diff --git a/dotdrop/comparator.py b/dotdrop/comparator.py
index 992674d..eda8387 100644
--- a/dotdrop/comparator.py
+++ b/dotdrop/comparator.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import filecmp
 
 # local imports
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
-import dotdrop.utils as utils
+from dotdrop.utils import must_ignore, uniq_list, diff
 
 
 class Comparator:
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class Comparator:
         """compare a file"""
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('compare file {} with {}'.format(left, right))
-        if utils.must_ignore([left, right], ignore, debug=self.debug):
+        if must_ignore([left, right], ignore, debug=self.debug):
             if self.debug:
                 self.log.dbg('ignoring diff {} and {}'.format(left, right))
             return ''
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ class Comparator:
             self.log.dbg('compare directory {} with {}'.format(left, right))
         if not os.path.exists(right):
             return ''
-        if utils.must_ignore([left, right], ignore, debug=self.debug):
+        if must_ignore([left, right], ignore, debug=self.debug):
             if self.debug:
                 self.log.dbg('ignoring diff {} and {}'.format(left, right))
             return ''
@@ -68,15 +68,15 @@ class Comparator:
 
         # handle files only in deployed dir
         for i in comp.left_only:
-            if utils.must_ignore([os.path.join(left, i)],
-                                 ignore, debug=self.debug):
+            if must_ignore([os.path.join(left, i)],
+                           ignore, debug=self.debug):
                 continue
             ret.append('=> \"{}\" does not exist on local\n'.format(i))
 
         # handle files only in dotpath dir
         for i in comp.right_only:
-            if utils.must_ignore([os.path.join(right, i)],
-                                 ignore, debug=self.debug):
+            if must_ignore([os.path.join(right, i)],
+                           ignore, debug=self.debug):
                 continue
             ret.append('=> \"{}\" does not exist in dotdrop\n'.format(i))
 
@@ -85,8 +85,8 @@ class Comparator:
         for i in funny:
             lfile = os.path.join(left, i)
             rfile = os.path.join(right, i)
-            if utils.must_ignore([lfile, rfile],
-                                 ignore, debug=self.debug):
+            if must_ignore([lfile, rfile],
+                           ignore, debug=self.debug):
                 continue
             short = os.path.basename(lfile)
             # file vs dir
@@ -95,12 +95,12 @@ class Comparator:
         # content is different
         funny = comp.diff_files
         funny.extend(comp.funny_files)
-        funny = utils.uniq_list(funny)
+        funny = uniq_list(funny)
         for i in funny:
             lfile = os.path.join(left, i)
             rfile = os.path.join(right, i)
-            if utils.must_ignore([lfile, rfile],
-                                 ignore, debug=self.debug):
+            if must_ignore([lfile, rfile],
+                           ignore, debug=self.debug):
                 continue
             diff = self._diff(lfile, rfile, header=True)
             ret.append(diff)
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ class Comparator:
 
     def _diff(self, left, right, header=False):
         """diff using the unix tool diff"""
-        diff = utils.diff(left, right, raw=False,
-                          opts=self.diffopts, debug=self.debug)
+        d = diff(left, right, raw=False,
+                 opts=self.diffopts, debug=self.debug)
         if header:
             lshort = os.path.basename(left)
-            diff = '=> diff \"{}\":\n{}'.format(lshort, diff)
-        return diff
+            d = '=> diff \"{}\":\n{}'.format(lshort, diff)
+        return d
diff --git a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
index 7f49186..5e575d5 100644
--- a/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
+++ b/dotdrop/dotdrop.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ from dotdrop.templategen import Templategen
 from dotdrop.installer import Installer
 from dotdrop.updater import Updater
 from dotdrop.comparator import Comparator
-from dotdrop.utils import get_tmpdir, remove, strip_home, run, uniq_list
+from dotdrop.utils import get_tmpdir, remove, strip_home, \
+    run, uniq_list, patch_ignores
 from dotdrop.linktypes import LinkTypes
 from dotdrop.exceptions import YamlException
 
@@ -225,6 +226,7 @@ def cmd_compare(o, tmp):
             same = False
             continue
         ignores = list(set(o.compare_ignore + dotfile.cmpignore))
+        ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.src)
         diff = comp.compare(insttmp, dotfile.dst, ignore=ignores)
         if tmpsrc:
             # clean tmp transformed dotfile if any
diff --git a/dotdrop/updater.py b/dotdrop/updater.py
index 1ee2148..48df214 100644
--- a/dotdrop/updater.py
+++ b/dotdrop/updater.py
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ import filecmp
 # local imports
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 from dotdrop.templategen import Templategen
-import dotdrop.utils as utils
+from dotdrop.utils import patch_ignores, remove, get_unique_tmp_name, \
+    write_to_tmpfile, must_ignore
 
