diff --git a/release/release_files.py b/release/release_files.py
index 2d279e97a4a439..031b51737d7656 100755
--- a/release/release_files.py
+++ b/release/release_files.py
@@ -33,16 +33,22 @@
 
   "matlab.*.md",
 
-  ".git$",  # for submodules
   ".git/",
   ".github/",
   ".devcontainer/",
   "Darwin/",
   ".vscode",
 
-  # no LFS
+  # common things
+  "LICENSE",
+  "Dockerfile",
+  ".pre-commit",
+
+  # no LFS or submodules in release
   ".lfsconfig",
   ".gitattributes",
+  ".git$",
+  ".gitmodules",
 ]
 
 # gets you through the blacklist