diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4bfabc80f..e1f6be02e 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,12 +1,15 @@
 # Binaries for programs and plugins
 *~
 *.tmp
-*.exe
 *.dll
 *.so
 *.dylib
 *.spk
 
+*.exe
+# tool/go.exe is built specially and committed.
+!/tool/go.exe
+
 cmd/tailscale/tailscale
 cmd/tailscaled/tailscaled
 ssh/tailssh/testcontainers/tailscaled