diff --git a/backups/rsyncvolumes/plan.py b/backups/rsyncvolumes/plan.py
index d62d6cc..473f1ae 100644
--- a/backups/rsyncvolumes/plan.py
+++ b/backups/rsyncvolumes/plan.py
@@ -27,15 +27,18 @@ zippath = DEST + zipname
 
 # Zip files
 
-EXCLUDE_WORDS = environ.get('EXCLUDE_WORDS', '')
-EXCLUDE_WORDS = EXCLUDE_WORDS.split(',')
+EXCLUDE_WORDS = environ.get('EXCLUDE_WORDS', False)
+if EXCLUDE_WORDS:
+    EXCLUDE_WORDS = EXCLUDE_WORDS.split(',')
 
 def zipdir(path, ziph):
     # ziph is zipfile handle
     for root, dirs, files in walk(path):
         for file in files:
             pfile = osjoin(root, file)
-            if isfile(pfile) and all(map(lambda w: w not in pfile, EXCLUDE_WORDS)):
+            if (isfile(pfile)
+                    and EXCLUDE_WORDS
+                    and all(map(lambda w: w not in pfile, EXCLUDE_WORDS))):
                 ziph.write(pfile)
 
 print('Compression started')