diff --git a/graphify/detect.py b/graphify/detect.py
index 7b1a80ab..1c922711 100644
--- a/graphify/detect.py
+++ b/graphify/detect.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import re
 import shlex
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
 from enum import Enum
+from functools import lru_cache
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from graphify.google_workspace import (
@@ -934,6 +935,34 @@ def _load_graphifyignore(root: Path) -> list[tuple[Path, str]]:
     return patterns
 
 
+def _match_anchored_ignore_pattern(path: str, pattern: str) -> bool:
+    """Match an anchored gitignore pattern without letting ``*`` cross ``/``."""
+    path_parts = tuple(path.split("/"))
+    pattern_parts = tuple(pattern.split("/"))
+
+    @lru_cache(maxsize=None)
+    def _matches(path_idx: int, pattern_idx: int) -> bool:
+        if pattern_idx == len(pattern_parts):
+            return path_idx == len(path_parts)
+
+        part = pattern_parts[pattern_idx]
+        if part == "**":
+            if pattern_idx == len(pattern_parts) - 1:
+                return path_idx < len(path_parts)
+            return _matches(path_idx, pattern_idx + 1) or (
+                path_idx < len(path_parts)
+                and _matches(path_idx + 1, pattern_idx)
+            )
+
+        return (
+            path_idx < len(path_parts)
+            and fnmatch.fnmatchcase(path_parts[path_idx], part)
+            and _matches(path_idx + 1, pattern_idx + 1)
+        )
+
+    return _matches(0, 0)
+
+
 def _is_ignored(
     path: Path,
     root: Path,
@@ -961,9 +990,9 @@ def _is_ignored(
         """Apply last-match-wins to a single target path."""
         if _cache is not None and target in _cache:
             return _cache[target]
-        def _matches(rel: str, p: str, anchored: bool) -> bool:
-            if anchored:
-                return fnmatch.fnmatch(rel, p)
+        def _matches(rel: str, p: str, path_relative: bool) -> bool:
+            if path_relative:
+                return _match_anchored_ignore_pattern(rel, p)
             parts = rel.split("/")
             if fnmatch.fnmatch(rel, p):
                 return True
@@ -980,7 +1009,8 @@ def _is_ignored(
         for anchor, pattern in patterns:
             negated = pattern.startswith("!")
             raw = pattern[1:] if negated else pattern
-            anchored = raw.startswith("/")
+            directory_only = raw.endswith("/")
+            path_relative = "/" in raw.rstrip("/")
             p = raw.strip("/")
             if not p:
                 continue
@@ -996,7 +1026,9 @@ def _is_ignored(
             except ValueError:
                 continue  # target outside this pattern's anchor: cannot match
             if rel_anchor != ".":
-                matched = _matches(rel_anchor, p, anchored=anchored)
+                matched = _matches(rel_anchor, p, path_relative=path_relative)
+                if matched and directory_only and not target.is_dir():
+                    matched = False
 
             if matched:
                 result = not negated  # last match wins; ! flips to un-ignore
diff --git a/tests/test_detect.py b/tests/test_detect.py
index a0443602..837d8cf3 100644
--- a/tests/test_detect.py
+++ b/tests/test_detect.py
@@ -738,6 +738,69 @@ def test_detect_skips_graphify_own_cache(tmp_path):
 
 # --- #882: gitignore parent-exclusion rule for ! re-includes ---
 
+def test_anchored_root_wildcard_negation_reincludes_subtree(tmp_path):
+    """`/*` stays at the root, so `!/src/` makes the subtree walkable (#1975)."""
+    for rel in ("src/app/main.py", "src/lib/util.py", "docs/guide.md", "README.md"):
+        path = tmp_path / rel
+        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        path.write_text("x\n")
+    (tmp_path / ".graphifyignore").write_text("/*\n!/src/\n")
+
+    result = detect(tmp_path)
+
+    files = {
+        Path(path).relative_to(tmp_path).as_posix()
+        for paths in result["files"].values()
+        for path in paths
+    }
+    assert files == {"src/app/main.py", "src/lib/util.py"}
+
+
+def test_anchored_negation_cannot_skip_excluded_parent(tmp_path):
+    """Re-including a child cannot rescue it while its parent stays excluded."""
+    victim = tmp_path / "src" / "app" / "main.py"
+    victim.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    victim.write_text("x\n")
+    (tmp_path / ".graphifyignore").write_text("/*\n!/src/app/\n")
+
+    assert detect(tmp_path)["total_files"] == 0
+
+
+def test_path_pattern_single_star_does_not_cross_segment(tmp_path):
+    """A regular `*` matches one component; recursive matching requires `**`."""
+    direct = tmp_path / "src" / "main.py"
+    nested = tmp_path / "src" / "app" / "main.py"
+    nested.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    direct.write_text("x\n")
+    nested.write_text("x\n")
+    for pattern in ("/src/*.py", "src/*.py"):
+        (tmp_path / ".graphifyignore").write_text(f"{pattern}\n")
+        result = detect(tmp_path)
+        files = [path for paths in result["files"].values() for path in paths]
+        assert not any(path.endswith("src/main.py") for path in files)
+        assert any(path.endswith("src/app/main.py") for path in files)
+
+
+def test_directory_only_negation_does_not_reinclude_file(tmp_path):
+    """A trailing slash restricts a pattern to directories, as in gitignore."""
+    readme = tmp_path / "README.md"
+    readme.write_text("# docs\n")
+    (tmp_path / ".graphifyignore").write_text("/*\n!/README.md/\n")
+
+    assert detect(tmp_path)["total_files"] == 0
+
+
+def test_anchored_double_star_crosses_path_segments(tmp_path):
+    """`**` retains recursive gitignore matching at zero or more depths."""
+    direct = tmp_path / "src" / "generated.py"
+    nested = tmp_path / "src" / "app" / "deep" / "generated.py"
+    nested.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    direct.write_text("x\n")
+    nested.write_text("x\n")
+    (tmp_path / ".graphifyignore").write_text("/src/**/generated.py\n")
+
+    assert detect(tmp_path)["total_files"] == 0
+
 def test_negation_cannot_rescue_file_under_excluded_dir(tmp_path):
     """A ! re-include cannot un-ignore a file whose parent dir is excluded (#882)."""
     from graphify.detect import _is_ignored, _load_graphifyignore