diff --git a/.cvsignore b/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5b27a2a54
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+.cvsignore
+libtool
+config.log
+config.cache
+config.status
+configure
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
+aclocal.m4
diff --git a/doc/.cvsignore b/doc/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78ae5f382
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.cvsignore
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
diff --git a/src/.cvsignore b/src/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..97386bb58
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+.cvsignore
+.libs
+.deps
+guile-vm
+stamp-h
+config.h
+config.h.in
+stamp-h.in
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
+*.x
+*.vi
+*.op
+*.lo
+*.la
diff --git a/test/.cvsignore b/test/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3f4d1f06e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+.cvsignore
+Makefile
+Makefile.in
+*.scc
diff --git a/vm/.cvsignore b/vm/.cvsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..78ae5f382
--- /dev/null
+++ b/vm/.cvsignore
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+.cvsignore
+Makefile
+Makefile.in