diff --git a/demo/kitchen-sink/docs/.gitignore b/demo/kitchen-sink/docs/.gitignore
index 17e256b1..56ec8fd9 100644
--- a/demo/kitchen-sink/docs/.gitignore
+++ b/demo/kitchen-sink/docs/.gitignore
@@ -4,5 +4,8 @@
 .DS_Store
 .svn
 
+# Negated patterns:
+!foo.bar
+
 # Also ignore user settings...
 /.settings
diff --git a/lib/ace/mode/gitignore_highlight_rules.js b/lib/ace/mode/gitignore_highlight_rules.js
index 8889511d..cfa42afa 100644
--- a/lib/ace/mode/gitignore_highlight_rules.js
+++ b/lib/ace/mode/gitignore_highlight_rules.js
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ var GitignoreHighlightRules = function() {
         "start" : [
             {
                 token : "comment",
-                regex : /[#].*$/
+                regex : /^\s*#.*$/
+            }, {
+                token : "keyword", // negated patterns
+                regex : /^\s*!.*$/
             }
         ]
     };