diff --git a/setup/installer/__init__.py b/setup/installer/__init__.py
index c25334dbe4..e07586eefd 100644
--- a/setup/installer/__init__.py
+++ b/setup/installer/__init__.py
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ from setup.build_environment import HOST, PROJECT
 BASE_RSYNC = ['rsync', '-avz', '--delete']
 EXCLUDES = []
 for x in [
-    'src/calibre/plugins', 'src/calibre/manual', 'src/calibre/trac',
+    'src/calibre/plugins', 'src/calibre/manual', 'src/calibre/trac', 'recipes',
     '.bzr', '.build', '.svn', 'build', 'dist', 'imgsrc', '*.pyc', '*.pyo', '*.swp',
-    '*.swo']:
+    '*.swo', 'format_docs']:
     EXCLUDES.extend(['--exclude', x])
 SAFE_EXCLUDES = ['"%s"'%x if '*' in x else x for x in EXCLUDES]