diff --git a/nunjucks/src/compiler.js b/nunjucks/src/compiler.js
index 6ef3c149..baa469f3 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/compiler.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/compiler.js
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ const transformer = require('./transformer');
 const nodes = require('./nodes');
 const {TemplateError} = require('./lib');
 const {Frame} = require('./runtime');
-const Obj = require('./object');
+const {Obj} = require('./object');
 
 // These are all the same for now, but shouldn't be passed straight
 // through
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/environment.js b/nunjucks/src/environment.js
index bb1c3b90..1cd75371 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/environment.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/environment.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ const filters = require('./filters');
 const {FileSystemLoader, WebLoader, PrecompiledLoader} = require('./loaders');
 const tests = require('./tests');
 const globals = require('./globals');
-const Obj = require('./object');
+const {Obj, EmitterObj} = require('./object');
 const globalRuntime = require('./runtime');
 const {handleError, Frame} = globalRuntime;
 const expressApp = require('./express-app');
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ const noopTmplSrc = {
   }
 };
 
-class Environment extends Obj {
+class Environment extends EmitterObj {
   init(loaders, opts) {
     // The dev flag determines the trace that'll be shown on errors.
     // If set to true, returns the full trace from the error point,
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class Environment extends Obj {
       );
     }
 
-    this.initCache();
+    this._initLoaders();
 
     this.globals = globals();
     this.filters = {};
@@ -95,18 +95,28 @@ class Environment extends Obj {
     lib._entries(tests).forEach(([name, test]) => this.addTest(name, test));
   }
 
-  initCache() {
-    // Caching and cache busting
+  _initLoaders() {
     this.loaders.forEach((loader) => {
+      // Caching and cache busting
       loader.cache = {};
       if (typeof loader.on === 'function') {
-        loader.on('update', (template) => {
-          loader.cache[template] = null;
+        loader.on('update', (name, fullname) => {
+          loader.cache[name] = null;
+          this.emit('update', name, fullname, loader);
+        });
+        loader.on('load', (name, source) => {
+          this.emit('load', name, source, loader);
         });
       }
     });
   }
 
+  invalidateCache() {
+    this.loaders.forEach((loader) => {
+      loader.cache = {};
+    });
+  }
+
   addExtension(name, extension) {
     extension.__name = name;
     this.extensions[name] = extension;
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/loader.js b/nunjucks/src/loader.js
index 1ff3b208..139939ef 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/loader.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/loader.js
@@ -1,23 +1,9 @@
 'use strict';
 
 const path = require('path');
-const Obj = require('./object');
-
-module.exports = class Loader extends Obj {
-  on(name, func) {
-    this.listeners = this.listeners || {};
-    this.listeners[name] = this.listeners[name] || [];
-    this.listeners[name].push(func);
-  }
-
-  emit(name, ...args) {
-    if (this.listeners && this.listeners[name]) {
-      this.listeners[name].forEach((listener) => {
-        listener(...args);
-      });
-    }
-  }
+const {EmitterObj} = require('./object');
 
+module.exports = class Loader extends EmitterObj {
   resolve(from, to) {
     return path.resolve(path.dirname(from), to);
   }
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/node-loaders.js b/nunjucks/src/node-loaders.js
index 4e3d6f90..42405a04 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/node-loaders.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/node-loaders.js
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class FileSystemLoader extends Loader {
       watcher.on('all', (event, fullname) => {
         fullname = path.resolve(fullname);
         if (event === 'change' && fullname in this.pathsToNames) {
-          this.emit('update', this.pathsToNames[fullname]);
+          this.emit('update', this.pathsToNames[fullname], fullname);
         }
       });
       watcher.on('error', (error) => {
@@ -76,11 +76,13 @@ class FileSystemLoader extends Loader {
 
     this.pathsToNames[fullpath] = name;
 
-    return {
+    const source = {
       src: fs.readFileSync(fullpath, 'utf-8'),
       path: fullpath,
       noCache: this.noCache
     };
+    this.emit('load', name, source);
+    return source;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/nodes.js b/nunjucks/src/nodes.js
index 65fd2faa..20c60d57 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/nodes.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/nodes.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 'use strict';
 
-const Obj = require('./object');
+const {Obj} = require('./object');
 
 function traverseAndCheck(obj, type, results) {
   if (obj instanceof type) {
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/object.js b/nunjucks/src/object.js
index 39c49ac0..e3a34c67 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/object.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/object.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 // A simple class system, more documentation to come
+const EventEmitter = require('events');
 const lib = require('./lib');
 
 function parentWrap(parent, prop) {
@@ -59,4 +60,26 @@ class Obj {
   }
 }
 
-module.exports = Obj;
+class EmitterObj extends EventEmitter {
+  constructor(...args) {
+    super();
+    // Unfortunately necessary for backwards compatibility
+    this.init(...args);
+  }
+
+  init() {}
+
+  get typename() {
+    return this.constructor.name;
+  }
+
+  static extend(name, props) {
+    if (typeof name === 'object') {
+      props = name;
+      name = 'anonymous';
+    }
+    return extendClass(this, name, props);
+  }
+}
+
+module.exports = { Obj, EmitterObj };
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/parser.js b/nunjucks/src/parser.js
index 45d0dc5b..a98142c2 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/parser.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/parser.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 var lexer = require('./lexer');
 var nodes = require('./nodes');
-var Obj = require('./object');
+var Obj = require('./object').Obj;
 var lib = require('./lib');
 
 class Parser extends Obj {
diff --git a/nunjucks/src/web-loaders.js b/nunjucks/src/web-loaders.js
index c592aa53..609e5880 100644
--- a/nunjucks/src/web-loaders.js
+++ b/nunjucks/src/web-loaders.js
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class WebLoader extends Loader {
           path: name,
           noCache: !useCache
         };
+        this.emit('load', name, result);
         if (cb) {
           cb(null, result);
         }