diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 9293e39..5a97edf 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -81,13 +81,13 @@ start:
 	fi
 start.linux: compile.linux
 	@$(MAKE) log.debug MSG="running godev for development..."
-	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--linux-amd64 -vv --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
+	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--linux-amd64 -vv --args 'hi,there' --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
 start.macos: compile.macos
 	@$(MAKE) log.debug MSG="running godev for development..."
-	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--darwin-amd64 -vv --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
+	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--darwin-amd64 -vv --args 'hi,there' --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
 start.windows: compile.windows
 	@$(MAKE) log.debug MSG="running godev for development..."
-	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--windows-386.exe -vv --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
+	@$(CURDIR)/bin/godev--windows-386.exe -vv --args 'hi,there' --watch $(CURDIR) --dir $(CURDIR)/dev ${ARGS}
 
 ## installs the dependencies
 deps:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c5c4b04..48b3298 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ By default, GoDev will run for live-reload in development. This results in the d
 
 | Flag | Description |
 | --- | --- |
+| [`--args`](#--args) | Specifies arguments to pass into commands of the final execution group (the application being live-reloaded) |
 | [`--dir`](#--dir) | Specifies the working directory |
 | [`--env`](#--env) | Specifies an environment variable |
 | [`--exec`](#--exec) | Specifies comma-delimited commands |
@@ -212,6 +213,11 @@ Tells GoDev to keep completely quiet. Only panic level logs are printed before G
 
 #### Configuration
 
+##### `--args`
+Specifies the arguments to be passed into the last execution group which should contain the path to your binary.
+
+Default: None
+
 ##### `--dir`
 Specifies the directory for commands from GoDev to run from.
 
diff --git a/cli_default_handler.go b/cli_default_handler.go
index bf99d36..bed054a 100644
--- a/cli_default_handler.go
+++ b/cli_default_handler.go
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ package main
 import (
 	"strings"
 
+	shellquote "github.com/kballard/go-shellquote"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli"
 )
 
 func getDefaultFlags() []cli.Flag {
 	return []cli.Flag{
 		getFlagBuildOutput(),
+		getFlagCommandArguments(),
 		getFlagCommandsDelimiter(),
 		getFlagEnvVars(),
 		getFlagExecGroups(),
@@ -25,8 +27,12 @@ func getDefaultFlags() []cli.Flag {
 
 func getDefaultAction(config *Config) cli.ActionFunc {
 	return func(c *cli.Context) error {
+		var err error
 		config.RunDefault = true
 		config.BuildOutput = c.String("output")
+		if config.CommandArguments, err = shellquote.Split(c.String("args")); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
 		config.CommandsDelimiter = c.String("exec-delim")
 		config.EnvVars = c.StringSlice("env")
 		config.ExecGroups = c.StringSlice("exec")
diff --git a/cli_default_handler_test.go b/cli_default_handler_test.go
index cc9a113..62929a9 100644
--- a/cli_default_handler_test.go
+++ b/cli_default_handler_test.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func (s *CLIDefaultHandlerTestSuite) SetupTest() {
 func (s *CLIDefaultHandlerTestSuite) Test_getDefaultFlags() {
 	ensureCLIFlags(s.T(),
 		[]string{
+			"args",
 			"dir",
 			"env",
 			"exec-delim",
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 2c208b5..f4f0bce 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ import (
 // DefaultBuildOutput - default relative path to watch directory to place built binaries in
 const DefaultBuildOutput = "bin/app"
 
+// DefaultCommandArguments - default arguments to pass to commands in the last execution group
+const DefaultCommandArguments = ""
+
 // DefaultCommandsDelimiter - default string to split --execs into commands with
 const DefaultCommandsDelimiter = ","
 
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ const DefaultRefreshRate = 2 * time.Second
 // Config configures the main application entrypoint
 type Config struct {
 	BuildOutput       string
+	CommandArguments  ConfigCommaDelimitedString
 	CommandsDelimiter string
 	EnvVars           ConfigMultiflagString
 	ExecGroups        ConfigMultiflagString
diff --git a/data.go b/data.go
index 9065b5b..cf46c4d 100644
--- a/data.go
+++ b/data.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 // MAKE CHANGES AT ~/app/data/generate AND RUN make generate TO REGENERATE
 // THE FOLLOWING FILE
 //
-// GENERATED BY GO:GENERATE AT 2019-03-23 17:36:49.028176925 +0000 UTC m=+0.005074006
+// GENERATED BY GO:GENERATE AT 2019-04-01 23:13:50.175213187 +0800 HKT m=+0.029246505
 //
 // FILE GENERATED USING ~/app/data/generate.go
 
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ package main
 const Version = "0.5.40"
 
