diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 058a5d5517..685672b75d 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1029,6 +1029,7 @@ name = "mdbook-core"
 version = "0.5.2"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
+ "ignore",
  "regex",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
@@ -1070,6 +1071,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "handlebars",
  "hex",
  "html5ever 0.38.0",
+ "ignore",
  "indexmap",
  "mdbook-core",
  "mdbook-markdown",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 4b40754bb6..18225811aa 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -89,17 +89,17 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
 anyhow.workspace = true
-clap.workspace = true
 clap_complete.workspace = true
+clap.workspace = true
+ignore.workspace = true
 mdbook-core.workspace = true
 mdbook-driver.workspace = true
 mdbook-html.workspace = true
 opener.workspace = true
-tracing.workspace = true
 tracing-subscriber.workspace = true
+tracing.workspace = true
 
 # Watch feature
-ignore = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 notify = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 notify-debouncer-mini = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 pathdiff = { workspace = true, optional = true }
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ walkdir.workspace = true
 
 [features]
 default = ["watch", "serve", "search"]
-watch = ["dep:notify", "dep:notify-debouncer-mini", "dep:ignore", "dep:pathdiff", "dep:walkdir"]
+watch = ["dep:notify", "dep:notify-debouncer-mini", "dep:pathdiff", "dep:walkdir"]
 serve = ["dep:futures-util", "dep:tokio", "dep:axum", "dep:tower-http"]
 search = ["mdbook-html/search"]
 
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
index f1aada8282..42040111f1 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mdbook-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ rust-version.workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
 anyhow.workspace = true
+ignore.workspace = true
 regex.workspace = true
 serde.workspace = true
 serde_json.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-core/src/utils/fs.rs b/crates/mdbook-core/src/utils/fs.rs
index 2e61d87d93..29a4069755 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-core/src/utils/fs.rs
+++ b/crates/mdbook-core/src/utils/fs.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Filesystem utilities and helpers.
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
+use ignore::gitignore::{Gitignore, GitignoreBuilder};
 use std::fs;
 use std::path::{Component, Path, PathBuf};
 use tracing::debug;
@@ -96,12 +97,30 @@ pub fn copy_files_except_ext(
     recursive: bool,
     avoid_dir: Option<&PathBuf>,
     ext_blacklist: &[&str],
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let mut builder = GitignoreBuilder::new(from);
+    for ext in ext_blacklist {
+        builder.add_line(None, &format!("*.{ext}"))?;
+    }
+    let ignore = builder.build()?;
+
+    copy_files_except_ignored(from, to, recursive, avoid_dir, Some(&ignore))
+}
+
+/// Copies all files of a directory to another one except the files that are
+/// ignored by the passed [`Gitignore`]
+pub fn copy_files_except_ignored(
+    from: &Path,
+    to: &Path,
+    recursive: bool,
+    avoid_dir: Option<&PathBuf>,
+    ignore: Option<&Gitignore>,
 ) -> Result<()> {
     debug!(
         "Copying all files from {} to {} (blacklist: {:?}), avoiding {:?}",
         from.display(),
         to.display(),
-        ext_blacklist,
+        ignore,
         avoid_dir
     );
 
@@ -119,6 +138,14 @@ pub fn copy_files_except_ext(
         let entry_file_name = entry.file_name().unwrap();
         let target_file_path = to.join(entry_file_name);
 
+        // Check if it is in the blacklist
+        if let Some(ignore) = ignore {
+            let path = entry.as_path();
+            if ignore.matched(path, path.is_dir()).is_ignore() {
+                continue;
+            }
+        }
+
         // If the entry is a dir and the recursive option is enabled, call itself
         if metadata.is_dir() && recursive {
             if entry == to.as_os_str() {
@@ -131,19 +158,20 @@ pub fn copy_files_except_ext(
                 }
             }
 
+            if let Some(ignore) = ignore {
+                let path = entry.as_path();
+                if ignore.matched(path, path.is_dir()).is_ignore() {
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+
             // check if output dir already exists
             if !target_file_path.exists() {
                 fs::create_dir(&target_file_path)?;
             }
 
-            copy_files_except_ext(&entry, &target_file_path, true, avoid_dir, ext_blacklist)?;
+            copy_files_except_ignored(&entry, &target_file_path, true, avoid_dir, ignore)?;
         } else if metadata.is_file() {
-            // Check if it is in the blacklist
-            if let Some(ext) = entry.extension() {
-                if ext_blacklist.contains(&ext.to_str().unwrap()) {
-                    continue;
-                }
-            }
             debug!("Copying {entry:?} to {target_file_path:?}");
             copy(&entry, &target_file_path)?;
         }
@@ -247,7 +275,7 @@ mod tests {
         if let Err(e) =
             copy_files_except_ext(tmp.path(), &tmp.path().join("output"), true, None, &["md"])
         {
-            panic!("Error while executing the function:\n{e:?}");
+            panic!("Error while executing the function:\n{:?}", e);
         }
 
