diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua
index 7e7441c7a0b..d084fb18e1c 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/watch.lua
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ local M = {}
 
 local function reload_and_get_git_project(path)
   local project_root = git.get_project_root(path)
-  git.reload_project(project_root)
+  git.reload_project(project_root, path)
   return project_root, git.get_project(project_root) or {}
 end
 
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
index 41d6f62aa4f..c3278647e67 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
@@ -22,25 +22,36 @@ function M.reload()
   return M.projects
 end
 
-function M.reload_project(project_root)
+function M.reload_project(project_root, path)
   local project = M.projects[project_root]
   if not project or not M.config.enable then
     return
   end
 
-  local watcher = M.projects[project_root].watcher
-  M.projects[project_root] = {}
+  if path and not path:match("^" .. project_root) then
+    path = nil
+  end
+
   local git_status = Runner.run {
     project_root = project_root,
+    path = path,
     list_untracked = git_utils.should_show_untracked(project_root),
     list_ignored = true,
     timeout = M.config.timeout,
   }
-  M.projects[project_root] = {
-    files = git_status,
-    dirs = git_utils.file_status_to_dir_status(git_status, project_root),
-    watcher = watcher,
-  }
+
+  if path then
+    for p in pairs(project.files) do
+      if p:match("^" .. path) then
+        project.files[p] = nil
+      end
+    end
+    project.files = vim.tbl_deep_extend("force", project.files, git_status)
+  else
+    project.files = git_status
+  end
+
+  project.dirs = git_utils.file_status_to_dir_status(project.files, project_root)
 end
 
 function M.get_project(project_root)
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
index af130b6649b..cd488a15349 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/runner.lua
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ function Runner:_getopts(stdout_handle, stderr_handle)
   local untracked = self.list_untracked and "-u" or nil
   local ignored = (self.list_untracked and self.list_ignored) and "--ignored=matching" or "--ignored=no"
   return {
-    args = { "--no-optional-locks", "status", "--porcelain=v1", ignored, untracked },
+    args = { "--no-optional-locks", "status", "--porcelain=v1", ignored, untracked, self.path },
     cwd = self.project_root,
     stdio = { nil, stdout_handle, stderr_handle },
   }
@@ -129,10 +129,11 @@ end
 
 -- This module runs a git process, which will be killed if it takes more than timeout which defaults to 400ms
 function Runner.run(opts)
-  local ps = log.profile_start("git job %s", opts.project_root)
+  local ps = log.profile_start("git job %s %s", opts.project_root, opts.path)
 
   local self = setmetatable({
     project_root = opts.project_root,
+    path = opts.path,
     list_untracked = opts.list_untracked,
     list_ignored = opts.list_ignored,
     timeout = opts.timeout or 400,
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ function Runner.run(opts)
   self:_run_git_job()
   self:_wait()
 
-  log.profile_end(ps, "git job %s", opts.project_root)
+  log.profile_end(ps, "git job %s %s", opts.project_root, opts.path)
 
   if self.rc == -1 then
     log.line("git", "job timed out")