diff --git a/src/imlib.c b/src/imlib.c
index 0accbdc8..7ee447e0 100644
--- a/src/imlib.c
+++ b/src/imlib.c
@@ -507,7 +507,7 @@ void feh_reload_image(winwidget w, int resize, int force_new)
 	 * the new image cannot be loaded, so we must not free the old image yet.
 	 */
 	if (force_new)
-		winwidget_free_image(w);
+		winwidget_free_image_and_decache(w);
 
 	// if it's an external image, our own cache will also get in your way
 	char *sfn;
diff --git a/src/signals.c b/src/signals.c
index a64f9352..e0133abd 100644
--- a/src/signals.c
+++ b/src/signals.c
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ void feh_handle_signal(int signo)
 			else if (signo == SIGUSR2)
 				slideshow_change_image(winwid, SLIDE_PREV, 1);
 		} else {
-			feh_reload_image(winwid, 0, 0);
+			feh_reload_image(winwid, 0, 1);
 		}
 	} else if (opt.multiwindow) {
 		for (i = window_num - 1; i >= 0; i--)
diff --git a/src/winwidget.c b/src/winwidget.c
index 9f61ba6d..61e6687e 100644
--- a/src/winwidget.c
+++ b/src/winwidget.c
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ void feh_event_handle_inotify(void)
                 } else if (event->mask & (IN_CLOSE_WRITE | IN_MOVED_TO)) {
                     if (strcmp(event->name, FEH_FILE(windows[j]->file->data)->name) == 0) {
                         D(("inotify says file changed\n"));
-                        feh_reload_image(windows[j], 0, 0);
+                        feh_reload_image(windows[j], 0, 1);
                     }
                 }
                 break;
@@ -1059,6 +1059,15 @@ void winwidget_free_image(winwidget w)
 	return;
 }
 
+void winwidget_free_image_and_decache(winwidget w)
+{
+	if (w->im) {
+		gib_imlib_free_image_and_decache(w->im);
+	}
+	w->im = NULL;
+	winwidget_free_image(w);
+}
+
 void feh_debug_print_winwid(winwidget w)
 {
 	printf("winwid_debug:\n" "winwid = %p\n" "win = %ld\n" "w = %d\n"
diff --git a/src/winwidget.h b/src/winwidget.h
index 9d742864..f7a73985 100644
--- a/src/winwidget.h
+++ b/src/winwidget.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ void winwidget_show_menu(winwidget winwid);
 void winwidget_hide(winwidget winwid);
 void winwidget_destroy_all(void);
 void winwidget_free_image(winwidget w);
+void winwidget_free_image_and_decache(winwidget w);
 void winwidget_center_image(winwidget w);
 void winwidget_render_image(winwidget winwid, int resize, int force_alias);
 void winwidget_rotate_image(winwidget winid, double angle);