diff --git a/.railsignore b/.railsignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/nemoguardrails/rails/llm/config.py b/nemoguardrails/rails/llm/config.py
index c6294cedc..6fbdbfb08 100644
--- a/nemoguardrails/rails/llm/config.py
+++ b/nemoguardrails/rails/llm/config.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 from pydantic import BaseModel, ValidationError, root_validator
 from pydantic.fields import Field
 
+from nemoguardrails import utils
 from nemoguardrails.colang import parse_colang_file, parse_flow_elements
 from nemoguardrails.colang.v2_x.lang.colang_ast import Flow
 from nemoguardrails.colang.v2_x.lang.utils import format_colang_parsing_error_message
@@ -551,11 +552,23 @@ def _load_path(
     if not os.path.exists(config_path):
         raise ValueError(f"Could not find config path: {config_path}")
 
+    # the first .railsignore file found from cwd down to its subdirectories
+    railsignore_path = utils.get_railsignore_path(config_path)
+    ignore_patterns = utils.get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path)
+
     if os.path.isdir(config_path):
         for root, _, files in os.walk(config_path, followlinks=True):
             # Followlinks to traverse symlinks instead of ignoring them.
 
             for file in files:
+                # Verify railsignore to skip loading
+                ignored_by_railsignore = utils.is_ignored_by_railsignore(
+                    file, ignore_patterns
+                )
+
+                if ignored_by_railsignore:
+                    continue
+
                 # This is the raw configuration that will be loaded from the file.
                 _raw_config = {}
 
