diff --git a/pollen/private/file-utils.rkt b/pollen/private/file-utils.rkt
index 85b368a..2e41096 100644
--- a/pollen/private/file-utils.rkt
+++ b/pollen/private/file-utils.rkt
@@ -296,13 +296,20 @@
   (and (regexp-match pat str) #t))
 
 
-(define+provide (magic-directory? path)
-  (and (directory-exists? path) 
-       (or (ends-with? (path->string path) "compiled"))))
+(define (special-path? path)
+  (define special-paths (append default-cache-names '("compiled" ".git" ".gitignore" ".hg" ".svn" "CVS")))
+  (and (member (path->string (last (explode-path path))) special-paths) #t))
 
-
-(define+provide (cache-file? path)
-  (ormap (λ(cache-name) (ends-with? (path->string path) cache-name)) default-cache-names))
+(module-test-internal
+ (require sugar/coerce)
+ (check-true (special-path? (string->path "foo/pollen-cache")))
+ (check-false (special-path? (string->path "foo/bar-pollen-cache")))
+ (check-true (special-path? (string->path "compiled")))
+ (check-true (special-path? (string->path "foo/compiled")))
+ (check-false (special-path? (string->path "foo/rcompiled")))
+ (check-true (special-path? (string->path ".git")))
+ (check-true (special-path? (string->path "foo/.git")))
+ (check-false (special-path? (string->path "foo/robot.git"))))
 
 
 (define+provide (omitted-path? file)
@@ -314,12 +321,11 @@
                                 scribble-source?
                                 null-source?
                                 racket-source?
-                                magic-directory?
-                                cache-file?
+                                special-path?
                                 (setup:omitted-path?)
-                                (setup:unpublished-path?))))
+                                (setup:unpublished-path?)))) ; deprecated name
 
 (define+provide (extra-path? file)
   (ormap (λ(proc) (proc file)) (list
                                 (setup:extra-path?)
-                                (setup:extra-published-path?))))
\ No newline at end of file
+                                (setup:extra-published-path?))))  ; deprecated name
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pollen/private/ts.rktd b/pollen/private/ts.rktd
index b641401..c00f03a 100644
--- a/pollen/private/ts.rktd
+++ b/pollen/private/ts.rktd
@@ -1 +1 @@
-1466283681
+1466709322
diff --git a/pollen/scribblings/raco.scrbl b/pollen/scribblings/raco.scrbl
index 0400c94..d23b750 100644
--- a/pollen/scribblings/raco.scrbl
+++ b/pollen/scribblings/raco.scrbl
@@ -73,7 +73,9 @@ Render all preprocessor source files and then all pagetree files found in the cu
 
 This command can be invoked with extra arguments.
 
-@racket[raco pollen render _directory] will perform the render described above, but in the specified directory. By default, only files in the immediate directory are rendered. Adding the optional @exec{-r} or @exec{--recursive} switch will also render subdirectories recursively.
+@racket[raco pollen render _directory] will perform the render described above, but in the specified directory. By default, only files in the immediate directory are rendered. 
+
+Adding the optional @exec{-r} or @exec{--recursive} switch will also render subdirectories recursively. Certain directories are automatically omitted from recursive renders, including Pollen caches and source-control directories (like @tt{.git} and @tt{.svn}). You can omit other paths by overriding @racket[default-omitted-path?]. You can override these omissions — that is, force a path to be included in a recursive render — by overriding @racket[default-extra-path?].
 
 Alternatively, the command can take a variable number of path arguments. @racket[raco pollen render _path ...] will render only the paths specified in @racket[_path ...]. Consistent with the usual command-line idiom, this can be a single path, a list of paths, or a pattern:
 
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ If you're already in your project directory and want to publish somewhere other
 
 You can determine the default publishing destination for a project by overriding @racket[default-publish-directory].
 
-You can determine the files that get filtered out in a project by overriding @racket[default-omitted-path?]. You can override these filters — that is, force a path to be published — by overriding @racket[default-extra-path?].
+Certain files and directories are automatically omitted from the published directory, including Racket and Pollen sources, Pollen caches, and source-control directories (like @tt{.git} and @tt{.svn}). You can omit other files by overriding @racket[default-omitted-path?]. You can override these omissions — that is, force a path to be published — by overriding @racket[default-extra-path?].
 
 
 @section{@exec{raco pollen setup}}