diff --git a/pkg/compiler/artifact.go b/pkg/compiler/artifact.go
index 92cfbaa3..42b09eb8 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/artifact.go
+++ b/pkg/compiler/artifact.go
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ func worker(i int, wg *sync.WaitGroup, s <-chan CopyJob) {
 }
 
 // ExtractArtifactFromDelta extracts deltas from ArtifactLayer from an image in tar format
-func ExtractArtifactFromDelta(src, dst string, layers []ArtifactLayer, concurrency int, keepPerms bool, includes []string, t CompressionImplementation) (Artifact, error) {
+func ExtractArtifactFromDelta(src, dst string, layers []ArtifactLayer, concurrency int, keepPerms bool, includes []string, excludes []string, t CompressionImplementation) (Artifact, error) {
 
 	archive, err := LuetCfg.GetSystem().TempDir("archive")
 	if err != nil {
@@ -546,7 +546,8 @@ func ExtractArtifactFromDelta(src, dst string, layers []ArtifactLayer, concurren
 	}
 
 	// Handle includes in spec. If specified they filter what gets in the package
-	if len(includes) > 0 {
+
+	if len(includes) > 0 && len(excludes) == 0 {
 		var includeRegexp []*regexp.Regexp
 		for _, i := range includes {
 			r, e := regexp.Compile(i)
@@ -574,6 +575,81 @@ func ExtractArtifactFromDelta(src, dst string, layers []ArtifactLayer, concurren
 				Debug("File ", a.Name, " deleted")
 			}
 		}
+
+	} else if len(includes) == 0 && len(excludes) != 0 {
+		var excludeRegexp []*regexp.Regexp
+		for _, i := range excludes {
+			r, e := regexp.Compile(i)
+			if e != nil {
+				Warning("Failed compiling regex:", e)
+				continue
+			}
+			excludeRegexp = append(excludeRegexp, r)
+		}
+		for _, l := range layers {
+			// Consider d.Additions (and d.Changes? - warn at least) only
+		ADD:
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Additions {
+				for _, i := range excludeRegexp {
+					if i.MatchString(a.Name) {
+						continue ADD
+					}
+				}
+				toCopy <- CopyJob{Src: filepath.Join(src, a.Name), Dst: filepath.Join(archive, a.Name), Artifact: a.Name}
+			}
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Changes {
+				Debug("File ", a.Name, " changed")
+			}
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Deletions {
+				Debug("File ", a.Name, " deleted")
+			}
+		}
+
+	} else if len(includes) != 0 && len(excludes) != 0 {
+
+		var includeRegexp []*regexp.Regexp
+		for _, i := range includes {
+			r, e := regexp.Compile(i)
+			if e != nil {
+				Warning("Failed compiling regex:", e)
+				continue
+			}
+			includeRegexp = append(includeRegexp, r)
+		}
+		var excludeRegexp []*regexp.Regexp
+		for _, i := range excludes {
+			r, e := regexp.Compile(i)
+			if e != nil {
+				Warning("Failed compiling regex:", e)
+				continue
+			}
+			excludeRegexp = append(excludeRegexp, r)
+		}
+
+		for _, l := range layers {
+			// Consider d.Additions (and d.Changes? - warn at least) only
+		EXCLUDES:
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Additions {
+				for _, i := range includeRegexp {
+					if i.MatchString(a.Name) {
+						for _, e := range excludeRegexp {
+							if e.MatchString(a.Name) {
+								continue EXCLUDES
+							}
+						}
+						toCopy <- CopyJob{Src: filepath.Join(src, a.Name), Dst: filepath.Join(archive, a.Name), Artifact: a.Name}
+						continue EXCLUDES
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Changes {
+				Debug("File ", a.Name, " changed")
+			}
+			for _, a := range l.Diffs.Deletions {
+				Debug("File ", a.Name, " deleted")
+			}
+		}
+
 	} else {
 		// Otherwise just grab all
 		for _, l := range layers {
diff --git a/pkg/compiler/artifact_test.go b/pkg/compiler/artifact_test.go
index 3dae63e4..39fbdebf 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/artifact_test.go
+++ b/pkg/compiler/artifact_test.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ RUN echo bar > /test2`))
 			err = b.ExtractRootfs(CompilerBackendOptions{SourcePath: filepath.Join(tmpdir, "output2.tar"), Destination: rootfs}, false)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 
-			artifact, err := ExtractArtifactFromDelta(rootfs, filepath.Join(tmpdir, "package.tar"), diffs, 2, false, []string{}, None)
+			artifact, err := ExtractArtifactFromDelta(rootfs, filepath.Join(tmpdir, "package.tar"), diffs, 2, false, []string{}, []string{}, None)
 			Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 			Expect(helpers.Exists(filepath.Join(tmpdir, "package.tar"))).To(BeTrue())
 			err = helpers.Untar(artifact.GetPath(), unpacked, false)
diff --git a/pkg/compiler/compiler.go b/pkg/compiler/compiler.go
index 635abefb..5a3dce55 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/compiler.go
+++ b/pkg/compiler/compiler.go
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (cs *LuetCompiler) CompileParallel(keepPermissions bool, ps CompilationSpec
 	return artifacts, allErrors
 }
 
