diff --git a/gitops_backup/CHANGELOG.md b/gitops_backup/CHANGELOG.md
index 84fabe5..5230e2d 100644
--- a/gitops_backup/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/gitops_backup/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,13 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.1.1
+
+- Fix: keep the addon's own runtime files (`.gitops_backup_status`,
+  `gitops_backup.log`) out of backups when migrating a repo that already has a
+  `.gitignore` — they were previously swept into backup PRs and risked a
+  status-file PR feedback loop. Now excluded via `.git/info/exclude` on every
+  run, and untracked if a prior run committed them.
+
 ## 0.1.0
 
 - Initial release: PR-gated backup (stash → rebase → drift → branch → PR),
diff --git a/gitops_backup/config.json b/gitops_backup/config.json
index f44390e..ac2e8fa 100644
--- a/gitops_backup/config.json
+++ b/gitops_backup/config.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "HA GitOps",
-  "version": "0.1.0",
+  "version": "0.1.1",
   "slug": "gitops_backup",
   "description": "PR-gated GitHub backup for your Home Assistant config \u2014 nothing force-pushes, every change is reviewable, CI validates before merge",
   "url": "https://github.com/askb/ha-gitops",
diff --git a/gitops_backup/rootfs/app/gitops_backup.sh b/gitops_backup/rootfs/app/gitops_backup.sh
index d59d767..2cd4832 100755
--- a/gitops_backup/rootfs/app/gitops_backup.sh
+++ b/gitops_backup/rootfs/app/gitops_backup.sh
@@ -95,6 +95,37 @@ EOF
     fi
 }
 
+ensure_own_excludes() {
+    # The addon's own runtime files must never be committed — not even when the
+    # repo already had a .gitignore (seed_gitignore only writes one when none
+    # exists, so migrating an existing repo would otherwise sweep these into a
+    # backup PR and risk a status-file PR feedback loop). .git/info/exclude is
+    # git's local, non-committed ignore — the right home for addon-managed
+    # metadata. Idempotent: replace our managed block each run.
+    [ -d .git ] || return 0
+    mkdir -p .git/info
+    local exclude=".git/info/exclude"
+    if [ -f "$exclude" ]; then
+sed -i \
+    '/# >>> gitops-backup managed >>>/,/# <<< gitops-backup managed <<</d' \
+    "$exclude"
+    fi
+    cat >> "$exclude" <<'EOF'
+# >>> gitops-backup managed >>>
+.gitops_backup_status
+gitops_backup.log
+# <<< gitops-backup managed <<<
+EOF
+    # If a prior buggy run already committed these, stop tracking them (the
+    # removal flows out through the next backup PR).
+    local f
+    for f in .gitops_backup_status gitops_backup.log; do
+if git ls-files --error-unmatch "$f" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    git rm -q --cached "$f"
+fi
+    done
+}
+
 bootstrap_if_needed() {
     # Returns 0 if bootstrap ran (caller should stop), 1 if repo already exists
     if [ -d .git ]; then return 1; fi
@@ -151,6 +182,7 @@ main() {
     fi
     git remote set-url origin "$REMOTE_URL"
     seed_gitignore
+    ensure_own_excludes
     trap cleanup_branch EXIT
 
     # 1–2. Stash local drift, sync upstream (merged PRs flow back here)
diff --git a/tests/self_check.sh b/tests/self_check.sh
index 90be940..feae558 100755
--- a/tests/self_check.sh
+++ b/tests/self_check.sh
@@ -62,4 +62,25 @@ git -c safe.bareRepository=all -C "$TMP/origin.git" branch | grep -q "auto-backu
 status | grep -q "warning:branch_pushed" || { echo "FAIL: drift status = $(status)"; exit 1; }
 git -C "$TMP/config" branch --show-current | grep -q "^main$" || { echo "FAIL: not back on main"; exit 1; }
 
+# 4. Migration case: repo already had its own .gitignore lacking the addon's
+#    entries, and was never excluded. The addon's own status file + log must
+#    still be kept out of the backup (regression test for the seed_gitignore
+#    skip-when-.gitignore-exists bug).
+sleep 1  # ensure a distinct auto-backup/<timestamp> branch name
+rm -f "$TMP/config/.git/info/exclude"                 # never-excluded repo
+printf 'secrets.yaml\n' > "$TMP/config/.gitignore"    # user ignore, no addon entries
+HOME="$TMP" git -C "$TMP/config" add .gitignore
+HOME="$TMP" git -C "$TMP/config" commit -q -m "user gitignore"
+echo "success:no_changes:" > "$TMP/config/.gitops_backup_status"
+echo "log line" > "$TMP/config/gitops_backup.log"
+echo "more drift" >> "$TMP/config/configuration.yaml"
+run
+newbranch=$(git -c safe.bareRepository=all -C "$TMP/origin.git" branch \
+  | grep -o 'auto-backup/[^ ]*' | tail -1)
+tree=$(git -c safe.bareRepository=all -C "$TMP/origin.git" ls-tree -r --name-only "$newbranch")
+if echo "$tree" | grep -qE '^\.gitops_backup_status$|^gitops_backup\.log$'; then
+  echo "FAIL: addon runtime files committed to backup branch"; exit 1
+fi
+echo "$tree" | grep -q "^configuration.yaml$" || { echo "FAIL: real drift not backed up"; exit 1; }
+
 echo "OK: all self-checks passed"