diff --git a/features.in/build-distro/scripts.d/00-cleanup b/features.in/build-distro/scripts.d/00-cleanup
index a71b290b..2b78eaa7 100755
--- a/features.in/build-distro/scripts.d/00-cleanup
+++ b/features.in/build-distro/scripts.d/00-cleanup
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # TODO: invent some way to remove this inter-subprofile thing
 
-rm -vf $WORKDIR/{squashcfg.mk,initfs,.gitignore}
+rm -vf $WORKDIR/{squashcfg.mk,initfs,.gitignore,.empty}
diff --git a/image.in/files/.gitignore b/image.in/files/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from image.in/files/.gitignore
rename to image.in/files/.empty
diff --git a/image.in/image-scripts.d/.gitignore b/image.in/image-scripts.d/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from image.in/image-scripts.d/.gitignore
rename to image.in/image-scripts.d/.empty
diff --git a/image.in/lib/.gitignore b/image.in/lib/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from image.in/lib/.gitignore
rename to image.in/lib/.empty
diff --git a/image.in/scripts.d/.gitignore b/image.in/scripts.d/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from image.in/scripts.d/.gitignore
rename to image.in/scripts.d/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/main/lib/.gitignore b/sub.in/main/lib/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from sub.in/main/lib/.gitignore
rename to sub.in/main/lib/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/files/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage1/files/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from sub.in/stage1/files/.gitignore
rename to sub.in/stage1/files/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/modules.d/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage1/modules.d/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from sub.in/stage1/modules.d/.gitignore
rename to sub.in/stage1/modules.d/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage1 b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage1
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..4ed09d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage1
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+rm -f /.image/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage1 b/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage1
deleted file mode 100755
index 6623581c..00000000
--- a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage1
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-rm -f /.image/.gitignore
diff --git a/sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage2/files/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from sub.in/stage1/scripts.d/.gitignore
rename to sub.in/stage2/files/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage2/files/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage2/lib/.empty
similarity index 100%
rename from sub.in/stage2/files/.gitignore
rename to sub.in/stage2/lib/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage2/lib/.gitignore b/sub.in/stage2/lib/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000
diff --git a/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage2 b/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage2
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..4ed09d4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.empty-stage2
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+rm -f /.image/.empty
diff --git a/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage2 b/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage2
deleted file mode 100755
index 6623581c..00000000
--- a/sub.in/stage2/scripts.d/01-clean-.gitignore-stage2
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-rm -f /.image/.gitignore