diff --git a/command/build_test.go b/command/build_test.go
index 418f95724..f5e8d5a74 100644
--- a/command/build_test.go
+++ b/command/build_test.go
@@ -379,23 +379,23 @@ func TestBuildExceptFileCommaFlags(t *testing.T) {
 			name: "JSON: except build and post-processor",
 			args: []string{
 				"-parallel-builds=1",
-				"-except=chocolate,vanilla,pear",
+				"-except=chocolate,vanilla,tomato",
 				filepath.Join(testFixture("build-only"), "template.json"),
 			},
 			expectedFiles:            []string{"apple.txt", "cherry.txt", "peach.txt"},
 			buildNotExpectedFiles:    []string{"chocolate.txt", "vanilla.txt", "tomato.txt", "unnamed.txt"},
-			postProcNotExpectedFiles: []string{"pear.txt"},
+			postProcNotExpectedFiles: []string{"pear.txt, banana.txt"},
 		},
 		{
 			name: "HCL2: except build and post-processor",
 			args: []string{
 				"-parallel-builds=1",
-				"-except=file.chocolate,file.vanilla,pear",
+				"-except=file.chocolate,file.vanilla,tomato",
 				filepath.Join(testFixture("build-only"), "template.pkr.hcl"),
 			},
 			expectedFiles:            []string{"apple.txt", "cherry.txt", "peach.txt"},
 			buildNotExpectedFiles:    []string{"chocolate.txt", "vanilla.txt", "tomato.txt", "unnamed.txt"},
-			postProcNotExpectedFiles: []string{"pear.txt"},
+			postProcNotExpectedFiles: []string{"pear.txt, banana.txt"},
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -637,6 +637,7 @@ func cleanup(moreFiles ...string) {
 	os.RemoveAll("cherry.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("apple.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("peach.txt")
+	os.RemoveAll("banana.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("pear.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("tomato.txt")
 	os.RemoveAll("unnamed.txt")
diff --git a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
index d00f4e516..03982a1e9 100644
--- a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
+++ b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.json
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@
                 "name": "pear",
                 "type": "shell-local",
                 "inline": [ "echo pear > pear.txt" ]
+            },
+            {
+                "name": "banana",
+                "type": "shell-local",
+                "inline": [ "echo pear > banana.txt" ]
             }
         ],
         [
diff --git a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.pkr.hcl b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.pkr.hcl
index 12ddef71a..408579991 100644
--- a/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.pkr.hcl
+++ b/command/test-fixtures/build-only/template.pkr.hcl
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ build {
     inline = [ "echo apple > pear.txt" ]
   }
 
+  post-processor "shell-local" {
+    name = "banana"
+    inline = [ "echo apple > banana.txt" ]
+  }
+
   post-processor "shell-local" {
     only = ["vanilla"]
     name = "tomato"
diff --git a/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.json b/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.json
index 0dcbe1446..74e1f3f98 100644
--- a/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.json
+++ b/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.json
@@ -1,26 +1,39 @@
 {
-  "builders":[
+  "builders": [
     {
       "name": "chocolate",
-      "type":"file",
-      "target":"chocolate.txt",
-      "content":"chocolate"
+      "type": "file",
+      "target": "chocolate.txt",
+      "content": "chocolate"
     },
     {
-      "type":"file",
+      "type": "file",
       "name": "vanilla"
     }
   ],
   "post-processors": [
-    {
-      "name": "apple",
-      "type": "shell-local",
-      "inline": [ "echo apple 'hello'" ]
-    },
-    {
-      "name": "pear",
-      "type": "shell-local"
-    }
+    [
+      {
+        "name": "apple",
+        "type": "shell-local",
+        "inline": [
+          "echo apple 'apple'"
+        ]
+      }
+    ],
+    [
+      {
+        "name": "pear",
+        "type": "shell-local",
+        "inline": [
+          "echo apple 'pear'"
+        ]
+      },
+      {
+        "name": "banana",
+        "type": "shell-local"
+      }
+    ]
   ],
-  "min_packer_version":"101.0.0"
+  "min_packer_version": "101.0.0"
 }
diff --git a/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.pkr.hcl b/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.pkr.hcl
index 1ffd76dc4..4be7e35c9 100644
--- a/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.pkr.hcl
+++ b/command/test-fixtures/validate/validate_except.pkr.hcl
@@ -14,10 +14,15 @@ build {
 
   post-processor "shell-local" {
     name = "apple"
-    inline = [ "echo apple 'hello'" ]
+    inline = [ "echo apple 'apple'" ]
   }
 
   post-processor "shell-local" {
     name = "pear"
+    inline = [ "echo apple 'pear'" ]
+  }
+
+  post-processor "shell-local" {
+    name = "banana"
   }
 }
diff --git a/command/validate_test.go b/command/validate_test.go
index 0c14e3e2b..5dfbd97a9 100644
--- a/command/validate_test.go
+++ b/command/validate_test.go
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ func TestValidateCommandExcept(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, tc := range tt {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			defer cleanup()
+
 			tc := tc
 			if code := c.Run(tc.args); code != tc.exitCode {
 				fatalCommand(t, c.Meta)
diff --git a/hcl2template/types.packer_config.go b/hcl2template/types.packer_config.go
index 9a999a62b..5f1604958 100644
--- a/hcl2template/types.packer_config.go
+++ b/hcl2template/types.packer_config.go
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ func (cfg *PackerConfig) getCoreBuildPostProcessors(source SourceBlock, blocks [
 			}
 		}
 		if exclude {
-			continue
+			break
 		}
 
 		postProcessor, moreDiags := cfg.startPostProcessor(source, ppb, ectx, generatedVars)
diff --git a/packer/core.go b/packer/core.go
index 8f60c0b23..1198cc341 100644
--- a/packer/core.go
+++ b/packer/core.go
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ func (c *Core) Build(n string) (Build, error) {
 				}
 			}
 			if foundExcept {
-				continue
+				break
 			}
 
 			// Get the post-processor