diff --git a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
index 4eab3fad..c1535ad7 100644
--- a/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/core/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ qt_add_library(quickshell-core STATIC
 	rootwrapper.cpp
 	qmlglobal.cpp
 	qmlscreen.cpp
-	watcher.cpp
 	region.cpp
 	persistentprops.cpp
 	windowinterface.cpp
@@ -18,6 +17,8 @@ qt_add_library(quickshell-core STATIC
 	popupwindow.cpp
 	singleton.cpp
 	generation.cpp
+	scan.cpp
+	qsintercept.cpp
 )
 
 set_source_files_properties(main.cpp PROPERTIES COMPILE_DEFINITIONS GIT_REVISION="${GIT_REVISION}")
diff --git a/src/core/enginecontext.hpp b/src/core/enginecontext.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6675fc30
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/enginecontext.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "qsintercept.hpp"
+#include "scan.hpp"
+#include "singleton.hpp"
+
+class EngineContext {
+public:
+	explicit EngineContext(const QmlScanner& scanner);
+
+private:
+	const QmlScanner& scanner;
+	QQmlEngine engine;
+	QsInterceptNetworkAccessManagerFactory interceptFactory;
+	SingletonRegistry singletonRegistry;
+};
diff --git a/src/core/generation.cpp b/src/core/generation.cpp
index 6454a002..d48ffb21 100644
--- a/src/core/generation.cpp
+++ b/src/core/generation.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 #include "generation.hpp"
+#include <utility>
 
 #include <qcontainerfwd.h>
 #include <qcoreapplication.h>
+#include <qfilesystemwatcher.h>
 #include <qhash.h>
 #include <qobject.h>
 #include <qqmlcontext.h>
@@ -9,11 +11,19 @@
 #include <qtimer.h>
 
 #include "plugin.hpp"
+#include "qsintercept.hpp"
 #include "reload.hpp"
+#include "scan.hpp"
 
 static QHash<QQmlEngine*, EngineGeneration*> g_generations; // NOLINT
 
-EngineGeneration::EngineGeneration() { g_generations.insert(&this->engine, this); }
+EngineGeneration::EngineGeneration(QmlScanner scanner)
+    : scanner(std::move(scanner))
+    , interceptNetFactory(this->scanner.qmldirIntercepts) {
+	g_generations.insert(&this->engine, this);
+
+	this->engine.setNetworkAccessManagerFactory(&this->interceptNetFactory);
+}
 
 EngineGeneration::~EngineGeneration() {
 	g_generations.remove(&this->engine);
@@ -41,6 +51,30 @@ void EngineGeneration::onReload(EngineGeneration* old) {
 	}
 }
 
+void EngineGeneration::setWatchingFiles(bool watching) {
+	if (watching) {
+		if (this->watcher == nullptr) {
+			this->watcher = new QFileSystemWatcher();
+
+			for (auto& file: this->scanner.scannedFiles) {
+				this->watcher->addPath(file);
+			}
+
+			QObject::connect(
+			    this->watcher,
+			    &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged,
+			    this,
+			    &EngineGeneration::filesChanged
+			);
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (this->watcher != nullptr) {
+			delete this->watcher;
+			this->watcher = nullptr;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 EngineGeneration* EngineGeneration::findObjectGeneration(QObject* object) {
 	while (object != nullptr) {
 		auto* context = QQmlEngine::contextForObject(object);
diff --git a/src/core/generation.hpp b/src/core/generation.hpp
index f62149f1..a2fef8ad 100644
--- a/src/core/generation.hpp
+++ b/src/core/generation.hpp
@@ -1,23 +1,35 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <qfilesystemwatcher.h>
 #include <qobject.h>
 #include <qtclasshelpermacros.h>
 
+#include "qsintercept.hpp"
+#include "scan.hpp"
 #include "shell.hpp"
 #include "singleton.hpp"
 
-class EngineGeneration {
+class EngineGeneration: public QObject {
+	Q_OBJECT;
+
 public:
-	explicit EngineGeneration();
-	~EngineGeneration();
+	explicit EngineGeneration(QmlScanner scanner);
+	~EngineGeneration() override;
 	Q_DISABLE_COPY_MOVE(EngineGeneration);
 
