diff --git a/lib/cli/run.js b/lib/cli/run.js
index 3490a6bdbd..c3f459c0ff 100644
--- a/lib/cli/run.js
+++ b/lib/cli/run.js
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ exports.builder = yargs =>
         group: GROUPS.FILES,
         requiresArg: true,
         coerce: list,
-        default: ['node_modules', '.git']
+        default: defaults['watch-ignore']
       }
     })
     .positional('spec', {
diff --git a/lib/mocharc.json b/lib/mocharc.json
index b0cd266714..e6f5d99c5b 100644
--- a/lib/mocharc.json
+++ b/lib/mocharc.json
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@
   "reporter": "spec",
   "slow": 75,
   "timeout": 2000,
-  "ui": "bdd"
+  "ui": "bdd",
+  "watch-ignore": ["node_modules", ".git"]
 }