diff --git a/api/v1beta2/bucket_types.go b/api/v1beta2/bucket_types.go
index e0f35367..749c4eb0 100644
--- a/api/v1beta2/bucket_types.go
+++ b/api/v1beta2/bucket_types.go
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ type BucketStatus struct {
 	// +optional
 	Artifact *Artifact `json:"artifact,omitempty"`
 
+	// ObservedIgnore is the observed exclusion patterns used for constructing
+	// the source artifact.
+	// +optional
+	ObservedIgnore *string `json:"observedIgnore,omitempty"`
+
 	meta.ReconcileRequestStatus `json:",inline"`
 }
 
diff --git a/api/v1beta2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go b/api/v1beta2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
index 82c09347..106a042c 100644
--- a/api/v1beta2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
+++ b/api/v1beta2/zz_generated.deepcopy.go
@@ -166,6 +166,11 @@ func (in *BucketStatus) DeepCopyInto(out *BucketStatus) {
 		*out = new(Artifact)
 		(*in).DeepCopyInto(*out)
 	}
+	if in.ObservedIgnore != nil {
+		in, out := &in.ObservedIgnore, &out.ObservedIgnore
+		*out = new(string)
+		**out = **in
+	}
 	out.ReconcileRequestStatus = in.ReconcileRequestStatus
 }
 
diff --git a/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_buckets.yaml b/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_buckets.yaml
index 2ea76752..49c02e41 100644
--- a/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_buckets.yaml
+++ b/config/crd/bases/source.toolkit.fluxcd.io_buckets.yaml
@@ -492,6 +492,10 @@ spec:
                   the Bucket object.
                 format: int64
                 type: integer
+              observedIgnore:
+                description: ObservedIgnore is the observed exclusion patterns used
+                  for constructing the source artifact.
+                type: string
               url:
                 description: URL is the dynamic fetch link for the latest Artifact.
                   It is provided on a "best effort" basis, and using the precise BucketStatus.Artifact
diff --git a/controllers/bucket_controller.go b/controllers/bucket_controller.go
index 98076889..f2608bf4 100644
--- a/controllers/bucket_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/bucket_controller.go
@@ -628,6 +628,7 @@ func (r *BucketReconciler) reconcileArtifact(ctx context.Context, obj *sourcev1.
 
 	// Record it on the object
 	obj.Status.Artifact = artifact.DeepCopy()
+	obj.Status.ObservedIgnore = obj.Spec.Ignore
 
 	// Update symlink on a "best effort" basis
 	url, err := r.Storage.Symlink(artifact, "latest.tar.gz")
diff --git a/docs/api/source.md b/docs/api/source.md
index ee3a6ad9..d5762fc3 100644
--- a/docs/api/source.md
+++ b/docs/api/source.md
@@ -1518,6 +1518,19 @@ Artifact
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
+<code>observedIgnore</code><br>
+<em>
+string
+</em>
+</td>
+<td>
+<em>(Optional)</em>
+<p>ObservedIgnore is the observed exclusion patterns used for constructing
+the source artifact.</p>
+</td>
+</tr>
+<tr>
+<td>
 <code>ReconcileRequestStatus</code><br>
 <em>
 <a href="https://godoc.org/github.com/fluxcd/pkg/apis/meta#ReconcileRequestStatus">
diff --git a/docs/spec/v1beta2/buckets.md b/docs/spec/v1beta2/buckets.md
index 0e8e5270..23c036fd 100644
--- a/docs/spec/v1beta2/buckets.md
+++ b/docs/spec/v1beta2/buckets.md
@@ -1064,6 +1064,25 @@ Note that a Bucket can be [reconciling](#reconciling-bucket) while failing at
 the same time, for example due to a newly introduced configuration issue in the
 Bucket spec.
 
+### Observed Ignore
+
+The source-controller reports an observed ignore in the Bucket's
+`.status.observedIgnore`. The observed ignore is the latest `.spec.ignore` value
+which resulted in a [ready state](#ready-bucket), or stalled due to error
+it can not recover from without human intervention. The value is the same as the
+[ignore in spec](#ignore). It indicates the ignore rules used in building the
+current artifact in storage.
+
+Example:
+```yaml
+status:
+  ...
+  observedIgnore: |
+    hpa.yaml
+    build
+  ...
+```
+
 ### Observed Generation
 
 The source-controller reports an