diff --git a/example/m2/repository/.gitignore b/example/m2/repository/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e7d273
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example/m2/repository/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Ignore everything in this directory
+*
+# Except this file
+!.gitignore
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/kobalt/plugin/maven/local/MavenLocalPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/kobalt/plugin/maven/local/MavenLocalPlugin.kt
index d765d2e..3e84b9b 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/kobalt/plugin/maven/local/MavenLocalPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/net/thauvin/erik/kobalt/plugin/maven/local/MavenLocalPlugin.kt
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public class MavenLocalPlugin : BasePlugin(), ILocalMavenRepoPathInterceptor {
             settings.userSettingsFile = File(userHome, ".m2/settings.xml")
 
             val m2Home = System.getenv("M2_HOME")
-            if (m2Home != null) {
+            if (!m2Home.isNullOrBlank()) {
                 settings.globalSettingsFile = File(m2Home, "conf/settings.xml")
             }