diff --git a/pelican/tools/pelican_quickstart.py b/pelican/tools/pelican_quickstart.py
index a7801866c..af75190c8 100755
--- a/pelican/tools/pelican_quickstart.py
+++ b/pelican/tools/pelican_quickstart.py
@@ -82,6 +82,14 @@ class _DEFAULT_PATH_TYPE(str):
 _DEFAULT_PATH = _DEFAULT_PATH_TYPE(os.curdir)
 
 
+RSYNC_EXCLUDES = """\
+# Files to exclude with rsync(1) during publishing.
+# See the INCLUDE/EXCLUDE PATTERN RULES section of the rsync man page.
+
+.DS_Store
+"""
+
+
 def ask(question, answer=str, default=None, length=None):
     if answer == str:
         r = ''
@@ -347,6 +355,13 @@ def main():
                 fd.close()
         except OSError as e:
             print('Error: {0}'.format(e))
+        try:
+            with open(os.path.join(CONF['basedir'], 'rsync_excludes.txt'),
+                      'w', 'utf-8') as fd:
+                fd.write(RSYNC_EXCLUDES)
+                fd.close()
+        except OSError as e:
+            print('Error: {0}'.format(e))
 
     print('Done. Your new project is available at %s' % CONF['basedir'])
 
diff --git a/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.jinja2 b/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.jinja2
index 91b443202..d54e67575 100644
--- a/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.jinja2
+++ b/pelican/tools/templates/Makefile.jinja2
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ ssh_upload: publish
 
 {% set upload = upload + ["rsync_upload"] %}
 rsync_upload: publish
-	rsync -e "ssh -p $(SSH_PORT)" -P -rvzc --cvs-exclude --delete $(OUTPUTDIR)/ $(SSH_USER)@$(SSH_HOST):$(SSH_TARGET_DIR)
+	rsync -e "ssh -p $(SSH_PORT)" -P -rvzc --cvs-exclude --exclude-from=rsync_excludes.txt --delete $(OUTPUTDIR)/ $(SSH_USER)@$(SSH_HOST):$(SSH_TARGET_DIR)
 
 {% endif %}
 {% if dropbox %}
diff --git a/pelican/tools/templates/tasks.py.jinja2 b/pelican/tools/templates/tasks.py.jinja2
index 0362eba73..90658f0fa 100644
--- a/pelican/tools/templates/tasks.py.jinja2
+++ b/pelican/tools/templates/tasks.py.jinja2
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def publish(c):
     """Publish to production via rsync"""
     c.run('pelican -s {settings_publish}'.format(**CONFIG))
     c.run(
-        'rsync --delete --exclude ".DS_Store" -pthrvz -c '
+        'rsync --delete --exclude-from=rsync_excludes.txt -pthrvz -c '
         '-e "ssh -p {ssh_port}" '
         '{} {ssh_user}@{ssh_host}:{ssh_path}'.format(
             CONFIG['deploy_path'].rstrip('/') + '/',