diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4b3399bd8..08057fc74 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ Thumbs.db
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/Notepad3Portable*.exe
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/AppInfo/appinfo.ini
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/AppInfo/installer.ini
-/np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/DefaultData/settings/*.ini
-/np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/DefaultData/settings/Themes/*.ini
+/np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/DefaultData/settings/
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/Notepad3/x64/*.exe
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/Notepad3/x64/lng
 /np3portableapp/Notepad3Portable/App/Notepad3/x86/*.exe
diff --git a/np3portableapp/build_np3portableapp.cmd b/np3portableapp/build_np3portableapp.cmd
index ba8d20763..a5b78348d 100644
--- a/np3portableapp/build_np3portableapp.cmd
+++ b/np3portableapp/build_np3portableapp.cmd
@@ -218,6 +218,11 @@ copy "%NP3_DISTRIB_DIR%\minipath.ini" "%NP3_PORTAPP_DIR%\App\DefaultData\setting
 del /s /f /q "%NP3_PORTAPP_DIR%\App\DefaultData\settings\Themes\*.*" 2>nul
 xcopy "%NP3_BUILD_SCHEMES_DIR%" "%NP3_PORTAPP_DIR%\App\DefaultData\settings\Themes" /C /V /I /S /Y
 
+:: --- Create an empty directory "Favorites" ---
+if not exist "%NP3_PORTAPP_DIR%\App\DefaultData\settings\Favorites\" (
+    mkdir "%NP3_PORTAPP_DIR%\App\DefaultData\settings\Favorites\"
+)
+
 :: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 :: Step 6: Copy language files
 :: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------