diff --git a/wikiteam3/dumpgenerator/cli/cli.py b/wikiteam3/dumpgenerator/cli/cli.py
index 37e34647..a2049422 100644
--- a/wikiteam3/dumpgenerator/cli/cli.py
+++ b/wikiteam3/dumpgenerator/cli/cli.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def getArgumentParser():
     group_download.add_argument(
         "--exnamespaces",
         metavar="1,2,3",
-        help="comma-separated value of namespaces to exclude",
+        help="[lack maintenance] comma-separated value of namespaces to exclude",
     )
     group_download.add_argument(
         "--images", action="store_true", help="Generates an image dump"
@@ -501,13 +501,14 @@ def sleep(self, response=None):
 
     # Process namespace exclusions
     if args.exnamespaces:
-        if re.search(r"[^\d, \-]", args.exnamespaces):
+        # if re.search(r"[^\d, \-]", args.exnamespaces):
+        if any([not i.isdigit() for i in args.exnamespaces.split(",")]):
             print(
                 "Invalid namespace values.\nValid format is integer(s) separated by commas"
             )
             sys.exit(1)
         else:
-            ns = re.sub(" ", "", args.exnamespaces)
+            ns = args.exnamespaces.replace(" ", "")
             if ns.lower() == "all":
                 print("You cannot exclude all namespaces.")
                 sys.exit(1)