diff --git a/bin/git-ignore b/bin/git-ignore
index d19b44f..2e5c9b5 100755
--- a/bin/git-ignore
+++ b/bin/git-ignore
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ function add_private {
 function add_patterns {
   echo "Adding pattern(s) to: $1"
   local file="${1/#~/$HOME}"
+  if [ -s "$file" ]; then
+      # If $file doesn't end with a newline, add one
+      test "$(tail -c 1 "$file")" != "" && echo "" >> "$file"
+  fi
   for pattern in "${@:2}"; do
     echo "... adding '$pattern'"
     (test -f "$file" && test "$pattern" && grep -q -F -x -- "$pattern" "$file") || echo "$pattern" >> "$file"