diff --git a/lib/jekyll.rb b/lib/jekyll.rb
index 3f01e4d0..dd464503 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll.rb
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ module Jekyll
   autoload :Layout,              'jekyll/layout'
   autoload :LayoutReader,        'jekyll/layout_reader'
   autoload :LogAdapter,          'jekyll/log_adapter'
-  autoload :Metadata,            'jekyll/metadata'
   autoload :Page,                'jekyll/page'
   autoload :PluginManager,       'jekyll/plugin_manager'
   autoload :Post,                'jekyll/post'
   autoload :Publisher,           'jekyll/publisher'
+  autoload :Regenerator,         'jekyll/regenerator'
   autoload :RelatedPosts,        'jekyll/related_posts'
   autoload :Renderer,            'jekyll/renderer'
   autoload :Site,                'jekyll/site'
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/cleaner.rb b/lib/jekyll/cleaner.rb
index bc5bd155..0295fb92 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/cleaner.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/cleaner.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ module Jekyll
       #
       # Returns an Array with the metdata file as the only item
       def metadata_file
-        [site.metadata.metadata_file]
+        [site.regenerator.metadata_file]
       end
 
       # Private: The list of existing files, apart from those included in keep_files and hidden files.
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
index eb96dd35..d587f8f3 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/convertible.rb
@@ -168,15 +168,6 @@ module Jekyll
       true
     end
 
-    # Determine whether to regenerate the file based on metadata.
-    #
-    # Returns true if file needs to be regenerated
-    def regenerate?
-      asset_file? ||
-        data['regenerate'] ||
-        site.metadata.regenerate?(site.in_source_dir(relative_path))
-    end
-
     # Determine whether the file should be placed into layouts.
     #
     # Returns false if the document is an asset file.
@@ -217,7 +208,7 @@ module Jekyll
                                          File.join(site.config['layouts'], layout.name))
 
         # Add layout to dependency tree
-        site.metadata.add_dependency(
+        site.regenerator.add_dependency(
           site.in_source_dir(path),
           site.in_source_dir(layout.path)
         )
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/document.rb b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
index c272741f..ec9ee742 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/document.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/document.rb
@@ -107,13 +107,6 @@ module Jekyll
       !(coffeescript_file? || yaml_file?)
     end
 
-    # Determine whether the document should be regenerated based on metadata.
-    #
-    # Returns true if the document needs to be regenerated.
-    def regenerate?
-      data['regenerate'] || site.metadata.regenerate?(path, write?)
-    end
-
     # Determine whether the file should be placed into layouts.
     #
     # Returns false if the document is either an asset file or a yaml file,
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/metadata.rb b/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
similarity index 76%
rename from lib/jekyll/metadata.rb
rename to lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
index 953dd7c0..d03c0ced 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/metadata.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/regenerator.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 module Jekyll
-  class Metadata
+  class Regenerator
     attr_reader :site, :metadata, :cache
 
     def initialize(site)
@@ -12,6 +12,25 @@ module Jekyll
       @cache = {}
     end
 
+    # Checks if a renderable object needs to be regenerated
+    #
+    # Returns a boolean.
+    def regenerate?(document)
+      case document
+      when Post, Page
+        document.asset_file? || document.data['regenerate'] ||
+          modified?(site.in_source_dir(document.relative_path))
+      when Document
+        !document.write? || document.data['regenerate'] || modified?(document.path)
+      else
+        if document.respond_to?(:path)
+          modified?(document.path)
+        else
+          true
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     # Add a path to the metadata
     #
     # Returns true, also on failure.
@@ -40,10 +59,11 @@ module Jekyll
       @cache = {}
     end
 
-    # Checks if a path should be regenerated
+    # Checks if a path's (or one of its dependencies)
+    # mtime has changed
     #
     # Returns a boolean.
-    def regenerate?(path, add = true)
+    def modified?(path)
       return true if disabled?
 
       # Check for path in cache
@@ -55,19 +75,19 @@ module Jekyll
       data = metadata[path]
       if data
         data["deps"].each do |dependency|
-          if regenerate?(dependency)
+          if modified?(dependency)
             return cache[dependency] = cache[path] = true
           end
         end
         if data["mtime"].eql? File.mtime(path)
           return cache[path] = false
         else
-          return !add || add(path)
+          return add(path)
         end
       end
 
       # Path does not exist in metadata, add it
-      return !add || add(path)
+      return add(path)
     end
 
     # Add a dependency of a path
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
index e0701fd5..f25ca343 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/renderer.rb
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ module Jekyll
         )
 
         # Add layout to dependency tree
-        site.metadata.add_dependency(
+        site.regenerator.add_dependency(
           site.in_source_dir(document.path),
           site.in_source_dir(layout.path)
         ) if document.write?
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index b6ab7039..8f9c902d 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ module Jekyll
                   :gems, :plugin_manager
 
     attr_accessor :converters, :generators
-    attr_reader   :metadata
+    attr_reader   :regenerator
 
     # Public: Initialize a new Site.
     #
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ module Jekyll
       @source              = File.expand_path(config['source']).freeze
       @dest                = File.expand_path(config['destination']).freeze
 
