diff --git a/quartz/build.ts b/quartz/build.ts
index 972a7e850..342a27c92 100644
--- a/quartz/build.ts
+++ b/quartz/build.ts
@@ -38,8 +38,13 @@ type BuildData = {
 
 type FileEvent = "add" | "change" | "delete"
 
+function newBuildId() {
+  return new Date().toISOString()
+}
+
 async function buildQuartz(argv: Argv, mut: Mutex, clientRefresh: () => void) {
   const ctx: BuildCtx = {
+    buildId: newBuildId(),
     argv,
     cfg,
     allSlugs: [],
@@ -167,6 +172,7 @@ async function partialRebuildFromEntrypoint(
 
   const perf = new PerfTimer()
   console.log(chalk.yellow("Detected change, rebuilding..."))
+  ctx.buildId = newBuildId()
 
   // UPDATE DEP GRAPH
   const fp = joinSegments(argv.directory, toPosixPath(filepath)) as FilePath
@@ -363,14 +369,10 @@ async function rebuildFromEntrypoint(
 
   const perf = new PerfTimer()
   console.log(chalk.yellow("Detected change, rebuilding..."))
+  ctx.buildId = newBuildId()
+
   try {
     const filesToRebuild = [...toRebuild].filter((fp) => !toRemove.has(fp))
-
-    const trackedSlugs = [...new Set([...contentMap.keys(), ...toRebuild, ...trackedAssets])]
-      .filter((fp) => !toRemove.has(fp))
-      .map((fp) => slugifyFilePath(path.posix.relative(argv.directory, fp) as FilePath))
-
-    ctx.allSlugs = [...new Set([...initialSlugs, ...trackedSlugs])]
     const parsedContent = await parseMarkdown(ctx, filesToRebuild)
     for (const content of parsedContent) {
       const [_tree, vfile] = content
@@ -384,6 +386,13 @@ async function rebuildFromEntrypoint(
     const parsedFiles = [...contentMap.values()]
     const filteredContent = filterContent(ctx, parsedFiles)
 
+    // re-update slugs
+    const trackedSlugs = [...new Set([...contentMap.keys(), ...toRebuild, ...trackedAssets])]
+      .filter((fp) => !toRemove.has(fp))
+      .map((fp) => slugifyFilePath(path.posix.relative(argv.directory, fp) as FilePath))
+
+    ctx.allSlugs = [...new Set([...initialSlugs, ...trackedSlugs])]
+
     // TODO: we can probably traverse the link graph to figure out what's safe to delete here
     // instead of just deleting everything
     await rimraf(path.join(argv.output, ".*"), { glob: true })
diff --git a/quartz/components/Explorer.tsx b/quartz/components/Explorer.tsx
index e4c3dfae5..ec7c48ef7 100644
--- a/quartz/components/Explorer.tsx
+++ b/quartz/components/Explorer.tsx
@@ -44,12 +44,9 @@ export default ((userOpts?: Partial<Options>) => {
   // memoized
   let fileTree: FileNode
   let jsonTree: string
+  let lastBuildId: string = ""
 
   function constructFileTree(allFiles: QuartzPluginData[]) {
-    if (fileTree) {
-      return
-    }
-
     // Construct tree from allFiles
     fileTree = new FileNode("")
     allFiles.forEach((file) => fileTree.add(file))
@@ -76,12 +73,17 @@ export default ((userOpts?: Partial<Options>) => {
   }
 
   const Explorer: QuartzComponent = ({
+    ctx,
     cfg,
     allFiles,
     displayClass,
     fileData,
   }: QuartzComponentProps) => {
-    constructFileTree(allFiles)
+    if (ctx.buildId !== lastBuildId) {
+      lastBuildId = ctx.buildId
+      constructFileTree(allFiles)
+    }
+
     return (
       <div class={classNames(displayClass, "explorer")}>
         <button
diff --git a/quartz/util/ctx.ts b/quartz/util/ctx.ts
index e05611418..044d21f68 100644
--- a/quartz/util/ctx.ts
+++ b/quartz/util/ctx.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ export interface Argv {
 }
 
 export interface BuildCtx {
+  buildId: string
   argv: Argv
   cfg: QuartzConfig
   allSlugs: FullSlug[]