diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 10d623d..ebc9129 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ Makefile.in
 
 # special directories
 /po
+!/po/POTFILES.in
+!/po/LINGUAS
+!/po/Makevars
 /m4
 src/.deps/
 src/.dirstamp