Index: pym/gentoolkit/eclean/exclude.py
===================================================================
--- pym/gentoolkit/eclean/exclude.py	(revision 766)
+++ pym/gentoolkit/eclean/exclude.py	(working copy)
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@
 			pkgname = cp.split('/')[1]
 			p.add(pkgname)
 	if 'packages' in exclude:
+		for cp in exclude['packages']:
 			pkgname = cp.split('/')[1]
 			p.add(pkgname)
 	if 'anti-packages' in exclude:
Index: pym/gentoolkit/eclean/cli.py
===================================================================
--- pym/gentoolkit/eclean/cli.py	(revision 766)
+++ pym/gentoolkit/eclean/cli.py	(working copy)
@@ -463,6 +463,11 @@
 		if options['verbose']:
 			options['verbose-output'] = output.einfo
 	# parse the exclusion file
+	if not 'exclude-file' in options:
+		# set it to the default exclude file if it exists
+		exclude_file = "/etc/%s/%s.exclude" % (__productname__ , action)
+		if os.path.isfile(exclude_file):
+			options['exclude-file'] = exclude_file
 	if 'exclude-file' in options:
 		try:
 			exclude = parseExcludeFile(options['exclude-file'],
@@ -475,10 +480,7 @@
 				"See format of this file in `man %s`" % __productname__), file=sys.stderr)
 			sys.exit(1)
 	else:
-		exclude_file = "/etc/%s/%s.exclude" % (__productname__ , action)
-		if os.path.isfile(exclude_file):
-			options['exclude-file'] = exclude_file
-		exclude={}
+			exclude = {}
 	# security check for non-pretend mode
 	if not options['pretend'] and portage.secpass == 0:
 		print( pp.error(