 	// assumes root has been initialized, consumes old generation
 	void onReload(EngineGeneration* old);
+	void setWatchingFiles(bool watching);
 
 	static EngineGeneration* findObjectGeneration(QObject* object);
 
+	QmlScanner scanner;
+	QsInterceptNetworkAccessManagerFactory interceptNetFactory;
 	QQmlEngine engine;
 	ShellRoot* root = nullptr;
 	SingletonRegistry singletonRegistry;
+	QFileSystemWatcher* watcher = nullptr;
+
+signals:
+	void filesChanged();
 };
diff --git a/src/core/qsintercept.cpp b/src/core/qsintercept.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..35b92347
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/qsintercept.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+#include "qsintercept.hpp"
+#include <cstring>
+
+#include <qhash.h>
+#include <qiodevice.h>
+#include <qlogging.h>
+#include <qloggingcategory.h>
+#include <qminmax.h>
+#include <qnetworkaccessmanager.h>
+#include <qnetworkrequest.h>
+#include <qobject.h>
+#include <qstring.h>
+#include <qtypes.h>
+
+Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(logQsIntercept, "quickshell.interceptor", QtWarningMsg);
+
+QsInterceptDataReply::QsInterceptDataReply(const QString& qmldir, QObject* parent)
+    : QNetworkReply(parent)
+    , content(qmldir.toUtf8()) {
+	this->setOpenMode(QIODevice::ReadOnly);
+	this->setFinished(true);
+}
+
+qint64 QsInterceptDataReply::readData(char* data, qint64 maxSize) {
+	auto size = qMin(maxSize, this->content.length() - this->offset);
+	if (size == 0) return -1;
+	memcpy(data, this->content.constData() + this->offset, size); // NOLINT
+	this->offset += size;
+	return size;
+}
+
+QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager::QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager(
+    const QHash<QString, QString>& qmldirIntercepts,
+    QObject* parent
+)
+    : QNetworkAccessManager(parent)
+    , qmldirIntercepts(qmldirIntercepts) {}
+
+QNetworkReply* QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager::createRequest(
+    QNetworkAccessManager::Operation op,
+    const QNetworkRequest& req,
+    QIODevice* outgoingData
+) {
+	auto url = req.url();
+	if (url.scheme() == "qsintercept") {
+		auto path = url.path();
+		qCDebug(logQsIntercept) << "Got intercept for" << path << "contains"
+		                        << this->qmldirIntercepts.value(path);
+		auto qmldir = this->qmldirIntercepts.value(path);
+		if (qmldir != nullptr) {
+			return new QsInterceptDataReply(qmldir, this);
+		}
+
+		auto fileReq = req;
+		auto fileUrl = req.url();
+		fileUrl.setScheme("file");
+		qCDebug(logQsIntercept) << "Passing through intercept" << url << "to" << fileUrl;
+		fileReq.setUrl(fileUrl);
+		return this->QNetworkAccessManager::createRequest(op, fileReq, outgoingData);
+	}
+
+	return this->QNetworkAccessManager::createRequest(op, req, outgoingData);
+}
+
+QNetworkAccessManager* QsInterceptNetworkAccessManagerFactory::create(QObject* parent) {
+	return new QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager(this->qmldirIntercepts, parent);
+}
diff --git a/src/core/qsintercept.hpp b/src/core/qsintercept.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7e84da9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/qsintercept.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <qhash.h>
+#include <qloggingcategory.h>
+#include <qnetworkaccessmanager.h>
+#include <qnetworkreply.h>
+#include <qnetworkrequest.h>
+#include <qqmlnetworkaccessmanagerfactory.h>
+#include <qurl.h>
+
+Q_DECLARE_LOGGING_CATEGORY(logQsIntercept);
+
+class QsInterceptDataReply: public QNetworkReply {
+	Q_OBJECT;
+
+public:
+	QsInterceptDataReply(const QString& qmldir, QObject* parent = nullptr);
+
+	qint64 readData(char* data, qint64 maxSize) override;
+
+private slots:
+	void abort() override {}
+
+private:
+	qint64 offset = 0;
+	QByteArray content;
+};
+
+class QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager: public QNetworkAccessManager {
+	Q_OBJECT;
+
+public:
+	QsInterceptNetworkAccessManager(
+	    const QHash<QString, QString>& qmldirIntercepts,
+	    QObject* parent = nullptr
+	);
+
+protected:
+	QNetworkReply* createRequest(
+	    QNetworkAccessManager::Operation op,
+	    const QNetworkRequest& req,
+	    QIODevice* outgoingData = nullptr
+	) override;
+
+private:
+	const QHash<QString, QString>& qmldirIntercepts;
+};
+
+class QsInterceptNetworkAccessManagerFactory: public QQmlNetworkAccessManagerFactory {
+public:
+	QsInterceptNetworkAccessManagerFactory(const QHash<QString, QString>& qmldirIntercepts)
+	    : qmldirIntercepts(qmldirIntercepts) {}
+	QNetworkAccessManager* create(QObject* parent) override;
+
+private:
+	const QHash<QString, QString>& qmldirIntercepts;
+};
diff --git a/src/core/rootwrapper.cpp b/src/core/rootwrapper.cpp
index bcbc56be..fbb624ee 100644
--- a/src/core/rootwrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/core/rootwrapper.cpp
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
 
