diff --git a/midizap.c b/midizap.c
index d781531..ea571a9 100644
--- a/midizap.c
+++ b/midizap.c
@@ -494,11 +494,17 @@ void quitter()
     quit = 1;
 }
 
+// poll interval in microsec (this shouldn't be too large to avoid jitter)
+#define POLL_INTERVAL 1000
+// how often we check the config file per sec (> 0, < 1000000/POLL_INTERVAL)
+#define CONF_FREQ 1
+#define MAX_COUNT (1000000/CONF_FREQ/POLL_INTERVAL)
+
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
   uint8_t msg[3];
-  int opt;
+  int opt, count = 0;
 
   while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "htd::r:")) != -1) {
     switch (opt) {
@@ -559,11 +565,22 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
   }
 
   signal(SIGINT, quitter);
+  // force the config file to be loaded initially
+  count = MAX_COUNT;
   while (!quit) {
     while (pop_midi(&seq, msg)) {
       handle_event(msg);
+      count = 0;
+    }
+    usleep(POLL_INTERVAL);
+    if (++count >= MAX_COUNT) {
+      // Check whether to reload the config file if we haven't seen any MIDI
+      // input in a while. Note that if the file *is* reloaded, then we also
+      // need to reset last_focused_window here, so that the translations of
+      // the focused window are recomputed the next time we handle an event.
+      if (read_config_file()) last_focused_window = 0;
+      count = 0;
     }
-    usleep(1000);
   }
   printf(" [exiting]\n");
   close_jack(&seq);
diff --git a/midizap.h b/midizap.h
index 7f70f0d..253f531 100644
--- a/midizap.h
+++ b/midizap.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ typedef struct _translation {
   int step[NUM_CHAN][2]; // step size for pitch bends (1 by default)
 } translation;
 
+extern int read_config_file(void);
 extern translation *get_translation(char *win_title, char *win_class);
 extern void print_stroke_sequence(char *name, char *up_or_down, stroke *s);
 extern int debug_regex, debug_strokes, debug_keys;
diff --git a/readconfig.c b/readconfig.c
index d1023c7..835705d 100644
--- a/readconfig.c
+++ b/readconfig.c
@@ -967,7 +967,7 @@ finish_translation(void)
   }
 }
 
-void
+int
 read_config_file(void)
 {
   struct stat buf;
@@ -983,6 +983,7 @@ read_config_file(void)
   translation *tr = NULL;
   FILE *f;
   int config_file_default = 0;
+  static int errors = 0;
 
   if (config_file_name == NULL) {
     config_file_name = getenv("MIDIZAP_CONFIG_FILE");
@@ -997,13 +998,19 @@ read_config_file(void)
   }
   if (stat(config_file_name, &buf) < 0) {
     // AG: Fall back to the system-wide configuration file.
-    if (!config_file_default) perror(config_file_name);
+    if (!config_file_default && !errors) {
+      perror(config_file_name);
+      errors++;
+    }
     config_file_name = "/etc/midizaprc";
     config_file_modification_time = 0;
   }
   if (stat(config_file_name, &buf) < 0) {
-    perror(config_file_name);
-    return;
+    if (!errors) {
+      perror(config_file_name);
+      errors++;
+    }
+    return 0;
   }
   if (buf.st_mtime == 0) {
     buf.st_mtime = 1;
@@ -1016,8 +1023,11 @@ read_config_file(void)
 
     f = fopen(config_file_name, "r");
     if (f == NULL) {
-      perror(config_file_name);
-      return;
+      if (!errors) {
+	perror(config_file_name);
+	errors++;
+      }
+      return 0;
     }
 
     free_all_translations();
@@ -1126,7 +1136,10 @@ read_config_file(void)
     }
 
     fclose(f);
+    return 1;
 
+  } else {
+    return 0;
   }
 }