diff --git a/bin/v-backup-user b/bin/v-backup-user
index 2797c1322..f9fcf6f53 100755
--- a/bin/v-backup-user
+++ b/bin/v-backup-user
@@ -460,11 +460,15 @@ if [ "$USER" != '*' ]; then
     fi
     fargs=()
     for xpath in $(echo "$USER" |tr ',' '\n'); do
-        fargs+=(-not)
-        fargs+=(-path)
-        fargs+=("./$xpath*")
-        echo "$(date "+%F %T") excluding directory $xpath" |\
+        if [ -d "$xpath" ]; then
+            fargs+=(--exclude=$xpath/*)
+            echo "$(date "+%F %T") excluding directory $xpath" |\
             tee -a $BACKUP/$user.log
+        else
+            echo "$(date "+%F %T") excluding file $xpath" |\
+            tee -a $BACKUP/$user.log
+            fargs+=(--exclude=$xpath)
+        fi
     done
 
     IFS=$'\n'
@@ -479,7 +483,7 @@ if [ "$USER" != '*' ]; then
             echo -e "$(date "+%F %T") adding $udir" |tee -a $BACKUP/$user.log
 
             # Backup files and dirs
-            tar -cpf- $udir |gzip -$BACKUP_GZIP - > $tmpdir/user_dir/$udir.tar.gz
+            tar --anchored -cpf- ${fargs[@]} $udir |gzip -$BACKUP_GZIP - > $tmpdir/user_dir/$udir.tar.gz
         fi
     done
     set +f