diff --git a/jetty-deploy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/deploy/providers/WebAppProvider.java b/jetty-deploy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/deploy/providers/WebAppProvider.java
index dde95535181..20af493c5d6 100644
--- a/jetty-deploy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/deploy/providers/WebAppProvider.java
+++ b/jetty-deploy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/deploy/providers/WebAppProvider.java
@@ -111,12 +111,7 @@ public class WebAppProvider extends ScanningAppProvider
             // else is it a war file
             if (lowername.endsWith(".war"))
             {
-                String base=name.substring(0,name.length()-4);
-                // ignore if it is a war for an existing xml file?
-                if (exists(base+".xml")||exists(base+".XML"))
-                    return false;
-
-                // OK to deploy it then
+                //defer deployment decision to fileChanged()
                 return true;
             }
 
@@ -238,7 +233,8 @@ public class WebAppProvider extends ScanningAppProvider
     {
         _tempDirectory = directory;
     }
-
+    
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
     /**
      * Get the user supplied Work Directory.
      *
@@ -360,5 +356,150 @@ public class WebAppProvider extends ScanningAppProvider
         }
         return webAppContext;
     }
+    
+    
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    protected void fileChanged(String filename) throws Exception
+    {        
+        File file = new File(filename);
+        if (!file.exists())
+            return;
+        
+        File parent = file.getParentFile();
+        
+        //is the file that changed a directory? 
+        if (file.isDirectory())
+        {
+            //is there a .xml file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".xml")||exists(file.getName()+".XML"))
+                return; //ignore it
+
+            //is there .war file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".war")||exists(file.getName()+".WAR"))
+                return; //ignore it
+
+             super.fileChanged(filename);
+             return;
+        }
+        
+      
+        String lowname = file.getName().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
+        //is the file that changed a .war file?
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".war"))
+        {
+            String name = file.getName();
+            String base=name.substring(0,name.length()-4);
+            String xmlname = base+".xml";
+            if (exists(xmlname))
+            {
+                //if a .xml file exists for it, then redeploy that instead
+                File xml = new File (parent, xmlname);
+                super.fileChanged(xml.getCanonicalPath());
+                return;
+            }
+            
+            xmlname = base+".XML";
+            if (exists(xmlname))
+            {
+                //if a .XML file exists for it, then redeploy that instead
+                File xml = new File(parent, xmlname);
+                super.fileChanged(xml.getCanonicalPath());
+                return;
+            }
+            
+            //redeploy the changed war
+            super.fileChanged(filename);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        //is the file that changed a .xml file?
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".xml"))
+            super.fileChanged(filename);
+    }
+
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    protected void fileAdded(String filename) throws Exception
+    {
+        File file = new File(filename);
+        if (!file.exists())
+            return;
+
+        //is the file that was added a directory? 
+        if (file.isDirectory())
+        {
+            //is there a .xml file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".xml")||exists(file.getName()+".XML"))
+                return; //assume we will get added events for the xml file
+
+            //is there .war file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".war")||exists(file.getName()+".WAR"))
+                return; //assume we will get added events for the war file
+
+            super.fileAdded(filename);
+            return;
+        }
+
+
+        //is the file that was added a .war file?
+        String lowname = file.getName().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".war"))
+        {
+            String name = file.getName();
+            String base=name.substring(0,name.length()-4);
+            //is there a .xml file of the same name?
+            if (exists(base+".xml")||exists(base+".XML")) 
+                return; //ignore it as we should get addition of the xml file
+
+            super.fileAdded(filename);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        //is the file that was added an .xml file?
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".xml"))
+            super.fileAdded(filename);
+    }
+
+    
+    /* ------------------------------------------------------------ */
+    @Override
+    protected void fileRemoved(String filename) throws Exception
+    { 
+        File file = new File(filename);
+
+        //is the file that was removed a directory? 
+        if (file.isDirectory())
+        {
+            //is there a .xml file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".xml")||exists(file.getName()+".XML"))
+                return; //assume we will get removed events for the xml file
+
+            //is there .war file of the same name?
+            if (exists(file.getName()+".war")||exists(file.getName()+".WAR"))
+                return; //assume we will get removed events for the war file
+
+            super.fileRemoved(filename);
+            return;
+        }
+  
+        //is the file that was removed a .war file?
+        String lowname = file.getName().toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".war"))
+        {
+            //is there a .xml file of the same name?
+            String name = file.getName();
+            String base=name.substring(0,name.length()-4);
+            if (exists(base+".xml")||exists(base+".XML"))
+                return; //ignore it as we should get removal of the xml file
+
+            super.fileRemoved(filename);
+            return;
+        }
+
+        //is the file that was removed an .xml file?
+        if (lowname.endsWith(".xml"))
+            super.fileRemoved(filename);
+    }
 
 }