diff --git a/cmd/chkbit/main.go b/cmd/chkbit/main.go
index ee5ec4d..d163691 100644
--- a/cmd/chkbit/main.go
+++ b/cmd/chkbit/main.go
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ var cli struct {
 	AddOnly         bool     `short:"a" help:"add mode: only add new files, do not check existing (quicker)"`
 	ShowIgnoredOnly bool     `short:"i" help:"show-ignored mode: only show ignored files"`
 	ShowMissing     bool     `short:"m" help:"show missing files/directories"`
+	IncludeDot      bool     `short:"d" help:"include dot files"`
 	Force           bool     `help:"force update of damaged items (advanced usage only)"`
 	SkipSymlinks    bool     `short:"S" help:"do not follow symlinks"`
 	NoRecurse       bool     `short:"R" help:"do not recurse into subdirectories"`
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ func (m *Main) process() bool {
 	m.context.AddOnly = cli.AddOnly
 	m.context.ShowIgnoredOnly = cli.ShowIgnoredOnly
 	m.context.ShowMissing = cli.ShowMissing
+	m.context.IncludeDot = cli.IncludeDot
 	m.context.SkipSymlinks = cli.SkipSymlinks
 	m.context.SkipSubdirectories = cli.NoRecurse
 	m.context.TrackDirectories = !cli.NoDirInIndex
diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index b94ca08..9a36c5a 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ type Context struct {
 	AddOnly            bool
 	ShowIgnoredOnly    bool
 	ShowMissing        bool
+	IncludeDot         bool
 	ForceUpdateDmg     bool
 	HashAlgo           string
 	TrackDirectories   bool
@@ -168,12 +169,6 @@ func (context *Context) scanDir(root string, parentIgnore *Ignore) {
 
 	for _, file := range files {
 		path := filepath.Join(root, file.Name())
-		if file.Name()[0] == '.' {
-			if context.ShowIgnoredOnly && !context.isChkbitFile(file.Name()) {
-				context.log(STATUS_IGNORE, path)
-			}
-			continue
-		}
 		if isDir(file, path) {
 			if !ignore.shouldIgnore(file.Name()) {
 				dirList = append(dirList, file.Name())
diff --git a/ignore.go b/ignore.go
index b60b497..560e760 100644
--- a/ignore.go
+++ b/ignore.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func GetIgnore(context *Context, path string, parentIgnore *Ignore) (*Ignore, er
 	}
 	err := ignore.loadIgnore()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return ignore, err
 	}
 	return ignore, nil
 }
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ func (ignore *Ignore) loadIgnore() error {
 }
 
 func (ignore *Ignore) shouldIgnore(name string) bool {
+	if ignore.context.isChkbitFile(name) {
+		return true
+	}
+	if !ignore.context.IncludeDot && name[0] == '.' {
+		return true
+	}
 	return ignore.shouldIgnore2(name, "")
 }
 
diff --git a/index.go b/index.go
index 694d2d9..4051035 100644
--- a/index.go
+++ b/index.go
@@ -82,8 +82,10 @@ func (i *Index) logDir(stat Status, name string) {
 
 func (i *Index) calcHashes(ignore *Ignore) {
 	for _, name := range i.files {
-		if ignore != nil && ignore.shouldIgnore(name) {
-			i.logFile(STATUS_IGNORE, name)
+		if ignore.shouldIgnore(name) {
+			if !ignore.context.isChkbitFile(name) {
+				i.logFile(STATUS_IGNORE, name)
+			}
 			continue
 		}
 
diff --git a/scripts/run_test.go b/scripts/run_test.go
index eb049ad..f27e59a 100644
--- a/scripts/run_test.go
+++ b/scripts/run_test.go
@@ -261,8 +261,8 @@ func TestRoot(t *testing.T) {
 		checkOut(t, sout, "- 1 file hash was updated")
 	})
 
-	// ignore hidden
-	t.Run("ignore-hidden", func(t *testing.T) {
+	// ignore dot
+	t.Run("ignore-dot", func(t *testing.T) {
 
 		genFiles(filepath.Join(root, "way/.hidden"), 99)
 		genFile(filepath.Join(root, "time/.ignored"), 999)
@@ -275,6 +275,21 @@ func TestRoot(t *testing.T) {
 		sout := string(out)
 		checkOut(t, sout, "Processed 295 files")
 	})
+
+	// include dot
+	t.Run("include-dot", func(t *testing.T) {
+
+		cmd := exec.Command(tool, "-u", "-d", root)
+		out, err := cmd.Output()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("failed with '%s'\n", err)
+		}
+		sout := string(out)
+		checkOut(t, sout, "Processed 301 files")
+		checkOut(t, sout, "- 3 directories were updated")
+		checkOut(t, sout, "- 6 file hashes were added")
+		checkOut(t, sout, "- 0 file hashes were updated")
+	})
 }
 
 func TestDMG(t *testing.T) {