diff --git a/data/core/commands/core.lua b/data/core/commands/core.lua
index ad0d4b10..16b371f3 100644
--- a/data/core/commands/core.lua
+++ b/data/core/commands/core.lua
@@ -164,7 +164,10 @@ command.add(nil, {
         core.error("Cannot open folder %q", text)
         return
       end
-      core.confirm_close_docs(core.docs, core.open_folder_project, text)
+      core.confirm_close_docs(core.docs, function(dirpath)
+        core.close_current_project()
+        core.open_folder_project(dirpath)
+      end, text)
     end, suggest_directory)
   end,
 
diff --git a/data/core/init.lua b/data/core/init.lua
index 01a7f9d8..c860ba7e 100644
--- a/data/core/init.lua
+++ b/data/core/init.lua
@@ -64,6 +64,22 @@ function core.set_project_dir(new_dir, change_project_fn)
   return false
 end
 
+function core.close_current_project()
+  -- When using system.unwatch_dir we need to pass the watch_id provided by dmon.
+  -- In reality when unwatching a directory the dmon library shifts the other watch_id
+  -- values so the actual watch_id changes. To workaround this problem we assume the
+  -- first watch_id is always 1 and the watch_id are continguous and we unwatch the
+  -- first watch_id repeateadly up to the number of watch_ids.
+  local watch_id_max = 0
+  for _, project_dir in ipairs(core.project_directories) do
+    if project_dir.watch_id and project_dir.watch_id > watch_id_max then
+      watch_id_max = project_dir.watch_id
+    end
+  end
+  for i = 1, watch_id_max do
+    system.unwatch_dir(1)
+  end
+end
 
 function core.open_folder_project(dir_path_abs)
   if core.set_project_dir(dir_path_abs, core.on_quit_project) then
diff --git a/src/api/system.c b/src/api/system.c
index 28485139..0fb4aa9b 100644
--- a/src/api/system.c
+++ b/src/api/system.c
@@ -707,6 +707,13 @@ static int f_watch_dir(lua_State *L) {
   return 1;
 }
 
+static int f_unwatch_dir(lua_State *L) {
+  dmon_watch_id watch_id;
+  watch_id.id = luaL_checkinteger(L, 1);
+  dmon_unwatch(watch_id);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 #if __linux__
 static int f_watch_dir_add(lua_State *L) {
   dmon_watch_id watch_id;
@@ -810,6 +817,7 @@ static const luaL_Reg lib[] = {
   { "fuzzy_match",         f_fuzzy_match         },
   { "set_window_opacity",  f_set_window_opacity  },
   { "watch_dir",           f_watch_dir           },
+  { "unwatch_dir",         f_unwatch_dir         },
   { "path_compare",        f_path_compare        },
 #if __linux__
   { "watch_dir_add",       f_watch_dir_add       },