diff --git a/os/watch/src/ErrorResponse.scala b/os/watch/src/ErrorResponse.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7751c936
--- /dev/null
+++ b/os/watch/src/ErrorResponse.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+package os.watch
+
+// How to react to service errors
+sealed trait ErrorResponse
+
+object ErrorResponse {
+  // close this instnace of the watch service
+  case object Close extends ErrorResponse
+  
+  // Other possibilities
+  //case object Continue extends ErrorResponse // the caller fixed the state
+  //case class Restart(paths: Seq[os.Path]) extends ErrorResponse // the caller knows
+
+  def defaultHandler(e: WatchError): ErrorResponse = {
+    println(e)
+    Close
+  }
+}
diff --git a/os/watch/src/WatchError.scala b/os/watch/src/WatchError.scala
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4c5b879f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/os/watch/src/WatchError.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+package os.watch
+
+sealed trait WatchError
+
+case object Overflow extends WatchError
+case class InternalError(t: Throwable) extends WatchError
diff --git a/os/watch/src/WatchServiceWatcher.scala b/os/watch/src/WatchServiceWatcher.scala
index 564d33ea..a179d81f 100644
--- a/os/watch/src/WatchServiceWatcher.scala
+++ b/os/watch/src/WatchServiceWatcher.scala
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@ import com.sun.nio.file.SensitivityWatchEventModifier
 import scala.collection.mutable
 import collection.JavaConverters._
 
+import ErrorResponse.{Close,defaultHandler}
+
 class WatchServiceWatcher(roots: Seq[os.Path],
                           onEvent: Set[os.Path] => Unit,
-                          logger: (String, Any) => Unit = (_, _) => ()) extends Watcher{
+                          logger: (String, Any) => Unit = (_, _) => (),
+                          onError: WatchError => ErrorResponse = defaultHandler
+                         ) extends Watcher{
 
   val nioWatchService = FileSystems.getDefault.newWatchService()
   val currentlyWatchedPaths = mutable.Map.empty[os.Path, WatchKey]
@@ -111,6 +115,10 @@ class WatchServiceWatcher(roots: Seq[os.Path],
       case e: ClosedWatchServiceException =>
         println("Watcher closed, exiting: " + e)
         isRunning.set(false)
+      case e: Throwable =>
+        onError(InternalError(e)) match {
+          case Close => isRunning.set(false)
+        }
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/os/watch/src/package.scala b/os/watch/src/package.scala
index 67a30e47..114bc81b 100644
--- a/os/watch/src/package.scala
+++ b/os/watch/src/package.scala
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package os
 
 package object watch{
+  
   /**
     * Efficiently watches the given `roots` folders for changes. Any time the
     * filesystem is modified within those folders, the `onEvent` callback is
@@ -29,9 +30,11 @@ package object watch{
     */
   def watch(roots: Seq[os.Path],
             onEvent: Set[os.Path] => Unit,
-            logger: (String, Any) => Unit = (_, _) => ()): AutoCloseable  = {
+            logger: (String, Any) => Unit = (_, _) => (),
+            onError: WatchError => ErrorResponse = ErrorResponse.defaultHandler
+           ): AutoCloseable  = {
     val watcher = System.getProperty("os.name") match{
-      case "Linux" => new os.watch.WatchServiceWatcher(roots, onEvent, logger)
+      case "Linux" => new os.watch.WatchServiceWatcher(roots, onEvent, logger, onError)
       case "Mac OS X" => new os.watch.FSEventsWatcher(roots, onEvent, logger, 0.05)
       case osName => throw new Exception(s"watch not supported on operating system: $osName")
     }
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index e48a07b5..179f31dc 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -1603,7 +1603,10 @@ sha.stdout.trim ==> "acc142175fa520a1cb2be5b97cbbe9bea092e8bba3fe2e95afa64561590
 #### os.watch.watch
 
 ```scala
-os.watch.watch(roots: Seq[os.Path], onEvent: Set[os.Path] => Unit): Unit
+os.watch.watch(roots: Seq[os.Path],
+  onEvent: Set[os.Path] => Unit,
+  onError: os.watch.WatchError => os.watch.ErrorResponse = os.watch.ErrorResponse.defaultHandler
+): Unit
 ```
 ```scala
 // SBT
@@ -1637,6 +1640,20 @@ changes happening within the watched roots folder, apart from the path
 at which the change happened. It is up to the `onEvent` handler to query
 the filesystem and figure out what happened, and what it wants to do.
 
+Possible errors (passed to the `onError` callback)
+
+- `WatchError.Overflow` The system is producing events faster
+  than the application is able to handle them.
+  
+- `WatchError.InternalError(e: Throwable)` For example: removing a drive
+  with watched paths.
+  
+Error responses:
+
+- `ErrorResponse.Close`. Terminate this instance of the watch service
+
+The default error handler prints an error message and returns `ErrorResponse.Close`
+
 Here is an example of use from the Ammonite REPL:
 
 ```scala