 // Commit is used by godev for reporting the version when installed via 'go get'
-const Commit = "48be2b5"
+const Commit = "6444d53"
 
 // DataDockerfile defines the 'Dockerfile' contents when --init is used
 // hash:fc3c6491cb0d101ae17e2e68aec4714f
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ const DataGoDotMod = `module app
 // MAKE CHANGES AT ~/app/data/generate AND RUN make generate TO REGENERATE
 // THE FOLLOWING FILE
 //
-// GENERATED BY GO:GENERATE AT 2019-03-23 17:36:49.028176925 +0000 UTC m=+0.005074006
+// GENERATED BY GO:GENERATE AT 2019-04-01 23:13:50.175213187 +0800 HKT m=+0.029246505
 //
 // FILE GENERATED USING ~/app/data/generate.go
 
diff --git a/flags.go b/flags.go
index e0638b0..0b861f1 100644
--- a/flags.go
+++ b/flags.go
@@ -13,6 +13,15 @@ func getFlagBuildOutput() cli.Flag {
 	}
 }
 
+// getFlagCommandArguments provisions --output
+func getFlagCommandArguments() cli.Flag {
+	return cli.StringFlag{
+		Name:  "args",
+		Usage: "| where <value> is a comma delimited string containing arguments to pass to commands in the final execution group",
+		Value: DefaultCommandArguments,
+	}
+}
+
 // getFlagCommandsDelimiter provisions --exec-delim
 func getFlagCommandsDelimiter() cli.Flag {
 	return cli.StringFlag{
diff --git a/flags_test.go b/flags_test.go
index d5f3e09..6590598 100644
--- a/flags_test.go
+++ b/flags_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ func (s *FlagsTestSuite) Test_getFlagBuildOutput() {
 	ensureFlag(s.T(), getFlagBuildOutput(), cli.StringFlag{}, `^output.*`)
 }
 
+func (s *FlagsTestSuite) Test_getFlagCommandArguments() {
+	ensureFlag(s.T(), getFlagCommandArguments(), cli.StringFlag{}, `^args`)
+}
+
 func (s *FlagsTestSuite) Test_getFlagCommandsDelimiter() {
 	ensureFlag(s.T(), getFlagCommandsDelimiter(), cli.StringFlag{}, `^exec-delim.*`)
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 1ac5ed1..4c914cd 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -46,18 +46,16 @@ type GoDev struct {
 func (godev *GoDev) Start() {
 	defer godev.logger.Infof("godev has ended")
 	godev.logger.Infof("godev has started")
-	if godev.config.RunVersion || godev.config.RunView {
-		// do nothing
+	if godev.config.RunDefault || godev.config.RunTest {
+		godev.startWatching()
 	} else if godev.config.RunInit {
 		godev.initialiseDirectory()
-	} else {
-		godev.startWatching()
 	}
 }
 
