GNU Emacs 23.3.1 (i386-mingw-nt6.1.7601) of 2011-03-10 on 3249CTO If set: (add-to-list 'grep-find-ignored-directories "build" t) and try search M-x rgrep in hierarchy: build/xxx src/yyy src/build build $ mkdir build src; $ touch build/xxx src/yyy src/build 'find' part of 'rgrep' print only (I simplify expression of 'rgrep'): $ find . '(' -path '*/build' -o -path '*/lib' ')' \ -prune -o -type f -print ./src/yyy Correct one is: $ find . '(' -type d -path '*/build' -o -path '*/lib' ')' \ -prune -o -type f -print ./src/build ./src/yyy So any dir added to 'grep-find-ignored-directories' also affected to *regular* file names... I previously file bug to findutils, but I am wrong: http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?34159 This is Emacs bug. I suggest fix in patch.