diff --git a/cmdline/elem.c b/cmdline/elem.c
index 6a0ed1d1..fba4b4d8 100644
--- a/cmdline/elem.c
+++ b/cmdline/elem.c
@@ -349,31 +349,54 @@ int filter_correctness(int filter_error, tommy_arrayblkof* infoarr, struct snapr
 	return 1;
 }
 
-int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* path)
+int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* mount_point, size_t mount_point_len, const char* sub, size_t sub_len, const char* name)
 {
 	tommy_node* i;
 
+	size_t name_len = strlen(name);
+
 	for (i = tommy_list_head(contentlist); i != 0; i = i->next) {
 		struct snapraid_content* content = i->data;
-		char tmp[PATH_MAX];
 
-		if (pathcmp(content->content, path) == 0)
+		/* if the mount point doesn't match, it's a different disk */
+		if (pathncmp(content->content, mount_point, mount_point_len) != 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* if the sub dir doesn't match, it's a different dir */
+		if (pathncmp(content->content + mount_point_len, sub, sub_len) != 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* if the name doesn't match, it's a different name */
+		if (pathncmp(content->content + mount_point_len + sub_len, name, name_len) != 0)
+			continue;
+
+		/* remaining part */
+		const char* postfix = content->content + mount_point_len + sub_len + name_len;
+
+		/* if it's an exact match */
+		if (*postfix == 0)
 			return -1;
 
 		/* exclude also the ".tmp" copy used to save it */
-		pathprint(tmp, sizeof(tmp), "%s.tmp", content->content);
-		if (pathcmp(tmp, path) == 0)
+		if (pathcmp(postfix, ".tmp") == 0)
 			return -1;
 
 		/* exclude also the ".lock" file */
-		pathprint(tmp, sizeof(tmp), "%s.lock", content->content);
-		if (pathcmp(tmp, path) == 0)
+		if (pathcmp(postfix, ".lock") == 0)
 			return -1;
 	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int filter_snapshot(const char* sub, const char* name)
+{
+	if (*sub == 0 && pathcmp(name, SNAPSHOT_CONTAINER) == 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 struct snapraid_file* file_alloc(unsigned block_size, const char* sub, data_off_t size, uint64_t mtime_sec, int mtime_nsec, uint64_t inode, uint64_t physical)
 {
 	struct snapraid_file* file;
diff --git a/cmdline/elem.h b/cmdline/elem.h
index 3257ee0b..2e7fbb6c 100644
--- a/cmdline/elem.h
+++ b/cmdline/elem.h
@@ -632,7 +632,13 @@ int filter_emptydir(tommy_list* filterlist, struct snapraid_filter** reason, con
  * Filter a path if it's a content file.
  * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
  */
-int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* path);
+int filter_content(tommy_list* contentlist, const char* mount_point, size_t mount_point_len, const char* sub, size_t sub_len, const char* name);
+
+/**
+ * Filter a path that is in a snapshot
+ * Return !=0 if should be excluded.
+ */
+int filter_snapshot(const char* sub, const char* name);
 
 /**
  * Check if the specified hash is invalid.
diff --git a/cmdline/portable.h b/cmdline/portable.h
index 7753f495..a1ba71b0 100644
--- a/cmdline/portable.h
+++ b/cmdline/portable.h
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ int fsinfo(const char* path, int* has_persistent_inode, int* has_syncronized_har
 #define SNAPSHOT_PENDING "pending"
 #define SNAPSHOT_STABLE "stable"
 
-/**
+/*
  * Snapshots context
  */
 struct fssnapshot_struct {
diff --git a/cmdline/scan.c b/cmdline/scan.c
index 78e96001..5af145be 100644
--- a/cmdline/scan.c
+++ b/cmdline/scan.c
@@ -1329,9 +1329,11 @@ static int scan_sub(struct snapraid_scan* scan, int level, int is_diff, char* pa
 	DIR* d;
 	tommy_list list;
 	tommy_node* node;
+	size_t mount_point_len;
 	size_t path_len;
 	size_t sub_len;
 
+	mount_point_len = strlen(disk->mount_point);
 	path_len = strlen(path_next);
 	sub_len = strlen(sub_next);
 
@@ -1404,11 +1406,17 @@ static int scan_sub(struct snapraid_scan* scan, int level, int is_diff, char* pa
 		}
 
 		/* exclude content files even before calling lstat() */
-		if (filter_content(&state->contentlist, path_next) != 0) {
+		if (filter_content(&state->contentlist, disk->mount_point, mount_point_len, sub_next, sub_len, name) != 0) {
 			msg_verbose("Excluding content '%s'\n", path_next);
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		/* exclude snapshot container even before calling lstat() */
+		if (filter_snapshot(sub_next, name) != 0) {
+			msg_verbose("Excluding snapshots directory '%s'\n", path_next);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		name_len = strlen(dd->d_name);
 		entry = malloc_nofail(sizeof(struct dirent_sorted) + name_len + 1);
 
diff --git a/cmdline/search.c b/cmdline/search.c
index 48aa5770..49a4c80e 100644
--- a/cmdline/search.c
+++ b/cmdline/search.c
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ static void search_dir(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_disk* disk,
 {
 	DIR* d;
 
