diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
index e442a7b67..5687ce8a0 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Actions.pm
@@ -792,8 +792,6 @@ sub process_actions3 () {
 	$level = '' unless defined $level;
 	$tag   = '' unless defined $tag;
 
-	$level =~ s/!$//;
-
 	if ( $targets{$action} & BUILTIN ) {
 	    $level = '' if $level =~ /none!?/;
 	    $builtinops{$action}->($chainref, $level, $tag);