diff --git a/Shorewall-common/lib.dynamiczones b/Shorewall-common/lib.dynamiczones
index 92a0872f6..dba54077e 100644
--- a/Shorewall-common/lib.dynamiczones
+++ b/Shorewall-common/lib.dynamiczones
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ delete_from_zone() # $1 = <interface>[:<hosts>] $2 = zone
 			[ "$z2" = "$zone" ] && dest_hosts="$dest_hosts $hostlist"
 
 			for h in $dest_hosts; do
+			    [ "$h" = exclude ] && break;
 			    iface=${h%%:*}
 			    iface=${iface#+}
 			    hosts=${h#*:}
@@ -392,6 +393,7 @@ delete_from_zone() # $1 = <interface>[:<hosts>] $2 = zone
 		    eval source_hosts=\"\$${z1}_hosts\"
 
 		    for h in $source_hosts; do
+			[ "$h" = exclude ] && break;
 			iface=${h%%:*}
 			iface=${iface#+}
 			hosts=${h#*:}