diff --git a/abstra_cli/deploy.py b/abstra_cli/deploy.py
index bdbaf58..c225e94 100644
--- a/abstra_cli/deploy.py
+++ b/abstra_cli/deploy.py
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def deploy(**kwargs):
         for job in jobs:
             Jobs.add(upsert=True, **job)
 
-    files = deploy_data.pop("files", None)
+    files = deploy_data.pop("files", ["."]) # review security implications
     if files:
         if isinstance(files, dict):
             Files.add(**files)
diff --git a/abstra_cli/utils/file.py b/abstra_cli/utils/file.py
index 89c1863..374593d 100644
--- a/abstra_cli/utils/file.py
+++ b/abstra_cli/utils/file.py
@@ -14,9 +14,14 @@ def get_ignore_files(dir):
     IGNOREFILE = os.path.join(dir, ABSTRA_IGNORE)
     abstra_path = os.path.join(dir, ABSTRA_FOLDER)
     ignored = [IGNOREFILE, abstra_path]
+
+    GITIGNORE = os.path.join(dir, ".gitignore")
     if os.path.exists(IGNOREFILE):
         with open(IGNOREFILE, "r") as f:
             ignored.extend([os.path.join(dir, f) for f in f.read().split("\n") if f])
+    elif os.path.exists(GITIGNORE):
+        with open(GITIGNORE, "r") as f:
+            ignored.extend([os.path.join(dir, f) for f in f.read().split("\n") if f])
     return ignored