diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 2dd7304c2..15175be7a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 /include/
 /templates/
 /configure/*.local
+/modules/RELEASE.base
 O.*/
 /QtC-*
 *.orig
diff --git a/modules/Makefile b/modules/Makefile
index 868d239e8..f9cc05aee 100644
--- a/modules/Makefile
+++ b/modules/Makefile
@@ -52,4 +52,4 @@ include $(TOP)/configure/RULES_DIRS
 RELEASE.base:
 	@echo "EPICS_BASE = $(dir $(abspath $(lastword $(MAKEFILE_LIST))/..))" > $@
 realclean:
-        $(RM) RELEASE.base
+	$(RM) RELEASE.base