+	size_t mount_point_len = disk != 0 ? strlen(disk->mount_point) : 0;
+	size_t sub_len = strlen(sub);
+
 	d = opendir(dir);
 	if (!d) {
 		/* LCOV_EXCL_START */
@@ -183,11 +186,17 @@ static void search_dir(struct snapraid_state* state, struct snapraid_disk* disk,
 		}
 
 		/* exclude content files even before calling lstat() */
-		if (disk != 0 && filter_content(&state->contentlist, path_next) != 0) {
+		if (disk != 0 && filter_content(&state->contentlist, disk->mount_point, mount_point_len, sub, sub_len, name) != 0) {
 			msg_verbose("Excluding content '%s'\n", path_next);
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		/* exclude snapshot container even before calling lstat() */
+		if (disk != 0 && filter_snapshot(sub, name) != 0) {
+			msg_verbose("Excluding snapshots directory '%s'\n", path_next);
+			continue;
+		}
+
 #if HAVE_STRUCT_DIRENT_D_STAT
 		/* convert dirent to lstat result */
 		dirent_lstat(dd, &st);
diff --git a/cmdline/support.c b/cmdline/support.c
index 96cc4451..72fb94e9 100644
--- a/cmdline/support.c
+++ b/cmdline/support.c
@@ -1193,20 +1193,61 @@ void pathup(char* dst)
 int pathcmp(const char* a, const char* b)
 {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-	char ai[PATH_MAX];
-	char bi[PATH_MAX];
+	while (1) {
+		char ca = *a++;
+		char cb = *b++;
 
-	/* import to convert \ to / */
-	pathimport(ai, sizeof(ai), a);
-	pathimport(bi, sizeof(bi), b);
+		if (ca == '/')
+			ca = '\\';
 
-	/* case insensitive compare in Windows */
-	return stricmp(ai, bi);
+		if (cb == '/')
+			cb = '\\';
+
+		int la = tolower((unsigned char)ca);
+		int lb = tolower((unsigned char)cb);
+
+		if (la != lb)
+			return la - lb;
+
+		if (la == 0)
+			return 0;
+	}
 #else
 	return strcmp(a, b);
 #endif
 }
 
+int pathncmp(const char* a, const char* b, size_t n)
+{
+#ifdef _WIN32
+	while (n > 0) {
+		char ca = *a++;
+		char cb = *b++;
+
+		if (ca == '/')
+			ca = '\\';
+
+		if (cb == '/')
+			cb = '\\';
+
+		int la = tolower((unsigned char)ca);
+		int lb = tolower((unsigned char)cb);
+
+		if (la != lb)
+			return la - lb;
+
+		if (la == '\0')
+			return 0;
+
+		--n;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+#else
+	return strncmp(a, b, n);
+#endif
+}
+
 int path_is_root_of(const char* root, const char* path)
 {
 	while (*root && *path) {
diff --git a/cmdline/support.h b/cmdline/support.h
index 31b1b754..1a0156f8 100644
--- a/cmdline/support.h
+++ b/cmdline/support.h
@@ -373,6 +373,12 @@ void pathup(char* dst);
  */
 int pathcmp(const char* a, const char* b);
 
+/**
+ * Compare two paths up to n chars.
+ * In Windows it's case insensitive and assumes \ equal at /.
+ */
+int pathncmp(const char* a, const char* b, size_t n);
+
 /**
  * Check if the root is matching the start of the specified path.
  *
diff --git a/cmdline/unix.c b/cmdline/unix.c
index adecc2c7..af59c767 100644
--- a/cmdline/unix.c
+++ b/cmdline/unix.c
@@ -2490,8 +2490,6 @@ int fsinfo(const char* path, int* has_persistent_inode, int* has_syncronized_har
 	return 0;
 }
 
-#define SNAPSHOT_CONTAINER ".snapraid"
-
 #if HAVE_LINUX_DEVICE
 static int fssnapshot_inode(const char* path, uint32_t magic, uint64_t root_inode, struct fssnapshot_struct* fss)
 {
diff --git a/snapraid.conf.example b/snapraid.conf.example
index 3929f964..91db9a68 100644
--- a/snapraid.conf.example
+++ b/snapraid.conf.example
@@ -84,7 +84,6 @@ extra boot /
 exclude *.unrecoverable
 exclude /tmp/
 exclude /lost+found/
-exclude .snapraid/
 
 # Defines the block size in kibi bytes (1024 bytes) (uncomment to enable).
 # WARNING: Changing this value is for experts only!
diff --git a/test/test-snap.conf b/test/test-snap.conf
index 268c4aa8..e8df0812 100644
--- a/test/test-snap.conf
+++ b/test/test-snap.conf
@@ -6,4 +6,3 @@ disk snap1 bench/snap1/
 disk snap2 bench/snap2/
 disk snap3 bench/snap3/
 snapshot
-exclude .snapraid/