 
 TILD = '~'
@@ -76,7 +77,8 @@ class Updater:
         """update dotfile from file pointed by path"""
         ret = False
         new_path = None
-        self.ignores = list(set(self.ignore + dotfile.upignore))
+        ignores = list(set(self.ignore + dotfile.upignore))
+        self.ignores = patch_ignores(ignores, dotfile.dst)
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('ignore pattern(s): {}'.format(self.ignores))
 
@@ -98,7 +100,7 @@ class Updater:
             ret = self._handle_file(path, dtpath)
         # clean temporary files
         if new_path and os.path.exists(new_path):
-            utils.remove(new_path)
+            remove(new_path)
         return ret
 
     def _apply_trans_w(self, path, dotfile):
@@ -108,12 +110,12 @@ class Updater:
             return path
         if self.debug:
             self.log.dbg('executing write transformation {}'.format(trans))
-        tmp = utils.get_unique_tmp_name()
+        tmp = get_unique_tmp_name()
         if not trans.transform(path, tmp):
             msg = 'transformation \"{}\" failed for {}'
             self.log.err(msg.format(trans.key, dotfile.key))
             if os.path.exists(tmp):
-                utils.remove(tmp)
+                remove(tmp)
             return None
         return tmp
 
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ class Updater:
     def _show_patch(self, fpath, tpath):
         """provide a way to manually patch the template"""
         content = self._resolve_template(tpath)
-        tmp = utils.write_to_tmpfile(content)
+        tmp = write_to_tmpfile(content)
         cmds = ['diff', '-u', tmp, fpath, '|', 'patch', tpath]
         self.log.warn('try patching with: \"{}\"'.format(' '.join(cmds)))
         return False
@@ -231,7 +233,7 @@ class Updater:
                 self.log.dbg('rm -r {}'.format(old))
             if not self._confirm_rm_r(old):
                 continue
-            utils.remove(old)
+            remove(old)
             self.log.sub('\"{}\" dir removed'.format(old))
 
         # handle files diff
@@ -283,7 +285,7 @@ class Updater:
                 continue
             if self.debug:
                 self.log.dbg('rm {}'.format(new))
-            utils.remove(new)
+            remove(new)
             self.log.sub('\"{}\" removed'.format(new))
 
         # Recursively decent into common subdirectories.
@@ -308,7 +310,7 @@ class Updater:
         return True
 
     def _ignore(self, paths):
-        if utils.must_ignore(paths, self.ignores, debug=self.debug):
+        if must_ignore(paths, self.ignores, debug=self.debug):
             if self.debug:
                 self.log.dbg('ignoring update for {}'.format(paths))
             return True
diff --git a/dotdrop/utils.py b/dotdrop/utils.py
index 2954a96..ac36a74 100644
--- a/dotdrop/utils.py
+++ b/dotdrop/utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from shutil import rmtree
 from dotdrop.logger import Logger
 
 LOG = Logger()
+STAR = '*'
 
