diff --git a/src/filesystem/FileSystem.js b/src/filesystem/FileSystem.js
index df019859b89..32b4b07e48e 100644
--- a/src/filesystem/FileSystem.js
+++ b/src/filesystem/FileSystem.js
@@ -823,9 +823,7 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
      * mechanism.
      */
     FileSystem.prototype.clearAllCaches = function () {
-        this._index.visitAll(function (entry) {
-            entry._clearCachedData(true);
-        });
+        this._handleExternalChange(null);
     };
     
     /**
diff --git a/src/project/ProjectManager.js b/src/project/ProjectManager.js
index 7f836316a95..c7d856cd65e 100644
--- a/src/project/ProjectManager.js
+++ b/src/project/ProjectManager.js
@@ -920,21 +920,6 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         return result.promise();
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @private
-     * @type {?$.Promise} Resolves when the currently running instance of
-     *      _refreshFileTreeInternal completes, or null if there is no currently
-     *      running instance.
-     */
-    var _refreshFileTreePromise = null;
-
-    /**
-     * @type {boolean} If refreshFileTree is called before _refreshFileTreePromise
-     *      has resolved then _refreshPending is set, which indicates that
-     *      refreshFileTree should be called again once the promise resolves.
-     */
-    var _refreshPending = false;
-
     /**
      * @const
      * @private
@@ -944,38 +929,16 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
 
     /**
      * Refresh the project's file tree, maintaining the current selection.
-     *
-     * @return {$.Promise} A promise object that will be resolved when the
-     *  project tree is reloaded, or rejected if the project path
-     *  fails to reload. If the previous selected entry is not found,
-     *  the promise is still resolved.
+     * 
+     * Note that the original implementation of this returned a promise to be resolved when the refresh is complete.
+     * That use is deprecated and `refreshFileTree` is now a "fire and forget" kind of function.
      */
-    function refreshFileTree() {
-        if (!_refreshFileTreePromise) {
-            var internalRefreshPromise  = model.refresh(),
-                deferred                = new $.Deferred();
-
-            _refreshFileTreePromise = deferred.promise();
-
-            _refreshFileTreePromise.always(function () {
-                _refreshFileTreePromise = null;
-
-                if (_refreshPending) {
-                    _refreshPending = false;
-                    refreshFileTree();
-                }
-            });
-
-            // Wait at least one second before resolving the promise
-            window.setTimeout(function () {
-                internalRefreshPromise.then(deferred.resolve, deferred.reject);
-            }, _refreshDelay);
-        } else {
-            _refreshPending = true;
-        }
-
-        return _refreshFileTreePromise;
-    }
+    var refreshFileTree = function refreshFileTree() {
+        FileSystem.clearAllCaches();
+        return new $.Deferred().resolve().promise();
+    };
+    
+    refreshFileTree = _.debounce(refreshFileTree, _refreshDelay);
 
     /**
      * Expands tree nodes to show the given file or folder and selects it. Silently no-ops if the
diff --git a/src/project/ProjectModel.js b/src/project/ProjectModel.js
index 951fd7218b0..7c0a7f551e2 100644
--- a/src/project/ProjectModel.js
+++ b/src/project/ProjectModel.js
@@ -1076,16 +1076,6 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         }
     };
     
-    /**
-     * @private
-     * 
-     * Clear all caches associated with the project.
-     */
-    ProjectModel.prototype._clearAllCaches = function () {
-        this._resetCache();
-        FileSystem.clearAllCaches();
-    };
-
     /**
      * Clears caches and refreshes the contents of the tree.
      *
@@ -1099,7 +1089,6 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
             viewModel   = this._viewModel,
             deferred    = new $.Deferred();
         
-        this._clearAllCaches();
         this.setProjectRoot(projectRoot).then(function () {
             self.reopenNodes(openNodes).then(function () {
                 if (selections.selected) {
diff --git a/test/spec/ProjectModel-test.js b/test/spec/ProjectModel-test.js
index da8d189d74a..20dcd6da18f 100644
--- a/test/spec/ProjectModel-test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ProjectModel-test.js
@@ -1080,7 +1080,6 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
 
             it("should refresh the whole tree", function () {
                 var oldTree;
-                spyOn(model, "_clearAllCaches");
                 waitsForDone(model.reopenNodes(data.nodesByDepth));
                 runs(function () {
                     model.setSelected("/foo/subdir1/subsubdir/interior.txt");
@@ -1103,7 +1102,6 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
                     expect(vm._treeData.getIn(["subdir1", "children", "subsubdir", "children", "newInterior.txt"])).toBeDefined();
                     expect(vm._treeData.getIn(["subdir1", "children", "subsubdir", "children", "interior.txt"])).toBeUndefined();
                     expect(vm._treeData.getIn(["subdir3", "children", "higher.txt", "context"])).toBe(true);
-                    expect(model._clearAllCaches).toHaveBeenCalled();
                 });
             });
         });