diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 7416072..f214324 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -6662,6 +6662,7 @@
     "node_modules/anymatch": {
       "version": "3.1.3",
       "license": "ISC",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "normalize-path": "^3.0.0",
         "picomatch": "^2.0.4"
@@ -7034,6 +7035,7 @@
     "node_modules/binary-extensions": {
       "version": "2.3.0",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=8"
       },
@@ -7411,6 +7413,7 @@
     "node_modules/chokidar": {
       "version": "3.6.0",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "anymatch": "~3.1.2",
         "braces": "~3.0.2",
@@ -9603,6 +9606,7 @@
     "node_modules/glob-parent": {
       "version": "5.1.2",
       "license": "ISC",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "is-glob": "^4.0.1"
       },
@@ -10722,6 +10726,7 @@
     "node_modules/is-binary-path": {
       "version": "2.1.0",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "binary-extensions": "^2.0.0"
       },
@@ -10838,6 +10843,7 @@
     "node_modules/is-extglob": {
       "version": "2.1.1",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=0.10.0"
       }
@@ -10891,6 +10897,7 @@
     "node_modules/is-glob": {
       "version": "4.0.3",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "is-extglob": "^2.1.1"
       },
@@ -13250,6 +13257,7 @@
     "node_modules/normalize-path": {
       "version": "3.0.0",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=0.10.0"
       }
@@ -14404,6 +14412,7 @@
     "node_modules/readdirp": {
       "version": "3.6.0",
       "license": "MIT",
+      "optional": true,
       "dependencies": {
         "picomatch": "^2.2.1"
       },
@@ -17991,7 +18000,7 @@
         "@slack/web-api": "^7.18.0",
         "@types/micromatch": "^4.0.10",
         "chalk": "^5.6.2",
-        "chokidar": "^3.5.3",
+        "chokidar": "^5.0.0",
         "commander": "^15.0.0",
         "ignore": "^7.0.5",
         "ink": "^5.1.0",
@@ -18039,6 +18048,21 @@
         "url": "https://github.com/chalk/chalk?sponsor=1"
       }
     },
+    "packages/autonav/node_modules/chokidar": {
+      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/chokidar/-/chokidar-5.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-TQMmc3w+5AxjpL8iIiwebF73dRDF4fBIieAqGn9RGCWaEVwQ6Fb2cGe31Yns0RRIzii5goJ1Y7xbMwo1TxMplw==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "readdirp": "^5.0.0"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 20.19.0"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://paulmillr.com/funding/"
+      }
+    },
     "packages/autonav/node_modules/marked": {
       "version": "18.0.5",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/marked/-/marked-18.0.5.tgz",
@@ -18051,6 +18075,19 @@
         "node": ">= 20"
       }
     },
+    "packages/autonav/node_modules/readdirp": {
+      "version": "5.0.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/readdirp/-/readdirp-5.0.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9u/XQ1pvrQtYyMpZe7DXKv2p5CNvyVwzUB6uhLAnQwHMSgKMBR62lc7AHljaeteeHXn11XTAaLLUVZYVZyuRBQ==",
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">= 20.19.0"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "type": "individual",
+        "url": "https://paulmillr.com/funding/"
+      }
+    },
     "packages/communication-layer": {
       "name": "@autonav/communication-layer",
       "version": "0.2.0",
diff --git a/packages/autonav/package.json b/packages/autonav/package.json
index 16ea20b..1a37dab 100644
--- a/packages/autonav/package.json
+++ b/packages/autonav/package.json
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     "@slack/web-api": "^7.18.0",
     "@types/micromatch": "^4.0.10",
     "chalk": "^5.6.2",
-    "chokidar": "^3.5.3",
+    "chokidar": "^5.0.0",
     "commander": "^15.0.0",
     "ignore": "^7.0.5",
     "ink": "^5.1.0",
diff --git a/packages/autonav/src/plugins/implementations/file-watcher/index.ts b/packages/autonav/src/plugins/implementations/file-watcher/index.ts
index 6c3c873..b8f1031 100644
--- a/packages/autonav/src/plugins/implementations/file-watcher/index.ts
+++ b/packages/autonav/src/plugins/implementations/file-watcher/index.ts
@@ -126,9 +126,15 @@ export class FileWatcherPlugin implements Plugin<
       }
     }
 
-    // Initialize watcher
+    // Initialize watcher.
+    // chokidar v4+ dropped glob support: `ignored` string matchers are now
+    // treated as literal paths, not globs. Convert the glob ignorePatterns to a
+    // match function (via micromatch) so node_modules/.git/dist keep being
+    // ignored during directory traversal.
+    const ignorePatterns = config.ignorePatterns;
     this.watcher = watch(config.paths, {
-      ignored: config.ignorePatterns,
+      ignored: (watchedPath: string) =>
+        ignorePatterns.length > 0 && micromatch.isMatch(watchedPath, ignorePatterns),
       persistent: true,
       ignoreInitial: true,
       awaitWriteFinish: {