diff --git a/.dockerignore b/.dockerignore
index d60f49c7..b462241f 100644
--- a/.dockerignore
+++ b/.dockerignore
@@ -37,14 +37,16 @@
 **/Thumbs.db
 **/yarn-debug.log*
 **/yarn-error.log*
-# Don't block emojis.json and locale files - they're needed for the build
-#!/fluxer_app/src/data/emojis.json
-#/fluxer_app/src/locales/*/messages.js
+# Original exclusions for emojis/locales commented out - needed for build
+# /fluxer_app/src/data/emojis.json
+# /fluxer_app/src/locales/*/messages.js
 dev
 !fluxer_app/dist
 !fluxer_app/dist/**
 !fluxer_devops/cassandra/migrations
-# Explicitly allow critical build data
-!fluxer_app/src/data/
-!fluxer_app/src/locales/
+# Explicitly allow critical build data (trailing slash means directory)
+!fluxer_app/src/data
+!fluxer_app/src/data/**
+!fluxer_app/src/locales
+!fluxer_app/src/locales/**
 !**/scripts/