diff --git a/ginkgo/watch/package_hash.go b/ginkgo/watch/package_hash.go
index 17d052bdc..0e6ae1f29 100644
--- a/ginkgo/watch/package_hash.go
+++ b/ginkgo/watch/package_hash.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"regexp"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -79,6 +80,10 @@ func (p *PackageHash) computeHashes() (codeHash string, codeModifiedTime time.Ti
 			continue
 		}
 
+		if isHiddenFile(info) {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if goTestRegExp.MatchString(info.Name()) {
 			testHash += p.hashForFileInfo(info)
 			if info.ModTime().After(testModifiedTime) {
@@ -103,6 +108,10 @@ func (p *PackageHash) computeHashes() (codeHash string, codeModifiedTime time.Ti
 	return
 }
 
+func isHiddenFile(info os.FileInfo) bool {
+	return strings.HasPrefix(info.Name(), ".") || strings.HasPrefix(info.Name(), "_")
+}
+
 func (p *PackageHash) hashForFileInfo(info os.FileInfo) string {
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%s_%d_%d", info.Name(), info.Size(), info.ModTime().UnixNano())
 }
diff --git a/integration/watch_test.go b/integration/watch_test.go
index a1e08ac0f..4d1ab71a8 100644
--- a/integration/watch_test.go
+++ b/integration/watch_test.go
@@ -20,6 +20,18 @@ var _ = Describe("Watch", Label("SLOW"), func() {
 		fm.MountFixture("watch", "C")
 	})
 
+	createFile := func(path string, contents []byte) {
+		time.Sleep(time.Second)
+		err := os.WriteFile(path, contents, 0666)
+		Ω(err).ShouldNot(HaveOccurred())
+	}
+
+	createHiddenTest := func(pkgToModify string) {
+		path := filepath.Join(pkgToModify, ".#"+pkgToModify+"_test.go")
+		fm.MkEmpty(filepath.Join("watch", pkgToModify))
+		createFile(fm.PathTo("watch", path), []byte("//"))
+	}
+
 	modifyFile := func(path string) {
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
 		content, err := os.ReadFile(path)
@@ -185,6 +197,19 @@ var _ = Describe("Watch", Label("SLOW"), func() {
 			Eventually(session).Should(gbytes.Say("C Suite"))
 			Consistently(session).ShouldNot(gbytes.Say("A Suite|B Suite"))
 		})
+
+		Context("when a hidden test file is created", func() {
+			It("shouldn't trigger the test suite", func() {
+				session = startGinkgo(fm.PathTo("watch"), "watch", "-r")
+				Eventually(session).Should(gbytes.Say("Identified 3 test suites"))
+				Eventually(session).Should(gbytes.Say(`A \[`))
+				Eventually(session).Should(gbytes.Say(`B \[`))
+				Eventually(session).Should(gbytes.Say(`C \[`))
+
+				createHiddenTest("A")
+				Consistently(session).ShouldNot(gbytes.Say("Detected changes in"))
+			})
+		})
 	})
 
 	Describe("adjusting the watch regular expression", func() {