diff --git a/src/VectorStoreManager.ts b/src/VectorStoreManager.ts
index b8e9b2fe..48dd012f 100644
--- a/src/VectorStoreManager.ts
+++ b/src/VectorStoreManager.ts
@@ -318,9 +318,11 @@ class VectorStoreManager {
   private updateIndexingNoticeMessage() {
     if (this.indexNoticeMessage) {
       const status = this.isIndexingPaused ? " (Paused)" : "";
+
+      const folders = this.extractAppIgnoreSettings();
       const filterType = this.settings.qaInclusions
         ? `Inclusions: ${this.settings.qaInclusions}`
-        : `Exclusions: ${this.settings.qaExclusions || "None"}`;
+        : `Exclusions: ${folders.join(",") + (folders.length ? ", " : "") + this.settings.qaExclusions || "None"}`;
 
       this.indexNoticeMessage.textContent =
         `Copilot is indexing your vault...\n` +
@@ -359,8 +361,15 @@ class VectorStoreManager {
   private async getFilePathsForQA(filterType: "exclusions" | "inclusions"): Promise<Set<string>> {
     const targetFiles = new Set<string>();
 
-    if (filterType === "exclusions" && this.settings.qaExclusions) {
-      const exclusions = this.settings.qaExclusions.split(",").map((item) => item.trim());
+    if (filterType === "exclusions") {
+      const exclusions: string[] = [];
+
+      exclusions.push(...this.extractAppIgnoreSettings());
+
+      if (this.settings.qaExclusions) {
+        exclusions.push(...this.settings.qaExclusions.split(",").map((item) => item.trim()));
+      }
+
       const excludedFilePaths = await getFilePathsFromPatterns(exclusions, this.app.vault);
       excludedFilePaths.forEach((filePath) => targetFiles.add(filePath));
     } else if (filterType === "inclusions" && this.settings.qaInclusions) {
@@ -372,6 +381,27 @@ class VectorStoreManager {
     return targetFiles;
   }
 
+  private extractAppIgnoreSettings() {
+    const appIgnoreFolders: string[] = [];
+    try {
+      // not documented in Obsidian API, but I got this answer from Obsidian's discord
+      const userIgnoreFilters: unknown = (app.vault as any).getConfig("userIgnoreFilters");
+
+      // inherit from the Obsidian "master exclusion" settings
+      if (!!userIgnoreFilters && Array.isArray(userIgnoreFilters)) {
+        userIgnoreFilters.forEach((it) => {
+          if (typeof it === "string") {
+            appIgnoreFolders.push(it.endsWith("/") ? it.slice(0, -1) : it);
+          }
+        });
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.warn("Error getting userIgnoreFilters from Obsidian config", e);
+    }
+
+    return appIgnoreFolders;
+  }
+
   public async getAllQAMarkdownContent(): Promise<string> {
     let allContent = "";
 
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 91279f66..be6d64b9 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -532,13 +532,6 @@ export default class CopilotPlugin extends Plugin {
     // Create a unique key for each model, it's model (name + provider)
     const getModelKey = (model: CustomModel) => `${model.name}|${model.provider}`;
 
-    // Add core models to the map
-    builtInModels
-      .filter((model) => model.core)
-      .forEach((model) => {
-        modelMap.set(getModelKey(model), { ...model, core: true });
-      });
-
     // Add or update existing models in the map
     existingActiveModels.forEach((model) => {
       const key = getModelKey(model);
diff --git a/src/settings/components/SettingBlocks.tsx b/src/settings/components/SettingBlocks.tsx
index ed863616..e03cc785 100644
--- a/src/settings/components/SettingBlocks.tsx
+++ b/src/settings/components/SettingBlocks.tsx
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ const ModelSettingsComponent: React.FC<ModelSettingsComponentProps> = ({
                   )}
                 </td>
                 <td>
-                  {getModelKey(model) !== defaultModelKey && !model.core && (
+                  {getModelKey(model) !== defaultModelKey && (
                     <button onClick={() => onDeleteModel(getModelKey(model))}>Delete</button>
                   )}
                 </td>
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ const ModelSettingsComponent: React.FC<ModelSettingsComponentProps> = ({
                 updatedModels[index].enableCors = value;
                 onUpdateModels(updatedModels);
               }}
-              onDelete={!model.core ? () => onDeleteModel(getModelKey(model)) : undefined}
+              onDelete={() => onDeleteModel(getModelKey(model))}
               disabled={model.isBuiltIn}
             />
           ))}