diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b680e25df..64e460020 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,4 +1,32 @@
-server/core/tags
-server/core/maxscale
-server/core/maxkeys
-server/core/maxpasswd
+# Object files
+*.o
+*.ko
+*.lo
+
+# Libraries
+*.lib
+*.a
+*.la
+
+# Shared objects (inc. Windows DLLs)
+*.dll
+*.so
+*.so.*
+*.dylib
+
+# Executables
+*.exe
+*.out
+*.app
+
+# log files (from testing etc.)
+*.log
+
+# "make depend" generated stuff
+depend
+depend.mk
+
+# various auto-backup stuff
+*~
+*#
+.#*
diff --git a/client/.gitignore b/client/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e7ae0f51
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# binaries generated here
+maxadmin
diff --git a/log_manager/.gitignore b/log_manager/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index d5a8be98b..000000000
--- a/log_manager/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-*.so.*
-depend.mk
-
diff --git a/log_manager/test/.gitignore b/log_manager/test/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c6172ea0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/log_manager/test/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# binaries generated here 
+testlog
diff --git a/query_classifier/.gitignore b/query_classifier/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index d5a8be98b..000000000
--- a/query_classifier/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-*.so.*
-depend.mk
-
diff --git a/query_classifier/test/.gitignore b/query_classifier/test/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..670ee3e79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/query_classifier/test/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# binaries generated here
+testmain
diff --git a/server/core/.gitignore b/server/core/.gitignore
index 84590451f..e9b574d3e 100644
--- a/server/core/.gitignore
+++ b/server/core/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-*.o
+# binaries generated here
 maxscale
-depend.mk
+maxkeys
+maxpasswd
diff --git a/server/core/test/.gitignore b/server/core/test/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ebadda641
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/core/test/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+#binaries generated here
+testhash
diff --git a/server/modules/monitor/.gitignore b/server/modules/monitor/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 1f1cd4c04..000000000
--- a/server/modules/monitor/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-depend.mk
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/.gitignore b/server/modules/protocol/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 1f1cd4c04..000000000
--- a/server/modules/protocol/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-depend.mk
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/.gitignore b/server/modules/routing/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 1f1cd4c04..000000000
--- a/server/modules/routing/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-depend.mk
diff --git a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/.gitignore b/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 1f1cd4c04..000000000
--- a/server/modules/routing/readwritesplit/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-*.o
-*.so
-depend.mk
diff --git a/server/test/.gitignore b/server/test/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..184d7f57f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/test/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# directories generated/filled by "make testall"
+bin/
+Documentation/
+etc/
+lib/
+log/
+modules/
+mysql/
diff --git a/utils/.gitignore b/utils/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index 5761abcfd..000000000
--- a/utils/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-*.o