diff --git a/lib/serve/createServer.js b/lib/serve/createServer.js
index 24c8ef1..377fa62 100644
--- a/lib/serve/createServer.js
+++ b/lib/serve/createServer.js
@@ -1,66 +1,65 @@
-var fs      = require('fs');
-var path    = require('path');
-var express = require('express');
-var pf      = require('portfinder');
-var cheerio = require('cheerio');
-var exec    = require('child_process').exec;
+var fs       = require('fs');
+var path     = require('path');
+var http     = require('http');
+var pf       = require('portfinder');
+var mime     = require('mime');
+var through2 = require('through2');
+var cheerio  = require('cheerio');
+var exec     = require('child_process').exec;
 
 module.exports = function (port, lrPort, open, next) {
 
-  var app = express();
+  var server = http.createServer(function(req, res) {
+    var filePath   = path.join(process.cwd(), req.url);
+    var mimetype   = mime.lookup(filePath);
+    var fileStream = fs.createReadStream(filePath);
 
-  // livereload.js
+    // send correct mimetype
+    res.writeHead(200, {'Content-type': mimetype});
 
-  app.get('/livereload.js', function(req, res) {
-
-    res.sendfile(__dirname + '/public/livereload.js');
-
-  });
-
-  // inject livereload script tag in htm|html
-
-  app.get('/*.(htm|html)', function(req, res, next) {
-
-    // fetch passed in file path
-    var filename = req.params.join('.');
-    try {
-      var html   = fs.readFileSync('./'+filename, 'utf8');
-    } catch(e) {
-      if (e.code === 'ENOENT') {
-        return next();
+    // handle errors
+    fileStream.on('error', function(err) {
+      if (err.code === 'ENOENT') {
+        return send404(res);
       }
-      throw e;
+      throw err;
+    });
+
+    // if html, inject lr
+    if (filePath.match(/htm(l)?$/)) {
+      console.log('html', filePath);
+      fileStream
+        .pipe(through2.obj(function(file, enc, next) {
+          var script = "<script>document.write('<script src=\"http://' + (location.host || 'localhost').split(':')[0] + ':"+lrPort+"/livereload.js?snipver=1\"></' + 'script>')</script>";
+          var html = file.toString('utf8');
+          var $   = cheerio.load(html);
+          $('body').append(script);
+
+          this.push($.html());
+          next();
+        }))
+        .pipe(res);
+    } else {
+      // stream file to response
+      fileStream.pipe(res);
     }
-
-    var $      = cheerio.load(html);
-    var script = "<script>document.write('<script src=\"http://' + (location.host || 'localhost').split(':')[0] + ':"+lrPort+"/livereload.js?snipver=1\"></' + 'script>')</script>";
-
-    $('body').append(script);
-
-    res.send($.html());
-
-  });
-
-  // handle requests without filename
-
-  app.get('/', function(req, res) {
-    res.redirect('index.html');
   });
 
   // find available http port
-
   pf.getPort({port: port}, function(err, httpPort){
 
-    app
-      .use(express.static(path.resolve('./')))
-      .listen(httpPort, function() {
+    server.listen(httpPort, function() {
         console.log('Listening on', httpPort);
         if (open) {
           exec('open http://localhost:'+httpPort);
         }
-        next(null, app);
-      });
+        next(null, server);
+    });
 
   });
+};
 
-};
\ No newline at end of file
+function send404(res) {
+  res.writeHead(404, {'Content-type': 'text/plain'});
+  res.end('Not Found');
+};
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4e0ccd2..a701cd7 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "tiny-lr": "0.0.5",
     "gulp": "~3.2.0",
-    "express": "~3.4.7",
     "gulp-util": "~2.2.0",
     "portfinder": "~0.2.1",
     "cheerio": "~0.13.1",
-    "minimist": "0.0.8"
+    "minimist": "0.0.8",
+    "mime": "~1.2.11",
+    "through2": "~0.4.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "mocha": "*",