diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 48e7289..36bdfb0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -39,14 +39,20 @@ jobs:
       - name: 🗑️ Remove files and directories listed in .release_ignore
         shell: bash
         run: |
-          if [ -f "${{ env.repo_name }}/.release_ignore" ]; then
-            while IFS= read -r entry; do
-              if [ -f "${{ env.repo_name }}/$entry" ]; then
-                rm "${{ env.repo_name }}/$entry"
-              elif [ -d "${{ env.repo_name }}/$entry" ]; then
-                rm -r "${{ env.repo_name }}/$entry" 
+          release_ignore="${{ env.repo_name }}/.release_ignore"
+          if [ -f "$release_ignore" ]; then
+            while IFS= read -r entry || [ -n "$entry" ]; do
+              target="${{ env.repo_name }}/$entry"
+              if [ -e "$target" ]; then
+                if [ -f "$target" ]; then
+                  rm "$target"
+                elif [ -d "$target" ]; then
+                  rm -r "$target"
+                fi
+              else
+                echo "Warning: $entry does not exist in the repository. Skipping removal."
               fi
-            done < "${{ env.repo_name }}/.release_ignore"
+            done < "$release_ignore"
           else
             echo "No .release_ignore file found. Skipping removal of files and directories."
           fi
diff --git a/.release_ignore b/.release_ignore
index 31f6c67..a1ad29c 100644
--- a/.release_ignore
+++ b/.release_ignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 extern/frame_interpolation/moment.gif
 extern/frame_interpolation/photos
-extern/GFPGAN/inputs
\ No newline at end of file
+extern/GFPGAN/inputs
+.git
\ No newline at end of file