diff --git a/release/release_files.py b/release/release_files.py
index 5e9371c6fc..788d45b88e 100755
--- a/release/release_files.py
+++ b/release/release_files.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ blacklist = [
 whitelist = [
   "tools/lib/",
   "tools/bodyteleop/",
+  "tools/joystick/",
 
   "tinygrad_repo/openpilot/compile2.py",
   "tinygrad_repo/extra/onnx.py",