diff --git a/bun.lockb b/bun.lockb
index 8704886..9f2f5a1 100755
Binary files a/bun.lockb and b/bun.lockb differ
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6c62079..e63fcb1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "toak",
-  "version": "3.1.1",
+  "version": "3.1.2",
   "type": "module",
   "license": "AGPL-3.0-or-later",
   "repository": "https://github.com/seemueller-io/toak.git",
diff --git a/src/MarkdownGenerator.ts b/src/MarkdownGenerator.ts
index 18ab72e..ac69005 100644
--- a/src/MarkdownGenerator.ts
+++ b/src/MarkdownGenerator.ts
@@ -238,6 +238,23 @@ export class MarkdownGenerator {
     }
   }
 
+  async getRootIgnore(): Promise<string> {
+    const rootIgnorePath = path.join(this.dir, '.toak-ignore');
+    try {
+      return await readFile(rootIgnorePath, 'utf-8');
+    } catch (error: any) {
+      if (error.code === 'ENOENT') {
+        // File does not exist
+        if (this.verbose) {
+          console.log('File not found, creating a root \'.toak-ignore\' file.');
+        }
+        await writeFile(rootIgnorePath, 'todo\nprompt.md'); // Create an empty 'todo' file
+        return await this.getRootIgnore(); // Await the recursive call
+      }
+      throw error;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Creates a complete markdown document combining code documentation and todos.
    * @async
@@ -251,6 +268,7 @@ export class MarkdownGenerator {
     try {
       const codeMarkdown = await this.generateMarkdown();
       const todos = await this.getTodo();
+      const _ = await this.getRootIgnore();
       const markdown = codeMarkdown + `\n---\n\n${todos}\n`;
       await writeFile(this.outputFilePath, markdown);
       if (this.verbose) {
diff --git a/test/core.test.ts b/test/core.test.ts
index 4199317..1544bc5 100644
--- a/test/core.test.ts
+++ b/test/core.test.ts
@@ -353,6 +353,34 @@ const a = 1;
     });
   });
 
+  describe('getRootIgnore', () => {
+
+    it('should create root ignore file if it does not exist', async () => {
+      const rootIgnorePath = path.join('.', '.toak-ignore');
+
+      // First call to readFile throws ENOENT, second call resolves to empty string
+      const readFileSpy = spyOn(fs, 'readFile')
+        .mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+          const error: any = new Error('File not found');
+          error.code = 'ENOENT';
+          return Promise.reject(error);
+        })
+        .mockResolvedValueOnce('');
+
+      // Spy on fs.writeFile
+      const writeFileSpy = spyOn(fs, 'writeFile').mockResolvedValue(undefined);
+
+      const rootIgnore = await markdownGenerator.getRootIgnore();
+      expect(readFileSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(rootIgnorePath, 'utf-8');
+      expect(writeFileSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(rootIgnorePath, '');
+      expect(rootIgnore).toBe('');
+
+      // Restore the original implementations
+      readFileSpy.mockRestore();
+      writeFileSpy.mockRestore();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('createMarkdownDocument', () => {
     it('should create markdown document successfully', async () => {
       const mockContent = '# Project Files\n\n## test.txt\n~~~\ntest\n~~~\n\n';