-      # Build metadata
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(self)
+      # Initialize incremental regenerator
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(self)
 
       self.plugin_manager = Jekyll::PluginManager.new(self)
       self.plugins        = plugin_manager.plugins_path
@@ -295,13 +295,17 @@ module Jekyll
       payload = site_payload
       collections.each do |label, collection|
         collection.docs.each do |document|
-          document.output = Jekyll::Renderer.new(self, document, payload).run if document.regenerate?
+          if regenerator.regenerate?(document)
+            document.output = Jekyll::Renderer.new(self, document, payload).run
+          end
         end
       end
 
       payload = site_payload
       [posts, pages].flatten.each do |page_or_post|
-        page_or_post.render(layouts, payload) if page_or_post.regenerate?
+        if regenerator.regenerate?(page_or_post)
+          page_or_post.render(layouts, payload)
+        end
       end
     rescue Errno::ENOENT
       # ignore missing layout dir
@@ -319,9 +323,9 @@ module Jekyll
     # Returns nothing.
     def write
       each_site_file { |item|
-        item.write(dest) if item.regenerate?
+        item.write(dest) if regenerator.regenerate?(item)
       }
-      metadata.write unless full_rebuild?
+      regenerator.write unless full_rebuild?
     end
 
     # Construct a Hash of Posts indexed by the specified Post attribute.
@@ -487,7 +491,7 @@ module Jekyll
       @frontmatter_defaults ||= FrontmatterDefaults.new(self)
     end
 
-    # Whether to perform a full rebuild without metadata
+    # Whether to perform a full rebuild without incremental regeneration
     #
     # Returns a Boolean: true for a full rebuild, false for normal build
     def full_rebuild?(override = {})
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/static_file.rb b/lib/jekyll/static_file.rb
index a8b09afc..b83f4fae 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/static_file.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/static_file.rb
@@ -65,8 +65,6 @@ module Jekyll
       true
     end
 
-    alias_method :regenerate?, :write?
-
     # Write the static file to the destination directory (if modified).
     #
     # dest - The String path to the destination dir.
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/tags/include.rb b/lib/jekyll/tags/include.rb
index 16da6f49..c09460ff 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/tags/include.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/tags/include.rb
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ eos
 
