diff --git a/crates/cuddle-ci/src/node_service.rs b/crates/cuddle-ci/src/node_service.rs
index 6822bad..62ce8bf 100644
--- a/crates/cuddle-ci/src/node_service.rs
+++ b/crates/cuddle-ci/src/node_service.rs
@@ -112,10 +112,12 @@ impl NodeService {
     }
 
     pub async fn build_base(&self) -> eyre::Result<Container> {
-        let src = self
-            .client
-            .host()
-            .directory(self.get_src().to_string_lossy());
+        let src = self.client.host().directory_opts(
+            self.get_src().to_string_lossy(),
+            HostDirectoryOptsBuilder::default()
+                .exclude(vec!["node_modules/", ".git/", ".cuddle/"])
+                .build()?,
+        );
         let pkg_files = self.client.host().directory_opts(
             self.get_src().to_string_lossy(),
             HostDirectoryOptsBuilder::default()