-func (cs *LuetCompiler) stripIncludesFromRootfs(includes []string, rootfs string) error {
+func (cs *LuetCompiler) stripFromRootfs(includes []string, rootfs string, include bool) error {
 	var includeRegexp []*regexp.Regexp
 	for _, i := range includes {
 		r, e := regexp.Compile(i)
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ func (cs *LuetCompiler) stripIncludesFromRootfs(includes []string, rootfs string
 			}
 		}
 
-		if !match {
+		if include && !match || !include && match {
 			toRemove = append(toRemove, currentpath)
 		}
 
@@ -421,7 +421,11 @@ func (cs *LuetCompiler) compileWithImage(image, buildertaggedImage, packageImage
 
 		if len(p.GetIncludes()) > 0 {
 			// strip from includes
-			cs.stripIncludesFromRootfs(p.GetIncludes(), rootfs)
+			cs.stripFromRootfs(p.GetIncludes(), rootfs, true)
+		}
+		if len(p.GetExcludes()) > 0 {
+			// strip from includes
+			cs.stripFromRootfs(p.GetExcludes(), rootfs, false)
 		}
 		artifact = NewPackageArtifact(p.Rel(p.GetPackage().GetFingerPrint() + ".package.tar"))
 		artifact.SetCompressionType(cs.CompressionType)
@@ -438,7 +442,7 @@ func (cs *LuetCompiler) compileWithImage(image, buildertaggedImage, packageImage
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Could not generate changes from layers")
 		}
-		artifact, err = ExtractArtifactFromDelta(rootfs, p.Rel(p.GetPackage().GetFingerPrint()+".package.tar"), diffs, concurrency, keepPermissions, p.GetIncludes(), cs.CompressionType)
+		artifact, err = ExtractArtifactFromDelta(rootfs, p.Rel(p.GetPackage().GetFingerPrint()+".package.tar"), diffs, concurrency, keepPermissions, p.GetIncludes(), p.GetExcludes(), cs.CompressionType)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "Could not generate deltas")
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/compiler/interface.go b/pkg/compiler/interface.go
index 777b2916..e80a21ae 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/interface.go
+++ b/pkg/compiler/interface.go
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ type ArtifactLayersSummary struct {
 type CompilationSpec interface {
 	ImageUnpack() bool // tells if the definition is just an image
 	GetIncludes() []string
+	GetExcludes() []string
 
 	RenderBuildImage() (string, error)
 	WriteBuildImageDefinition(string) error
diff --git a/pkg/compiler/spec.go b/pkg/compiler/spec.go
index 47e3e830..30496eed 100644
--- a/pkg/compiler/spec.go
+++ b/pkg/compiler/spec.go
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ type LuetCompilationSpec struct {
 	OutputPath string   `json:"-"` // Where the build processfiles go
 	Unpack     bool     `json:"unpack"`
 	Includes   []string `json:"includes"`
+	Excludes   []string `json:"excludes"`
 }
 
 func NewLuetCompilationSpec(b []byte, p pkg.Package) (CompilationSpec, error) {
@@ -148,6 +149,10 @@ func (cs *LuetCompilationSpec) GetIncludes() []string {
 	return cs.Includes
 }
 
+func (cs *LuetCompilationSpec) GetExcludes() []string {
+	return cs.Excludes
+}
+
 func (cs *LuetCompilationSpec) GetRetrieve() []string {
 	return cs.Retrieve
 }