diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 5555e1544..28f319acb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ System.map
 Module.symvers
 barebox_default_env*
 
+#
+# git files that we don't want to ignore even it they are dot-files
+#
+!.gitignore
+
 #
 # Generated include files
 #