diff --git a/options/services/rsync/rsync-backup.nix b/options/services/rsync/rsync-backup.nix
index b82e457..a4ef3da 100644
--- a/options/services/rsync/rsync-backup.nix
+++ b/options/services/rsync/rsync-backup.nix
@@ -11,7 +11,9 @@ let
     mkEnableOption
     mkOption
     concatStringsSep
+    concatLists
     ;
+  inherit (lib.lists) optionals;
   inherit (lib.types)
     listOf
     nonEmptyStr
@@ -19,6 +21,7 @@ let
     enum
     str
     port
+    bool
     ;
   cfg = config.modules.services.rsync-backup;
 in
@@ -50,8 +53,13 @@ in
     };
 
     exclude = mkOption {
-      type = str;
-      default = "";
+      type = listOf str;
+      default = [ ".git" ];
+    };
+
+    followGitignore = mkOption {
+      type = bool;
+      default = true;
     };
 
     target = {
@@ -111,11 +119,15 @@ in
 
     flagsFinal = mkOption {
       type = listOf str;
-      default = cfg.flags ++ [
-        (mkIf cfg.incremental.enable "--delete")
-        (mkIf (cfg.exclude != "") "--exclude=\"${cfg.exclude}\"")
-        (mkIf cfg.incremental.enable "--backup-dir=\"${cfg.incremental.finalIncrementPath}\"")
-        "--port=${toString cfg.port}"
+      default = concatLists [
+        cfg.flags
+        (optionals cfg.incremental.enable [
+          "--delete"
+          "--backup-dir='${cfg.incremental.finalIncrementPath}'"
+        ])
+        (optionals cfg.followGitignore [ "--filter=':- .gitignore'" ])
+        [ "--port=${toString cfg.port}" ]
+        (map (ex: "--exclude='${ex}'") cfg.exclude)
       ];
       apply = concatStringsSep " ";
     };