diff --git a/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go b/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
index e74ccf1e5..55159a7f9 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/git_commands/working_tree.go
@@ -233,10 +233,10 @@ func (self *WorkingTreeCommands) DiscardUnstagedFileChanges(file *models.File) e
 	return self.cmd.New(cmdArgs).Run()
 }
 
-// Escapes special characters in a filename for gitignore and exclude files
+// Escapes special characters in a filename for gitignore and exclude files, and prepends `/`
 func escapeFilename(filename string) string {
 	re := regexp.MustCompile(`^[!#]|[\[\]*]`)
-	return re.ReplaceAllString(filename, `\${0}`)
+	return "/" + re.ReplaceAllString(filename, `\${0}`)
 }
 
 // Ignore adds a file to the gitignore for the repo
diff --git a/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore.go b/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore.go
index 0d7c1a019..6ba8ebf08 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ var Gitignore = NewIntegrationTest(NewIntegrationTestArgs{
 				t.ExpectPopup().Menu().Title(Equals("Ignore or exclude file")).Select(Contains("Add to .git/info/exclude")).Confirm()
 
 				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".gitignore", Equals(""))
-				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".git/info/exclude", Contains("toExclude"))
+				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".git/info/exclude", Contains("/toExclude"))
 			}).
 			SelectNextItem().
 			Press(keys.Files.IgnoreFile).
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ var Gitignore = NewIntegrationTest(NewIntegrationTestArgs{
 			Tap(func() {
 				t.ExpectPopup().Menu().Title(Equals("Ignore or exclude file")).Select(Contains("Add to .gitignore")).Confirm()
 
-				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".gitignore", Equals("toIgnore\n"))
-				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".git/info/exclude", Contains("toExclude"))
+				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".gitignore", Equals("/toIgnore\n"))
+				t.FileSystem().FileContent(".git/info/exclude", Contains("/toExclude"))
 			})
 	},
 })
diff --git a/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore_special_characters.go b/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore_special_characters.go
index 84aa57ec3..83e33a1d4 100644
--- a/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore_special_characters.go
+++ b/pkg/integration/tests/file/gitignore_special_characters.go
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ var GitignoreSpecialCharacters = NewIntegrationTest(NewIntegrationTestArgs{
 				Equals("  ?? abc_def"),
 			)
 
-		t.FileSystem().FileContent(".gitignore", Equals("\\#file\nfile#abc\n\\!file\nfile!abc\nabc\\*def\nfile\\[x\\]\n"))
+		t.FileSystem().FileContent(".gitignore", Equals("/\\#file\n/file#abc\n/\\!file\n/file!abc\n/abc\\*def\n/file\\[x\\]\n"))
 	},
 })