diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 76bae9838e..f6cc3f96cd 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
 # It is not intended for manual editing.
+[[package]]
+name = "aho-corasick"
+version = "0.6.10"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "memchr 2.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "aho-corasick"
 version = "0.7.6"
@@ -180,6 +188,11 @@ dependencies = [
  "bitflags 1.1.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "crossbeam"
+version = "0.2.12"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ctor"
 version = "0.1.11"
@@ -385,6 +398,18 @@ dependencies = [
  "wasi 0.7.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "globset"
+version = "0.1.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick 0.6.10 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "fnv 1.0.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "log 0.3.9 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "memchr 1.0.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "regex 0.2.11 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "handlebars"
 version = "2.0.2"
@@ -497,6 +522,21 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-normalization 0.1.8 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ignore"
+version = "0.1.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "crossbeam 0.2.12 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "globset 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "lazy_static 0.2.11 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "log 0.3.9 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "memchr 1.0.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "regex 0.2.11 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "thread_local 0.3.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "walkdir 1.0.7 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "inotify"
 version = "0.6.1"
@@ -571,6 +611,11 @@ name = "language-tags"
 version = "0.2.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "lazy_static"
+version = "0.2.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "lazy_static"
 version = "1.4.0"
@@ -660,6 +705,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "env_logger 0.6.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "error-chain 0.12.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "handlebars 2.0.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "ignore 0.1.9 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "iron 0.6.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "itertools 0.8.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
  "lazy_static 1.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
@@ -683,6 +729,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "ws 0.9.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "memchr"
+version = "1.0.2"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "libc 0.2.62 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "memchr"
 version = "2.2.1"
@@ -1146,6 +1200,18 @@ name = "redox_syscall"
 version = "0.1.56"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex"
+version = "0.2.11"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "aho-corasick 0.6.10 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "memchr 2.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "regex-syntax 0.5.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "thread_local 0.3.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "utf8-ranges 1.0.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "regex"
 version = "1.3.1"
@@ -1157,6 +1223,14 @@ dependencies = [
  "thread_local 0.3.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "regex-syntax"
+version = "0.5.6"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "ucd-util 0.1.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "regex-syntax"
 version = "0.6.12"
@@ -1185,6 +1259,15 @@ name = "safemem"
 version = "0.3.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "same-file"
+version = "0.1.3"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "kernel32-sys 0.2.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "winapi 0.2.8 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "same-file"
 version = "1.0.5"
@@ -1474,6 +1557,11 @@ name = "ucd-trie"
 version = "0.1.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "ucd-util"
+version = "0.1.5"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "unicase"
 version = "1.4.2"
@@ -1559,6 +1647,11 @@ name = "utf-8"
 version = "0.7.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "utf8-ranges"
+version = "1.0.4"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "vec_map"
 version = "0.8.1"
@@ -1569,6 +1662,16 @@ name = "version_check"
 version = "0.1.5"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "walkdir"
+version = "1.0.7"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+dependencies = [
+ "kernel32-sys 0.2.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "same-file 0.1.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+ "winapi 0.2.8 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "walkdir"
 version = "2.2.9"
@@ -1657,6 +1760,7 @@ dependencies = [
 ]
 
