diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree.lua b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
index 7fa2b4b6204..fc4cb1144aa 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree.lua
@@ -205,7 +205,6 @@ local function setup_autocommands(opts)
   create_nvim_tree_autocmd("BufWritePost", {
     callback = function()
       if opts.auto_reload_on_write and not opts.filesystem_watchers.enable then
-        log.line("dev", "BufWritePost reloading")
         reloaders.reload_explorer()
       end
     end,
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/reload.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/reload.lua
index 500b72b2b8d..f151447abe1 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/reload.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/explorer/reload.lua
@@ -20,18 +20,12 @@ local function update_status(nodes_by_path, node_ignored, status)
   end
 end
 
--- TODO always use callback once async/await is available
 local function reload_and_get_git_project(path, callback)
   local project_root = git.get_project_root(path)
 
-  if callback then
-    git.reload_project(project_root, path, function()
-      callback(project_root, git.get_project(project_root) or {})
-    end)
-  else
-    git.reload_project(project_root, path)
-    return project_root, git.get_project(project_root) or {}
-  end
+  git.reload_project(project_root, path, function()
+    callback(project_root, git.get_project(project_root) or {})
+  end)
 end
 
 local function update_parent_statuses(node, project, root)
@@ -149,32 +143,21 @@ end
 
 ---Refresh contents and git status for a single node
 ---@param node table
+---@param callback function
 function M.refresh_node(node, callback)
   if type(node) ~= "table" then
-    if callback then
-      callback()
-    end
-    return
+    callback()
   end
 
   local parent_node = utils.get_parent_of_group(node)
 
-  if callback then
-    reload_and_get_git_project(node.absolute_path, function(project_root, project)
-      require("nvim-tree.explorer.reload").reload(parent_node, project)
-
-      update_parent_statuses(parent_node, project, project_root)
-
-      callback()
-    end)
-  else
-    -- TODO use callback once async/await is available
-    local project_root, project = reload_and_get_git_project(node.absolute_path)
-
+  reload_and_get_git_project(node.absolute_path, function(project_root, project)
     require("nvim-tree.explorer.reload").reload(parent_node, project)
 
     update_parent_statuses(parent_node, project, project_root)
-  end
+
+    callback()
+  end)
 end
 
 function M.setup(opts)
diff --git a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
index 4a7277798b5..8c4117b4f56 100644
--- a/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
+++ b/lua/nvim-tree/git/init.lua
@@ -37,6 +37,25 @@ local function reload_git_status(project_root, path, project, git_status)
   project.dirs = git_utils.file_status_to_dir_status(project.files, project_root)
 end
 
+--- Is this path in a known ignored directory?
+--- @param path string
+--- @param project table git status
+--- @return boolean
+local function path_ignored_in_project(path, project)
+  if not path or not project then
+    return false
+  end
+
+  if project and project.files then
+    for file, status in pairs(project.files) do
+      if status == "!!" and vim.startswith(path, file) then
+        return true
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
 function M.reload()
   if not M.config.git.enable then
     return {}
@@ -58,7 +77,7 @@ function M.reload_project(project_root, path, callback)
     return
   end
 
-  if path and path:find(project_root, 1, true) ~= 1 then
+  if path and (path:find(project_root, 1, true) ~= 1 or path_ignored_in_project(path, project)) then
     if callback then
       callback()
     end
@@ -107,6 +126,14 @@ function M.get_project_root(cwd)
     return nil
   end
 
+  -- short-circuit any known ignored paths
+  for root, project in pairs(M.projects) do
+    if project and path_ignored_in_project(cwd, project) then
+      M.cwd_to_project_root[cwd] = root
+      return root
+    end
+  end
+
   local toplevel = git_utils.get_toplevel(cwd)
   for _, disabled_for_dir in ipairs(M.config.git.disable_for_dirs) do
     local toplevel_norm = vim.fn.fnamemodify(toplevel, ":p")