diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig b/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
index 29b085a0..01bdd278 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/nodeconfig
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ argparser.add_option('-d', '--detail', dest='detail',
                      action='store_true', default=False,
                      help='Provide verbose information as available, such as '
                           'help text and possible valid values')
+argparser.add_option('-x', '--exclude', dest='exclude',
+                     action='store_true', default=False,
+                     help='Treat positional arguments as items to not '
+                          'examine, compare, or restore default')
 (options, args) = argparser.parse_args()
 
 cfgpaths = {
@@ -81,8 +85,9 @@ queryparms = {}
 printsys = []
 setsys = {}
 
-if len(args) == 1:
-    printsys = 'all'
+if len(args) == 1 or options.exclude:
+    if not options.exclude:
+        printsys = 'all'
     for candidate in cfgpaths:
         path, attrib = cfgpaths[candidate]
         path = '/noderange/{0}/{1}'.format(noderange, path)
@@ -111,11 +116,17 @@ for param in args[1:]:
             for candidate in cfgpaths:
                 if candidate.startswith('{0}.'.format(param)):
                     matchedparms = True
-                    path, attrib = cfgpaths[candidate]
-                    path = '/noderange/{0}/{1}'.format(noderange, path)
-                    if path not in queryparms:
-                        queryparms[path] = {}
-                    queryparms[path][attrib] = candidate
+                    if not options.exclude:
+                        path, attrib = cfgpaths[candidate]
+                        path = '/noderange/{0}/{1}'.format(noderange, path)
+                        if path not in queryparms:
+                            queryparms[path] = {}
+                        queryparms[path][attrib] = candidate
+                    else:
+                        try:
+                            del queryparms[path]
+                        except KeyError:
+                            pass
             if not matchedparms:
                 printsys.append(param)
         elif param not in cfgpaths:
@@ -129,6 +140,9 @@ for param in args[1:]:
 session = client.Command()
 rcode = 0
 if setmode:
+    if options.exclude:
+        sys.stderr.write('Cannot use exclude and assign at the same time\n')
+        sys.exit(1)
     updatebypath = {}
     attrnamebypath = {}
     for key in assignment:
@@ -166,7 +180,7 @@ else:
             continue
         client.print_attrib_path(path, session, list(queryparms[path]),
                                  NullOpt(), queryparms[path])
-    if printsys:
+    if printsys or options.exclude:
         if printsys == 'all':
             printsys = []
         path = '/noderange/{0}/configuration/system/all'.format(noderange)
diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
index f4a23992..4b2803d8 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/client.py
@@ -313,19 +313,23 @@ def print_attrib_path(path, session, requestargs, options, rename=None):
             exitcode = 1
             continue
         for node in sorted(res['databynode']):
-            for attr in sorted(res['databynode'][node]):
+            for attr, val in sorted(
+                    res['databynode'][node].items(),
+                    key=lambda (k, v): v.get('sortid', k) if v else k):
                 seenattributes.add(attr)
                 if rename:
                     printattr = rename.get(attr, attr)
                 else:
                     printattr = attr
                 currattr = res['databynode'][node][attr]
-                if (requestargs is None or requestargs == [] or attrrequested(
-                        attr, requestargs, seenattributes)):
+                if show_attr(attr, requestargs, seenattributes, options):
                     if 'value' in currattr:
                         if currattr['value'] is not None:
+                            val = currattr['value']
+                            if isinstance(val, list):
+                                val = ','.join(val)
                             attrout = '{0}: {1}: {2}'.format(
-                                node, printattr, currattr['value'])
+                                node, printattr, val)
                         else:
                             attrout = '{0}: {1}:'.format(node, printattr)
                     elif 'isset' in currattr:
@@ -368,7 +372,11 @@ def print_attrib_path(path, session, requestargs, options, rename=None):
                     except AttributeError:
                         comparedefault = False
                     if comparedefault:
-                        if (requestargs or
+                        try:
+                            exclude = options.exclude
+                        except AttributeError:
+                            exclude = False
+                        if ((requestargs and not exclude) or
                                 (currattr.get('default', None) is not None and
                                 currattr.get('value', None) is not None and
                                 currattr['value'] != currattr['default'])):
@@ -398,6 +406,19 @@ def print_attrib_path(path, session, requestargs, options, rename=None):
     return exitcode
 
 
+def show_attr(attr, requestargs, seenattributes, options):
+    try:
+        reverse = options.exclude
+    except AttributeError:
+        reverse = False
+    if requestargs is None or requestargs == []:
+        return True
+    processattr = attrrequested(attr, requestargs, seenattributes)
+    if reverse:
+        processattr = not processattr
+    return processattr
+
+
 def printgroupattributes(session, requestargs, showtype, nodetype, noderange, options):
     exitcode = 0
     seenattributes = set([])