diff --git a/src/bin/mdbook.rs b/src/bin/mdbook.rs
index 50b9a2e2..357a0efb 100644
--- a/src/bin/mdbook.rs
+++ b/src/bin/mdbook.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ fn init(args: &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), Box<Error>> {
     // If flag `--theme` is present, copy theme to src
     if args.is_present("theme") {
 
-        // Skip this id `--force` is present
+        // Skip this if `--force` is present
         if !args.is_present("force") {
             // Print warning
             print!("\nCopying the default theme to {:?}", book.get_src());
@@ -115,6 +115,22 @@ fn init(args: &ArgMatches) -> Result<(), Box<Error>> {
 
     }
 
+    // Because of `src/book/mdbook.rs#L37-L39`, the following will always evaluate to `true`
+    let is_dest_inside_root = book.get_dest().starts_with(book.get_root());
+
+    if !args.is_present("force") && is_dest_inside_root {
+        let gitignore = book.get_dest().join(".gitignore");
+        println!("\nCreating default .gitignore at {:?}", gitignore);
+        print!("\nAre you sure you want to continue? (y/n) ");
+
+        if confirm() {
+            book.create_gitignore();
+            println!("\n.gitignore created.");
+        } else {
+            println!("\nSkipping...\n");
+        }
+    }
+
     println!("\nAll done, no errors...");
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/src/book/mdbook.rs b/src/book/mdbook.rs
index db27830f..41038d70 100644
--- a/src/book/mdbook.rs
+++ b/src/book/mdbook.rs
@@ -160,12 +160,37 @@ impl MDBook {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn create_gitignore(&self) {
+        let gitignore = self.get_gitignore();
+
+        if !gitignore.exists() {
+            // Gitignore does not exist, create it
+
+            debug!("[*]: {:?} does not exist, trying to create .gitignore", gitignore);
+
+            let mut f = File::create(&gitignore)
+                .expect("Could not create file.");
+
+            debug!("[*]: Writing to .gitignore");
+
+            writeln!(f, "# Ignore everything within this folder")
+                .expect("Could not write to file.");
+            writeln!(f, "*")
+                .expect("Could not write to file.");
+            writeln!(f, "")
+                .expect("Could not write to file.");
+            writeln!(f, "# Except this file")
+                .expect("Could not write to file.");
+            writeln!(f, "!.gitignore")
+                .expect("Could not write to file.");
+        }
+    }
+
     /// The `build()` method is the one where everything happens. First it parses `SUMMARY.md` to
     /// construct the book's structure in the form of a `Vec<BookItem>` and then calls `render()`
     /// method of the current renderer.
     ///
     /// It is the renderer who generates all the output files.
-
     pub fn build(&mut self) -> Result<(), Box<Error>> {
         debug!("[fn]: build");
 
@@ -180,6 +205,10 @@ impl MDBook {
     }
 
 
+    pub fn get_gitignore(&self) -> PathBuf {
+        self.config.get_dest().join(".gitignore")
+    }
+
     pub fn copy_theme(&self) -> Result<(), Box<Error>> {
         debug!("[fn]: copy_theme");
 
@@ -297,6 +326,10 @@ impl MDBook {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    pub fn get_root(&self) -> &Path {
+        self.config.get_root()
+    }
+
     pub fn set_dest(mut self, dest: &Path) -> Self {
 
         // Handle absolute and relative paths