big-queue.js
index 93b4b77..765f6da 100644
--- a/lib/big-queue.js
+++ b/lib/big-queue.js
@@ -151,3 +151,11 @@ proto.flush = function flush() {
 proto.size = function size() {
     return this.innerArray.size();
 };
+
+proto.watch = function watch(listener) {
+    this.innerArray.watch(listener);
+};
+
+proto.unwatch = function unwatch(listener) {
+    this.innerArray.unwatch(listener);
+};
diff --git a/test/big-array.js b/test/big-array.js
index 68a7eaa..17f9148 100644
--- a/test/big-array.js
+++ b/test/big-array.js
@@ -713,6 +713,47 @@ Test(__filename, function (t) {
         });
     });
 
+    t.test('watching', function (t) {
+        t.timeoutAfter(10000);
+
+        var bigArrayA = new BigArray(testDir, 'watch');
+        var bigArrayB = new BigArray(testDir, 'watch');
+
+        var st;
+        var count = 0;
+
+        bigArrayB.watch(function onchange() {
+            console.log('time to detect: ', Date.now() - st, arguments);
+            if (count < 3) {
+                t.equal(bigArrayB.shift().toString(), 'hello');
+            }
+            count++;
+            if (count === 3) {
+                bigArrayB.unwatch(onchange);
+                // flush more
+                setTimeout(function wait() {
+                    bigArrayA.append('hello');
+                    bigArrayA.flush();
+                }, 200);
+                setTimeout(function wait() {
+                    t.end();
+                }, 500);
+            }
+            if (count > 4) {
+                t.fail('should have stopped watching');
+            }
+        });
+
+        Async.timesSeries(3, function iter(n, next) {
+            setImmediate(function () {
+                st = Date.now();
+                bigArrayA.append('hello');
+                bigArrayA.flush();
+                next();
+            });
+        });
+	});
+
     t.test('after', function (t) {
         rm('-rf', testDir);
         t.end();