 func (godev *GoDev) createPipeline() []*ExecutionGroup {
 	var pipeline []*ExecutionGroup
-	for _, execGroup := range godev.config.ExecGroups {
+	for execGroupIndex, execGroup := range godev.config.ExecGroups {
 		executionGroup := &ExecutionGroup{}
 		var executionCommands []*Command
 		commands := strings.Split(execGroup, godev.config.CommandsDelimiter)
@@ -65,11 +63,15 @@ func (godev *GoDev) createPipeline() []*ExecutionGroup {
 			if sections, err := shellquote.Split(command); err != nil {
 				panic(err)
 			} else {
+				arguments := sections[1:]
+				if execGroupIndex == len(godev.config.ExecGroups)-1 {
+					arguments = append(arguments, godev.config.CommandArguments...)
+				}
 				executionCommands = append(
 					executionCommands,
 					InitCommand(&CommandConfig{
 						Application: sections[0],
-						Arguments:   sections[1:],
+						Arguments:   arguments,
 						Directory:   godev.config.WorkDirectory,
 						Environment: godev.config.EnvVars,
 						LogLevel:    godev.config.LogLevel,
@@ -91,53 +93,6 @@ func (godev *GoDev) eventHandler(events *[]WatcherEvent) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (godev *GoDev) startWatching() {
-	godev.logUniversalConfigurations()
-	godev.logWatchModeConfigurations()
-	godev.initialiseWatcher()
-	godev.initialiseRunner()
-
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	godev.watcher.BeginWatch(&wg, godev.eventHandler)
-	godev.logger.Infof("working dir : '%s'", godev.config.WorkDirectory)
-	godev.logger.Infof("watching dir: '%s'", godev.config.WatchDirectory)
-	godev.runner.Trigger()
-	wg.Wait()
-}
-
-func (godev *GoDev) logUniversalConfigurations() {
-	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - init       : %v", godev.config.RunInit)
-	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - test       : %v", godev.config.RunTest)
-	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - view       : %v", godev.config.RunView)
-	godev.logger.Debugf("watch directory   : %s", godev.config.WatchDirectory)
-	godev.logger.Debugf("work directory    : %s", godev.config.WorkDirectory)
-	godev.logger.Debugf("build output      : %s", godev.config.BuildOutput)
-}
-
-func (godev *GoDev) logWatchModeConfigurations() {
-	config := godev.config
-	logger := godev.logger
-	logger.Debugf("environment       : %v", config.EnvVars)
-	logger.Debugf("file extensions   : %v", config.FileExtensions)
-	logger.Debugf("ignored names     : %v", config.IgnoredNames)
-	logger.Debugf("refresh interval  : %v", config.Rate)
-	logger.Debugf("execution delim   : %s", config.CommandsDelimiter)
-	logger.Debug("execution groups as follows...")
-	for egIndex, execGroup := range config.ExecGroups {
-		logger.Debugf("  %v) %s", egIndex+1, execGroup)
-		commands := strings.Split(execGroup, config.CommandsDelimiter)
-		for cIndex, command := range commands {
-			sections, err := shellquote.Split(command)
-			if err != nil {
-				panic(err)
-			}
-			app := sections[0]
-			args := sections[1:]
-			logger.Debugf("    %v > %s %v", cIndex+1, app, args)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 func (godev *GoDev) initialiseInitialisers() []Initialiser {
 	return []Initialiser{
 		InitGitInitialiser(&GitInitialiserConfig{
@@ -218,3 +173,53 @@ func (godev *GoDev) initialiseWatcher() {
 	})
 	godev.watcher.RecursivelyWatch(godev.config.WatchDirectory)
 }
+
+func (godev *GoDev) logUniversalConfigurations() {
+	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - init       : %v", godev.config.RunInit)
+	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - test       : %v", godev.config.RunTest)
+	godev.logger.Debugf("flag - view       : %v", godev.config.RunView)
+	godev.logger.Debugf("watch directory   : %s", godev.config.WatchDirectory)
+	godev.logger.Debugf("work directory    : %s", godev.config.WorkDirectory)
+	godev.logger.Debugf("build output      : %s", godev.config.BuildOutput)
+}
+
+func (godev *GoDev) logWatchModeConfigurations() {
+	config := godev.config
+	logger := godev.logger
+	logger.Debugf("environment       : %v", config.EnvVars)
+	logger.Debugf("file extensions   : %v", config.FileExtensions)
+	logger.Debugf("ignored names     : %v", config.IgnoredNames)
+	logger.Debugf("refresh interval  : %v", config.Rate)
+	logger.Debugf("execution delim   : %s", config.CommandsDelimiter)
+	logger.Debug("execution groups as follows...")
+	for execGroupIndex, execGroup := range config.ExecGroups {
+		logger.Debugf("  %v) %s", execGroupIndex+1, execGroup)
+		commands := strings.Split(execGroup, config.CommandsDelimiter)
+		for commandIndex, command := range commands {
+			sections, err := shellquote.Split(command)
+			if err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+			application := sections[0]
+			arguments := sections[1:]
+			if execGroupIndex == len(config.ExecGroups)-1 {
+				arguments = append(arguments, config.CommandArguments...)
+			}
+			logger.Debugf("    %v > %s %v", commandIndex+1, application, arguments)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (godev *GoDev) startWatching() {
+	godev.logUniversalConfigurations()
+	godev.logWatchModeConfigurations()
+	godev.initialiseWatcher()
+	godev.initialiseRunner()
+
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	godev.watcher.BeginWatch(&wg, godev.eventHandler)
+	godev.logger.Infof("working dir : '%s'", godev.config.WorkDirectory)
+	godev.logger.Infof("watching dir: '%s'", godev.config.WatchDirectory)
+	godev.runner.Trigger()
+	wg.Wait()
+}
diff --git a/main_test.go b/main_test.go
index de684fd..a695364 100644
--- a/main_test.go
+++ b/main_test.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ func TestMainTestSuite(t *testing.T) {
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) SetupTest() {
 	s.godev = InitGoDev(&Config{
+		CommandArguments:  []string{"test", "arg"},
 		CommandsDelimiter: ",",
 		ExecGroups: []string{
 			"echo 'a b' c,echo 'd e',echo f",
@@ -74,40 +75,65 @@ func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_createPipeline_separatesCommandArgsCorrectly() {
 	assert.Equal(t, "2", pipeline[1].commands[1].config.Arguments[0])
 	assert.Equal(t, "3", pipeline[1].commands[1].config.Arguments[1])
 	// echo ''
-	assert.Len(t, pipeline[2].commands[0].config.Arguments, 1)
+	assert.Len(t, pipeline[2].commands[0].config.Arguments, 3)
 	assert.Equal(t, "", pipeline[2].commands[0].config.Arguments[0])
+	assert.Equal(t, "test", pipeline[2].commands[0].config.Arguments[1])
+	assert.Equal(t, "arg", pipeline[2].commands[0].config.Arguments[2])
+}
+
+func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_eventHandler() {
+	t := s.T()
+	// set exec groups to none so that no pipeline triggers
+	s.godev.config.ExecGroups = []string{}
+	s.godev.initialiseRunner()
+	s.godev.eventHandler(&[]WatcherEvent{
+		WatcherEvent{Op: 1},
+		WatcherEvent{Op: 2},
+		WatcherEvent{Op: 4},
+		WatcherEvent{Op: 8},
+		WatcherEvent{Op: 16},
+	})
+	logs := s.logs.String()
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "CREATE")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "WRITE")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "REMOVE")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "RENAME")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "CHMOD")
 }
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_initialiseInitialisers() {
+	t := s.T()
 	initialisers := s.godev.initialiseInitialisers()
-	assert.Len(s.T(), initialisers, 7)
+	assert.Len(t, initialisers, 7)
 	var keys []string
 	for _, initialiser := range initialisers {
 		keys = append(keys, initialiser.GetKey())
 	}
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, ".git")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, ".gitignore")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, ".dockerignore")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, "dockerfile")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, "makefile")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, "main.go")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), keys, "go.mod")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, ".git")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, ".gitignore")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, ".dockerignore")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, "dockerfile")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, "makefile")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, "main.go")
+	assert.Contains(t, keys, "go.mod")
 }
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_initialiseRunner() {
-	assert.Nil(s.T(), s.godev.runner)
+	t := s.T()
+	assert.Nil(t, s.godev.runner)
 	s.godev.initialiseRunner()
-	assert.NotNil(s.T(), s.godev.runner)
+	assert.NotNil(t, s.godev.runner)
 }
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_initialiseWatcher() {
+	t := s.T()
 	s.godev.config.FileExtensions = []string{"a", "b", "c"}
 	s.godev.config.IgnoredNames = []string{".cache", ".git", "bin", "vendor"}
 	s.godev.config.Rate = time.Second * 2
 	s.godev.config.WatchDirectory = getCurrentWorkingDirectory()
-	assert.Nil(s.T(), s.godev.watcher)
+	assert.Nil(t, s.godev.watcher)
 	s.godev.initialiseWatcher()
-	assert.NotNil(s.T(), s.godev.watcher)
+	assert.NotNil(t, s.godev.watcher)
 }
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_initialiseWatcher_withInvalidWatchDirectory() {
@@ -132,12 +158,29 @@ func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_initialiseWatcher_withInvalidWatchDirectory() {
 }
 
