diff --git a/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore.go b/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore.go
index b6beb0d47..5377429b9 100644
--- a/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore.go
+++ b/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore.go
@@ -273,11 +273,17 @@ func get_global_gitconfig_excludesfile() (ans string) {
 				line := strings.TrimSpace(s.Text())
 				if in_core {
 					if strings.HasPrefix(line, "[") {
-						in_core = false
+						in_core = line == "[core]"
 						continue
 					}
 					if k, rest, found := strings.Cut(line, "="); found && strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(k)) == `excludesfile` {
 						ans = strings.TrimSpace(rest)
+						ans = utils.Expanduser(ans)
+						if !filepath.IsAbs(ans) {
+							if a, err := filepath.Abs(ans); err != nil {
+								ans = a
+							}
+						}
 					}
 				} else if strings.ToLower(line) == "[core]" {
 					in_core = true
diff --git a/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore_test.go b/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore_test.go
index b5a03944b..0b4dc1065 100644
--- a/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore_test.go
+++ b/tools/ignorefiles/gitignore_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package ignorefiles
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/fs"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -142,4 +143,19 @@ bar `: {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	os.WriteFile(utils.Expanduser("~/.gitconfig"), []byte(`
+	[core]
+	something
+	[else]
+	...
+	[core]
+	...
+	[core]
+	excludesfile = one
+	[core]
+	excludesfile = ~/global-gitignore
+`), 0600)
+	if ef := get_global_gitconfig_excludesfile(); ef != utils.Expanduser("~/global-gitignore") {
+		t.Fatalf("global gitconfig excludes file incorrect: %s != %s", utils.Expanduser("~/global-gitignore"), ef)
+	}
 }