Hi Junio, I've tested it with many older versions of git, as well as with the recent v2.7.0 - it seems like this feature has been never working properly. The script https://gist.github.com/anatolyborodin/9c581b50c584534fff28 #!/bin/sh set -e # a # b # c # D/a # D/b # D/c # E/F/a # E/F/b # E/F/c mkdir -p D E/F touch a b c D/a D/b D/c E/F/a E/F/b E/F/c echo && echo '.gitignore' && echo '----------' echo '*\n!b\n!D/b\n!/D/b\n!/E/*/b' > .gitignore cat .gitignore echo && echo 'With `--ignored`' && echo '----------' git status --ignored echo && echo 'Without `--ignored`' && echo '----------' git status The output: .gitignore ---------- * !b /D/b !/D/b !/E/*/b With `--ignored` ---------- On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. Untracked files: (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed) b Ignored files: (use "git add -f <file>..." to include in what will be committed) .gitignore D/ E/ a c nothing added to commit but untracked files present (use "git add" to track) Without `--ignored` ---------- On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. Untracked files: (use "git add <file>..." to include in what will be committed) b nothing added to commit but untracked files present (use "git add" to track) All files in the subdirectories are ignored, no matter what. -- Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Anatoly Borodin -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe git" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html