diff --git a/.stow-local-ignore b/.stow-local-ignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..331f56b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.stow-local-ignore
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# Comments and blank lines are allowed.
+
+RCS
+.+,v
+
+CVS
+\.\#.+       # CVS conflict files / emacs lock files
+\.cvsignore
+
+\.svn
+_darcs
+\.hg
+
+\.git
+\.gitignore
+\.gitmodules
+
+.+~          # emacs backup files
+\#.*\#       # emacs autosave files
+
+^/README.*
+^/LICENSE.*
+^/COPYING
+
+/stowfile