diff --git a/.config/kak/kakrc b/.config/kak/kakrc
index 051679f2..40a11954 100644
--- a/.config/kak/kakrc
+++ b/.config/kak/kakrc
@@ -94,3 +94,9 @@ map -docstring 'case insensitive backward extend-search' global user '<a-?>' <a-
 map -docstring 'Select to file end' global user N "Gj<a-L>L"
 map -docstring 'Extend to file end' global user n "gj<a-l>l"
 
+define-command typst %{
+    nop %sh{
+        {"$kak_config/scripts/kak-typ-zathura.fish" -k -w "$kak_buffile" "$kak_client_pid"} > /dev/null 2>&1 < /dev/null &
+    }
+}
+
diff --git a/.config/kak/scripts/kak-typ-zathura.fish b/.config/kak/scripts/kak-typ-zathura.fish
index b7bc2eb1..baec5c14 100755
--- a/.config/kak/scripts/kak-typ-zathura.fish
+++ b/.config/kak/scripts/kak-typ-zathura.fish
@@ -3,13 +3,14 @@
 # hx-typ-zathura: easily preview your typst documents from Helix!
 # This script will automatically find a pdf that matches your
 # current Typst document and attempt to open it with Zathura.
-# Optionally, it will quit Zathura when you close Helix.
+# Optionally, it will quit Zathura when you close Helix, and
+# uses typst watch to continuously compile the file.
 # Run this script with --help for usage info!
 
 # Author: Daniel Fichtinger <daniel@ficd.ca
 # License: MIT
 
-argparse q/quiet k/kill-on-exit h/help p/process -- $argv
+argparse q/quiet k/kill-on-exit w/watch h/help -- $argv
 
 if test (count $argv) -eq 0; or set -q _flag_h
     echo "Helper script for opening Typst files from Helix in Zathura."\n
@@ -21,7 +22,11 @@ if test (count $argv) -eq 0; or set -q _flag_h
     echo "Options:"
     echo "-q/--quiet: Don't \`echo\` on caught errors, return 1 instead."
     echo "-k/--kill-on-exit: Kill Zathura when parent Helix process exits."
+    echo "-w/--watch: live preview mode"
     echo "-h/--help: print this screen"\n
+    echo "Note:"
+    echo "To avoid spawning a large number of typst processes,"
+    echo "--watch is only effective if --kill-on-exit is also set."\n
     echo 'Author: Daniel Fichtinger <daniel@ficd.ca>'
     echo 'License: MIT'
     return 0
@@ -43,40 +48,74 @@ function qecho
     end
 end
 
+# absolute path of %{buffer_name} file
+set -g src_path (path resolve $argv[1])
+
 # check if the user asked to kill zathura on helix exit
-if set -q _flag_k
-    set kill_parent
-    set client_id $_flag_p
+# or to watch the pdf
+if set -q _flag_k || set -q _flag_w
+    if set -q _flag_k
+        set kill_parent
+    end
+    if set -q _flag_w
+        set typst_watch
+    end
     # traverse up process tree to find caller Helix PID
     # We use this PID to kill zathura if Helix exits first!
     # we only need to define this function
     # inside this scope
-    function find_parent_process
-        echo "$client_id"
+    function find_parent_process -a target
+        # initialize current_pid as this shell's pid
+        set -f current_pid $fish_pid
+
+        # Stop when we reach init (PID 1)
+        while test $current_pid -ne 1
+            # parent of current_pid
+            set parent (ps -o ppid= -p $current_pid | string trim)
+            # get parent's command name
+            set cmd (ps -o comm= -p $parent | string trim)
+
+            # if the cmd matches our target command we return its pid
+            if string match -q -- $target $cmd
+                echo "$parent"
+                return 0
+            end
+
+            set -f current_pid $parent
+        end
+        return 1
     end
 
-    set parent_pid (find_parent_process hx)
+    set parent_pid $argv[2]
     if test -z "$parent_pid"
-        qecho "Couldn't find parent hx process!"
+        qecho "Couldn't find parent kak process!"
         return $ret
     end
 end
 
 # opens zathura, optionally watching for helix closing
 function zopen --wraps zathura
-    # this should be set if the user asked to watch
+    set -f pdf_path $argv[1]
+    # this should be set if the user asked to kill
     if set -q kill_parent
         # create background sub-process
         # otherwise helix will hang
         begin
-            zathura "$argv[1]" &>/dev/null &
+            zathura "$pdf_path" &>/dev/null &
             set zathura_pid $last_pid
+            if set -q typst_watch
+                typst watch "$src_path" "$pdf_path" &>/dev/null &
+            end
+            set typst_pid $last_pid
             waitpid -c 1 "$parent_pid" "$zathura_pid"
             kill $zathura_pid &>/dev/null
+            if set -q typst_watch
+                kill $typst_pid &>/dev/null
+            end
         end &
     else
-        # user didn't ask for watch, so open normally
-        zathura "$argv[1]" &>/dev/null &
+        # user didn't ask for kill, so open normally
+        zathura "$pdf_path" &>/dev/null &
     end
     true
 end
@@ -93,19 +132,17 @@ function find_pdf
     end
 end
 
-# absolute path of %{buffer_name} file
-set -l src (path resolve $argv[1])
-# echo $src
+# echo $src_path
 # return 0
 # exit if not a typst file
-if not string match -q '*.typ' $src
-    qecho "$(path basename $src) is not a Typst file!"
+if not string match -q '*.typ' $src_path
+    qecho "$(path basename $src_path) is not a Typst file!"
     return $ret
 end
 # change abs path to pdf extension
-set -l targ (string replace --regex '\.typ$' '.pdf' $src)
+set -l targ (string replace --regex '\.typ$' '.pdf' $src_path)
 # get pdf target's base name
-set -l base (path basename --no-extension $src).pdf
+set -l base (path basename --no-extension $src_path).pdf
 
 # if a suitable pdf exists in the same dir, open it
 if test -f "$targ"