diff --git a/src/cargo/sources/path.rs b/src/cargo/sources/path.rs
index 4159da35275..d4acb1d2095 100644
--- a/src/cargo/sources/path.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/sources/path.rs
@@ -610,11 +610,11 @@ fn list_files_gix(
 
     let pathspec = {
         // Include the package root.
-        let mut include = BString::from(":/");
+        let mut include = BString::from(":(top)");
         include.push_str(package_prefix.as_ref());
 
         // Exclude the target directory.
-        let mut exclude = BString::from(":!/");
+        let mut exclude = BString::from(":!(exclude,top)");
         exclude.push_str(target_prefix.as_ref());
 
         vec![include, exclude]
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs b/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
index 04af014dae8..4cd3584bf13 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/build_script.rs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ use cargo_test_support::tools;
 use cargo_test_support::{
     basic_manifest, cargo_exe, cross_compile, is_coarse_mtime, project, project_in,
 };
-use cargo_test_support::{rustc_host, sleep_ms, slow_cpu_multiplier, symlink_supported};
+use cargo_test_support::{git, rustc_host, sleep_ms, slow_cpu_multiplier, symlink_supported};
 use cargo_util::paths::{self, remove_dir_all};
 
 #[cargo_test]
@@ -5814,3 +5814,25 @@ fn links_overrides_with_target_applies_to_host() {
 "#]])
         .run();
 }
+
+#[cargo_test]
+fn directory_with_leading_underscore() {
+    let p: cargo_test_support::Project = git::new("foo", |p| {
+        p.no_manifest()
+            .file(
+                "_foo/foo/Cargo.toml",
+                r#"
+                [package]
+                name = "foo"
+                version = "0.1.0"
+                edition = "2021"
+                build = "build.rs"
+            "#,
+            )
+            .file("_foo/foo/src/main.rs", "fn main() {}")
+            .file("_foo/foo/build.rs", "fn main() { }")
+    });
+    p.cargo("build --manifest-path=_foo/foo/Cargo.toml -v")
+        .with_status(0)
+        .run();
+}