         // Check if the correct files where created
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-html/Cargo.toml b/crates/mdbook-html/Cargo.toml
index 7ca8b08090..662a2e9f1a 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-html/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/mdbook-html/Cargo.toml
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ font-awesome-as-a-crate.workspace = true
 handlebars.workspace = true
 hex.workspace = true
 html5ever.workspace = true
+ignore.workspace = true
 indexmap.workspace = true
 mdbook-core.workspace = true
 mdbook-markdown.workspace = true
diff --git a/crates/mdbook-html/src/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs b/crates/mdbook-html/src/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
index 8edac3cace..3c7313905b 100644
--- a/crates/mdbook-html/src/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
+++ b/crates/mdbook-html/src/html_handlebars/hbs_renderer.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::theme::Theme;
 use crate::utils::ToUrlPath;
 use anyhow::{Context, Result, bail};
 use handlebars::Handlebars;
+use ignore::gitignore::GitignoreBuilder;
 use mdbook_core::book::{Book, BookItem, Chapter};
 use mdbook_core::config::{BookConfig, Config, HtmlConfig};
 use mdbook_core::utils::fs;
@@ -444,7 +445,23 @@ impl Renderer for HtmlHandlebars {
             .context("Unable to emit redirects")?;
 
         // Copy all remaining files, avoid a recursive copy from/to the book build dir
-        fs::copy_files_except_ext(&src_dir, destination, true, Some(&build_dir), &["md"])?;
+        let mut builder = GitignoreBuilder::new(&src_dir);
+        let mdbook_ignore = src_dir.join(".mdbookignore");
+        if mdbook_ignore.exists() {
+            if let Some(err) = builder.add(mdbook_ignore) {
+                warn!("Unable to load '.mdbookignore' file: {}", err);
+            }
+        }
+        builder.add_line(None, "*.md")?;
+        let ignore = builder.build()?;
+
+        fs::copy_files_except_ignored(
+            &src_dir,
+            destination,
+            true,
+            Some(&build_dir),
+            Some(&ignore),
+        )?;
 
         info!("HTML book written to `{}`", destination.display());
 
diff --git a/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md b/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
index 22dfd425fb..a562146324 100644
--- a/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
+++ b/guide/src/format/configuration/renderers.md
@@ -322,7 +322,19 @@ This will generate an HTML page which will automatically redirect to the given l
 
 When fragment redirects are specified, the page must use JavaScript to redirect to the correct location. This is useful if you rename or move a section header. Fragment redirects work with existing pages and deleted pages.
 
-## Markdown renderer
+### `.mdbookignore`
+
+You can use a `.mdbookignore` file to exclude files from the build process.
+The file is placed in the `src` directory of your book and has the same format as
+[`.gitignore`](https://git-scm.com/docs/gitignore) files.
+
+For example:
+```
+*.rs
+/target/
+```
+
+## Markdown Renderer
 
 The Markdown renderer will run preprocessors and then output the resulting
 Markdown. This is mostly useful for debugging preprocessors, especially in
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/main.rs b/tests/testsuite/main.rs
index 9ef11dd76e..b024b831fe 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/main.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/main.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ mod includes;
 mod index;
 mod init;
 mod markdown;
+mod mdbookignore;
 mod playground;
 mod preprocessor;
 mod print;
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore.rs b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dde90c3cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+use crate::prelude::BookTest;
+
+// Simple smoke test that mdbookignore works.
+#[test]
+fn ignore_file_is_respected() {
+    let mut test = BookTest::from_dir("mdbookignore/simple");
+    test.run("build", |_| ());
+
+    assert!(test.dir.join("book/index.html").exists());
+    assert!(test.dir.join("book/normal_file").exists());
+    assert!(!test.dir.join("book/ignored_file").exists());
+    assert!(!test.dir.join("book/.mdbookignore").exists());
+}
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/README.md b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2c574c3a50
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Basic book
+
+This GUI test book is the default book with a single chapter.
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/book.toml b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/book.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1888cab3e1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/book.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+[book]
+title = "mdbookignore"
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/.mdbookignore b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/.mdbookignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..24ea36fcdc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/.mdbookignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+.mdbookignore
+ignored_file
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/SUMMARY.md b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/SUMMARY.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7390c82896
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/SUMMARY.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# Summary
+
+- [Chapter 1](./chapter_1.md)
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/chapter_1.md b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/chapter_1.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b743fda354
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/chapter_1.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Chapter 1
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/ignored_file b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/ignored_file
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5ca2d0ebcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/ignored_file
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This file should not be copied!
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/normal_file b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/normal_file
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7462d90d01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testsuite/mdbookignore/simple/src/normal_file
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This file should be copied!