diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2217abf5cca..63ce72ea78a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@
 # OSX trash
 .DS_Store
 
+# Developers can store local stuff in dirs named __something
+__*
+
 # Eclipse files
 .classpath
 .project