Index: python-updater
===================================================================
--- python-updater	(revision 15)
+++ python-updater	(working copy)
@@ -169,11 +169,12 @@
 for content in `find ${PKG_DBDIR} -name CONTENTS`; do
     # extract the category, package name and package version
     CATPKGVER=$(echo ${content} | sed "s:${PKG_DBDIR}/\(.*\)/CONTENTS:\1:")
+    CATPKG="${CATPKGVER%%-[0-9]*}"
 
     # exclude packages that are an exception, like portage and python itself.
     exception=0
     for exp in ${PKGS_EXCEPTIONS}; do
-    	if [ -n "$(echo ${CATPKGVER} | grep ${exp})" ]; then
+    	if [ -z "${CATPKG##${exp}}" ]; then
 			exception=1
 			break;
 		fi
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@
     # Check if package is in PKGS_MANUAL
     if [[ DIRECT_ONLY -ne 1 ]]; then
     	for pkg in ${PKGS_MANUAL}; do
-		if [ -n "$(echo ${CATPKGVER} | grep ${pkg})" ]; then
+		if [ -z "${CATPKG##${pkg}}" ]; then
 			exception=2
 			break;
 		fi
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@
 
     # replace version number by SLOT if IGNORE_VERSIONS != 0
     if [[ IGNORE_VERSIONS -ne 0 ]]; then
-	CATPKGVER="${CATPKGVER%%-[0-9]*}:${SLOT}"
+	CATPKGVER="${CATPKG}:${SLOT}"
     else
     	CATPKGVER="=${CATPKGVER}"
     fi