diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index 3a2aa05..6043e86 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Create Release Zip
         run: |
-          git rm -r --cached tests samples images res vcpkg etc || true
+          git rm -r --cached tests samples images res vcpkg etc .gitmodules
+          git rm --cached .clang-format .clang-tidy .pre-commit-config.yaml
           git archive $( git write-tree ) --format=zip --output=str_view-${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}.zip
           echo "ZIP_FILE=str_view-${GITHUB_REF#refs/tags/}.zip" >> $GITHUB_ENV