diff --git a/owlbot.py b/owlbot.py
index d9a583e3a6..e664fe2e3b 100644
--- a/owlbot.py
+++ b/owlbot.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def update_fixup_scripts(library):
 )
 python.py_samples(skip_readmes=True)
 
-s.move(templated_files)
+s.move(templated_files, excludes=[".github/CODEOOWNERS"])
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Customize noxfile.py