diff --git a/batctl/debug.c b/batctl/debug.c
index fb9c74b..3045f67 100644
--- a/batctl/debug.c
+++ b/batctl/debug.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void originators_usage(void)
 	printf("options:\n");
 	printf(" \t -h print this help\n");
 	printf(" \t -n don't replace mac addresses with bat-host names\n");
-	printf(" \t -w watch mode - refresh the originator table continuously\n");
+	printf(" \t -w [interval] watch mode - refresh the originator table continuously\n");
 	printf(" \t -t timeout interval - don't print originators not seen for x.y seconds \n");
 }
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ void trans_local_usage(void)
 	printf("options:\n");
 	printf(" \t -h print this help\n");
 	printf(" \t -n don't replace mac addresses with bat-host names\n");
-	printf(" \t -w watch mode - refresh the local translation table continuously\n");
+	printf(" \t -w [interval] watch mode - refresh the local translation table continuously\n");
 }
 
 void trans_global_usage(void)
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ void trans_global_usage(void)
 	printf("options:\n");
 	printf(" \t -h print this help\n");
 	printf(" \t -n don't replace mac addresses with bat-host names\n");
-	printf(" \t -w watch mode - refresh the global translation table continuously\n");
+	printf(" \t -w [interval] watch mode - refresh the global translation table continuously\n");
 }
 
 void gateways_usage(void)
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ void gateways_usage(void)
 	printf("options:\n");
 	printf(" \t -h print this help\n");
 	printf(" \t -n don't replace mac addresses with bat-host names\n");
-	printf(" \t -w watch mode - refresh the gateway server list continuously\n");
+	printf(" \t -w [interval] watch mode - refresh the gateway server list continuously\n");
 }
 
 int handle_debug_table(int argc, char **argv, char *file_path, void table_usage(void))
@@ -76,8 +76,10 @@ int handle_debug_table(int argc, char **argv, char *file_path, void table_usage(
 	char full_path[MAX_PATH+1];
 	char *debugfs_mnt;
 	float orig_timeout;
+	float watch_interval = 1;
+	opterr = 0;
 
-	while ((optchar = getopt(argc, argv, "hnwt:")) != -1) {
+	while ((optchar = getopt(argc, argv, "hnw:t:")) != -1) {
 		switch (optchar) {
 		case 'h':
 			table_usage();
@@ -87,6 +89,15 @@ int handle_debug_table(int argc, char **argv, char *file_path, void table_usage(
 			break;
 		case 'w':
 			read_opt |= CLR_CONT_READ;
+			if (optarg[0] == '-') {
+				optind--;
+				break;
+			}
+
+			if (!sscanf(optarg, "%f", &watch_interval)) {
+				printf("Error - provided argument of -w is not a number\n");
+				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+			}
 			break;
 		case 't':
 			if (table_usage != originators_usage) {
@@ -101,8 +112,17 @@ int handle_debug_table(int argc, char **argv, char *file_path, void table_usage(
 			}
 			break;
 		case '?':
-			if (optopt == 't' && table_usage == originators_usage)
-				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+			if (optopt == 't')
+				printf("Error - argument -t needs a number\n");
+			
+			else if (optopt == 'w') {
+				read_opt |= CLR_CONT_READ;
+				break;
+			}
+			else
+				printf("Error - unrecognised option -%c\n", optopt);
+
+			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 		default:
 			table_usage();
 			return EXIT_FAILURE;
@@ -116,7 +136,7 @@ int handle_debug_table(int argc, char **argv, char *file_path, void table_usage(
 	}
 
 	debugfs_make_path(DEBUG_BATIF_PATH "/", full_path, sizeof(full_path));
-	return read_file(full_path, file_path, read_opt, orig_timeout);
+	return read_file(full_path, file_path, read_opt, orig_timeout, watch_interval);
 }
 
