diff --git a/.ci/license-header.sh b/.ci/license-header.sh
index 9e70188971..d9b73850d9 100755
--- a/.ci/license-header.sh
+++ b/.ci/license-header.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright 2025 Eden Emulator Project
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
 
+# specify full path if dupes may exist
+EXCLUDE_FILES="CPM.cmake CPMUtil.cmake GetSCMRev.cmake"
+EXCLUDE_FILES=$(sed "s/ /\\\\|/g" <<< "$EXCLUDE_FILES")
+
+echo $EXCLUDE_FILES
+
 COPYRIGHT_YEAR="2025"
 COPYRIGHT_OWNER="Eden Emulator Project"
 COPYRIGHT_LICENSE="GPL-3.0-or-later"
@@ -49,8 +55,8 @@ if git diff --quiet "$BASE"..HEAD; then
     echo "license-header.sh: No commits on this branch different from master."
     exit 0
 fi
-FILES=$(git diff --name-only "$BASE")
-
+FILES=$(git diff --name-only "$BASE" | grep -v "$EXCLUDE_FILES")
+echo $FILES
 echo_header() {
     COMMENT_TYPE="$1"
     echo "$COMMENT_TYPE SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright $COPYRIGHT_YEAR $COPYRIGHT_OWNER"