diff --git a/src/exclist.c b/src/exclist.c
index 297e27a..0000073 100644
--- a/src/exclist.c
+++ b/src/exclist.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ info_attach_exclist (struct tar_stat_info *dir)
 	  ent = xmalloc (sizeof (*ent));
 	  ent->excluded = ex;
 	  ent->flags = file->flags == EXCL_DEFAULT
-	               ? file->flags : vcsfile->flags;
+	               ? vcsfile->flags : file->flags;
 	  ent->prev = tail;
 	  ent->next = NULL;