diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1e25df6c..3428a0df 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -7,3 +7,6 @@ runtime/fonts/*
 
 runtime/icon-theme/*
 !runtime/icon-theme/.gitkeep
+
+plugins/*
+!plugins/.gitkeep
diff --git a/build b/build
index ea3ccae9..437dfeb0 100755
--- a/build
+++ b/build
@@ -64,6 +64,11 @@ rm -f bin/plugins/*
 #
 # build plugins
 for plugPath in ./plugins/*; do
+    if [ ! -d $plugPath ];
+    then
+        continue
+    fi
+
     pushd $plugPath
 
     echo "Building plugin: $plugPath"
diff --git a/plugins/.gitkeep b/plugins/.gitkeep
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b