diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index ff91b31..98d442c 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ def cmd_compare(o, tmp):
         tmpsrc = None
         if dotfile.trans_r:
             # apply transformation
+            if o.debug:
+                LOG.dbg('applying transformation before comparing')
             tmpsrc = apply_trans(o.dotpath, dotfile, debug=o.debug)
             if not tmpsrc:
                 # could not apply trans
@@ -245,7 +247,7 @@ def cmd_compare(o, tmp):
             same = False
             continue
         ignores = list(set(o.compare_ignore + dotfile.cmpignore))
-        ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.dst)
+        ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.dst, debug=o.debug)
         diff = comp.compare(insttmp, dotfile.dst, ignore=ignores)
         if tmpsrc:
             # clean tmp transformed dotfile if any
@@ -570,6 +572,9 @@ def main():
         LOG.err('config file error: {}'.format(str(e)))
         return False
 
+    if o.debug:
+        LOG.dbg('\n\n')
+
     ret = True
     try:
 
diff --git a/dotdrop/updater.py b/dotdrop/updater.py
index 48df214..b19fa3f 100644
--- a/dotdrop/updater.py
+++ b/dotdrop/updater.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class Updater:
         ret = False
         new_path = None
         ignores = list(set(self.ignore + dotfile.upignore))
-        self.ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.dst)
+        self.ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.dst, debug=self.debug)
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('ignore pattern(s): {}'.format(self.ignores))
 
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index ac36a74..9300d9b 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -124,6 +124,8 @@ def must_ignore(paths, ignores, debug=False):
     """return true if any paths in list matches any ignore patterns"""
     if not ignores:
         return False
+    if debug:
+        LOG.dbg('must ignore? {} against {}'.format(paths, ignores))
     for p in paths:
         for i in ignores:
             if fnmatch.fnmatch(p, i):
@@ -142,19 +144,24 @@ def uniq_list(a_list):
     return new
 
 
-def patch_ignores(ignores, prefix):
+def patch_ignores(ignores, prefix, debug=False):
     """allow relative ignore pattern"""
     new = []
+    if debug:
+        LOG.dbg('ignores before patching: {}'.format(ignores))
     for ignore in ignores:
-        if STAR in ignore:
-            # is glob
-            new.append(ignore)
-            continue
         if os.path.isabs(ignore):
             # is absolute
             new.append(ignore)
             continue
+        if STAR in ignore:
+            if ignore.startswith(STAR) or ignore.startswith(os.sep):
+                # is glob
+                new.append(ignore)
+                continue
         # patch upignore
         path = os.path.join(prefix, ignore)
         new.append(path)
+    if debug:
+        LOG.dbg('ignores after patching: {}'.format(new))
     return new
diff --git a/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh b/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh
index 46d6779..8d18c22 100755
--- a/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh
+++ b/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh
@@ -136,6 +136,51 @@ cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg2} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/vscode
 [ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
 set -e
 
+####################
+# test for #149
+####################
+mkdir -p ${tmpd}/.zsh
+touch ${tmpd}/.zsh/somefile
+mkdir -p ${tmpd}/.zsh/plugins
+touch ${tmpd}/.zsh/plugins/someplugin
+
+echo "[+] import .zsh"
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} ${tmpd}/.zsh
+
+# no diff expected
+echo "[+] comparing .zsh"
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/.zsh --ignore=${patt}
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+
+# add some files
+touch ${tmpd}/.zsh/plugins/ignore-1.zsh
+touch ${tmpd}/.zsh/plugins/ignore-2.zsh
+
+# expects diff
+echo "[+] comparing .zsh with new files"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/.zsh
+ret="$?"
+echo ${ret}
+[ "${ret}" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects no diff
+patt="plugins/ignore-*.zsh"
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore (pattern: ${patt}) - no diff expected"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/.zsh --ignore=${patt}
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects no diff
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore in dotfile - no diff expected"
+sed '/d_zsh:/a \ \ \ \ cmpignore:\n\ \ \ \ - "plugins/ignore-*.zsh"' ${cfg} > ${cfg2}
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg2} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/.zsh
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
 ## CLEANING
 rm -rf ${basedir} ${tmpd}