diff --git a/build/autotools/Makefile.am b/build/autotools/Makefile.am
index 5d73468ab..a52a6c8e7 100644
--- a/build/autotools/Makefile.am
+++ b/build/autotools/Makefile.am
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ EXTRA_DIST = \
 	Makefile.am.enums	\
 	Makefile.am.changelog	\
 	Makefile.am.gcov	\
+	Makefile.am.gitignore	\
 	dolt.m4			\
 	introspection.m4	\
 	gtk-doc.m4		\
diff --git a/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3fc374328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# this file should only be used in directories that generate test
+# or example binaries through noinst_PROGRAMS; it is *not* a full
+# generator of Git ignore files, and it's not meant to be used as
+# the top-level Git ignore file generator.
+
+$(srcdir)/.gitignore: Makefile.am
+	$(QUIET_GEN)( \
+	  echo "*.o" ; \
+	  echo ".gitignore" ; \
+	) > .gitignore ; \
+	for p in $(noinst_PROGRAMS); do \
+		echo "/$$p" >> .gitignore ; \
+	done
+
+gitignore: $(srcdir)/.gitignore
+
+.PHONY: gitignore
+
+DISTCLEANFILES += $(srcdir)/.gitignore
+
+all: gitignore
diff --git a/doc/cookbook/examples/.gitignore b/doc/cookbook/examples/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 6d18dba94..000000000
--- a/doc/cookbook/examples/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-/animations-rotating
-/text-shadow
-/textures-reflection
-/textures-split-go
-/textures-sub-texture
-/layouts-stacking
-/layouts-stacking-diff-sized-actors
-/events-mouse-scroll
diff --git a/doc/cookbook/examples/Makefile.am b/doc/cookbook/examples/Makefile.am
index 026df7d26..e00b238ba 100644
--- a/doc/cookbook/examples/Makefile.am
+++ b/doc/cookbook/examples/Makefile.am
@@ -40,3 +40,7 @@ textures_sub_texture_SOURCES               = textures-sub-texture.c
 layouts_stacking_SOURCES                   = layouts-stacking.c
 layouts_stacking_diff_sized_actors_SOURCES = layouts-stacking-diff-sized-actors.c
 events_mouse_scroll_SOURCES                = events-mouse-scroll.c
+
+DISTCLEANFILES =
+
+-include $(top_srcdir)/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore
diff --git a/tests/accessibility/.gitignore b/tests/accessibility/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 2b1a0b151..000000000
--- a/tests/accessibility/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-/cally-atkcomponent-example
-/cally-atkeditabletext-example
-/cally-atkevents-example
-/cally-atktext-example
-/cally-clone-example
diff --git a/tests/accessibility/Makefile.am b/tests/accessibility/Makefile.am
index 719b29eb9..2e6739d2f 100644
--- a/tests/accessibility/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/accessibility/Makefile.am
@@ -61,3 +61,7 @@ cally_clone_example_CFLAGS		= 	$(CLUTTER_CFLAGS) $(MAINTAINER_CFLAGS) \
 						$(INCLUDES)
 cally_clone_example_SOURCES		= 	cally-clone-example.c		\
 						$(common_sources)
+
+DISTCLEANFILES =
+
+-include $(top_srcdir)/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore
diff --git a/tests/micro-bench/.gitignore b/tests/micro-bench/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index dd9f3db67..000000000
--- a/tests/micro-bench/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-/test-picking
-/test-random-text
-/test-text-perf
-/test-text
diff --git a/tests/micro-bench/Makefile.am b/tests/micro-bench/Makefile.am
index 8d0d148f1..fe4cad902 100644
--- a/tests/micro-bench/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/micro-bench/Makefile.am
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 include $(top_srcdir)/build/autotools/Makefile.am.silent
 
+DISTCLEANFILES =
+
 noinst_PROGRAMS = \
 	test-text \
 	test-picking \
@@ -26,3 +28,4 @@ test_picking_SOURCES = test-picking.c
 test_text_perf_SOURCES = test-text-perf.c
 test_random_text_SOURCES = test-random-text.c
 
+-include $(top_srcdir)/build/autotools/Makefile.am.gitignore