diff --git a/workflows/treeval_rapid.nf b/workflows/treeval_rapid.nf
index 05032b95..0771a72d 100755
--- a/workflows/treeval_rapid.nf
+++ b/workflows/treeval_rapid.nf
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ workflow TREEVAL_RAPID {
     main:
     ch_versions     = Channel.empty()
 
-    exclude_workflow_steps  = params.steps ? params.steps.split(",") : ""
+    exclude_workflow_steps  = params.steps ? params.steps.split(",") : "NONE"
 
-    full_list       = ["insilico_digest", "gene_alignments", "repeat_density", "gap_finder", "selfcomp", "synteny", "read_coverage", "telo_finder", "busco", "kmer", "hic_mapping", ""]
+    full_list       = ["insilico_digest", "gene_alignments", "repeat_density", "gap_finder", "selfcomp", "synteny", "read_coverage", "telo_finder", "busco", "kmer", "hic_mapping", "NONE"]
 
     if (!full_list.containsAll(exclude_workflow_steps)) {
         exit 1, "There is an extra argument given on Command Line: \n Check contents of --exclude: $exclude_workflow_steps\nMaster list is: $full_list"
diff --git a/workflows/treeval_rapid_tol.nf b/workflows/treeval_rapid_tol.nf
index 7fa7dcf9..4929fd16 100755
--- a/workflows/treeval_rapid_tol.nf
+++ b/workflows/treeval_rapid_tol.nf
@@ -53,9 +53,9 @@ workflow TREEVAL_RAPID_TOL {
     main:
     ch_versions     = Channel.empty()
 
-    exclude_workflow_steps  = params.exclude ? params.exclude.split(",") : ""
+    exclude_workflow_steps  = params.exclude ? params.exclude.split(",") : "NONE"
 
-    full_list       = ["insilico_digest", "gene_alignments", "repeat_density", "gap_finder", "selfcomp", "synteny", "read_coverage", "telo_finder", "busco", "kmer", "hic_mapping", ""]
+    full_list       = ["insilico_digest", "gene_alignments", "repeat_density", "gap_finder", "selfcomp", "synteny", "read_coverage", "telo_finder", "busco", "kmer", "hic_mapping", "NONE"]
 
     if (!full_list.containsAll(exclude_workflow_steps)) {
         exit 1, "There is an extra argument given on Command Line: \n Check contents of --exclude: $exclude_workflow_steps\nMaster list is: $full_list"