diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
index bf8d11284d1..a90da569db9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 #include <coreplugin/coreconstants.h>
 #include <coreplugin/editormanager/editormanager.h>
+#include <coreplugin/generatedfile.h>
 #include <coreplugin/icore.h>
 #include <coreplugin/idocument.h>
 #include <coreplugin/iversioncontrol.h>
@@ -1573,6 +1574,34 @@ bool GitClient::synchronousInit(const FilePath &workingDirectory)
     return false;
 }
 
+bool GitClient::synchronousAddGitignore(const FilePath &workingDirectory)
+{
+    const FilePath gitIgnoreDestination = workingDirectory.pathAppended(".gitignore");
+
+    auto intentToAddGitignore = [this, workingDirectory, gitIgnoreDestination] {
+        return synchronousAdd(workingDirectory, {gitIgnoreDestination.fileName()}, {"--intent-to-add"});
+    };
+
+    if (gitIgnoreDestination.exists())
+        return intentToAddGitignore();
+
+    const FilePath gitIgnoreTemplate =
+        Core::ICore::resourcePath().pathAppended("templates/wizards/projects/git.ignore");
+
+    if (!QTC_GUARD(gitIgnoreTemplate.exists()))
+        return false;
+
+    Core::GeneratedFile gitIgnoreFile(gitIgnoreDestination);
+    gitIgnoreFile.setBinaryContents(gitIgnoreTemplate.fileContents().value());
+    QString errorMessage;
+    if (!gitIgnoreFile.write(&errorMessage)) {
+        VcsOutputWindow::appendError(errorMessage);
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    return intentToAddGitignore();
+}
+
 /* Checkout, supports:
  * git checkout -- <files>
  * git checkout revision -- <files>
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
index f2f8e93be99..cb022027bab 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitclient.h
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ public:
     bool synchronousApplyPatch(const Utils::FilePath &workingDirectory, const QString &file,
                                QString *errorMessage, const QStringList &extraArguments = {}) const;
     bool synchronousInit(const Utils::FilePath &workingDirectory);
+    bool synchronousAddGitignore(const Utils::FilePath &workingDirectory);
     bool synchronousCheckoutFiles(const Utils::FilePath &workingDirectory, QStringList files = {},
                                   QString revision = {}, QString *errorMessage = nullptr,
                                   bool revertStaging = true);
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
index 487fd00d097..866ecb95be7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/gitplugin.cpp
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ GitPluginPrivate::GitPluginPrivate()
     QAction *createRepositoryAction = new QAction(Tr::tr("Create Repository..."), this);
     Command *createRepositoryCommand = ActionManager::registerAction(
                 createRepositoryAction, "Git.CreateRepository");
-    connect(createRepositoryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, &GitPluginPrivate::createRepository);
+    connect(createRepositoryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, [this] { initRepository(); });
     gitContainer->addAction(createRepositoryCommand);
 
     connect(VcsManager::instance(), &VcsManager::repositoryChanged,
@@ -1692,7 +1692,9 @@ void GitPluginPrivate::manageRemotes()
 
 void GitPluginPrivate::initRepository()
 {
-    createRepository();
+    Utils::FilePath topLevel;
+    createRepository(&topLevel);
+    gitClient().synchronousAddGitignore(topLevel);
 }
 
 void GitPluginPrivate::stashList()
diff --git a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialplugin.cpp
index 531920b1ff6..23f80549174 100644
--- a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialplugin.cpp
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ void MercurialPluginPrivate::createRepositoryActions(const Core::Context &contex
 
     m_createRepositoryAction = new QAction(Tr::tr("Create Repository..."), this);
     command = Core::ActionManager::registerAction(m_createRepositoryAction, Utils::Id(Constants::CREATE_REPOSITORY), context);
-    connect(m_createRepositoryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, &MercurialPluginPrivate::createRepository);
+    connect(m_createRepositoryAction, &QAction::triggered, this, [this] { createRepository(); });
     m_mercurialContainer->addAction(command);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.cpp
index f5e14f4316a..19d6f652a43 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.cpp
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ static inline bool ask(QWidget *parent, const QString &title, const QString &que
     return QMessageBox::question(parent, title, question, QMessageBox::Yes|QMessageBox::No, defaultButton) == QMessageBox::Yes;
 }
 
-void VersionControlBase::createRepository()
+void VersionControlBase::createRepository(FilePath *repoDirectory)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(supportsOperation(IVersionControl::CreateRepositoryOperation), return);
     // Find current starting directory
@@ -673,6 +673,8 @@ void VersionControlBase::createRepository()
     } while (true);
     // Create
     const bool rc = vcsCreateRepository(directory);
+    if (repoDirectory)
+        *repoDirectory = directory;
     const QString nativeDir = directory.toUserOutput();
     if (rc) {
         QMessageBox::information(mw, Tr::tr("Repository Created"),
diff --git a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.h b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.h
index 3505f41d160..73f50836a3b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.h
+++ b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseplugin.h
@@ -143,8 +143,9 @@ protected:
     // delete the file via VcsManager.
     void promptToDeleteCurrentFile();
     // Prompt to initialize version control in a directory, initially
-    // pointing to the current project.
-    void createRepository();
+    // pointing to the current project. The optional parameter
+    // repoDirectory is filled with the new repository toplevel dir.
+    void createRepository(Utils::FilePath *repoDirectory = nullptr);
 
     enum ActionState { NoVcsEnabled, OtherVcsEnabled, VcsEnabled };