 static void log_usage(void)
@@ -154,7 +174,7 @@ int log_print(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 
 	debugfs_make_path(DEBUG_BATIF_PATH "/", full_path, sizeof(full_path));
-	res = read_file(full_path, DEBUG_LOG, read_opt, 0);
+	res = read_file(full_path, DEBUG_LOG, read_opt, 0, 0);
 
 	if ((res != EXIT_SUCCESS) && (errno == ENOENT))
 		printf("To read the debug log you need to compile the module with debugging enabled (see the README)\n");
diff --git a/batctl/functions.c b/batctl/functions.c
index 0aeb99a..497e166 100644
--- a/batctl/functions.c
+++ b/batctl/functions.c
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ static int check_sys_dir(char *dir)
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
 
-int read_file(char *dir, char *fname, int read_opt, float orig_timeout)
+int read_file(char *dir, char *fname, int read_opt,
+	      float orig_timeout, float watch_interval)
 {
 	struct ether_addr *mac_addr;
 	struct bat_host *bat_host;
@@ -218,14 +219,14 @@ written:
 	}
 
 	if (read_opt & CONT_READ) {
-		sleep(1);
+		usleep(1000000 * watch_interval);
 		goto read;
 	}
 
 	if (read_opt & CLR_CONT_READ) {
 		if (fp)
 			fclose(fp);
-		sleep(1);
+		usleep(1000000 * watch_interval);
 		goto open;
 	}
 
diff --git a/batctl/functions.h b/batctl/functions.h
index 3fb8f35..6aa9487 100644
--- a/batctl/functions.h
+++ b/batctl/functions.h
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ double end_timer(void);
 char *ether_ntoa_long(const struct ether_addr *addr);
 char *get_name_by_macaddr(struct ether_addr *mac_addr, int read_opt);
 char *get_name_by_macstr(char *mac_str, int read_opt);
-int read_file(char *dir, char *path, int read_opt, float orig_timeout);
+int read_file(char *dir, char *path, int read_opt,
+	      float orig_timeout, float watch_interval);
 int write_file(char *dir, char *fname, char *arg1, char *arg2);
 
 extern char *line_ptr;
diff --git a/batctl/sys.c b/batctl/sys.c
index 7135841..4c07866 100644
--- a/batctl/sys.c
+++ b/batctl/sys.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static int print_interfaces(void)
 
 	while ((iface_dir = readdir(iface_base_dir)) != NULL) {
 		snprintf(path_buff, PATH_BUFF_LEN, SYS_MESH_IFACE_FMT, iface_dir->d_name);
-		res = read_file("", path_buff, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF | SILENCE_ERRORS, 0);
+		res = read_file("", path_buff, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF | SILENCE_ERRORS, 0, 0);
 		if (res != EXIT_SUCCESS)
 			continue;
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static int print_interfaces(void)
 		line_ptr = NULL;
 
 		snprintf(path_buff, PATH_BUFF_LEN, SYS_IFACE_STATUS_FMT, iface_dir->d_name);
-		res = read_file("", path_buff, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF | SILENCE_ERRORS, 0);
+		res = read_file("", path_buff, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF | SILENCE_ERRORS, 0, 0);
 		if (res != EXIT_SUCCESS) {
 			printf("<error reading status>\n");
 			continue;
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ int handle_loglevel(int argc, char **argv)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	res = read_file(SYS_BATIF_PATH, SYS_LOG_LEVEL, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF, 0);
+	res = read_file(SYS_BATIF_PATH, SYS_LOG_LEVEL, SINGLE_READ | USE_READ_BUFF, 0, 0);
 
 	if (res != EXIT_SUCCESS)
 		goto out;
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ int handle_sys_setting(int argc, char **argv,
 	}
 
 	if (argc == 1)
-		return read_file(SYS_BATIF_PATH, file_path, SINGLE_READ, 0);
+		return read_file(SYS_BATIF_PATH, file_path, SINGLE_READ, 0, 0);
 
 	if (!sysfs_param)
 		goto write_file;
