The present invention provides a method of inhibiting corrosion of ferrous metals in aqueous systems. The corrosion is inhibited by adding an effective amount of one or more poly(amino acids) to the aqueous system. Aqueous systems include for example water treatment systems and equipment used for detergent applications. The poly(amino acids) comprise a reaction product of at least one compound selected from amino acids, amic acids, ammonium salts of monoethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic acids, ammonium salts of hydroxypolycarboxylic acids and combinations thereof.In one embodiment the poly(amino acids) are added to detergent solutions to inhibit corrosion in equipment for detergent applications. In another embodiment, corrosion inhibitors comprising one or more homopolymers of amino acids and one or more pyrophosphates are added to aqueous systems to inhibit corrosion.