diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index d620f565c..db0f8e7b3 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ string(STRIP ${versionFile} FLIGHTGEAR_VERSION)
 #packaging
 
 # split version string into components, note CMAKE_MATCH_0 is the entire regexp match
+file(READ .gitignore CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES)
 string(REGEX MATCH "([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)\\.([0-9]+)" CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION ${FLIGHTGEAR_VERSION} )
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MAJOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_1}) 
 set(CPACK_PACKAGE_VERSION_MINOR ${CMAKE_MATCH_2})
@@ -29,8 +30,8 @@ SET(CPACK_RESOURCE_FILE_README "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/README")
 
 set(CPACK_SOURCE_GENERATOR TBZ2 ZIP)
 set(CPACK_SOURCE_PACKAGE_FILE_NAME "flightgear-${FLIGHTGEAR_VERSION}" CACHE INTERNAL "tarball basename")
-set(CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES
-  "^${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git;\\\\.gitignore;Makefile.am;~$;${CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES}")
+#set(CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES
+#  "^${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/.git;\\\\.gitignore;Makefile.am;~$;${CPACK_SOURCE_IGNORE_FILES}")
 
 include (CPack)