diff --git a/updateHostsFile.py b/updateHostsFile.py
index 289191ee1..4d795e7ec 100644
--- a/updateHostsFile.py
+++ b/updateHostsFile.py
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ def remove_dups_and_excl(merge_file):
             keep_domain_comments=settings["keepdomaincomments"])
 
         for exclude in exclusions:
-            if exclude in line:
+            if re.search('[\s\.]' + re.escape(exclude) + '\s', line):
                 write_line = False
                 break