diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
index 911345e87e6..a7e2c08ee21 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/commands/run.dart
@@ -70,7 +70,9 @@ class RunCommand extends RunCommandBase {
 
     // Option to write the pid to a file.
     argParser.addOption('pid-file',
-                        help: 'Specify a file to write the process id to.');
+                        help: 'Specify a file to write the process id to.'
+                              'You can send SIGUSR1 to trigger a hot reload '
+                              'and SIGUSR2 to trigger a full restart.');
 
 
     // Hidden option to enable a benchmarking mode. This will run the given
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
index d2120090792..7beafe077c7 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/resident_runner.dart
@@ -47,10 +47,16 @@ abstract class ResidentRunner {
   }
 
   Future<Null> _debugDumpApp() async {
+    if (vmService != null)
+      await vmService.vm.refreshViews();
+
     await currentView.uiIsolate.flutterDebugDumpApp();
   }
 
   Future<Null> _debugDumpRenderTree() async {
+    if (vmService != null)
+      await vmService.vm.refreshViews();
+    
     await currentView.uiIsolate.flutterDebugDumpRenderTree();
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
index de019fcdfb1..347dec902e8 100644
--- a/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
+++ b/packages/flutter_tools/lib/src/vmservice.dart
@@ -886,6 +886,7 @@ class FlutterView extends ServiceObject {
                              packagesPath,
                              assetsDirectoryPath);
     await completer.future;
+    await owner.vm.refreshViews();
     await subscription.cancel();
   }