diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
index ebd86380b7..6bdb2fc194 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/dir.js
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@ module.exports = function (commander, filenames) {
     }
   }
 
-  _.each(filenames, handle);
+  if (!commander.skipInitialBuild) {
+    _.each(filenames, handle);
+  }
 
   if (commander.watch) {
     let chokidar = util.requireChokidar();
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
index 9dd8789c1b..36195ca722 100644
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/file.js
@@ -129,7 +129,10 @@ module.exports = function (commander, filenames, opts) {
   };
 
   let files = function () {
-    walk();
+
+    if (!commander.skipInitialBuild) {
+      walk();
+    }
 
     if (commander.watch) {
       let chokidar = util.requireChokidar();
diff --git a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
index f23f6f43d1..1894d55d24 100755
--- a/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel-cli/src/babel/index.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ each(options, function (option, key) {
 
 commander.option("-x, --extensions [extensions]", "List of extensions to compile when a directory has been input [.es6,.js,.es,.jsx]");
 commander.option("-w, --watch", "Recompile files on changes");
+commander.option("-s, --skip-initial-build", "Do not compile files before watching");
 commander.option("-o, --out-file [out]", "Compile all input files into a single file");
 commander.option("-d, --out-dir [out]", "Compile an input directory of modules into an output directory");
 commander.option("-D, --copy-files", "When compiling a directory copy over non-compilable files");
@@ -92,6 +93,10 @@ if (commander.watch) {
   }
 }
 
+if (commander.skipInitialBuild && !commander.watch) {
+  errors.push("--skip-initial-build requires --watch");
+}
+
 if (errors.length) {
   console.error(errors.join(". "));
   process.exit(2);