diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index fe311987..3ab8562e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+- Added ability to set a different watch interval by setting
+  `interval: '500ms'` or using the `--interval=500ms` flag
+  ([#813](https://github.com/go-task/task/issues/813), [#865](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/865)).
 - Add colored output to `--list`, `--list-all` and `--summary` flags ([#845](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/845), [#874](https://github.com/go-task/task/pull/874)).
 - Fix unexpected behavior where `label:` was being shown instead of the task
   name on `--list`
diff --git a/cmd/task/task.go b/cmd/task/task.go
index abee37dd..c7c25dee 100644
--- a/cmd/task/task.go
+++ b/cmd/task/task.go
@@ -209,10 +209,6 @@ func main() {
 		e.InterceptInterruptSignals()
 	}
 
-	if e.Interval == "" {
-		e.Interval = strings.TrimSpace(interval)
-	}
-
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	if status {
diff --git a/docs/docs/api_reference.md b/docs/docs/api_reference.md
index e67b721a..5a10c700 100644
--- a/docs/docs/api_reference.md
+++ b/docs/docs/api_reference.md
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ variable
 | `-f` | `--force` | `bool` | `false` | Forces execution even when the task is up-to-date. |
 | `-h` | `--help` | `bool` | `false` | Shows Task usage. |
 | `-i` | `--init` | `bool` | `false` | Creates a new Taskfile.yaml in the current folder. |
+| `-I` | `--interval` | `string` | `5s` | Sets a different watch interval when using `--watch`, the default being 5 seconds. This string should be a valid [Go Duration](https://pkg.go.dev/time#ParseDuration). |
 | `-l` | `--list` | `bool` | `false` | Lists tasks with description of current Taskfile. |
 | `-a` | `--list-all` | `bool` | `false` | Lists tasks with or without a description. |
 | `-o` | `--output` | `string` | Default set in the Taskfile or `intervealed` | Sets output style: [`interleaved`/`group`/`prefixed`]. |
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ Some environment variables can be overriden to adjust Task behavior.
 | `method` | `string` | `checksum` | Default method in this Taskfile. Can be overriden in a task by task basis. Available options: `checksum`, `timestamp` and `none`. |
 | `silent` | `bool` | `false` | Default "silent" options for this Taskfile. If `false`, can be overidden with `true` in a task by task basis. |
 | `run` | `string` | `always` | Default "run" option for this Taskfile. Available options: `always`, `once` and `when_changed`. |
+| `interval` | `string` | `5s` | Sets a different watch interval when using `--watch`, the default being 5 seconds. This string should be a valid [Go Duration](https://pkg.go.dev/time#ParseDuration). |
 | `vars` | [`map[string]Variable`](#variable) | | Global variables. |
 | `env` | [`map[string]Variable`](#variable) | | Global environment. |
 | `dotenv` | `[]string` | | A list of `.env` file paths to be parsed. |
diff --git a/docs/docs/usage.md b/docs/docs/usage.md
index a36f97e1..10f2eab3 100644
--- a/docs/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/docs/usage.md
@@ -1247,5 +1247,9 @@ With the flags `--watch` or `-w` task will watch for file changes
 and run the task again. This requires the `sources` attribute to be given,
 so task knows which files to watch.
 
+The default watch interval is 5 seconds, but it's possible to change it by
+either setting `interval: '500ms'` in the root of the Taskfile passing it
+as an argument like `--interval=500ms`.
+
 [gotemplate]: https://golang.org/pkg/text/template/
 [minify]: https://github.com/tdewolff/minify/tree/master/cmd/minify
diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index b66d8d48..96d5a4bb 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -1503,10 +1503,10 @@ Hello, World!
 	assert.NoError(t, e.Setup())
 	buff.Reset()
 
-	err := os.MkdirAll(dir+"/src", 0755)
+	err := os.MkdirAll(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "src"), 0755)
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 
-	err = os.WriteFile(dir+"/src/a", []byte("test"), 0644)
+	err = os.WriteFile(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "src/a"), []byte("test"), 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -1529,16 +1529,16 @@ Hello, World!
 	}(ctx)
 
 	time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-	err = os.WriteFile(dir+"/src/a", []byte("test updated"), 0644)
+	err = os.WriteFile(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "src/a"), []byte("test updated"), 0644)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	time.Sleep(70 * time.Millisecond)
+	time.Sleep(700 * time.Millisecond)
 	cancel()
 	assert.Equal(t, expectedOutput, strings.TrimSpace(buff.String()))
 	buff.Reset()
-	err = os.RemoveAll(dir + "/.task")
+	err = os.RemoveAll(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, ".task"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
-	err = os.RemoveAll(dir + "/src")
+	err = os.RemoveAll(filepathext.SmartJoin(dir, "src"))
 	assert.NoError(t, err)
 }
diff --git a/testdata/watcher_interval/Taskfile.yaml b/testdata/watcher_interval/Taskfile.yaml
index 2a1e16b8..110eff27 100644
--- a/testdata/watcher_interval/Taskfile.yaml
+++ b/testdata/watcher_interval/Taskfile.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ version: '3'
 vars:
   GREETING: Hello, World!
 
-interval: "30ms"
+interval: "500ms"
 
 tasks:
   default:
diff --git a/watch.go b/watch.go
index 60ac6aae..6af7dbc6 100644
--- a/watch.go
+++ b/watch.go
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ func (e *Executor) watchTasks(calls ...taskfile.Call) error {
 		var err error
 		watchInterval, err = parseWatchInterval(watchIntervalString)
 		if err != nil {
-			e.Logger.Errf(logger.Red, "%v", err)
+			cancel()
+			return err
 		}
 	}