diff --git a/pkg/constants/constants.go b/pkg/constants/constants.go
index b81635e70..fd6a6d6b0 100644
--- a/pkg/constants/constants.go
+++ b/pkg/constants/constants.go
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ import "time"
 const (
 	// renovate: datasource=docker depName=ghcr.io/windsorcli/git-livereload-server
 	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_IMAGE         = "ghcr.io/windsorcli/git-livereload:v0.2.0"
-	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_INCLUDE = ""
-	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_EXCLUDE = ".windsor,.terraform,data,.volumes,.venv"
+	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_INCLUDE = "kustomize"
+	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_EXCLUDE = ".windsor,.terraform,.volumes,.venv"
 	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_PROTECT = "flux-system"
 	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_USERNAME      = "local"
 	DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_PASSWORD      = "local"
diff --git a/pkg/services/git_livereload_service.go b/pkg/services/git_livereload_service.go
index c5ac1a389..99201338a 100644
--- a/pkg/services/git_livereload_service.go
+++ b/pkg/services/git_livereload_service.go
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ func NewGitLivereloadService(injector di.Injector) *GitLivereloadService {
 // Public Methods
 // =============================================================================
 
-// GetComposeConfig returns the top-level compose configuration including a list of container data for docker-compose.
+// GetComposeConfig constructs and returns a docker-compose configuration for the GitLivereloadService.
+// It retrieves configuration values for environment variables, image, and service metadata from the config handler.
+// The method builds the environment variable map, sets up service labels, and binds the project root as a volume.
+// Returns a types.Config pointer containing the service definition, or an error if the project root cannot be determined.
 func (s *GitLivereloadService) GetComposeConfig() (*types.Config, error) {
-	// Get the context name
 	contextName := s.configHandler.GetContext()
-
-	// Retrieve environment variables from config with defaults using Get* functions
 	rsyncInclude := s.configHandler.GetString("git.livereload.rsync_include", constants.DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_INCLUDE)
 	rsyncExclude := s.configHandler.GetString("git.livereload.rsync_exclude", constants.DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_EXCLUDE)
 	rsyncProtect := s.configHandler.GetString("git.livereload.rsync_protect", constants.DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_RSYNC_PROTECT)
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ func (s *GitLivereloadService) GetComposeConfig() (*types.Config, error) {
 	verifySsl := s.configHandler.GetBool("git.livereload.verify_ssl", false)
 	image := s.configHandler.GetString("git.livereload.image", constants.DEFAULT_GIT_LIVE_RELOAD_IMAGE)
 
-	// Prepare environment variables map
 	envVars := map[string]*string{
+		"RSYNC_INCLUDE": ptrString(rsyncInclude),
 		"RSYNC_EXCLUDE": ptrString(rsyncExclude),
 		"RSYNC_PROTECT": ptrString(rsyncProtect),
 		"GIT_USERNAME":  ptrString(gitUsername),
@@ -62,29 +62,18 @@ func (s *GitLivereloadService) GetComposeConfig() (*types.Config, error) {
 		"VERIFY_SSL":    ptrString(fmt.Sprintf("%t", verifySsl)),
 	}
 
-	// Add RSYNC_INCLUDE if it's not empty
-	if rsyncInclude != "" {
-		envVars["RSYNC_INCLUDE"] = ptrString(rsyncInclude)
-	}
-
-	// Add webhook URL if provided
 	if webhookUrl != "" {
 		envVars["WEBHOOK_URL"] = ptrString(webhookUrl)
 	}
 
-	// Get the project root using the shell
 	projectRoot, err := s.shell.GetProjectRoot()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error retrieving project root: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Get the git folder name
 	gitFolderName := filepath.Base(projectRoot)
-
-	// Get the service name
 	serviceName := s.name
 
-	// Create the service config
 	serviceConfig := types.ServiceConfig{
 		Name:          serviceName,
 		ContainerName: s.GetContainerName(),
diff --git a/pkg/services/git_livereload_service_test.go b/pkg/services/git_livereload_service_test.go
index 1eb8f7c07..c90dcb7ef 100644
--- a/pkg/services/git_livereload_service_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/git_livereload_service_test.go
@@ -164,17 +164,19 @@ func TestGitLivereloadService_GetComposeConfig(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("GetComposeConfig() error = %v", err)
 		}
 
-		// Then verify the configuration doesn't contain RSYNC_INCLUDE when it's empty
+		// Then verify the configuration contains the expected service with default RSYNC_INCLUDE
 		expectedName := "git"
 		serviceFound := false
-		rsyncIncludePresent := false
+		rsyncIncludeFound := false
 
 		for _, service := range composeConfig.Services {
 			if service.Name == expectedName {
 				serviceFound = true
-				// Check if RSYNC_INCLUDE environment variable is NOT set when empty
-				if _, exists := service.Environment["RSYNC_INCLUDE"]; exists {
-					rsyncIncludePresent = true
+				// Check if RSYNC_INCLUDE environment variable is set to default value
+				if rsyncInclude, exists := service.Environment["RSYNC_INCLUDE"]; exists && rsyncInclude != nil {
+					if *rsyncInclude == "kustomize" {
+						rsyncIncludeFound = true
+					}
 				}
 				break
 			}
@@ -183,8 +185,8 @@ func TestGitLivereloadService_GetComposeConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		if !serviceFound {
 			t.Errorf("expected service with name %q to be in the list of configurations", expectedName)
 		}
-		if rsyncIncludePresent {
-			t.Errorf("expected RSYNC_INCLUDE environment variable to NOT be set when rsync_include is empty")
+		if !rsyncIncludeFound {
+			t.Errorf("expected RSYNC_INCLUDE environment variable to be set to default value 'kustomize'")
 		}
 	})
 }