 
 def run(cmd, raw=True, debug=False, checkerr=False):
@@ -139,3 +140,21 @@ def uniq_list(a_list):
         if a not in new:
             new.append(a)
     return new
+
+
+def patch_ignores(ignores, prefix):
+    """allow relative ignore pattern"""
+    new = []
+    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
+        # patch upignore
+        path = os.path.join(prefix, ignore)
+        new.append(path)
+    return new
diff --git a/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh b/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..519d8bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/compare-ignore-relative.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
+#
+# test compare ignore relative
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+#set -e
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "\e[96m\e[1m==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==\e[0m"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# dotdrop directory
+basedir=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+echo "[+] dotdrop dir: ${basedir}"
+echo "[+] dotpath dir: ${basedir}/dotfiles"
+
+# the dotfile to be imported
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+
+# some files
+mkdir -p ${tmpd}/{program,config}
+touch ${tmpd}/program/a
+touch ${tmpd}/config/a
+mkdir ${tmpd}/vscode
+touch ${tmpd}/vscode/extensions.txt
+touch ${tmpd}/vscode/keybindings.json
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${basedir}/config.yaml"
+create_conf ${cfg} # sets token
+
+# import
+echo "[+] import"
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} ${tmpd}/program
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} ${tmpd}/config
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} import -c ${cfg} ${tmpd}/vscode
+
+# add files
+echo "[+] add files"
+touch ${tmpd}/program/b
+touch ${tmpd}/config/b
+
+# expects diff
+echo "[+] comparing normal - 2 diffs"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose
+[ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects one diff
+patt="${tmpd}/config/b"
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore (pattern: ${patt}) - 1 diff"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose --ignore=${patt}
+[ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects no diff
+patt="*b"
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore (pattern: ${patt}) - 0 diff"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose --ignore=${patt}
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects one diff
+patt="*/config/*b"
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore (pattern: ${patt}) - 1 diff"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose --ignore=${patt}
+[ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+# adding ignore in dotfile
+cfg2="${basedir}/config2.yaml"
+sed '/d_config:/a \ \ \ \ cmpignore:\n\ \ \ \ - "config/b"' ${cfg} > ${cfg2}
+#cat ${cfg2}
+
+# expects one diff
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore in dotfile - 1 diff"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg2} --verbose
+[ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# adding ignore in dotfile
+cfg2="${basedir}/config2.yaml"
+sed '/d_config:/a \ \ \ \ cmpignore:\n\ \ \ \ - "b"' ${cfg} > ${cfg2}
+sed -i '/d_program:/a \ \ \ \ cmpignore:\n\ \ \ \ - "b"' ${cfg2}
+#cat ${cfg2}
+
+# expects no diff
+patt="*b"
+echo "[+] comparing with ignore in dotfile - 0 diff"
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg2} --verbose
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# update files
+echo touched > ${tmpd}/vscode/extensions.txt
+echo touched > ${tmpd}/vscode/keybindings.json
+
+# expect two diffs
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/vscode
+[ "$?" = "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+# expects no diff
+sed '/d_vscode:/a \ \ \ \ cmpignore:\n\ \ \ \ - "extensions.txt"\n\ \ \ \ - "keybindings.json"' ${cfg} > ${cfg2}
+set +e
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} compare -c ${cfg2} --verbose -C ${tmpd}/vscode
+[ "$?" != "0" ] && exit 1
+set -e
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${basedir} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0
diff --git a/tests-ng/update-ignore-relative.sh b/tests-ng/update-ignore-relative.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1dc36f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests-ng/update-ignore-relative.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# author: deadc0de6 (https://github.com/deadc0de6)
+# Copyright (c) 2019, deadc0de6
+#
+# test ignore update relative pattern
+# returns 1 in case of error
+#
+
+# exit on first error
+#set -e
+
+# all this crap to get current path
+rl="readlink -f"
+if ! ${rl} "${0}" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+  rl="realpath"
+
+  if ! hash ${rl}; then
+    echo "\"${rl}\" not found !" && exit 1
+  fi
+fi
+cur=$(dirname "$(${rl} "${0}")")
+
+#hash dotdrop >/dev/null 2>&1
+#[ "$?" != "0" ] && echo "install dotdrop to run tests" && exit 1
+
+#echo "called with ${1}"
+
+# dotdrop path can be pass as argument
+ddpath="${cur}/../"
+[ "${1}" != "" ] && ddpath="${1}"
+[ ! -d ${ddpath} ] && echo "ddpath \"${ddpath}\" is not a directory" && exit 1
+
+export PYTHONPATH="${ddpath}:${PYTHONPATH}"
+bin="python3 -m dotdrop.dotdrop"
+
+echo "dotdrop path: ${ddpath}"
+echo "pythonpath: ${PYTHONPATH}"
+
+# get the helpers
+source ${cur}/helpers
+
+echo -e "\e[96m\e[1m==> RUNNING $(basename $BASH_SOURCE) <==\e[0m"
+
+################################################################
+# this is the test
+################################################################
+
+# dotdrop directory
+tmps=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+dt="${tmps}/dotfiles"
+mkdir -p ${dt}
+mkdir -p ${dt}/a/{b,c}
+echo 'a' > ${dt}/a/b/abfile
+echo 'a' > ${dt}/a/c/acfile
+
+# fs dotfiles
+tmpd=`mktemp -d --suffix='-dotdrop-tests'`
+cp -r ${dt}/a ${tmpd}/
+
+# create the config file
+cfg="${tmps}/config.yaml"
+cat > ${cfg} << _EOF
+config:
+  backup: false
+  create: true
+  dotpath: dotfiles
+dotfiles:
+  f_abc:
+    dst: ${tmpd}/a
+    src: a
+    upignore:
+    - "cfile"
+    - "newfile"
+    - "newdir"
+profiles:
+  p1:
+    dotfiles:
+    - f_abc
+_EOF
+#cat ${cfg}
+
+#tree ${dt}
+
+# edit/add files
+echo "[+] edit/add files"
+touch ${tmpd}/a/newfile
+echo 'b' > ${tmpd}/a/c/acfile
+mkdir -p ${tmpd}/a/newdir/b
+touch ${tmpd}/a/newdir/b/c
+
+#tree ${tmpd}/a
+
+# update
+echo "[+] update"
+cd ${ddpath} | ${bin} update -f -c ${cfg} --verbose --profile=p1 --key f_abc
+
+#tree ${dt}
+
+# check files haven't been updated
+grep 'b' ${dt}/a/c/acfile >/dev/null
+[ -e ${dt}/a/newfile ] && exit 1
+
+## CLEANING
+rm -rf ${tmps} ${tmpd}
+
+echo "OK"
+exit 0