diff --git a/cmd/tools/vdoc/files.v b/cmd/tools/vdoc/files.v
index a26aee6918..d504fcedf2 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vdoc/files.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vdoc/files.v
@@ -26,19 +26,6 @@ fn get_ignore_paths(path string) ![]string {
 	return res.map(it.replace('/', os.path_separator))
 }
 
-fn is_included(path string, ignore_paths []string) bool {
-	if path == '' {
-		return true
-	}
-	for ignore_path in ignore_paths {
-		if !path.contains(ignore_path) {
-			continue
-		}
-		return false
-	}
-	return true
-}
-
 fn get_modules_list(opath string, ignore_paths2 []string) []string {
 	path := opath.trim_right('/\\')
 	names := os.ls(path) or { return [] }
@@ -46,15 +33,11 @@ fn get_modules_list(opath string, ignore_paths2 []string) []string {
 	ignore_paths << ignore_paths2
 	mut dirs := map[string]int{}
 	for name in names {
-		if name == 'testdata' {
-			continue
-		}
-		if name == 'tests' {
+		if name in ['testdata', 'tests'] {
 			continue
 		}
 		fpath := os.join_path(path, name)
-		fmeta := os.inode(fpath)
-		if fmeta.typ == .directory && is_included(fpath, ignore_paths) {
+		if os.is_dir(fpath) && !ignore_paths.any(fpath.contains(it)) {
 			current_ignore_paths := ignore_paths.filter(it.starts_with(fpath))
 			for k in get_modules_list(fpath, current_ignore_paths) {
 				dirs[k]++
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vdoc/utils_test.v b/cmd/tools/vdoc/utils_test.v
deleted file mode 100644
index 29b3504f32..0000000000
--- a/cmd/tools/vdoc/utils_test.v
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-module main
-
-fn test_trim_doc_node_description() {
-	mod := 'foo'
-	mut readme := '## Description
-
-`foo` is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with bar.
-It also assists with composing and testing baz.'
-	expected := 'is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with'
-	res := trim_doc_node_description(mod, readme).trim_space()
-	assert res == expected
-
-	readme = '# Foo
-`foo` is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with bar.
-It also assists with composing and testing baz.'
-	res2 := trim_doc_node_description(mod, readme).trim_space()
-	assert res2 == res
-}
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vdoc/vdoc_test.v b/cmd/tools/vdoc/vdoc_test.v
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2f6ae869c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/tools/vdoc/vdoc_test.v
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+module main
+
+import os
+import arrays
+
+fn test_trim_doc_node_description() {
+	mod := 'foo'
+	mut readme := '## Description
+
+`foo` is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with bar.
+It also assists with composing and testing baz.'
+	expected := 'is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with'
+	res := trim_doc_node_description(mod, readme).trim_space()
+	assert res == expected
+
+	readme = '# Foo
+`foo` is a module that provides tools and utility functions to assist in working with bar.
+It also assists with composing and testing baz.'
+	res2 := trim_doc_node_description(mod, readme).trim_space()
+	assert res2 == res
+}
+
+fn test_get_module_list() {
+	tpath := os.join_path(os.vtmp_dir(), 'vod_test_module')
+	os.rmdir_all(tpath) or {}
+	os.mkdir_all(tpath)!
+	defer {
+		os.rmdir_all(tpath) or {}
+	}
+
+	os.chdir(tpath)!
+
+	/* Create some submodules.
+	Modules inside `testdata` and `tests` directories and modules that
+	only contain `_test.v` files should be ignored by default. */
+	submodules_no_ignore := ['alpha', 'charly', 'charly/alpha']
+	submodules_to_ignore := ['alpha/bravo', 'bravo', 'tests', 'testdata', 'testdata/echo']
+	for p in arrays.append(submodules_no_ignore, submodules_to_ignore) {
+		os.mkdir(p)!
+		mod_name := p.all_after('/')
+		os.write_file(os.join_path(p, '${mod_name}.v'), 'module ${mod_name}')!
+	}
+	// Create a module that only contains a `_test.v` file.
+	os.mkdir('delta')!
+	os.write_file(os.join_path('delta', 'delta_test.v'), 'module delta')!
+
+	os.write_file('.vdocignore', 'bravo\nalpha/bravo\n')!
+	ignore_paths := get_ignore_paths(tpath)!
+	assert os.join_path(tpath, 'bravo') in ignore_paths
+	assert os.join_path(tpath, 'alpha/bravo') in ignore_paths
+	// Only `bravo` modules are part of `.vdocignore`. Ensure that no others are ignored.
+	assert ignore_paths.all(it.contains('bravo'))
+
+	// `get_modules_list` uses `get_ignore_paths` internally.
+	mod_list := get_modules_list(tpath, []string{})
+	assert mod_list.len == submodules_no_ignore.len
+	assert mod_list.all(it.contains('alpha') || it.contains('charly')), mod_list.str()
+}
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vtest-self.v b/cmd/tools/vtest-self.v
index 2ecafe7dec..60f09caff8 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vtest-self.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vtest-self.v
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ const essential_list = [
 ]
 const skip_test_files = [
 	'do_not_remove',
-	'cmd/tools/vdoc/utils_test.v', // markdown not installed
+	'cmd/tools/vdoc/vdoc_test.v', // markdown not installed
 	'vlib/context/deadline_test.v', // sometimes blocks
 	'vlib/context/onecontext/onecontext_test.v', // backtrace_symbols is missing
 	'vlib/db/mysql/mysql_orm_test.v', // mysql not installed