 [metadata]
+"checksum aho-corasick 0.6.10 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "81ce3d38065e618af2d7b77e10c5ad9a069859b4be3c2250f674af3840d9c8a5"
 "checksum aho-corasick 0.7.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "58fb5e95d83b38284460a5fda7d6470aa0b8844d283a0b614b8535e880800d2d"
 "checksum ammonia 3.0.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "9e266e1f4be5ffa05309f650e2586fe1d3ae6034eb24025a7ae1dfecc330823a"
 "checksum ansi_term 0.11.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "ee49baf6cb617b853aa8d93bf420db2383fab46d314482ca2803b40d5fde979b"
@@ -1679,6 +1783,7 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum clap 2.33.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "5067f5bb2d80ef5d68b4c87db81601f0b75bca627bc2ef76b141d7b846a3c6d9"
 "checksum cloudabi 0.0.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "ddfc5b9aa5d4507acaf872de71051dfd0e309860e88966e1051e462a077aac4f"
+"checksum crossbeam 0.2.12 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "bd66663db5a988098a89599d4857919b3acf7f61402e61365acfd3919857b9be"
 "checksum ctor 0.1.11 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "3e061727ebef83bbccac7c27b9a5ff9fd83094d34cb20f4005440a9562a27de7"
 "checksum darling 0.8.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "9158d690bc62a3a57c3e45b85e4d50de2008b39345592c64efd79345c7e24be0"
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@@ -1703,6 +1808,7 @@ dependencies = [
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+"checksum globset 0.1.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "90d069fe6beb9be359ef505650b3f73228c5591a3c4b1f32be2f4f44459ffa3a"
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@@ -1714,6 +1820,7 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum idna 0.1.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "38f09e0f0b1fb55fdee1f17470ad800da77af5186a1a76c026b679358b7e844e"
 "checksum idna 0.2.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "02e2673c30ee86b5b96a9cb52ad15718aa1f966f5ab9ad54a8b95d5ca33120a9"
+"checksum ignore 0.1.9 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "f05225ab97d449ffd22c4e80b5ba179370ce4ff5c6ad87232109bd0e403c8307"
 "checksum inotify 0.6.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "40b54539f3910d6f84fbf9a643efd6e3aa6e4f001426c0329576128255994718"
 "checksum inotify-sys 0.1.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "e74a1aa87c59aeff6ef2cc2fa62d41bc43f54952f55652656b18a02fd5e356c0"
 "checksum iovec 0.1.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "dbe6e417e7d0975db6512b90796e8ce223145ac4e33c377e4a42882a0e88bb08"
@@ -1723,6 +1830,7 @@ dependencies = [
 "checksum itoa 0.4.4 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "501266b7edd0174f8530248f87f99c88fbe60ca4ef3dd486835b8d8d53136f7f"
 "checksum kernel32-sys 0.2.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "7507624b29483431c0ba2d82aece8ca6cdba9382bff4ddd0f7490560c056098d"
 "checksum language-tags 0.2.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "a91d884b6667cd606bb5a69aa0c99ba811a115fc68915e7056ec08a46e93199a"
+"checksum lazy_static 0.2.11 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "76f033c7ad61445c5b347c7382dd1237847eb1bce590fe50365dcb33d546be73"
 "checksum lazy_static 1.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "e2abad23fbc42b3700f2f279844dc832adb2b2eb069b2df918f455c4e18cc646"
 "checksum lazycell 1.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "b294d6fa9ee409a054354afc4352b0b9ef7ca222c69b8812cbea9e7d2bf3783f"
 "checksum libc 0.2.62 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "34fcd2c08d2f832f376f4173a231990fa5aef4e99fb569867318a227ef4c06ba"
@@ -1733,6 +1841,7 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum markup5ever 0.9.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "65381d9d47506b8592b97c4efd936afcf673b09b059f2bef39c7211ee78b9d03"
 "checksum matches 0.1.8 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "7ffc5c5338469d4d3ea17d269fa8ea3512ad247247c30bd2df69e68309ed0a08"
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 "checksum memchr 2.2.1 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "88579771288728879b57485cc7d6b07d648c9f0141eb955f8ab7f9d45394468e"
 "checksum mime 0.2.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "ba626b8a6de5da682e1caa06bdb42a335aee5a84db8e5046a3e8ab17ba0a3ae0"
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@@ -1786,12 +1895,15 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum rdrand 0.4.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "678054eb77286b51581ba43620cc911abf02758c91f93f479767aed0f90458b2"
 "checksum redox_syscall 0.1.56 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "2439c63f3f6139d1b57529d16bc3b8bb855230c8efcc5d3a896c8bea7c3b1e84"
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+"checksum same-file 0.1.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "d931a44fdaa43b8637009e7632a02adc4f2b2e0733c08caa4cf00e8da4a117a7"
 "checksum same-file 1.0.5 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "585e8ddcedc187886a30fa705c47985c3fa88d06624095856b36ca0b82ff4421"
 "checksum select 0.4.3 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "ac645958c62108d11f90f8d34e4dc2799c838fc995ed4c2075867a2a8d5be76b"
 "checksum sequence_trie 0.3.6 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "1ee22067b7ccd072eeb64454b9c6e1b33b61cd0d49e895fd48676a184580e0c3"
@@ -1827,6 +1939,7 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum typenum 1.11.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "6d2783fe2d6b8c1101136184eb41be8b1ad379e4657050b8aaff0c79ee7575f9"
 "checksum ucd-trie 0.1.2 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "8f00ed7be0c1ff1e24f46c3d2af4859f7e863672ba3a6e92e7cff702bf9f06c2"
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@@ -1839,8 +1952,10 @@ dependencies = [
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 "checksum walkdir 2.2.9 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "9658c94fa8b940eab2250bd5a457f9c48b748420d71293b165c8cdbe2f55f71e"
 "checksum wasi 0.7.0 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "b89c3ce4ce14bdc6fb6beaf9ec7928ca331de5df7e5ea278375642a2f478570d"
 "checksum winapi 0.2.8 (registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index)" = "167dc9d6949a9b857f3451275e911c3f44255842c1f7a76f33c55103a909087a"
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 974fa90f42..ffd9bbc17e 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ clap = "2.24"
 env_logger = "0.6"
 error-chain = "0.12"
 handlebars = { version = "2.0", default-features = false, features = ["no_dir_source"] }
+ignore = "0.1.8"
 itertools = "0.8"
 lazy_static = "1.0"
 log = "0.4"
diff --git a/src/cmd/serve.rs b/src/cmd/serve.rs
index 3c8c53dc73..f2dddd9138 100644
--- a/src/cmd/serve.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/serve.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use iron::{status, AfterMiddleware, Chain, Iron, IronError, IronResult, Request,
 use mdbook::errors::*;
 use mdbook::utils;
 use mdbook::MDBook;
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 
 struct ErrorRecover;
 
