diff --git a/file_list.py b/file_list.py
index ad66402..cd0d48e 100755
--- a/file_list.py
+++ b/file_list.py
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ def get_md5(filename):
     return hashlib.md5(open(filename,'rb').read(1024*1024*50)).hexdigest()
 
 def clean_dirs(dirs):
-    for s in BADDIRS:
-        if s in dirs:
+    for s in dirs[:]:
+        if (s in BADDIRS) or (s.startswith(".")):
             dirs.remove(s)
     return dirs
 
diff --git a/image_list.py b/image_list.py
index 3aa0b31..e3d9a38 100755
--- a/image_list.py
+++ b/image_list.py
@@ -275,16 +275,13 @@ def searchdb(sqlfile,needle):
     return flist
 
 def clean_dirs(dirs):
-    for s in dirs:
-        if s.startswith("."):
-            dirs.remove(s)
-            continue
-        if s in BADDIRS:
+    for s in dirs[:]:
+        if (s in BADDIRS) or (s.startswith(".")):
             dirs.remove(s)
     return dirs
 
 def clean_syms(files):
-    for f in files:
+    for f in files[:]:
         if os.path.islink(f):
             files.remove(f)
     return files