 #include "generation.hpp"
 #include "qmlglobal.hpp"
+#include "scan.hpp"
 #include "shell.hpp"
-#include "watcher.hpp"
 
 RootWrapper::RootWrapper(QString rootPath)
     : QObject(nullptr)
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ RootWrapper::~RootWrapper() {
 }
 
 void RootWrapper::reloadGraph(bool hard) {
-	auto* generation = new EngineGeneration();
+	auto scanner = QmlScanner();
+	scanner.scanQmlFile(this->rootPath);
+
+	auto* generation = new EngineGeneration(std::move(scanner));
 
 	// todo: move into EngineGeneration
 	if (this->generation != nullptr) {
@@ -51,7 +54,10 @@ void RootWrapper::reloadGraph(bool hard) {
 
 	QDir::setCurrent(this->originalWorkingDirectory);
 
-	auto component = QQmlComponent(&generation->engine, QUrl::fromLocalFile(this->rootPath));
+	auto url = QUrl::fromLocalFile(this->rootPath);
+	// unless the original file comes from the qsintercept scheme
+	url.setScheme("qsintercept");
+	auto component = QQmlComponent(&generation->engine, url);
 
 	auto* obj = component.beginCreate(generation->engine.rootContext());
 
@@ -80,25 +86,20 @@ void RootWrapper::reloadGraph(bool hard) {
 
 	qInfo() << "Configuration Loaded";
 
+	QObject::connect(
+	    this->generation,
+	    &EngineGeneration::filesChanged,
+	    this,
+	    &RootWrapper::onWatchedFilesChanged
+	);
+
 	this->onWatchFilesChanged();
 }
 
 void RootWrapper::onWatchFilesChanged() {
 	auto watchFiles = QuickshellSettings::instance()->watchFiles();
-
-	if (watchFiles && this->configWatcher == nullptr) {
-		this->configWatcher = new FiletreeWatcher();
-		this->configWatcher->addPath(QFileInfo(this->rootPath).dir().path());
-
-		QObject::connect(
-		    this->configWatcher,
-		    &FiletreeWatcher::fileChanged,
-		    this,
-		    &RootWrapper::onWatchedFilesChanged
-		);
-	} else if (!watchFiles && this->configWatcher != nullptr) {
-		this->configWatcher->deleteLater();
-		this->configWatcher = nullptr;
+	if (this->generation != nullptr) {
+		this->generation->setWatchingFiles(watchFiles);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/core/rootwrapper.hpp b/src/core/rootwrapper.hpp
index 7b39d4af..7958ee5c 100644
--- a/src/core/rootwrapper.hpp
+++ b/src/core/rootwrapper.hpp
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 #include <qurl.h>
 
