diff --git a/catalyst/base/stagebase.py b/catalyst/base/stagebase.py
index 9d3841c..7c17470 100644
--- a/catalyst/base/stagebase.py
+++ b/catalyst/base/stagebase.py
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ class StageBase(TargetBase, ClearBase, GenBase):
 		self.decompressor = CompressMap(self.settings["decompress_definitions"],
 			env=self.env,
 			search_order=self.settings["decompressor_search_order"],
-			comp_prog=self.settings["comp_prog"])
+			comp_prog=self.settings["comp_prog"],
+			decomp_opt=self.settings["decomp_opt"])
 		self.accepted_extensions = self.decompressor.search_order_extensions(
 			self.settings["decompressor_search_order"])
 		log.notice("Source file specification matching setting is: %s",
@@ -690,6 +691,8 @@ class StageBase(TargetBase, ClearBase, GenBase):
 			'mode': None,
 			'auto-ext': False,
 			'other_options': self.settings["compressor_options"],
+			'comp_prog': self.settings["comp_prog"],
+			'decomp_opt': self.settings["decomp_opt"],
 			}
 
 		display_msg = (
@@ -1271,7 +1274,7 @@ class StageBase(TargetBase, ClearBase, GenBase):
 		if not self.compressor:
 			self.compressor = CompressMap(self.settings["compress_definitions"],
 				env=self.env, default_mode=self.settings['compression_mode'],
-				logger=log)
+				comp_prog=self.settings["comp_prog"],logger=log)
 
 		if "autoresume" in self.settings["options"] \
 			and self.resume.is_enabled("capture"):
diff --git a/catalyst/defaults.py b/catalyst/defaults.py
index 8b413f7..0bba6f4 100644
--- a/catalyst/defaults.py
+++ b/catalyst/defaults.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 
 import os
 
-from DeComp.definitions import DECOMPRESSOR_XATTR_SEARCH_ORDER
+from DeComp.definitions import DECOMPRESSOR_SEARCH_ORDER
 from DeComp.definitions import COMPRESSOR_PROGRAM_OPTIONS, XATTRS_OPTIONS
+from DeComp.definitions import DECOMPRESSOR_PROGRAM_OPTIONS, LIST_XATTRS_OPTIONS
 
 # Used for the (de)compressor definitions
 if os.uname()[0] in  ["Linux", "linux"]:
@@ -33,13 +34,15 @@ valid_config_file_values.extend([ "distcc", "envscript",
 confdefaults={
 	"archdir": "%(PythonDir)s/arch",
 	"comp_prog": COMPRESSOR_PROGRAM_OPTIONS[TAR],
-	"compression_mode": 'lbzip2_x',
+	"compression_mode": 'lbzip2',
 	"compressor_arch": None,
 	"compressor_options": XATTRS_OPTIONS[TAR],
-	"decompressor_search_order": DECOMPRESSOR_XATTR_SEARCH_ORDER,
+	"decomp_opt": DECOMPRESSOR_PROGRAM_OPTIONS[TAR],
+	"decompressor_search_order": DECOMPRESSOR_SEARCH_ORDER,
 	"distdir": "/usr/portage/distfiles",
 	"hash_function": "crc32",
 	"icecream": "/var/cache/icecream",
+	'list_xattrs_opt': LIST_XATTRS_OPTIONS[TAR],
 	"local_overlay": "/usr/local/portage",
 	"port_conf": "/etc/portage",
 	"make_conf": "%(port_conf)s/make.conf",
diff --git a/catalyst/main.py b/catalyst/main.py
index 7c6a5d8..51d2b04 100644
--- a/catalyst/main.py
+++ b/catalyst/main.py
@@ -330,7 +330,9 @@ def _main(parser, opts):
 
 	# initialize our contents generator
 	contents_map = ContentsMap(CONTENTS_DEFINITIONS,
-		comp_prog=conf_values['comp_prog'])
+		comp_prog=conf_values['comp_prog'],
+		decomp_opt=conf_values['decomp_opt'],
+		list_xattrs_opt=conf_values['list_xattrs_opt'])
 	conf_values["contents_map"] = contents_map
 
 	# initialze our hash and contents generators
diff --git a/catalyst/targets/snapshot.py b/catalyst/targets/snapshot.py
index dbc4b1c..3b6cc16 100644
--- a/catalyst/targets/snapshot.py
+++ b/catalyst/targets/snapshot.py
@@ -64,7 +64,8 @@ class snapshot(TargetBase, GenBase):
 
 		log.notice('Compressing Portage snapshot tarball ...')
 		compressor = CompressMap(self.settings["compress_definitions"],
-			env=self.env, default_mode=self.settings['compression_mode'])
+			env=self.env, default_mode=self.settings['compression_mode'],
+			comp_prog=self.settings["comp_prog"])
 		infodict = compressor.create_infodict(
 			source=self.settings["repo_name"],
 			destination=self.settings["snapshot_path"],