diff --git a/mkstage4.sh b/mkstage4.sh
index 4245a91..6b37ef5 100755
--- a/mkstage4.sh
+++ b/mkstage4.sh
@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ then
 fi
 
 # determines if filename was given with relative or absolute path
-if [ "`echo $ARCHIVE | grep -c '\/'`" -gt "0" ] && \
-[ "`echo $ARCHIVE | grep -c '^\/'`" -gt "0" ]
+if [ "`echo $ARCHIVE | grep -c '^\/'`" -gt "0" ]
 then
   STAGE4_FILENAME="${ARCHIVE}.tar.bz2"
 else
@@ -79,20 +78,23 @@ shift;OPTIONS="$@"
 
 # Excludes:
 EXCLUDES="\
+--exclude=.bash_history \
+--exclude=dev/* \
+--exclude=lost+found \
+--exclude=media/* \
+--exclude=mnt/*/* \
 --exclude=proc/* \
+--exclude=run/* \
 --exclude=sys/* \
 --exclude=tmp/* \
---exclude=mnt/*/* \
+--exclude=usr/portage/* \
 --exclude=var/lock/* \
 --exclude=var/log/* \
---exclude=var/run/* \
---exclude=.bash_history \
---exclude=lost+found \
---exclude=usr/portage/*"
+--exclude=var/run/*"
 
 if [ "$TARGET" == "/" ]
 then
-  EXCLUDES+=" --exclude=$STAGE4_FILENAME"
+  EXCLUDES+=" --exclude=${STAGE4_FILENAME#/}"
 fi
 
 if [ ${EXCLUDE_CONNMAN} -eq 1 ]