diff --git a/pineappl_py/docs/.gitignore b/pineappl_py/docs/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6b158dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pineappl_py/docs/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+# Ignore auto generated module references
+# TODO: while apidoc does not work, we need to preserve that folder
+# source/modules
+# ignore temporary build files
+build/
+# Ignore generated sphinx-bibtex file
+source/bibtex.json
diff --git a/pineappl_py/docs/Makefile b/pineappl_py/docs/Makefile
index ee1f7c7e..db4a541c 100644
--- a/pineappl_py/docs/Makefile
+++ b/pineappl_py/docs/Makefile
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf build
 	rm -rf _build
 
-# while apidoc does not work, we need to preserve that folder
+# TODO: while apidoc does not work, we need to preserve that folder
 cleanall: clean
 	# rm -rf $(PINEAPPLOUT)