diff --git a/scripts/plot.py b/scripts/plot.py
index 3d7a77f8..4b704262 100755
--- a/scripts/plot.py
+++ b/scripts/plot.py
@@ -140,30 +140,32 @@ def openio(path, mode='r', buffering=-1):
     else:
         return open(path, mode, buffering)
 
-def inotifywait(paths):
-    # wait for interesting events
-    inotify = inotify_simple.INotify()
-    flags = (inotify_simple.flags.ATTRIB
-        | inotify_simple.flags.CREATE
-        | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE
-        | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE_SELF
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MODIFY
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_FROM
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_TO
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVE_SELF)
+if inotify_simple is None:
+    Inotify = None
+else:
+    class Inotify(inotify_simple.INotify):
+        def __init__(self, paths):
+            super().__init__()
 
-    # recurse into directories
-    for path in paths:
-        if os.path.isdir(path):
-            for dir, _, files in os.walk(path):
-                inotify.add_watch(dir, flags)
-                for f in files:
-                    inotify.add_watch(os.path.join(dir, f), flags)
-        else:
-            inotify.add_watch(path, flags)
+            # wait for interesting events
+            flags = (inotify_simple.flags.ATTRIB
+                | inotify_simple.flags.CREATE
+                | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE
+                | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE_SELF
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MODIFY
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_FROM
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_TO
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVE_SELF)
 
-    # wait for event
-    inotify.read()
+            # recurse into directories
+            for path in paths:
+                if os.path.isdir(path):
+                    for dir, _, files in os.walk(path):
+                        self.add_watch(dir, flags)
+                        for f in files:
+                            self.add_watch(os.path.join(dir, f), flags)
+                else:
+                    self.add_watch(path, flags)
 
 class LinesIO:
     def __init__(self, maxlen=None):
@@ -1392,6 +1394,11 @@ def main(csv_paths, *,
     if keep_open:
         try:
             while True:
+                # register inotify before running the command, this avoids
+                # modification race conditions
+                if keep_open and Inotify:
+                    inotify = Inotify(csv_paths)
+
                 if cat:
                     draw(sys.stdout)
                 else:
@@ -1400,11 +1407,12 @@ def main(csv_paths, *,
                     ring.draw()
 
                 # try to inotifywait
-                if inotify_simple is not None:
+                if keep_open and Inotify:
                     ptime = time.time()
-                    inotifywait(csv_paths)
-                    # sleep for a minimum amount of time, this helps issues
-                    # around rapidly updating files
+                    inotify.read()
+                    inotify.close()
+                    # sleep for a minimum amount of time, this helps reduce
+                    # flicker issues
                     time.sleep(max(0, (sleep or 0.01) - (time.time()-ptime)))
                 else:
                     time.sleep(sleep or 0.1)
diff --git a/scripts/watch.py b/scripts/watch.py
index 03ca9f2d..1c4211bd 100755
--- a/scripts/watch.py
+++ b/scripts/watch.py
@@ -40,30 +40,32 @@ def openio(path, mode='r', buffering=-1):
     else:
         return open(path, mode, buffering)
 
-def inotifywait(paths):
-    # wait for interesting events
-    inotify = inotify_simple.INotify()
-    flags = (inotify_simple.flags.ATTRIB
-        | inotify_simple.flags.CREATE
-        | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE
-        | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE_SELF
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MODIFY
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_FROM
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_TO
-        | inotify_simple.flags.MOVE_SELF)
+if inotify_simple is None:
+    Inotify = None
+else:
+    class Inotify(inotify_simple.INotify):
+        def __init__(self, paths):
+            super().__init__()
 
-    # recurse into directories
-    for path in paths:
-        if os.path.isdir(path):
-            for dir, _, files in os.walk(path):
-                inotify.add_watch(dir, flags)
-                for f in files:
-                    inotify.add_watch(os.path.join(dir, f), flags)
-        else:
-            inotify.add_watch(path, flags)
+            # wait for interesting events
+            flags = (inotify_simple.flags.ATTRIB
+                | inotify_simple.flags.CREATE
+                | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE
+                | inotify_simple.flags.DELETE_SELF
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MODIFY
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_FROM
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVED_TO
+                | inotify_simple.flags.MOVE_SELF)
 
-    # wait for event
-    inotify.read()
+            # recurse into directories
+            for path in paths:
+                if os.path.isdir(path):
+                    for dir, _, files in os.walk(path):
+                        self.add_watch(dir, flags)
+                        for f in files:
+                            self.add_watch(os.path.join(dir, f), flags)
+                else:
+                    self.add_watch(path, flags)
 
 class LinesIO:
     def __init__(self, maxlen=None):
@@ -147,6 +149,21 @@ def main(command, *,
     if keep_open_paths and not keep_open:
         keep_open = True
 
+    # figure out the keep_open paths
+    if keep_open and inotify_simple is not None:
+        if keep_open_paths:
+            keep_open_paths = set(keep_open_paths)
+        else:
+            # guess inotify paths from command
+            keep_open_paths = set()
+            for p in command:
+                for p in {
+                        p,
+                        re.sub('^-.', '', p),
+                        re.sub('^--[^=]+=', '', p)}:
+                    if p and os.path.exists(p):
+                        paths.add(p)
+
     returncode = 0
     try:
         while True:
@@ -157,6 +174,11 @@ def main(command, *,
                 ring = LinesIO(lines)
 
             try:
+                # register inotify before running the command, this avoids
+                # modification race conditions
+                if keep_open and Inotify:
+                    inotify = Inotify(keep_open_paths)
+
                 # run the command under a pseudoterminal
                 mpty, spty = pty.openpty()
 
@@ -204,24 +226,14 @@ def main(command, *,
                 pass
 
             # try to inotifywait
-            if keep_open and inotify_simple is not None:
-                if keep_open_paths:
-                    paths = set(keep_open_paths)
-                else:
-                    # guess inotify paths from command
-                    paths = set()
-                    for p in command:
-                        for p in {
-                                p,
-                                re.sub('^-.', '', p),
-                                re.sub('^--[^=]+=', '', p)}:
-                            if p and os.path.exists(p):
-                                paths.add(p)
+            if keep_open and Inotify:
                 ptime = time.time()
-                inotifywait(paths)
-                # sleep for a minimum amount of time, this helps issues around
-                # rapidly updating files
-                time.sleep(max(0, (sleep or 0.1) - (time.time()-ptime)))
+                inotify.read()
+                inotify.close()
+                # sleep for a minimum amount of time, this helps reduce
+                # flicker issues
+                time.sleep(max(0, (sleep or 0.01) - (time.time()-ptime)))
+            # or sleep
             else:
                 time.sleep(sleep or 0.1)
     except KeyboardInterrupt: