diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 80ada46..5084c58 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ go 1.13
 require (
 	github.com/augmentable-dev/lege v0.0.0-20191028004410-79cb985065a1
 	github.com/briandowns/spinner v1.11.1
+	github.com/danwakefield/fnmatch v0.0.0-20160403171240-cbb64ac3d964 // indirect
+	github.com/denormal/go-gitignore v0.0.0-20180930084346-ae8ad1d07817
 	github.com/dustin/go-humanize v1.0.0
 	github.com/fatih/color v1.9.0 // indirect
 	github.com/go-enry/go-enry/v2 v2.5.2
@@ -13,8 +15,8 @@ require (
 	github.com/sergi/go-diff v1.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.0.0
 	github.com/spf13/pflag v1.0.5 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200510223506-06a226fb4e37 // indirect
-	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200528225125-3c3fba18258b // indirect
-	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200523222454-059865788121 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200604202706-70a84ac30bf9 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200602114024-627f9648deb9 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200610111108-226ff32320da // indirect
 	gopkg.in/src-d/go-git.v4 v4.13.1
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 1fb629d..ce96a34 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -25,9 +25,13 @@ github.com/coreos/go-systemd v0.0.0-20190321100706-95778dfbb74e/go.mod h1:F5haX7
 github.com/coreos/pkg v0.0.0-20180928190104-399ea9e2e55f/go.mod h1:E3G3o1h8I7cfcXa63jLwjI0eiQQMgzzUDFVpN/nH/eA=
 github.com/cpuguy83/go-md2man/v2 v2.0.0/go.mod h1:maD7wRr/U5Z6m/iR4s+kqSMx2CaBsrgA7czyZG/E6dU=
 github.com/creack/pty v1.1.7/go.mod h1:lj5s0c3V2DBrqTV7llrYr5NG6My20zk30Fl46Y7DoTY=
+github.com/danwakefield/fnmatch v0.0.0-20160403171240-cbb64ac3d964 h1:y5HC9v93H5EPKqaS1UYVg1uYah5Xf51mBfIoWehClUQ=
+github.com/danwakefield/fnmatch v0.0.0-20160403171240-cbb64ac3d964/go.mod h1:Xd9hchkHSWYkEqJwUGisez3G1QY8Ryz0sdWrLPMGjLk=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1 h1:vj9j/u1bqnvCEfJOwUhtlOARqs3+rkHYY13jYWTU97c=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.1/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
+github.com/denormal/go-gitignore v0.0.0-20180930084346-ae8ad1d07817 h1:0nsrg//Dc7xC74H/TZ5sYR8uk4UQRNjsw8zejqH5a4Q=
+github.com/denormal/go-gitignore v0.0.0-20180930084346-ae8ad1d07817/go.mod h1:C/+sI4IFnEpCn6VQ3GIPEp+FrQnQw+YQP3+n+GdGq7o=
 github.com/dgrijalva/jwt-go v3.2.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:E3ru+11k8xSBh+hMPgOLZmtrrCbhqsmaPHjLKYnJCaQ=
 github.com/dgryski/go-sip13 v0.0.0-20181026042036-e10d5fee7954/go.mod h1:vAd38F8PWV+bWy6jNmig1y/TA+kYO4g3RSRF0IAv0no=
 github.com/dustin/go-humanize v1.0.0 h1:VSnTsYCnlFHaM2/igO1h6X3HA71jcobQuxemgkq4zYo=
@@ -168,8 +172,8 @@ golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190219172222-a4c6cb3142f2/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnf
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190308221718-c2843e01d9a2/go.mod h1:djNgcEr1/C05ACkg1iLfiJU5Ep61QUkGW8qpdssI0+w=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190701094942-4def268fd1a4 h1:HuIa8hRrWRSrqYzx1qI49NNxhdi2PrY7gxVSq1JjLDc=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20190701094942-4def268fd1a4/go.mod h1:yigFU9vqHzYiE8UmvKecakEJjdnWj3jj499lnFckfCI=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200510223506-06a226fb4e37 h1:cg5LA/zNPRzIXIWSCxQW10Rvpy94aQh3LT/ShoCpkHw=
-golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200510223506-06a226fb4e37/go.mod h1:LzIPMQfyMNhhGPhUkYOs5KpL4U8rLKemX1yGLhDgUto=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200604202706-70a84ac30bf9 h1:vEg9joUBmeBcK9iSJftGNf3coIG4HqZElCPehJsfAYM=
+golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20200604202706-70a84ac30bf9/go.mod h1:LzIPMQfyMNhhGPhUkYOs5KpL4U8rLKemX1yGLhDgUto=
 golang.org/x/lint v0.0.0-20181026193005-c67002cb31c3/go.mod h1:UVdnD1Gm6xHRNCYTkRU2/jEulfH38KcIWyp/GAMgvoE=
 golang.org/x/lint v0.0.0-20190313153728-d0100b6bd8b3/go.mod h1:6SW0HCj/g11FgYtHlgUYUwCkIfeOF89ocIRzGO/8vkc=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20180826012351-8a410e7b638d/go.mod h1:mL1N/T3taQHkDXs73rZJwtUhF3w3ftmwwsq0BUmARs4=
@@ -181,8 +185,8 @@ golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190522155817-f3200d17e092/go.mod h1:HSz+uSET+XFnRR8LxR
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190620200207-3b0461eec859/go.mod h1:z5CRVTTTmAJ677TzLLGU+0bjPO0LkuOLi4/5GtJWs/s=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190724013045-ca1201d0de80 h1:Ao/3l156eZf2AW5wK8a7/smtodRU+gha3+BeqJ69lRk=
 golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20190724013045-ca1201d0de80/go.mod h1:z5CRVTTTmAJ677TzLLGU+0bjPO0LkuOLi4/5GtJWs/s=
-golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200528225125-3c3fba18258b h1:IYiJPiJfzktmDAO1HQiwjMjwjlYKHAL7KzeD544RJPs=
-golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200528225125-3c3fba18258b/go.mod h1:qpuaurCH72eLCgpAm/N6yyVIVM9cpaDIP3A8BGJEC5A=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200602114024-627f9648deb9 h1:pNX+40auqi2JqRfOP1akLGtYcn15TUbkhwuCO3foqqM=
+golang.org/x/net v0.0.0-20200602114024-627f9648deb9/go.mod h1:qpuaurCH72eLCgpAm/N6yyVIVM9cpaDIP3A8BGJEC5A=
 golang.org/x/oauth2 v0.0.0-20180821212333-d2e6202438be/go.mod h1:N/0e6XlmueqKjAGxoOufVs8QHGRruUQn6yWY3a++T0U=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20180314180146-1d60e4601c6f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20181108010431-42b317875d0f/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
@@ -202,8 +206,8 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20191026070338-33540a1f6037/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7w
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200116001909-b77594299b42/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200223170610-d5e6a3e2c0ae/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200323222414-85ca7c5b95cd/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200523222454-059865788121 h1:rITEj+UZHYC927n8GT97eC3zrpzXdb/voyeOuVKS46o=
-golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200523222454-059865788121/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200610111108-226ff32320da h1:bGb80FudwxpeucJUjPYJXuJ8Hk91vNtfvrymzwiei38=
+golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20200610111108-226ff32320da/go.mod h1:h1NjWce9XRLGQEsW7wpKNCjG9DtNlClVuFLEZdDNbEs=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.2 h1:tW2bmiBqwgJj/UpqtC8EpXEZVYOwU0yG4iWbprSVAcs=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.2/go.mod h1:bEr9sfX3Q8Zfm5fL9x+3itogRgK3+ptLWKqgva+5dAk=
diff --git a/pkg/comments/comments.go b/pkg/comments/comments.go
index 8c1f06e..e32c540 100644
--- a/pkg/comments/comments.go
+++ b/pkg/comments/comments.go
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/augmentable-dev/lege"
+	"github.com/denormal/go-gitignore"
 	"github.com/go-enry/go-enry/v2"
 	"github.com/karrick/godirwalk"
 	"gopkg.in/src-d/go-git.v4/plumbing/object"
@@ -66,14 +68,33 @@ func SearchFile(filePath string, reader io.Reader, cb func(*Comment)) error {
 
 // SearchDir searches a directory for comments
 func SearchDir(dirPath string, cb func(comment *Comment)) error {
+
+	// TODO this should be done "recursively" in each subdirectory of the directory being searched
+	// .gitignores can be in sub-directories of a git repo, therefore we should account for *any* not just the one in the root directory
+	gitignorePath := path.Join(dirPath, ".gitignore")
+	var ignore gitignore.GitIgnore
+	if _, err := os.Stat(gitignorePath); err == nil { // if .gitignore exists
+		ignore, err = gitignore.NewFromFile(gitignorePath)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+	} else if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		// if the .gitignore file just doesn't exist, do nothing
+	} else {
+		// if there was still an error, return it
+		return err
+	}
+
 	err := godirwalk.Walk(dirPath, &godirwalk.Options{
-		Callback: func(path string, de *godirwalk.Dirent) error {
-			localPath, err := filepath.Rel(dirPath, path)
+		Callback: func(p string, de *godirwalk.Dirent) error {
+			localPath, err := filepath.Rel(dirPath, p)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			pathComponents := strings.Split(localPath, string(os.PathSeparator))
-			// let's ignore git directories TODO: figure out a more generic way to set ignores
+
 			matched, err := filepath.Match(".git", pathComponents[0])
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
@@ -82,10 +103,12 @@ func SearchDir(dirPath string, cb func(comment *Comment)) error {
 				return nil
 			}
 			if de.IsRegular() {
-				p, err := filepath.Abs(path)
-				if err != nil {
-					return err
+				if ignore != nil {
+					if ignore.Ignore(p) {
+						return nil
+					}
 				}
+
 				f, err := os.Open(p)
 				if err != nil {
 					return err
diff --git a/pkg/comments/comments_test.go b/pkg/comments/comments_test.go
index 4d5e6d5..fba30a6 100644
--- a/pkg/comments/comments_test.go
+++ b/pkg/comments/comments_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,36 @@
 package comments
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestGitIgnore(t *testing.T) {
+	gitignorePath := "testdata/gitignore/.gitignore"
+	err := ioutil.WriteFile(gitignorePath, []byte("test.go\n"), 0644)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		err := os.Remove(gitignorePath)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}()
+	var comments Comments
+	err = SearchDir("testdata/gitignore", func(comment *Comment) {
+		comments = append(comments, comment)
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if len(comments) != 0 {
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
 func TestJSFiles(t *testing.T) {
 	var comments Comments
 	err := SearchDir("testdata/javascript", func(comment *Comment) {
diff --git a/pkg/comments/testdata/gitignore/test.go b/pkg/comments/testdata/gitignore/test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bfeea70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/comments/testdata/gitignore/test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+package main
+
+import "fmt"
+
+func main() {
+	// TODO this should be ignored since this file is in the gitignore
+	fmt.Println("Hello world")
+}