diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 24ac67f0..134ca141 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='wrfhydropy',
-    version='0.0.3dev0',
+    version='0.0.4',
     packages=find_packages(),
     package_data={'wrfhydropy': ['core/data/*']},
     url='https://github.com/NCAR/wrf_hydro_py',
diff --git a/wrfhydropy/core/utilities.py b/wrfhydropy/core/utilities.py
index f44bda19..0d636d34 100644
--- a/wrfhydropy/core/utilities.py
+++ b/wrfhydropy/core/utilities.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def compare_nc_nccmp(candidate_nc: str,
         # Convert exclude_vars list into a comman separated string
         exclude_vars = ','.join(exclude_vars)
         #append
-        command_list.append('-x ' + exclude_vars)
+        command_list = command_list + ['-x'] + [exclude_vars]
 
     command_list.append(candidate_nc)
     command_list.append(reference_nc)