 func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_logUniversalConfiguration() {
+	t := s.T()
 	s.godev.logUniversalConfigurations()
 	logs := s.logs.String()
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "flag - init")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "flag - test")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "flag - view")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "watch directory")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "work directory")
-	assert.Contains(s.T(), logs, "build output")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "flag - init")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "flag - test")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "flag - view")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "watch directory")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "work directory")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "build output")
+}
+
+func (s *MainTestSuite) Test_logWatchModeConfigurations() {
+	t := s.T()
+	s.godev.logWatchModeConfigurations()
+	logs := s.logs.String()
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "environment")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "file extensions")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "ignored names")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "refresh interval")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "execution delim")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "execution groups")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "1) echo 'a b' c,echo 'd e',echo f")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "2) echo 1,echo 2 3")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "3) echo ''")
+	assert.Contains(t, logs, "test arg")
 }
diff --git a/utils_test.go b/utils_test.go
index b1d50d2..78ea758 100644
--- a/utils_test.go
+++ b/utils_test.go
@@ -84,3 +84,13 @@ func (s *UtilsTestSuite) Test_fileExists() {
 func (s *UtilsTestSuite) Test_fileExists_onDirectory() {
 	assert.False(s.T(), fileExists(getCurrentWorkingDirectory()))
 }
+
+func (s *UtilsTestSuite) Test_sliceContainsString() {
+	testSlice := []string{"a", "b", "c"}
+	// test the happy path
+	assert.True(s.T(), sliceContainsString(testSlice, "a"))
+	// test the sad path
+	assert.False(s.T(), sliceContainsString(testSlice, "d"))
+	// test if duplicates might affect searching
+	assert.False(s.T(), sliceContainsString(testSlice, "aa"))
+}