diff --git a/code_review_graph/incremental.py b/code_review_graph/incremental.py
index 81dc3026..d229afbb 100644
--- a/code_review_graph/incremental.py
+++ b/code_review_graph/incremental.py
@@ -359,7 +359,14 @@ def _load_ignore_patterns(repo_root: Path) -> list[str]:
         for line in ignore_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8", errors="replace").splitlines():
             line = line.strip()
             if line and not line.startswith("#"):
-                patterns.append(line)
+                # Treat plain directory entries like `.venv/` or `vendor/` as
+                # recursive globs, matching `.gitignore` behavior for directories.
+                if line.startswith("/"):
+                    line = line[1:]
+                if line.endswith("/"):
+                    line = f"{line}**"
+                if line:
+                    patterns.append(line)
     return patterns
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_incremental.py b/tests/test_incremental.py
index 0d864203..6ab2b381 100644
--- a/tests/test_incremental.py
+++ b/tests/test_incremental.py
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ def test_default_patterns_loaded(self, tmp_path):
 
     def test_custom_ignore_file(self, tmp_path):
         ignore = tmp_path / ".code-review-graphignore"
-        ignore.write_text("custom/**\n# comment\n\nvendor/**\n")
+        ignore.write_text("custom/\n# comment\n\nvendor/**\n")
         patterns = _load_ignore_patterns(tmp_path)
         assert "custom/**" in patterns
         assert "vendor/**" in patterns
@@ -209,6 +209,17 @@ def test_should_ignore_matches(self):
         assert _should_ignore(".git/HEAD", patterns)
         assert not _should_ignore("src/main.py", patterns)
 
+    def test_should_ignore_directory_trailing_slash_pattern(self, tmp_path):
+        ignore = tmp_path / ".code-review-graphignore"
+        ignore.write_text("vendor/\ngenerated/\n")
+
+        patterns = _load_ignore_patterns(tmp_path)
+        assert "vendor/**" in patterns
+        assert "generated/**" in patterns
+        assert _should_ignore("vendor/autoload.php", patterns)
+        assert _should_ignore("generated/code.js", patterns)
+        assert not _should_ignore("src/vendorized/file.php", patterns)
+
     def test_should_ignore_nested_dependency_dirs(self):
         """Nested node_modules / vendor / .gradle should be ignored (#91)."""
         patterns = [