diff --git a/nemoguardrails/utils.py b/nemoguardrails/utils.py
index d1689b452..fda3d43bf 100644
--- a/nemoguardrails/utils.py
+++ b/nemoguardrails/utils.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 import asyncio
 import dataclasses
+import fnmatch
 import importlib.resources as pkg_resources
 import json
 import os
@@ -23,7 +24,8 @@
 from collections import namedtuple
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from enum import Enum
-from typing import Any, Dict, Tuple
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
 import yaml
 from rich.console import Console
@@ -312,3 +314,75 @@ def snake_to_camelcase(name: str) -> str:
         str: The converted CamelCase string.
     """
     return "".join(n.capitalize() for n in name.split("_"))
+
+
+def get_railsignore_path(path: Optional[str] = None) -> Optional[Path]:
+    """Get railsignore path.
+
+    Args:
+        path (Optional[str]): The starting path to search for the .railsignore file.
+
+    Returns:
+        Path: The .railsignore file path, if found.
+
+    Raises:
+        FileNotFoundError: If the .railsignore file is not found.
+    """
+    current_path = Path(path) if path else Path.cwd()
+
+    while True:
+        railsignore_file = current_path / ".railsignore"
+        if railsignore_file.exists() and railsignore_file.is_file():
+            return railsignore_file
+        if current_path == current_path.parent:
+            break
+        current_path = current_path.parent
+
+    return None
+
+
+def get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path: Path) -> Set[str]:
+    """Retrieve all specified patterns in railsignore.
+
+    Returns:
+        Set[str]: The set of filenames or glob patterns in railsignore
+    """
+    ignored_patterns = set()
+
+    if railsignore_path is None:
+        return ignored_patterns
+
+    # File doesn't exist or is empty
+    if not railsignore_path.exists() or not os.path.getsize(railsignore_path):
+        return ignored_patterns
+
+    try:
+        with open(railsignore_path, "r") as f:
+            railsignore_entries = f.readlines()
+
+        # Remove comments and empty lines, and strip out any extra spaces/newlines
+        railsignore_entries = [
+            line.strip()
+            for line in railsignore_entries
+            if line.strip() and not line.startswith("#")
+        ]
+
+        ignored_patterns.update(railsignore_entries)
+        return ignored_patterns
+
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print(f"No {railsignore_path} found in the current directory.")
+        return ignored_patterns
+
+
+def is_ignored_by_railsignore(filename: str, ignore_patterns: str) -> bool:
+    """Verify if a filename should be ignored by a railsignore pattern"""
+
+    ignore = False
+
+    for pattern in ignore_patterns:
+        if fnmatch.fnmatch(filename, pattern):
+            ignore = True
+            break
+
+    return ignore
diff --git a/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/config_to_load.co b/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/config_to_load.co
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7b27161e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/config_to_load.co
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+define user express greeting
+  "hey"
+  "hei"
+
+define flow
+  user express greeting
diff --git a/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/ignored_config.co b/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/ignored_config.co
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..827aecb7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_configs/railsignore_config/ignored_config.co
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+define user express greeting
+  "hi"
+  "hello"
+
+define flow
+  user express greeting
+  bot express greeting
diff --git a/tests/test_railsignore.py b/tests/test_railsignore.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..951a30cee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_railsignore.py
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2023 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import os
+import shutil
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+
+from nemoguardrails import RailsConfig
+from nemoguardrails.utils import get_railsignore_patterns, is_ignored_by_railsignore
+
+CONFIGS_FOLDER = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), ".", "test_configs")
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(scope="function")
+def cleanup():
+    # Mock the path to the .railsignore file
+    with patch(
+        "nemoguardrails.utils.get_railsignore_path"
+    ) as mock_get_railsignore_path:
+        railsignore_path = Path("/tmp/.railsignore")
+        mock_get_railsignore_path.return_value = railsignore_path
+
+        # Ensure the mock file exists
+        railsignore_path.touch()
+
+        # Clean railsignore file before
+        cleanup_railsignore(railsignore_path)
+
+        # Yield control to test
+        yield railsignore_path
+
+        # Clean railsignore file after
+        cleanup_railsignore(railsignore_path)
+
+        # Remove the mock file
+        if railsignore_path.exists():
+            railsignore_path.unlink()
+
+
+def test_railsignore_config_loading(cleanup):
+    railsignore_path = cleanup
+    # Setup railsignore
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "ignored_config.co")
+
+    # Load config
+    config = RailsConfig.from_path(os.path.join(CONFIGS_FOLDER, "railsignore_config"))
+
+    config_string = str(config)
+    # Assert .railsignore successfully ignores
+    assert "ignored_config.co" not in config_string
+
+    # Other files should load successfully
+    assert "config_to_load.co" in config_string
+
+
+def test_get_railsignore_patterns(cleanup):
+    railsignore_path = cleanup
+    # Empty railsignore
+    ignored_files = get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path)
+
+    assert "ignored_module.py" not in ignored_files
+    assert "ignored_colang.co" not in ignored_files
+
+    # Append files to railsignore
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "ignored_module.py")
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "ignored_colang.co")
+
+    # Grab ignored files
+    ignored_files = get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path)
+
+    # Check files exist
+    assert "ignored_module.py" in ignored_files
+    assert "ignored_colang.co" in ignored_files
+
+    # Append comment and whitespace
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "# This_is_a_comment.py")
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "  ")
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "")
+
+    # Grab ignored files
+    ignored_files = get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path)
+
+    # Comments and whitespace not retrieved
+    assert "# This_is_a_comment.py" not in ignored_files
+    assert "  " not in ignored_files
+    assert "" not in ignored_files
+
+    # Assert files still exist
+    assert "ignored_module.py" in ignored_files
+    assert "ignored_colang.co" in ignored_files
+
+
+def test_is_ignored_by_railsignore(cleanup):
+    railsignore_path = cleanup
+    # Append files to railsignore
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "ignored_module.py")
+    append_railsignore(railsignore_path, "ignored_colang.co")
+
+    # Grab ignored files
+    ignored_files = get_railsignore_patterns(railsignore_path)
+
+    # Check if files are ignored
+    assert is_ignored_by_railsignore("ignored_module.py", ignored_files)
+    assert is_ignored_by_railsignore("ignored_colang.co", ignored_files)
+    assert not is_ignored_by_railsignore("not_ignored.py", ignored_files)
+
+
+def cleanup_railsignore(railsignore_path):
+    """Helper for clearing a railsignore file."""
+    try:
+        with open(railsignore_path, "w") as f:
+            pass
+    except OSError as e:
+        print(f"Error: Unable to create {railsignore_path}. {e}")
+    else:
+        print(f"Successfully cleaned up .railsignore: {railsignore_path}")
+
+
+def append_railsignore(railsignore_path: str, file_name: str) -> None:
+    """Helper for appending to a railsignore file."""
+    try:
+        with open(railsignore_path, "a") as f:
+            f.write(file_name + "\n")
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        print(f"No {railsignore_path} found in the current directory.")
+    except OSError as e:
+        print(f"Error: Failed to write to {railsignore_path}. {e}")