diff --git a/src/ilias.rs b/src/ilias.rs
index eaad6a0..48761dd 100644
--- a/src/ilias.rs
+++ b/src/ilias.rs
@@ -4,14 +4,13 @@ use std::{collections::HashMap, error::Error as _, io::Write, sync::Arc};
 
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
 use cookie_store::CookieStore;
-use ignore::gitignore::Gitignore;
 use once_cell::sync::Lazy;
 use reqwest::{Client, IntoUrl, Proxy, Url};
 use reqwest_cookie_store::CookieStoreMutex;
 use scraper::{ElementRef, Html, Selector};
 use serde_json::json;
 
-use crate::{cli::Opt, queue, util::wrap_html, ILIAS_URL};
+use crate::{cli::Opt, queue, util::wrap_html, ILIAS_URL, iliasignore::IliasIgnore};
 
 pub mod course;
 pub mod exercise;
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ static CONTAINER_ITEM_TITLE: Lazy<Selector> =
 
 pub struct ILIAS {
 	pub opt: Opt,
-	pub ignore: Gitignore,
+	pub ignore: IliasIgnore,
 	client: Client,
 	cookies: Arc<CookieStoreMutex>,
 	pub course_names: HashMap<String, String>,
@@ -61,7 +60,7 @@ impl ILIAS {
 	pub async fn with_session(
 		opt: Opt,
 		session: Arc<CookieStoreMutex>,
-		ignore: Gitignore,
+		ignore: IliasIgnore,
 		course_names: HashMap<String, String>,
 	) -> Result<Self> {
 		let mut builder = Client::builder()
@@ -88,7 +87,7 @@ impl ILIAS {
 		opt: Opt,
 		user: &str,
 		pass: &str,
-		ignore: Gitignore,
+		ignore: IliasIgnore,
 		course_names: HashMap<String, String>,
 	) -> Result<Self> {
 		let cookie_store = CookieStore::default();
diff --git a/src/iliasignore.rs b/src/iliasignore.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..65efbf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/iliasignore.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+use std::{path::{Path, PathBuf, Component}, ffi::OsString};
+
+use anyhow::Result;
+use ignore::gitignore::Gitignore;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub struct IliasIgnore {
+    ignores: Vec<IgnoreFile>
+}
+
+impl IliasIgnore {
+    pub fn load(mut path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
+        let mut ignores = Vec::new();
+        let mut prefix = Vec::new();
+        // example scenario:
+        // path = /KIT/ILIAS/SS 23/Next Generation Internet
+        // iliasignore in ILIAS/.iliasignore: prefix = SS 23/Next Generation Internet
+        // iliasignore in Next Generation Internet/.iliasignore: prefix = ""
+        loop {
+            let (ignore, error) = Gitignore::new(path.join(".iliasignore"));
+            if let Some(err) = error {
+                warning!(err);
+            }
+            if ignore.len() > 0 {
+                ignores.push(IgnoreFile {
+                    ignore,
+                    prefix: prefix.iter().fold(OsString::new(), |mut acc, el| {
+                        acc.push(el);
+                        acc.push("/");
+                        acc
+                    })
+                });
+            }
+            if let Some(last) = path.components().last() {
+                match last {
+                    Component::Normal(name) => prefix.insert(0, name.to_owned()),
+                    _ => break
+                }
+            }
+            path.pop();
+        }
+        Ok(IliasIgnore {
+            ignores
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn should_ignore(&self, path: &Path, is_dir: bool) -> bool {
+        for ignore_file in &self.ignores {
+            let mut full_path = ignore_file.prefix.clone();
+            full_path.push(path.as_os_str());
+            let matched = ignore_file.ignore.matched(&full_path, is_dir);
+            if matched.is_whitelist() {
+                return false;
+            } else if matched.is_ignore() {
+                return true;
+            }
+        }
+        false
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+struct IgnoreFile {
+    ignore: Gitignore,
+    prefix: OsString
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 23768f7..ba5a236 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ mod cli;
 use cli::*;
 mod ilias;
 use ilias::*;
+mod iliasignore;
+use iliasignore::*;
 use Object::*;
 mod queue;
 mod util;
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ async fn main() {
 	}
 }
 
-async fn try_to_load_session(opt: Opt, ignore: Gitignore, course_names: HashMap<String, String>) -> Result<ILIAS> {
+async fn try_to_load_session(opt: Opt, ignore: IliasIgnore, course_names: HashMap<String, String>) -> Result<ILIAS> {
 	let session_path = opt.output.join(".iliassession");
 	let meta = tokio::fs::metadata(&session_path).await?;
 	let modified = meta.modified()?;
@@ -58,7 +60,7 @@ async fn try_to_load_session(opt: Opt, ignore: Gitignore, course_names: HashMap<
 	}
 }
 
-async fn login(opt: Opt, ignore: Gitignore, course_names: HashMap<String, String>) -> Result<ILIAS> {
+async fn login(opt: Opt, ignore: IliasIgnore, course_names: HashMap<String, String>) -> Result<ILIAS> {
 	// load .iliassession file
 	if opt.keep_session {
 		match try_to_load_session(opt.clone(), ignore.clone(), course_names.clone())
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ async fn real_main(mut opt: Opt) -> Result<()> {
 		.context("failed to canonicalize output directory")?;
 
 	// load .iliasignore file
-	let (ignore, error) = Gitignore::new(opt.output.join(".iliasignore"));
+	let ignore = IliasIgnore::load(opt.output.clone())?;
 
 	// Load course_names.toml file
 	let course_names_path = opt.output.join("course_names.toml");
@@ -134,10 +136,6 @@ async fn real_main(mut opt: Opt) -> Result<()> {
 		HashMap::new()
 	};
 
-	if let Some(err) = error {
-		warning!(err);
-	}
-
 	queue::set_download_rate(opt.rate);
 
 	let ilias = login(opt, ignore, course_names).await?;
@@ -235,7 +233,7 @@ async fn process(ilias: Arc<ILIAS>, path: PathBuf, obj: Object) -> Result<()> {
 		}
 	}
 	// root path should not be matched
-	if relative_path.parent().is_some() && ilias.ignore.matched(relative_path, obj.is_dir()).is_ignore() {
+	if relative_path.parent().is_some() && ilias.ignore.should_ignore(relative_path, obj.is_dir()) {
 		log!(1, "Ignored {}", relative_path.to_string_lossy());
 		return Ok(());
 	}