diff --git a/features.in/Makefile b/features.in/Makefile
index 63ad79bb..215153a6 100644
--- a/features.in/Makefile
+++ b/features.in/Makefile
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ prep:
 #     - "rootfs@/": copy feature's rootfs parts into BUILDDIR toplevel
 $(FEATURES):
 	@feat=$@; \
-	args="-qab --exclude README --exclude config.mk"; \
+	args="-qab --exclude .gitignore --exclude README --exclude config.mk"; \
 	args="$$args --exclude generate.mk --exclude generate.sh"; \
 	if [ -n "$(GLOBAL_DEBUG)" ]; then \
 		echo "** adding $$feat feature"; \
diff --git a/lib/profile.mk b/lib/profile.mk
index feaae61e..3e00d692 100644
--- a/lib/profile.mk
+++ b/lib/profile.mk
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ profile/init: distclean
 	if [ -z $(QUIET) ]; then \
 		echo -n "$(TIME) initializing BUILDDIR: "; \
 	fi; \
-	rsync -qaxH --delete-after image.in/ "$(BUILDDIR)"/; \
+	rsync -qaxH --exclude .gitignore --delete-after image.in/ "$(BUILDDIR)"/; \
 	mkdir "$(BUILDDIR)"/.mki; \
 	} >&2
 	@$(call put,ifndef DISTCFG_MK)
diff --git a/sub.in/Makefile b/sub.in/Makefile
index 7ac47c8e..177882d2 100644
--- a/sub.in/Makefile
+++ b/sub.in/Makefile
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ all:
 		else \
 			action="initialized"; \
 		fi; \
-		rsync -qa "$$src/" "$(BUILDDIR)/$$dst/" && \
+		rsync -qa --exclude .gitignore "$$src/" "$(BUILDDIR)/$$dst/" && \
 		mp-commit "$(BUILDDIR)/$$dst/" \
 			"$$dst subprofile $$action$${neq:+ (using $$src)}"; \
 	done