diff --git a/.bazelignore b/.bazelignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cdc5ebcd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bazelignore
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Exclude Bazel roots (workspaces)
+c/fuzz
+go
+java
+js
+research
diff --git a/WORKSPACE.bazel b/WORKSPACE.bazel
index c26ddf8dd..d5f3096cb 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE.bazel
+++ b/WORKSPACE.bazel
@@ -1,26 +1 @@
 workspace(name = "org_brotli")
-
-local_repository(
-    name = "ignore_org_brotli_fuzz",
-    path = "c/fuzz",
-)
-
-local_repository(
-    name = "ignore_org_brotli_go",
-    path = "go",
-)
-
-local_repository(
-    name = "ignore_org_brotli_java",
-    path = "java",
-)
-
-local_repository(
-    name = "ignore_org_brotli_js",
-    path = "js",
-)
-
-local_repository(
-    name = "ignore_org_brotli_research",
-    path = "research",
-)