         # Add include to dependency tree
         if context.registers[:page] and context.registers[:page].has_key? "path"
-          site.metadata.add_dependency(
+          site.regenerator.add_dependency(
             site.in_source_dir(context.registers[:page]["path"]),
             path
           )
diff --git a/test/test_metadata.rb b/test/test_metadata.rb
deleted file mode 100644
index 858b166a..00000000
--- a/test/test_metadata.rb
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,140 +0,0 @@
-require 'helper'
-
-class TestMetadata < Test::Unit::TestCase
-  context "The site metadata" do
-    setup do
-      FileUtils.rm_rf(source_dir(".jekyll-metadata"))
-
-      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
-        "source" => source_dir,
-        "destination" => dest_dir
-      }))
-
-      @site.process
-      @path = @site.in_source_dir(@site.pages.first.path)
-      @metadata = @site.metadata
-    end
-
-    should "store modification times" do
-      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @metadata.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
-    end
-
-    should "cache processed entries" do
-      assert @metadata.cache[@path]
-    end
-
-    should "write to the metadata file" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.write
-      assert File.file?(source_dir(".jekyll-metadata"))
-    end
-
-    should "read from the metadata file" do
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @metadata.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
-    end
-
-    # Methods
-
-    should "be able to add a path to the metadata" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @metadata.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
-      assert_equal [], @metadata.metadata[@path]["deps"]
-      assert @metadata.cache[@path]
-    end
-
-    should "return true on nonexistent path" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      assert @metadata.add("/bogus/path.md")
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?("/bogus/path.md")
-    end
-
-    should "be able to force a path to regenerate" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.force(@path)
-      assert @metadata.cache[@path]
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "be able to clear metadata and cache" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      assert_equal 1, @metadata.metadata.length
-      assert_equal 1, @metadata.cache.length
-      @metadata.clear
-      assert_equal 0, @metadata.metadata.length
-      assert_equal 0, @metadata.cache.length
-    end
-
-    should "not regenerate a path if it is not modified" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.write
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-
-      assert !@metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "not regenerate if path in cache is false" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.write
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-
-      assert !@metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-      assert !@metadata.cache[@path]
-      assert !@metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "regenerate if path in not in metadata" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "regenerate if path in cache is true" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-      assert @metadata.cache[@path]
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "regenerate if file is modified" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.metadata[@path]["mtime"] = Time.at(0)
-      @metadata.write
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-
-      assert_not_same File.mtime(@path), @metadata.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "regenerate if dependency is modified" do
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.write
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-
-      @metadata.add_dependency(@path, "new.dependency")
-      assert_equal ["new.dependency"], @metadata.metadata[@path]["deps"]
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?("new.dependency")
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-
-    should "regenerate everything if metadata is disabled" do
-      @site.config["full_rebuild"] = true
-      @metadata.clear
-      @metadata.add(@path)
-      @metadata.write
-      @metadata = Metadata.new(@site)
-
-      assert @metadata.regenerate?(@path)
-    end
-  end
-end
diff --git a/test/test_regenerator.rb b/test/test_regenerator.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..74a6bb4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test_regenerator.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+require 'helper'
+
+class TestRegenerator < Test::Unit::TestCase
+  context "The site regenerator" do
+    setup do
+      FileUtils.rm_rf(source_dir(".jekyll-metadata"))
+
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source" => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir,
+        "collections" => {
+          "methods" => {
+            "output" => true
+          }
+        }
+      }))
+
+      @site.read
+      @page = @site.pages.first
+      @post = @site.posts.first
+      @document = @site.docs_to_write.first
+      @asset_file = @site.pages.find(&:asset_file?)
+      @regenerator = @site.regenerator
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate documents and assets if changed or not in metadata" do
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(@page)
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(@post)
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(@document)
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(@asset_file)
+    end
+
+    should "not regenerate if not changed" do
+      # Process files
+      @regenerator.regenerate?(@page)
+      @regenerator.regenerate?(@post)
+      @regenerator.regenerate?(@document)
+      @regenerator.regenerate?(@asset_file)
+
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      assert !@regenerator.regenerate?(@page)
+      assert !@regenerator.regenerate?(@post)
+      assert !@regenerator.regenerate?(@document)
+    end
+
+    should "always regenerate asset files" do
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(@asset_file)
+    end
+
+    should "always regenerate objects that don't respond to :path" do
+      assert @regenerator.regenerate?(Object.new)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "The site metadata" do
+    setup do
+      FileUtils.rm_rf(source_dir(".jekyll-metadata"))
+
+      @site = Site.new(Jekyll.configuration({
+        "source" => source_dir,
+        "destination" => dest_dir
+      }))
+
+      @site.process
+      @path = @site.in_source_dir(@site.pages.first.path)
+      @regenerator = @site.regenerator
+    end
+
+    should "store modification times" do
+      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @regenerator.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
+    end
+
+    should "cache processed entries" do
+      assert @regenerator.cache[@path]
+    end
+
+    should "write to the metadata file" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.write
+      assert File.file?(source_dir(".jekyll-metadata"))
+    end
+
+    should "read from the metadata file" do
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @regenerator.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
+    end
+
+    # Methods
+
+    should "be able to add a path to the metadata" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      assert_equal File.mtime(@path), @regenerator.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
+      assert_equal [], @regenerator.metadata[@path]["deps"]
+      assert @regenerator.cache[@path]
+    end
+
+    should "return true on nonexistent path" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      assert @regenerator.add("/bogus/path.md")
+      assert @regenerator.modified?("/bogus/path.md")
+    end
+
+    should "be able to force a path to regenerate" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.force(@path)
+      assert @regenerator.cache[@path]
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "be able to clear metadata and cache" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      assert_equal 1, @regenerator.metadata.length
+      assert_equal 1, @regenerator.cache.length
+      @regenerator.clear
+      assert_equal 0, @regenerator.metadata.length
+      assert_equal 0, @regenerator.cache.length
+    end
+
+    should "not regenerate a path if it is not modified" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      assert !@regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "not regenerate if path in cache is false" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      assert !@regenerator.modified?(@path)
+      assert !@regenerator.cache[@path]
+      assert !@regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate if path in not in metadata" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate if path in cache is true" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+      assert @regenerator.cache[@path]
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate if file is modified" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.metadata[@path]["mtime"] = Time.at(0)
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      assert_not_same File.mtime(@path), @regenerator.metadata[@path]["mtime"]
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate if dependency is modified" do
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      @regenerator.add_dependency(@path, "new.dependency")
+      assert_equal ["new.dependency"], @regenerator.metadata[@path]["deps"]
+      assert @regenerator.modified?("new.dependency")
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+
+    should "regenerate everything if metadata is disabled" do
+      @site.config["full_rebuild"] = true
+      @regenerator.clear
+      @regenerator.add(@path)
+      @regenerator.write
+      @regenerator = Regenerator.new(@site)
+
+      assert @regenerator.modified?(@path)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/test_site.rb b/test/test_site.rb
index cf5ee9bb..1fe86b76 100644
--- a/test/test_site.rb
+++ b/test/test_site.rb
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class TestSite < Test::Unit::TestCase
     should "write only modified static files" do
       clear_dest
       StaticFile.reset_cache
-      @site.metadata.clear
+      @site.regenerator.clear
 
       @site.process
       some_static_file = @site.static_files[0].path
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ class TestSite < Test::Unit::TestCase
     should "write static files if not modified but missing in destination" do
       clear_dest
       StaticFile.reset_cache
-      @site.metadata.clear
+      @site.regenerator.clear
 
       @site.process
       dest = File.expand_path(@site.static_files[0].destination(@site.dest))
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ class TestSite < Test::Unit::TestCase
     context 'with orphaned files in destination' do
       setup do
         clear_dest
-        @site.metadata.clear
+        @site.regenerator.clear
         @site.process
         # generate some orphaned files:
         # single file