 #include "generation.hpp"
-#include "watcher.hpp"
 
 class RootWrapper: public QObject {
 	Q_OBJECT;
@@ -26,6 +25,5 @@ private slots:
 private:
 	QString rootPath;
 	EngineGeneration* generation = nullptr;
-	FiletreeWatcher* configWatcher = nullptr;
 	QString originalWorkingDirectory;
 };
diff --git a/src/core/scan.cpp b/src/core/scan.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5f078aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/scan.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+#include "scan.hpp"
+
+#include <qcontainerfwd.h>
+#include <qdir.h>
+#include <qfileinfo.h>
+#include <qlogging.h>
+#include <qloggingcategory.h>
+#include <qstring.h>
+#include <qtextstream.h>
+
+Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(logQmlScanner, "quickshell.qmlscanner", QtWarningMsg);
+
+void QmlScanner::scanDir(const QString& path) {
+	if (this->scannedDirs.contains(path)) return;
+	this->scannedDirs.push_back(path);
+
+	qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Scanning directory" << path;
+	auto dir = QDir(path);
+
+	bool seenQmldir = false;
+	auto singletons = QVector<QString>();
+	auto entries = QVector<QString>();
+	for (auto& entry: dir.entryList(QDir::Files | QDir::NoDotAndDotDot)) {
+		if (entry == "qmldir") {
+			qCDebug(logQmlScanner
+			) << "Found qmldir file, qmldir synthesization will be disabled for directory"
+			  << path;
+			seenQmldir = true;
+		} else if (entry.at(0).isUpper() && entry.endsWith(".qml")) {
+			if (this->scanQmlFile(dir.filePath(entry))) {
+				singletons.push_back(entry);
+			} else {
+				entries.push_back(entry);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Due to the qsintercept:// protocol a qmldir is always required, even without singletons.
+	if (!seenQmldir) {
+		qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Synthesizing qmldir for directory" << path << "singletons"
+		                       << singletons;
+
+		QString qmldir;
+		auto stream = QTextStream(&qmldir);
+
+		for (auto& singleton: singletons) {
+			stream << "singleton " << singleton.sliced(0, singleton.length() - 4) << " 1.0 " << singleton
+			       << "\n";
+		}
+
+		for (auto& entry: entries) {
+			stream << entry.sliced(0, entry.length() - 4) << " 1.0 " << entry << "\n";
+		}
+
+		qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Synthesized qmldir for" << path << qPrintable("\n" + qmldir);
+		this->qmldirIntercepts.insert(QDir(path).filePath("qmldir"), qmldir);
+	}
+}
+
+bool QmlScanner::scanQmlFile(const QString& path) {
+	if (this->scannedFiles.contains(path)) return false;
+	this->scannedFiles.push_back(path);
+
+	qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Scanning qml file" << path;
+
+	auto file = QFile(path);
+	if (!file.open(QFile::ReadOnly | QFile::Text)) {
+		qCWarning(logQmlScanner) << "Failed to open file" << path;
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	auto stream = QTextStream(&file);
+	auto imports = QVector<QString>();
+
+	bool singleton = false;
+
+	while (!stream.atEnd()) {
+		auto line = stream.readLine().trimmed();
+		if (!singleton && line == "pragma Singleton") {
+			qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Discovered singleton" << path;
+			singleton = true;
+		} else if (line.startsWith("import")) {
+
+			auto startQuot = line.indexOf('"');
+			if (startQuot == -1 || line.length() < startQuot + 3) continue;
+			auto endQuot = line.indexOf('"', startQuot + 1);
+			if (endQuot == -1) continue;
+
+			auto name = line.sliced(startQuot + 1, endQuot - startQuot - 1);
+			imports.push_back(name);
+		} else if (line.contains('{')) break;
+	}
+
+	file.close();
+
+	if (logQmlScanner().isDebugEnabled() && !imports.isEmpty()) {
+		qCDebug(logQmlScanner) << "Found imports" << imports;
+	}
+
+	auto currentdir = QDir(QFileInfo(path).canonicalPath());
+
+	// the root can never be a singleton so it dosent matter if we skip it
+	this->scanDir(currentdir.path());
+
+	for (auto& import: imports) {
+		auto ipath = currentdir.filePath(import);
+		auto cpath = QFileInfo(ipath).canonicalFilePath();
+
+		if (cpath.isEmpty()) {
+			qCWarning(logQmlScanner) << "Ignoring unresolvable import" << ipath << "from" << path;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		if (import.endsWith(".js")) this->scannedFiles.push_back(cpath);
+		else this->scanDir(cpath);
+	}
+
+	return singleton;
+}
diff --git a/src/core/scan.hpp b/src/core/scan.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..32a6166d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/scan.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <qcontainerfwd.h>
+#include <qhash.h>
+#include <qloggingcategory.h>
+#include <qvector.h>
+
+Q_DECLARE_LOGGING_CATEGORY(logQmlScanner);
+
+// expects canonical paths
+class QmlScanner {
+public:
+	void scanDir(const QString& path);
+	// returns if the file has a singleton
+	bool scanQmlFile(const QString& path);
+
+	QVector<QString> scannedDirs;
+	QVector<QString> scannedFiles;
+	QHash<QString, QString> qmldirIntercepts;
+};
diff --git a/src/core/singleton.cpp b/src/core/singleton.cpp
index ef03a741..e3f0b333 100644
--- a/src/core/singleton.cpp
+++ b/src/core/singleton.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 #include "singleton.hpp"
 
