diff --git a/BrainPortal/app/models/tool_config.rb b/BrainPortal/app/models/tool_config.rb
index 8f85347cc..3c6f7c08d 100644
--- a/BrainPortal/app/models/tool_config.rb
+++ b/BrainPortal/app/models/tool_config.rb
@@ -593,15 +593,21 @@ def self.register_descriptor(descriptor, tool_name, tool_version) #:nodoc:
   def self.registered_boutiques_descriptor(tool_name, tool_version) #:nodoc:
     @_descriptors_ ||= {}
     key = [ tool_name, tool_version ] # two strings
+    @_descriptors_[key] = @_descriptors_[key]&.reload_if_file_timestamp_changed
     @_descriptors_[key]
   end
 
   def boutiques_descriptor
+    if @_descriptor_
+      @_descriptor_       = @_descriptor_.reload_if_file_timestamp_changed
+      key                 = [ self.tool.name, self.version_name ] # two strings
+      @_descriptors_[key] = @_descriptor_
+      return @_descriptor_
+    end
     path = boutiques_descriptor_path.presence
     if ! path
       return self.class.registered_boutiques_descriptor(self.tool.name, self.version_name)
     end
-    return @_descriptor_ if @_descriptor_
     path = Pathname.new(path)
     path = Pathname.new(CBRAIN::BoutiquesDescriptorsPlugins_Dir) + path if path.relative?
     @_descriptor_ = BoutiquesSupport::BoutiquesDescriptor.new_from_file(path)
diff --git a/BrainPortal/lib/boutiques_support.rb b/BrainPortal/lib/boutiques_support.rb
index 84196a35c..4ca6a2e9d 100644
--- a/BrainPortal/lib/boutiques_support.rb
+++ b/BrainPortal/lib/boutiques_support.rb
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ def self.validate(json)
   # initialize above (top_prop_names etc).
   BoutiquesDescriptor = Class.new(RestrictedHash) do |klass|
 
-    allowed_keys top_prop_names # 'name', 'author' etc
-    attr_accessor :from_file    # not a hash attribute; a file name, for info
+    allowed_keys top_prop_names  # 'name', 'author' etc
+    attr_accessor :from_file     # not a hash attribute; a file name, for info
+    attr_accessor :mtime_of_file # not a hash attribute, a file timestamp, for caching
 
     Input          = Class.new(RestrictedHash) { allowed_keys input_prop_names  }
     OutputFile     = Class.new(RestrictedHash) { allowed_keys output_prop_names }
@@ -89,10 +90,17 @@ def self.new_from_string(text)
 
     def self.new_from_file(path)
       obj = self.new_from_string(File.read(path))
-      obj.from_file = path
+      obj.from_file     = path
+      obj.mtime_of_file = File.mtime(path)
       obj
     end
 
+    def reload_if_file_timestamp_changed()
+      filepath = self.from_file
+      return self if filepath.blank? || File.mtime(filepath) == self.mtime_of_file
+      self.class.new_from_file(filepath)
+    end
+
     def validate
       BoutiquesSupport.validate(self) # amazingly, the JSON validator also work with our descriptor class
     end
@@ -100,7 +108,8 @@ def validate
     # When dup'ing, also copy the from_file attribute
     def dup #:nodoc:
       copy = super
-      copy.from_file = self.from_file
+      copy.from_file     = self.from_file
+      copy.mtime_of_file = self.mtime_of_file
       copy
     end