diff --git a/pkg/controller/controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/controller_test.go
index 60c3063..d042c69 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/controller_test.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func TestController_RenderPage(t *testing.T) {
 		expectedTemplates := make(map[string]bool)
 		expectedTemplates[p.Name+config.TemplateExt] = true
 		expectedTemplates[p.Layout+config.TemplateExt] = true
-		components, err := templates.Templates.ReadDir("components")
+		components, err := templates.Get().ReadDir("components")
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		for _, f := range components {
 			expectedTemplates[f.Name()] = true
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func TestController_RenderPage(t *testing.T) {
 		expectedTemplates := make(map[string]bool)
 		expectedTemplates[p.Name+config.TemplateExt] = true
 		expectedTemplates["htmx"+config.TemplateExt] = true
-		components, err := templates.Templates.ReadDir("components")
+		components, err := templates.Get().ReadDir("components")
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		for _, f := range components {
 			expectedTemplates[f.Name()] = true
diff --git a/pkg/services/template_renderer.go b/pkg/services/template_renderer.go
index de60a0e..d21bbb7 100644
--- a/pkg/services/template_renderer.go
+++ b/pkg/services/template_renderer.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"html/template"
+	"io/fs"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/mikestefanello/pagoda/config"
@@ -103,25 +104,28 @@ func (t *TemplateRenderer) parse(build *templateBuild) (*TemplateParsed, error)
 		parsed := template.New(build.base + config.TemplateExt).
 			Funcs(t.funcMap)
 
-		// Parse all files provided
-		if len(build.files) > 0 {
-			for k, v := range build.files {
-				build.files[k] = fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", v, config.TemplateExt)
-			}
-
-			parsed, err = parsed.ParseFS(templates.Templates, build.files...)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
+		// Format the requested files
+		for k, v := range build.files {
+			build.files[k] = fmt.Sprintf("%s%s", v, config.TemplateExt)
 		}
 
-		// Parse all templates within the provided directories
-		for _, dir := range build.directories {
-			dir = fmt.Sprintf("%s/*%s", dir, config.TemplateExt)
-			parsed, err = parsed.ParseFS(templates.Templates, dir)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
+		// Include all files within the requested directories
+		for k, v := range build.directories {
+			build.directories[k] = fmt.Sprintf("%s/*%s", v, config.TemplateExt)
+		}
+
+		// Get the templates
+		var tpl fs.FS
+		if t.config.App.Environment == config.EnvLocal {
+			tpl = templates.GetOS()
+		} else {
+			tpl = templates.Get()
+		}
+
+		// Parse the templates
+		parsed, err = parsed.ParseFS(tpl, append(build.files, build.directories...)...)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
 		}
 
 		// Store the template so this process only happens once
diff --git a/pkg/services/template_renderer_test.go b/pkg/services/template_renderer_test.go
index 6e6805c..3c8d8f8 100644
--- a/pkg/services/template_renderer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/template_renderer_test.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func TestTemplateRenderer(t *testing.T) {
 	expectedTemplates := make(map[string]bool)
 	expectedTemplates["htmx"+config.TemplateExt] = true
 	expectedTemplates["error"+config.TemplateExt] = true
-	components, err := templates.Templates.ReadDir("components")
+	components, err := templates.Get().ReadDir("components")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	for _, f := range components {
 		expectedTemplates[f.Name()] = true
diff --git a/templates/templates.go b/templates/templates.go
index 83a8320..257a286 100644
--- a/templates/templates.go
+++ b/templates/templates.go
@@ -2,7 +2,28 @@ package templates
 
 import (
 	"embed"
+	"io/fs"
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 )
 
 //go:embed *
-var Templates embed.FS
+var templates embed.FS
+
+// Get returns a file system containing all templates via embed.FS
+func Get() embed.FS {
+	return templates
+}
+
+// GetOS returns a file system containing all templates which will load the files directly from the operating system.
+// This should only be used for local development in order to faciliate live reloading.
+func GetOS() fs.FS {
+	// Gets the complete templates directory path
+	// This is needed in case this is called from a package outside of main, such as within tests
+	_, b, _, _ := runtime.Caller(0)
+	d := path.Join(path.Dir(b))
+	p := filepath.Join(filepath.Dir(d), "templates")
+	return os.DirFS(p)
+}
diff --git a/templates/templates_test.go b/templates/templates_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..44abec0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/templates_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package templates
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+func TestGet(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := Get().Open("pages/home.gohtml")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}
+
+func TestGetOS(t *testing.T) {
+	_, err := GetOS().Open("pages/home.gohtml")
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}