diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/orgzly/android/repos/GitRepo.java b/app/src/main/java/com/orgzly/android/repos/GitRepo.java
index 83a596be8..09634a242 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/orgzly/android/repos/GitRepo.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/orgzly/android/repos/GitRepo.java
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 import android.util.Log;
 
 import com.orgzly.BuildConfig;
+import com.orgzly.R;
+import com.orgzly.android.App;
 import com.orgzly.android.BookName;
 import com.orgzly.android.db.entity.Repo;
 import com.orgzly.android.git.GitFileSynchronizer;
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@
 public class GitRepo implements SyncRepo, TwoWaySyncRepo {
     private final static String TAG = GitRepo.class.getName();
     private final long repoId;
+    private final Context context = App.getAppContext();
 
     /**
      * Used as cause when we try to clone into a non-empty directory
@@ -186,6 +189,8 @@ public boolean isAutoSyncSupported() {
 
     public VersionedRook storeBook(File file, String fileName) throws IOException {
         File destination = synchronizer.repoDirectoryFile(fileName);
+        ensureRepoPathIsNotIgnored(destination.getPath());
+
         if (destination.exists()) {
             synchronizer.updateAndCommitExistingFile(file, fileName);
         } else {
@@ -231,7 +236,7 @@ private VersionedRook currentVersionedRook(Uri uri) {
 
     private IgnoreNode getIgnores() throws IOException {
         IgnoreNode ignores = new IgnoreNode();
-        File ignoreFile = synchronizer.repoDirectoryFile(".orgzlyignore");
+        File ignoreFile = synchronizer.repoDirectoryFile(context.getString(R.string.repo_ignore_rules_file));
         if (ignoreFile.exists()) {
             FileInputStream in = new FileInputStream(ignoreFile);
             try {
@@ -243,6 +248,14 @@ private IgnoreNode getIgnores() throws IOException {
         return ignores;
     }
 
+    private void ensureRepoPathIsNotIgnored(String filePath) throws IOException {
+        IgnoreNode ignores = getIgnores();
+        if (ignores.isIgnored(filePath, false) == IgnoreNode.MatchResult.IGNORED) {
+            throw new IOException(context.getString(R.string.error_file_matches_repo_ignore_rule,
+                    context.getString(R.string.repo_ignore_rules_file)));
+        }
+    }
+
     public boolean isUnchanged() throws IOException {
         // Check if the current head is unchanged.
         // If so, we can read all the VersionedRooks from the database.
@@ -310,6 +323,7 @@ public void delete(Uri uri) throws IOException {
     public VersionedRook renameBook(Uri oldUri, String newRookName) throws IOException {
         String oldFileName = oldUri.toString().replaceFirst("^/", "");
         String newFileName = newRookName + ".org";
+        ensureRepoPathIsNotIgnored(newFileName);
         if (synchronizer.renameFileInRepo(oldFileName, newFileName)) {
             synchronizer.tryPush();
             return currentVersionedRook(Uri.EMPTY.buildUpon().appendPath(newFileName).build());
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index d8666b0d4..117c05927 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -766,6 +766,7 @@
     <string name="error_generate_ssh_key">Error while trying to generate the SSH key pair</string>
     <string name="ssh_key_error_dialog_text">Message: \n</string>
     <string name="ssh_key_locked_and_no_activity">Error: SSH key can only be unlocked from an activity</string>
+    <string name="error_file_matches_repo_ignore_rule">Repository filename matches a rule in %s</string>
 
     <!-- Sync status -->
     <string name="sync_status_no_change">No change</string>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings_untranslatable.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings_untranslatable.xml
index 0b9f463e9..383695c12 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings_untranslatable.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings_untranslatable.xml
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@
     <string name="git_default_branch" translatable="false">master</string>
     <string name="certificates_hint">-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----</string>
     <string name="webdav" translatable="false">WebDAV</string>
+    <string name="repo_ignore_rules_file" translatable="false">.orgzlyignore</string>
 
     <string name="lorem_ipsum" translatable="false">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur</string>
     <string name="lorem_ipsum_rich" translatable="false">Lorem *ipsum* dolor sit amet, /consectetur/</string>