diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 8f76d311..5a637369 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -5,16 +5,13 @@ let dir = process.cwd();
 
 async function run() {
   try {
-    let token = fs.readFileSync(dir + '/token.txt', 'utf8');
-    let changes = await fschanges.getEventsSince(dir, token);
+    let changes = await fschanges.getEventsSince(dir, dir + '/token.txt');
     console.log(changes);
   } catch (err) {
     console.log(err)
   }
 
-  let token = await fschanges.getCurrentToken(dir);
-  console.log('token', token)
-  fs.writeFileSync(dir + '/token.txt', token);
+  await fschanges.writeSnapshot(dir, dir + '/token.txt');
 }
 
-run();
\ No newline at end of file
+run();
diff --git a/src/FSChanges.cc b/src/FSChanges.cc
index 23a63a5f..68609fc9 100644
--- a/src/FSChanges.cc
+++ b/src/FSChanges.cc
@@ -6,22 +6,24 @@
 
 using namespace v8;
 
-std::string getCurrentTokenImpl(std::string *dir);
-EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *token);
+void writeSnapshotImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath);
+EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath);
 
 struct AsyncRequest {
   uv_work_t work;
   std::string directory;
-  std::string token;
+  std::string snapshotPath;
   EventList *events;
   Nan::Persistent<Promise::Resolver> *resolver;
 
-  AsyncRequest(Local<Value> d, Local<Value> cb, Local<Promise::Resolver> r) {
+  AsyncRequest(Local<Value> d, Local<Value> s, Local<Promise::Resolver> r) {
     work.data = (void *)this;
 
     // copy the string since the JS garbage collector might run before the async request is finished
     Nan::Utf8String dir(d);
+    Nan::Utf8String sp(s);
     directory = std::string(*dir);
+    snapshotPath = std::string(*sp);
     events = NULL;
 
     resolver = new Nan::Persistent<Promise::Resolver>(r);
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ void asyncCallback(uv_work_t *work) {
   if (req->events) {
     result = req->events->toJS();
   } else {
-    result = Nan::New<String>(req->token).ToLocalChecked();
+    result = Nan::Null();
   }
 
   auto resolver = Nan::New(*req->resolver);
@@ -53,24 +55,24 @@ void asyncCallback(uv_work_t *work) {
   delete req;
 }
 
-void getCurrentTokenAsync(uv_work_t *work) {
+void writeSnapshotAsync(uv_work_t *work) {
   AsyncRequest *req = (AsyncRequest *) work->data;
-  req->token = getCurrentTokenImpl(&req->directory);
+  writeSnapshotImpl(&req->directory, &req->snapshotPath);
 }
 
 void getEventsSinceAsync(uv_work_t *work) {
   AsyncRequest *req = (AsyncRequest *) work->data;
-  req->events = getEventsSinceImpl(&req->directory, &req->token);
+  req->events = getEventsSinceImpl(&req->directory, &req->snapshotPath);
 }
 
-NAN_METHOD(getCurrentToken) {
+NAN_METHOD(writeSnapshot) {
   if (info.Length() < 1 || !info[0]->IsString()) {
     return Nan::ThrowTypeError("Expected a string");
   }
 
   auto resolver = Promise::Resolver::New(info.GetIsolate());
   AsyncRequest *req = new AsyncRequest(info[0], info[1], resolver);
-  uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), &req->work, getCurrentTokenAsync, (uv_after_work_cb) asyncCallback);
+  uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), &req->work, writeSnapshotAsync, (uv_after_work_cb) asyncCallback);
 
   info.GetReturnValue().Set(resolver->GetPromise());
 }
@@ -85,16 +87,14 @@ NAN_METHOD(getEventsSince) {
   }
 
   auto resolver = Promise::Resolver::New(info.GetIsolate());
-  AsyncRequest *req = new AsyncRequest(info[0], info[2], resolver);
-  Nan::Utf8String token(info[1]);
-  req->token = std::string(*token);
+  AsyncRequest *req = new AsyncRequest(info[0], info[1], resolver);
   uv_queue_work(uv_default_loop(), &req->work, getEventsSinceAsync, (uv_after_work_cb) asyncCallback);
 
   info.GetReturnValue().Set(resolver->GetPromise());
 }
 
 NAN_MODULE_INIT(Init) {
-  Nan::Export(target, "getCurrentToken", getCurrentToken);
+  Nan::Export(target, "writeSnapshot", writeSnapshot);
   Nan::Export(target, "getEventsSince", getEventsSince);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/macos/FSEvents.cc b/src/macos/FSEvents.cc
index 0a7929cb..69c2054b 100644
--- a/src/macos/FSEvents.cc
+++ b/src/macos/FSEvents.cc
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 #include <CoreServices/CoreServices.h>
 #include <string>
+#include <fstream>
 #include "../Event.hh"
 
-std::string getCurrentTokenImpl(std::string *dir) {
+void writeSnapshotImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath) {
   FSEventStreamEventId id = FSEventsGetCurrentEventId();
-  return std::to_string(id);
+  std::ofstream ofs(*snapshotPath);
+  ofs << id;
 }
 
 void FSEventsCallback(
@@ -55,8 +57,16 @@ void FSEventsCallback(
   }
 }
 
-EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *token) {
-  FSEventStreamEventId id = std::stoull(*token);
+EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath) {
+  EventList *list = new EventList();
+
+  std::ifstream ifs(*snapshotPath);
+  if (ifs.fail()) {
+    return list;
+  }
+
+  FSEventStreamEventId id;
+  ifs >> id;
 
   CFAbsoluteTime latency = 0.001;
   CFStringRef fileWatchPath = CFStringCreateWithCString(
@@ -72,8 +82,6 @@ EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *token) {
     NULL
   );
   
-  EventList *list = new EventList();
-
   FSEventStreamContext callbackInfo {0, (void *)list, nullptr, nullptr, nullptr};
   FSEventStreamRef stream = FSEventStreamCreate(
     NULL,
diff --git a/src/shared/brute.cc b/src/shared/brute.cc
index d8de9848..9e90b4ec 100644
--- a/src/shared/brute.cc
+++ b/src/shared/brute.cc
@@ -1,20 +1,23 @@
 #include <string>
-#include <sstream>
+#include <fstream>
 #include "../DirTree.hh"
 #include "../Event.hh"
 
 DirTree *getDirTree(std::string *dir);
 
-std::string getCurrentTokenImpl(std::string *dir) {
+void writeSnapshotImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath) {
   auto tree = getDirTree(dir);
-  std::ostringstream os;
-  tree->write(os);
-  return os.str();
+  std::ofstream ofs(*snapshotPath);
+  tree->write(ofs);
 }
 
-EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *token) {
-  std::istringstream is(*token);
-  auto snapshot = new DirTree(is);
+EventList *getEventsSinceImpl(std::string *dir, std::string *snapshotPath) {
+  std::ifstream ifs(*snapshotPath);
+  if (ifs.fail()) {
+    return new EventList();
+  }
+
+  auto snapshot = new DirTree(ifs);
   auto now = getDirTree(dir);
   return now->getChanges(snapshot);
 }