diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
index 61643bb2..c748f16e 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/App.py
@@ -652,19 +652,14 @@ class App(Base):
 
     def is_excluded_from_build(self, project: str) -> str | None:
         log(DEBUG, 'checking if project ' + project + ' is excluded from build')
-        exclude = self.get_project_refs(
-            [project],
-            ['build'],
-            'exclude',
-            scope = Scope.One,
-            add_self = False,
-            names_only = True,
-        )
+        exclude = self.get_value(project, 'build', 'exclude')
+        if exclude is None:
+            return None
+        exclude_arr = re.split(r'[, ]+', exclude)
         cascade = self.distro.os_cascade + ['all']
-        for p1 in exclude:
-            for p2 in cascade:
-                if p1 == p2:
-                    return p1
+        intersection = [x for x in cascade if x in set(exclude_arr)]
+        if intersection:
+            return ', '.join(intersection)
         return None
 
     def find_circular_deps(self, projects: list[str], flavours: list[str]) -> bool: