diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b3d5003c68..debfef06f0 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -171,7 +171,3 @@ ENV/
 env.bak/
 venv.bak/
 autotest_result_*_junit.xml
-
-# Ignore ESP-IDF SDK defines
-/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/esp-idf/sdkconfig
-/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/esp-idf/sdkconfig
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/README.md b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/README.md
index cfd829fcde..eda355171e 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/README.md
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/README.md
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ press [tab] then enter on the [exit]  box to exit the app
 done.    the 'sdkconfig' file in this folder should have been updated
 cd ../../../..
 
-If you want to make changes to sdkconfig (sdkconfig is in git ignore list) permanent and to commit them back in git, you should edit sdkconfig.defaults manually or to use ninja save-defconfig tool after menuconfig.
+If you want to make changes to sdkconfig (sdkconfig is in the build dir) permanent and to commit them back in git, you should edit sdkconfig.defaults manually or use ninja save-defconfig tool after menuconfig and replace sdkconfig.defaults with defconfig.
 
 5. Recommanded way to flash the firmware :
 ```
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/.gitignore b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index ec58be2346..0000000000
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-/sdkconfig.old
-/board.txt
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
index 10cca76197..32b77dd94f 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,8 +28,9 @@ idf_build_process(esp32
                 esp_system
                 esp_rom
                 esp_timer
-                
-    SDKCONFIG ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sdkconfig
+
+    # treat sdkconfig as build product generated by the defaults
+    SDKCONFIG ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/sdkconfig
     SDKCONFIG_DEFAULTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sdkconfig.defaults
     BUILD_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
 
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/.gitignore b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/.gitignore
deleted file mode 100644
index ec58be2346..0000000000
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/.gitignore
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-/sdkconfig.old
-/board.txt
diff --git a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
index c00f753174..8a63d422c5 100644
--- a/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/libraries/AP_HAL_ESP32/targets/esp32s3/esp-idf/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -29,7 +29,8 @@ idf_build_process(esp32s3
                esp_rom
                esp_timer
 
-    SDKCONFIG ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sdkconfig
+    # treat sdkconfig as build product generated by the defaults
+    SDKCONFIG ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/sdkconfig
     SDKCONFIG_DEFAULTS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/sdkconfig.defaults
     BUILD_DIR ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}
 )