+#include <qhash.h>
 #include <qlogging.h>
-#include <qmap.h>
 #include <qobject.h>
 #include <qqmlcontext.h>
 #include <qqmlengine.h>
-#include <qurl.h>
 
 #include "generation.hpp"
 #include "reload.hpp"
diff --git a/src/core/singleton.hpp b/src/core/singleton.hpp
index cbbce41a..200c97f1 100644
--- a/src/core/singleton.hpp
+++ b/src/core/singleton.hpp
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include <qhash.h>
 #include <qobject.h>
+#include <qqmlengine.h>
 #include <qqmlintegration.h>
-#include <qtclasshelpermacros.h>
 #include <qtmetamacros.h>
+#include <qtypes.h>
 #include <qurl.h>
 
 #include "reload.hpp"
@@ -26,5 +28,5 @@ public:
 	void onReload(SingletonRegistry* old);
 
 private:
-	QMap<QUrl, Singleton*> registry;
+	QHash<QUrl, Singleton*> registry;
 };
diff --git a/src/core/watcher.cpp b/src/core/watcher.cpp
deleted file mode 100644
index 6b06d584..00000000
--- a/src/core/watcher.cpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,38 +0,0 @@
-#include "watcher.hpp"
-
-#include <qdir.h>
-#include <qfileinfo.h>
-#include <qfilesystemwatcher.h>
-#include <qobject.h>
-#include <qtmetamacros.h>
-
-FiletreeWatcher::FiletreeWatcher(QObject* parent): QObject(parent) {
-	QObject::connect(
-	    &this->watcher,
-	    &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged,
-	    this,
-	    &FiletreeWatcher::onFileChanged
-	);
-
-	QObject::connect(
-	    &this->watcher,
-	    &QFileSystemWatcher::directoryChanged,
-	    this,
-	    &FiletreeWatcher::onDirectoryChanged
-	);
-}
-void FiletreeWatcher::addPath(const QString& path) {
-	this->watcher.addPath(path);
-
-	if (QFileInfo(path).isDir()) {
-		auto dir = QDir(path);
-
-		for (auto& entry: dir.entryList(QDir::AllEntries | QDir::NoDotAndDotDot)) {
-			this->addPath(dir.filePath(entry));
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-void FiletreeWatcher::onDirectoryChanged(const QString& path) { this->addPath(path); }
-
-void FiletreeWatcher::onFileChanged(const QString& path) { emit this->fileChanged(path); }
diff --git a/src/core/watcher.hpp b/src/core/watcher.hpp
deleted file mode 100644
index a729f03c..00000000
--- a/src/core/watcher.hpp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,24 +0,0 @@
-#pragma once
-
-#include <qdir.h>
-#include <qfilesystemwatcher.h>
-#include <qobject.h>
-
-class FiletreeWatcher: public QObject {
-	Q_OBJECT;
-
-public:
-	explicit FiletreeWatcher(QObject* parent = nullptr);
-
-	void addPath(const QString& path);
-
-signals:
-	void fileChanged(const QString& path);
-
-private slots:
-	void onDirectoryChanged(const QString& path);
-	void onFileChanged(const QString& path);
-
-private:
-	QFileSystemWatcher watcher;
-};