diff --git a/lib/git-scribe/init.rb b/lib/git-scribe/init.rb
index 06e5706..4facbf2 100644
--- a/lib/git-scribe/init.rb
+++ b/lib/git-scribe/init.rb
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ def init(args = [])
 
       info "inititalizing #{name}"
       from_stdir = File.join(SCRIBE_ROOT, 'template')
+      ign = Dir.glob(from_stdir + '/.[a-z]*')
       FileUtils.cp_r from_stdir, name
+      FileUtils.cp_r ign, name
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/test/init_test.rb b/test/init_test.rb
index 33f6aa5..1542878 100644
--- a/test/init_test.rb
+++ b/test/init_test.rb
@@ -12,4 +12,25 @@
       end
     end
   end
+
+  test "can't init a scribe repo for existing dir" do
+    in_temp_dir do
+      Dir.mkdir('t')
+      assert_raise RuntimeError do
+        @scribe.init('t')
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "can init a scribe repo" do
+    in_temp_dir do
+      @scribe.init('t')
+      files = Dir.glob('t/**/*', File::FNM_DOTMATCH)
+      assert files.include? "t/book/book.asc"
+      assert files.include? "t/LICENSE"
+      assert files.include? "t/README.asciidoc"
+      assert files.include? "t/.gitscribe"
+      assert files.include? "t/.gitignore"
+    end
+  end
 end