diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index d9920d6a7..dbe630864 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@ gjf.out
 # virtual machine crash logs, see http://www.java.com/en/download/help/error_hotspot.xml
 hs_err_pid*
 
+# Environment-specific configuration files
+core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-alpha.yaml
+core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-crash.yaml
+core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-production.yaml
+core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-qa.yaml
+core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml
+
 ######################################################################
 # Eclipse Ignores
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/README.md b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4243e0b53
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+# Nomulus Environment Configuration
+
+The configuration files for the different Nomulus environments are not included in this repository. To configure and run a specific environment, you will need to create the corresponding YAML configuration file in this directory.
+
+The following is a list of the environment configuration files that you may need to create:
+
+*   `nomulus-config-alpha.yaml`
+*   `nomulus-config-crash.yaml`
+*   `nomulus-config-qa.yaml`
+*   `nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml`
+*   `nomulus-config-production.yaml`
+
+Please create the relevant file for the environment you intend to use and populate it with the necessary configuration details.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-alpha.yaml b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-alpha.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef421a20..000000000
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-alpha.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# Add environment-specific configuration here.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-crash.yaml b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-crash.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef421a20..000000000
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-crash.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# Add environment-specific configuration here.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-production.yaml b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-production.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef421a20..000000000
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-production.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# Add environment-specific configuration here.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-qa.yaml b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-qa.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef421a20..000000000
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-qa.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# Add environment-specific configuration here.
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml
deleted file mode 100644
index 0ef421a20..000000000
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-# Add environment-specific configuration here.
diff --git a/release/cloudbuild-release.yaml b/release/cloudbuild-release.yaml
index dd1ef785f..e3eef1e04 100644
--- a/release/cloudbuild-release.yaml
+++ b/release/cloudbuild-release.yaml
@@ -42,6 +42,20 @@ steps:
     rm -rf .git && rm -rf nomulus-internal/.git
     cp -rf nomulus-internal/* .
     rm -rf nomulus-internal
+# Remove environment configs from .gitignore
+- name: 'gcr.io/cloud-builders/git'
+  entrypoint: /bin/bash
+  args:
+  - -c
+  - |
+    set -e
+    sed -i \
+        -e '\#core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-alpha.yaml#d' \
+        -e '\#core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-crash.yaml#d' \
+        -e '\#core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-production.yaml#d' \
+        -e '\#core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-qa.yaml#d' \
+        -e '\#core/src/main/java/google/registry/config/files/nomulus-config-sandbox.yaml#d' \
+        .gitignore
 # Build the builder image and pull the base images, them upload them to GCR.
 - name: 'gcr.io/cloud-builders/docker'
   entrypoint: /bin/bash