diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
index 10282153..e64ebb8d 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el7/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -81,8 +81,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')
@@ -135,12 +139,14 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
                 else:
-                    if uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        self.sourcedata.append(line)
+                    elif uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
                         self.sourcedata.append(line)
 
     def read_shadow(self, source):
@@ -173,6 +179,8 @@ class CredMerger:
                     shadout.write(line + '\n')
                 for line in self.sourcedata:
                     name, _ = line.split(':', 1)
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        continue
                     if name in self.shadowednames:
                         continue
                     shadout.write(name + ':!:::::::\n')
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
index e6884d50..ace9378c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8-diskless/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -75,8 +75,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')
@@ -129,7 +133,7 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
index e6884d50..ace9378c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/el8/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -75,8 +75,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')
@@ -129,7 +133,7 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/genesis/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/genesis/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
index dd22d6b3..ace9378c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/genesis/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/genesis/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -75,8 +75,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')
@@ -129,12 +133,14 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
                 else:
-                    if uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        self.sourcedata.append(line)
+                    elif uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
                         self.sourcedata.append(line)
 
     def read_shadow(self, source):
@@ -167,6 +173,8 @@ class CredMerger:
                     shadout.write(line + '\n')
                 for line in self.sourcedata:
                     name, _ = line.split(':', 1)
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        continue
                     if name in self.shadowednames:
                         continue
                     shadout.write(name + ':!:::::::\n')
@@ -216,4 +224,4 @@ def synchronize():
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    synchronize()
\ No newline at end of file
+    synchronize()
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
index 08c9cfdf..ace9378c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/suse15/profiles/hpc/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -133,12 +133,14 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
                 else:
-                    if uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        self.sourcedata.append(line)
+                    elif uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
                         self.sourcedata.append(line)
 
     def read_shadow(self, source):
@@ -171,6 +173,8 @@ class CredMerger:
                     shadout.write(line + '\n')
                 for line in self.sourcedata:
                     name, _ = line.split(':', 1)
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        continue
                     if name in self.shadowednames:
                         continue
                     shadout.write(name + ':!:::::::\n')
@@ -220,4 +224,4 @@ def synchronize():
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    synchronize()
\ No newline at end of file
+    synchronize()
diff --git a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
index dd22d6b3..ace9378c 100644
--- a/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
+++ b/confluent_osdeploy/ubuntu20.04/profiles/default/scripts/syncfileclient
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ def partitionhostsline(line):
     names = names.split()
     return ipaddr, names, comment
 
-class HostMerger:
+class HostMerger(object):
     def __init__(self):
         self.byip = {}
         self.byname = {}
@@ -75,8 +75,12 @@ class HostMerger:
     def write_out(self, targetfile):
         while not self.targlines[-1]:
             self.targlines = self.targlines[:-1]
+            if not self.targlines:
+                break
         while not self.sourcelines[-1]:
             self.sourcelines = self.sourcelines[:-1]
+            if not self.sourcelines:
+                break
         with open(targetfile, 'w') as hosts:
             for line in self.targlines:
                 hosts.write(line + '\n')
@@ -129,12 +133,14 @@ class CredMerger:
                 except ValueError:
                     continue
                 if targfile:
-                    if uid <= minid or uid >= maxid:
+                    if uid < minid or uid > maxid:
                         self.targdata.append(line)
                     else:
                         self.discardnames[name] = 1
                 else:
-                    if uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        self.sourcedata.append(line)
+                    elif uid >= minid and uid <= maxid:
                         self.sourcedata.append(line)
 
     def read_shadow(self, source):
@@ -167,6 +173,8 @@ class CredMerger:
                     shadout.write(line + '\n')
                 for line in self.sourcedata:
                     name, _ = line.split(':', 1)
+                    if name[0] in ('+', '#', '@'):
+                        continue
                     if name in self.shadowednames:
                         continue
                     shadout.write(name + ':!:::::::\n')
@@ -216,4 +224,4 @@ def synchronize():
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    synchronize()
\ No newline at end of file
+    synchronize()