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ pub fn make_subcommand<'a, 'b>() -> App<'a, 'b> {
                 .help("Port to use for WebSockets livereload connections"),
         )
         .arg_from_usage("-o, --open 'Opens the book server in a web browser'")
+        .arg_from_usage("-i, --gitignore 'Respect .gitignore and skip changes to ignored files'")
 }
 
 // Watch command implementation
@@ -107,8 +109,16 @@ pub fn execute(args: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
         open(serving_url);
     }
 
+    let gitignore_path: Option<PathBuf> = if args.is_present("gitignore") {
+        let mut path = book_dir.clone();
+        path.push(".gitignore");
+        Some(path)
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
     #[cfg(feature = "watch")]
-    watch::trigger_on_change(&book, move |paths, book_dir| {
+    watch::trigger_on_change(&book, gitignore_path, move |paths, book_dir| {
         info!("Files changed: {:?}", paths);
         info!("Building book...");
 
diff --git a/src/cmd/watch.rs b/src/cmd/watch.rs
index bf903f90a7..97dff19c1f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/watch.rs
+++ b/src/cmd/watch.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use crate::{get_book_dir, open};
 use clap::{App, ArgMatches, SubCommand};
+use ignore::gitignore::Gitignore;
 use mdbook::errors::Result;
 use mdbook::utils;
 use mdbook::MDBook;
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ pub fn make_subcommand<'a, 'b>() -> App<'a, 'b> {
              (Defaults to the Current Directory when omitted)'",
         )
         .arg_from_usage("-o, --open 'Open the compiled book in a web browser'")
+        .arg_from_usage("-i, --gitignore 'Respect .gitignore and skip changes to ignored files'")
 }
 
 // Watch command implementation
@@ -35,7 +37,15 @@ pub fn execute(args: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
         open(book.build_dir_for("html").join("index.html"));
     }
 
-    trigger_on_change(&book, |paths, book_dir| {
+    let gitignore_path: Option<PathBuf> = if args.is_present("gitignore") {
+        let mut path = book_dir.clone();
+        path.push(".gitignore");
+        Some(path)
+    } else {
+        None
+    };
+
+    trigger_on_change(&book, gitignore_path, |paths, book_dir| {
         info!("Files changed: {:?}\nBuilding book...\n", paths);
         let result = MDBook::load(&book_dir).and_then(|b| b.build());
 
@@ -49,13 +59,21 @@ pub fn execute(args: &ArgMatches) -> Result<()> {
 }
 
 /// Calls the closure when a book source file is changed, blocking indefinitely.
-pub fn trigger_on_change<F>(book: &MDBook, closure: F)
+pub fn trigger_on_change<F>(book: &MDBook, gitignore_path: Option<PathBuf>, closure: F)
 where
     F: Fn(Vec<PathBuf>, &Path),
 {
     use notify::DebouncedEvent::*;
     use notify::RecursiveMode::*;
 
+    let gitignore = match gitignore_path {
+        Some(path) => {
+            info!("Skipping updates for files ignored by .gitignore");
+            Gitignore::new(path).0
+        }
+        _ => Gitignore::empty(),
+    };
+
     // Create a channel to receive the events.
     let (tx, rx) = channel();
 
@@ -87,17 +105,25 @@ where
 
         let all_events = std::iter::once(first_event).chain(other_events);
 
-        let paths = all_events
+        let paths: Vec<PathBuf> = all_events
             .filter_map(|event| {
                 debug!("Received filesystem event: {:?}", event);
 
                 match event {
-                    Create(path) | Write(path) | Remove(path) | Rename(_, path) => Some(path),
+                    Create(path) | Write(path) | Remove(path) | Rename(_, path) => {
+                        if !gitignore.matched(&path, false).is_ignore() {
+                            Some(path)
+                        } else {
+                            None
+                        }
+                    }
                     _ => None,
                 }
             })
             .collect();
 
-        closure(paths, &book.root);
+        if !paths.is_empty() {
+            closure(paths, &book.root);
+        }
     }
 }