diff --git a/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/__tests__/ignore-generator.test.ts b/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/__tests__/ignore-generator.test.ts
index 8c2189b..5d47140 100644
--- a/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/__tests__/ignore-generator.test.ts
+++ b/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/__tests__/ignore-generator.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
 import { generateStarterIgnoreFile } from "../ignore-generator";
-import { mkdirSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdirSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 
@@ -94,4 +94,69 @@ describe("generateStarterIgnoreFile", () => {
     expect(content).not.toContain("# .storybook/");
     expect(content).not.toContain("# fixtures/");
   });
+
+  describe(".gitignore integration", () => {
+    it("includes .gitignore patterns not covered by defaults", () => {
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), ".env\nsecrets/\n*.pyc\n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      expect(content).toContain("From .gitignore");
+      expect(content).toContain("# .env");
+      expect(content).toContain("# secrets/");
+      expect(content).toContain("# *.pyc");
+    });
+
+    it("excludes .gitignore patterns already in defaults", () => {
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), "node_modules/\ndist/\n.env\n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      // .env is not in defaults, should appear
+      expect(content).toContain("# .env");
+      // node_modules/ and dist/ are in defaults, should not appear in .gitignore section
+      const gitignoreSection = content.split("From .gitignore")[1]?.split("---")[0] ?? "";
+      expect(gitignoreSection).not.toContain("node_modules");
+      expect(gitignoreSection).not.toContain("dist");
+    });
+
+    it("skips .gitignore comments and blank lines", () => {
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), "# a comment\n\n.env\n  \n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      expect(content).toContain("# .env");
+      // Should not include the original comment as a pattern
+      const gitignoreSection = content.split("From .gitignore")[1]?.split("---")[0] ?? "";
+      expect(gitignoreSection).not.toContain("a comment");
+    });
+
+    it("handles .gitignore with trailing-slash normalization for defaults", () => {
+      // "dist" without trailing slash should still match "dist/" default
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), "dist\ncoverage\n.env\n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      expect(content).toContain("From .gitignore");
+      // Extract lines between the .gitignore header and the next section header
+      const lines = content.split("\n");
+      const headerIdx = lines.findIndex((l) => l.includes("From .gitignore"));
+      const nextSectionIdx = lines.findIndex((l, i) => i > headerIdx && l.startsWith("# ---"));
+      const sectionLines = lines.slice(headerIdx + 1, nextSectionIdx === -1 ? undefined : nextSectionIdx);
+      const patterns = sectionLines.filter((l) => l.startsWith("# ") && !l.startsWith("# ---")).map((l) => l.slice(2));
+      expect(patterns).toContain(".env");
+      expect(patterns).not.toContain("dist");
+      expect(patterns).not.toContain("coverage");
+    });
+
+    it("omits .gitignore section when no .gitignore exists", () => {
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      expect(content).not.toContain("From .gitignore");
+    });
+
+    it("omits .gitignore section when all patterns are covered by defaults", () => {
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), "node_modules/\ndist/\n*.lock\n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      expect(content).not.toContain("From .gitignore");
+    });
+
+    it("all .gitignore suggestions are commented out", () => {
+      writeFileSync(join(testDir, ".gitignore"), ".env\nsecrets/\n*.pyc\n");
+      const content = generateStarterIgnoreFile(testDir);
+      const lines = content.split("\n").filter((l) => l.trim() && !l.startsWith("#"));
+      expect(lines).toHaveLength(0);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/ignore-generator.ts b/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/ignore-generator.ts
index 021e170..f0e49ac 100644
--- a/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/ignore-generator.ts
+++ b/understand-anything-plugin/packages/core/src/ignore-generator.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-import { existsSync } from "node:fs";
+import { existsSync, readFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
+import { DEFAULT_IGNORE_PATTERNS } from "./ignore-filter.js";
 
 const HEADER = `# .understandignore — patterns for files/dirs to exclude from analysis
 # Syntax: same as .gitignore (globs, # comments, ! negation, trailing / for dirs)
@@ -7,7 +8,7 @@ const HEADER = `# .understandignore — patterns for files/dirs to exclude from
 # Use ! prefix to force-include something excluded by defaults.
 #
 # Built-in defaults (always excluded unless negated):
-#   node_modules/, .git/, dist/, build/, bin/, obj/, *.lock, *.min.js, etc.
+#   node_modules/, .git/, dist/, build/, obj/, *.lock, *.min.js, etc.
 #
 `;
 
@@ -30,13 +31,51 @@ const GENERIC_SUGGESTIONS = [
   "*.snap",
 ];
 
+/**
+ * Parses a .gitignore file and returns active patterns (no comments, no blanks).
+ */
+function parseGitignorePatterns(gitignorePath: string): string[] {
+  if (!existsSync(gitignorePath)) return [];
+  const content = readFileSync(gitignorePath, "utf-8");
+  return content
+    .split("\n")
+    .map((line) => line.trim())
+    .filter((line) => line.length > 0 && !line.startsWith("#"));
+}
+
+/**
+ * Returns true if a gitignore pattern is already covered by the hardcoded defaults.
+ * Normalizes trailing slashes for comparison.
+ */
+function isCoveredByDefaults(pattern: string): boolean {
+  const normalize = (p: string) => p.replace(/\/+$/, "");
+  const normalized = normalize(pattern);
+  return DEFAULT_IGNORE_PATTERNS.some((d) => normalize(d) === normalized);
+}
+
 /**
  * Generates a starter .understandignore file content by scanning the project
- * for common directories. All suggestions are commented out.
+ * for common directories and reading .gitignore patterns.
+ * All suggestions are commented out — this is a one-time generation.
  */
 export function generateStarterIgnoreFile(projectRoot: string): string {
   const sections: string[] = [HEADER];
 
+  // Section 1: patterns from .gitignore not already in defaults
+  const gitignorePath = join(projectRoot, ".gitignore");
+  const gitignorePatterns = parseGitignorePatterns(gitignorePath).filter(
+    (p) => !isCoveredByDefaults(p),
+  );
+
+  if (gitignorePatterns.length > 0) {
+    sections.push("# --- From .gitignore (uncomment to exclude) ---\n");
+    for (const pattern of gitignorePatterns) {
+      sections.push(`# ${pattern}`);
+    }
+    sections.push("");
+  }
+
+  // Section 2: detected directories
   const detected: string[] = [];
   for (const { dir, pattern } of DETECTABLE_DIRS) {
     if (existsSync(join(projectRoot, dir))) {
@@ -52,6 +91,7 @@ export function generateStarterIgnoreFile(projectRoot: string): string {
     sections.push("");
   }
 
+  // Section 3: generic test patterns
   sections.push("# --- Test file patterns (uncomment to exclude) ---\n");
   for (const pattern of GENERIC_SUGGESTIONS) {
     sections.push(`# ${pattern}`);