diff --git a/datman/src/commands/backup.rs b/datman/src/commands/backup.rs
index 1d5fbe7..e701445 100644
--- a/datman/src/commands/backup.rs
+++ b/datman/src/commands/backup.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, bail};
 use arc_interner::ArcIntern;
 use chrono::{DateTime, NaiveDateTime, TimeZone, Utc};
 use log::{info, warn};
-use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashMap, HashSet};
+use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 use std::fmt::Debug;
 use std::io::Write;
 use std::path::Path;
@@ -151,15 +151,18 @@ pub fn backup_source_to_destination<PT: ProgressTracker>(
             cross_filesystems,
         } => {
             info!("Looking to backup {} to {}", source_name, dest_name);
+            let rules = load_labelling_rules(desc_path, source_name)?;
+            let exclusions = rules.get_exclusions_set(directory);
+
             info!("Scanning.");
-            let tree = scan(directory, !*cross_filesystems, &BTreeSet::new())?
+            let tree = scan(directory, !*cross_filesystems, &exclusions)?
                 .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Source does not exist."))?;
 
             let absolute_source_path = desc_path.join(directory);
             let absolute_dest_path = desc_path.join(&dest.path);
             let pile_descriptor = load_pile_descriptor(&absolute_dest_path)?;
             let pile = open_pile(&absolute_dest_path, &pile_descriptor)?;
-            let rules = load_labelling_rules(desc_path, source_name)?;
+
             let root = if let Some(root) =
                 label_filter_and_convert(tree, descriptor, source_name, &rules, dest)?
             {
diff --git a/datman/src/labelling.rs b/datman/src/labelling.rs
index 7360ea5..28e4a4b 100644
--- a/datman/src/labelling.rs
+++ b/datman/src/labelling.rs
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 along with Yama.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 */
 
-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashMap};
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Write};
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use anyhow::Context;
@@ -222,6 +222,23 @@ impl LabellingRules {
         }
         None
     }
+
+    pub fn get_exclusions_set(&self, base: &Path) -> BTreeSet<PathBuf> {
+        let mut exclusions = BTreeSet::new();
+
+        for (ext_path, state) in &self.position_based_rules {
+            assert!(ext_path.is_empty() || ext_path.starts_with('/'));
+            let full_path = PathBuf::from(format!(
+                "{}{ext_path}",
+                base.to_str().expect("base path must always be utf-8")
+            ));
+            if state == &Excluded {
+                exclusions.insert(full_path);
+            }
+        }
+
+        exclusions
+    }
 }
 
 /// Uninteractively label the nodes.