diff --git a/command/build_test.go b/command/build_test.go
index 5e56d81f1..648ffdfe5 100644
--- a/command/build_test.go
+++ b/command/build_test.go
@@ -37,6 +37,10 @@ func TestBuildOnlyFileCommaFlags(t *testing.T) {
 	if fileExists("cherry.txt") {
 		t.Error("Expected NOT to find cherry.txt")
 	}
+
+	if !fileExists("tomato.txt") {
+		t.Error("Expected to find tomato.txt")
+	}
 }
 
 func TestBuildStdin(t *testing.T) {
@@ -114,12 +118,12 @@ func TestBuildExceptFileCommaFlags(t *testing.T) {
 		fatalCommand(t, c.Meta)
 	}
 
-	for _, f := range []string{"chocolate.txt", "apple.txt", "peach.txt"} {
+	for _, f := range []string{"chocolate.txt", "apple.txt"} {
 		if fileExists(f) {
 			t.Errorf("Expected NOT to find %s", f)
 		}
 	}
-	for _, f := range []string{"vanilla.txt", "cherry.txt", "pear.txt"} {
+	for _, f := range []string{"vanilla.txt", "cherry.txt", "pear.txt", "peach.txt"} {
 		if !fileExists(f) {
 			t.Errorf("Expected to find %s", f)
 		}
@@ -169,4 +173,5 @@ func cleanup() {
 	os.RemoveAll("apple.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("peach.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("pear.txt")
+	os.RemoveAll("tomato.txt")
 }
diff --git a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
index af09b6cbf..9ca20adca 100644
--- a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
+++ b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@
                 "type": "shell-local",
                 "inline": [ "touch pear.txt" ]
             }
+        ],
+        [
+            {
+                "only": [
+                    "vanilla"
+                ],
+                "name": "tomato",
+                "type": "shell-local",
+                "inline": [ "touch tomato.txt" ]
+            }
         ]
     ]
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packer/core.go b/packer/core.go
index feec80d24..d62d85564 100644
--- a/packer/core.go
+++ b/packer/core.go
@@ -181,12 +181,15 @@ func (c *Core) Build(n string) (Build, error) {
 		current := make([]coreBuildPostProcessor, 0, len(rawPs))
 		for _, rawP := range rawPs {
 			// If we skip, ignore
-			rawP.OnlyExcept.Except = append(rawP.OnlyExcept.Except, c.except...)
-			if rawP.OnlyExcept.Skip(rawName) {
-				continue
+			foundExcept := false
+			excepts := append(rawP.OnlyExcept.Except, c.except...)
+			for _, except := range excepts {
+				if except == rawName || except == rawP.Name {
+					foundExcept = true
+				}
 			}
-			if rawP.OnlyExcept.Skip(rawP.Name) {
-				break
+			if foundExcept {
+				continue
 			}
 
 			// Get the post-processor