diff --git a/src/PreloaderLister.php b/src/PreloaderLister.php
index e7d568c..b0ab6fe 100644
--- a/src/PreloaderLister.php
+++ b/src/PreloaderLister.php
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ class PreloaderLister
      */
     public function build() : array
     {
+        // Exclude "$PRELOAD$" phantom file
+        $scripts = $this->excludePreloadVariable($this->list);
+
         // Exclude the files set by the developer
-        $scripts = $this->exclude($this->list);
+        $scripts = $this->exclude($scripts);
 
         // Sort the scripts by hit ratio
         $scripts = $this->sortScripts($scripts);
@@ -64,6 +67,19 @@ public function build() : array
         return array_unique($scripts);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Excludes de `$PRELOAD$` file key from the list.
+     *
+     * @param  array  $list
+     * @return array
+     */
+    protected function excludePreloadVariable(array $list)
+    {
+        unset($list['$PRELOAD$']);
+
+        return $list;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Retrieve a sorted scripts list used by Opcache.
      *
diff --git a/tests/PreloaderTest.php b/tests/PreloaderTest.php
index ee35244..860552b 100644
--- a/tests/PreloaderTest.php
+++ b/tests/PreloaderTest.php
@@ -381,6 +381,28 @@ public function test_uses_require_instead_of_compile()
         $this->assertStringContainsString('require_once $file', $contents);
     }
 
+    public function test_excludes_phantom_preload_variable()
+    {
+        $this->list['$PRELOAD$'] = [
+            'full_path' => '$PRELOAD$',
+            'hits' => 0,
+            'memory_consumption' => 560,
+            'last_used' => 'Thu Jan  1 01:00:00 1970',
+            'last_used_timestamp' => 0,
+            'timestamp' => 0
+        ];
+
+        $this->mockOpcache();
+
+        $preloader = new Preloader(new PreloaderCompiler, new PreloaderLister, $this->opcache);
+
+        $preloader->writeTo($this->preloaderPath);
+
+        $contents = file_get_contents($this->preloaderPath);
+
+        $this->assertStringNotContainsString('$PRELOAD$', $contents);
+    }
+
     public function test_exception_when_autoload_doesnt_exists()
     {
         $this->expectException(LogicException::class);