diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 64a7686..ab785b3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -112,14 +112,19 @@ const { changes, removals } = wp.getAggregated();
 // when futher changes happen
 // Can also be used when paused.
 
-// Watchpack.prototype.getTimeInfoEntries()
-var fileTimes = wp.getTimeInfoEntries();
-// returns a Map with all known time info objects for files and directories
+// Watchpack.prototype.collectTimeInfoEntries(fileInfoEntries: Map<string, Entry>, directoryInfoEntries: Map<string, Entry>)
+wp.collectTimeInfoEntries(fileInfoEntries, directoryInfoEntries);
+// collects time info objects for all known files and directories
 // this include info from files not directly watched
 // key: absolute path, value: object with { safeTime, timestamp }
 // safeTime: a point in time at which it is safe to say all changes happened before that
 // timestamp: only for files, the mtime timestamp of the file
 
+// Watchpack.prototype.getTimeInfoEntries()
+var fileTimes = wp.getTimeInfoEntries();
+// returns a Map with all known time info objects for files and directories
+// similar to collectTimeInfoEntries but returns a single map with all entries
+
 // (deprecated)
 // Watchpack.prototype.getTimes()
 var fileTimes = wp.getTimes();
diff --git a/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js b/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
index f5861af..0ba6dd9 100644
--- a/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
+++ b/lib/DirectoryWatcher.js
@@ -706,29 +706,34 @@ class DirectoryWatcher extends EventEmitter {
 		return obj;
 	}
 
-	getTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps, safeTime) {
-		safeTime.value = Math.max(safeTime.value, this.lastWatchEvent);
+	collectTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps) {
+		let safeTime = this.lastWatchEvent;
 		for (const [file, entry] of this.files) {
 			fixupEntryAccuracy(entry);
-			safeTime.value = Math.max(safeTime.value, entry.safeTime);
+			safeTime = Math.max(safeTime, entry.safeTime);
 			fileTimestamps.set(file, entry);
 		}
 		if (this.nestedWatching) {
 			for (const w of this.directories.values()) {
-				w.directoryWatcher.getTimeInfoEntries(
-					fileTimestamps,
-					directoryTimestamps,
-					safeTime
+				safeTime = Math.max(
+					safeTime,
+					w.directoryWatcher.collectTimeInfoEntries(
+						fileTimestamps,
+						directoryTimestamps,
+						safeTime
+					)
 				);
 			}
+			fileTimestamps.set(this.path, EXISTANCE_ONLY_TIME_ENTRY);
 			directoryTimestamps.set(this.path, {
-				safeTime: safeTime.value
+				safeTime
 			});
 		} else {
 			for (const dir of this.directories.keys()) {
 				// No additional info about this directory
 				directoryTimestamps.set(dir, EXISTANCE_ONLY_TIME_ENTRY);
 			}
+			fileTimestamps.set(this.path, EXISTANCE_ONLY_TIME_ENTRY);
 			directoryTimestamps.set(this.path, EXISTANCE_ONLY_TIME_ENTRY);
 		}
 		if (!this.initialScan) {
@@ -741,6 +746,7 @@ class DirectoryWatcher extends EventEmitter {
 				}
 			}
 		}
+		return safeTime;
 	}
 
 	close() {
diff --git a/lib/watchpack.js b/lib/watchpack.js
index bc502fa..e43be5f 100644
--- a/lib/watchpack.js
+++ b/lib/watchpack.js
@@ -10,16 +10,13 @@ const EventEmitter = require("events").EventEmitter;
 const globToRegExp = require("glob-to-regexp");
 const watchEventSource = require("./watchEventSource");
 
-let EXISTANCE_ONLY_TIME_ENTRY; // lazy required
-
 const EMPTY_ARRAY = [];
 const EMPTY_OPTIONS = {};
 
 function addWatchersToSet(watchers, set) {
 	for (const w of watchers) {
-		if (w !== true && !set.has(w.directoryWatcher)) {
+		if (!set.has(w.directoryWatcher)) {
 			set.add(w.directoryWatcher);
-			addWatchersToSet(w.directoryWatcher.directories.values(), set);
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -275,20 +272,20 @@ class Watchpack extends EventEmitter {
 		return obj;
 	}
 
-	getTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps) {
+	getTimeInfoEntries() {
+		const map = new Map();
+		this.collectTimeInfoEntries(map, map);
+		return map;
+	}
+
+	collectTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps) {
 		const allWatchers = new Set();
 		addWatchersToSet(this.fileWatchers.values(), allWatchers);
 		addWatchersToSet(this.directoryWatchers.values(), allWatchers);
-		const map = new Map();
-		// if timestamp maps are passed in, populate them, otherwise return a new map with both file and directory timestamps.
-		if (!fileTimestamps && !directoryTimestamps) {
-			fileTimestamps = directoryTimestamps = map;
-		}
 		const safeTime = { value: 0 };
 		for (const w of allWatchers) {
-			w.getTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps, safeTime);
+			w.collectTimeInfoEntries(fileTimestamps, directoryTimestamps, safeTime);
 		}
-		return map;
 	}
 
 	getAggregated() {
diff --git a/test/Watchpack.js b/test/Watchpack.js
index 48f5438..69eb82a 100644
--- a/test/Watchpack.js
+++ b/test/Watchpack.js
@@ -538,15 +538,23 @@ describe("Watchpack", function() {
 			changeEvents.should.be.eql([path.join(fixtures, "dir", "sub", "a")]);
 			const files = new Map();
 			const directories = new Map();
-			const times = w.getTimeInfoEntries();
-			w.getTimeInfoEntries(files, directories);
-			// aggregated results should be the same as seperated maps
-			Array.from(times).sort().should.be.eql([...Array.from(files), ...Array.from(directories)].sort())
+			w.collectTimeInfoEntries(files, directories);
 			const dir = directories.get(path.join(fixtures, "dir"));
+			const dirAsFile = files.get(path.join(fixtures, "dir"));
 			const sub = directories.get(path.join(fixtures, "dir", "sub"));
+			const subAsFile = files.get(path.join(fixtures, "dir", "sub"));
 			const a = files.get(path.join(fixtures, "dir", "sub", "a"));
 			dir.should.be.type("object");
 			dir.should.have.property("safeTime");
+			dirAsFile.should.be.type("object");
+			dirAsFile.should.not.have.property("safeTime");
+			sub.should.be.type("object");
+			sub.should.have.property("safeTime");
+			subAsFile.should.be.type("object");
+			subAsFile.should.not.have.property("safeTime");
+			a.should.be.type("object");
+			a.should.have.property("safeTime");
+			a.should.have.property("timestamp");
 			sub.safeTime.should.be.aboveOrEqual(a.safeTime);
 			dir.safeTime.should.be.aboveOrEqual(sub.safeTime);
 			w.close();
@@ -554,6 +562,7 @@ describe("Watchpack", function() {
 		});
 		testHelper.dir("dir");
 		testHelper.dir(path.join("dir", "sub"));
+		testHelper.dir(path.join("dir", "sub2"));
 		testHelper.tick(function() {
 			w.watch([], [path.join(fixtures, "dir")]);
 			testHelper.tick(function() {