diff --git a/nse_nmaplib.cc b/nse_nmaplib.cc
index 3bb83c946..818197ad9 100644
--- a/nse_nmaplib.cc
+++ b/nse_nmaplib.cc
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #include "NmapOps.h"
 #include "Target.h"
 #include "portlist.h"
+#include "service_scan.h"
 #include "nmap_rpc.h"
 #include "nmap_dns.h"
 #include "osscan.h"
@@ -502,6 +503,29 @@ static int l_get_port_state (lua_State *L)
   return 1;
 }
 
+/* this function must be used by version category scripts or any other
+ * lua code to check if a given port with it's protocol are in the
+ * exclude directive found in the nmap-service-probes file.
+ * */
+static int l_port_is_excluded (lua_State *L)
+{
+  unsigned short portno;
+  int protocol;
+
+  if (!lua_isnumber(L, 1))
+    luaL_error(L, "port 'number' field must be a number");
+  if (!lua_isstring(L, 2))
+    luaL_error(L, "port 'protocol' field must be a string");
+
+  portno = (unsigned short) lua_tointeger(L, 1);
+  protocol = strcmp(lua_tostring(L, 2), "tcp") == 0 ? IPPROTO_TCP :
+             strcmp(lua_tostring(L, 2), "udp") == 0 ? IPPROTO_UDP :
+             luaL_error(L, "port 'protocol' field must be \"tcp\" or \"udp\"");
+
+  lua_pushboolean(L,AllProbes::check_excluded_port(portno, protocol)); 
+  return 1;
+}
+
 /* unlike set_portinfo() this function sets the port state in nmap.
  * if for example a udp port was seen by the script as open instead of
  * filtered, the script is free to say so.
@@ -699,6 +723,7 @@ int luaopen_nmap (lua_State *L)
     {"get_ports", l_get_ports},
     {"set_port_state", l_set_port_state},
     {"set_port_version", l_set_port_version},
+    {"port_is_excluded", l_port_is_excluded},
     {"new_socket", l_nsock_new},
     {"new_dnet", l_dnet_new},
     {"get_interface_link", l_dnet_get_interface_link},
diff --git a/nselib/shortport.lua b/nselib/shortport.lua
index 93ebc4b9f..00bcb9af2 100644
--- a/nselib/shortport.lua
+++ b/nselib/shortport.lua
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 module(... or "shortport", package.seeall)
 
+local nmap = require "nmap"
+
 ---
 -- See if a table contains a value.
 -- @param t A table repesenting a set.
@@ -20,6 +22,17 @@ local function includes(t, value)
 	return false
 end
 
+--- Check if the port and it's protocol are in the exclude directive.
+--
+-- @param port A port number.
+-- @param proto The protocol to match against, default <code>"tcp"</code>.
+-- @return True if the <code>port</code> and <code>protocol</code> are
+-- in the exclude directive.
+port_is_excluded = function(port, proto)
+        proto = proto or "tcp"
+        return nmap.port_is_excluded(port, proto)
+end
+
 --- Return a portrule that returns true when given an open port matching a
 -- single port number or a list of port numbers.
 -- @param ports A single port number or a list of port numbers.
@@ -110,3 +123,28 @@ port_or_service = function(ports, services, protos, states)
 		return port_checker(host, port) or service_checker(host, port)
 	end
 end
+
+--- Return a portrule that returns true when given an open port matching
+-- either a port number or service name and has not been listed in the
+-- exclude port directive of the nmap-service-probes file.
+--
+-- This function is a combination of the <code>port_is_excluded</code>
+-- and <code>port_or_service</code> functions. The port, service, proto may
+-- be single values or a list of values as in those functions.
+-- This function can be used by version category scripts to check if a
+-- given port and it's protocol are in the exclude directive.
+-- @usage portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service(22)
+-- @usage portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service(nil, "ssh", "tcp")
+-- @param services Service name or a list of names to run against.
+-- @param protos The protocol or list of protocols to match against, default
+-- <code>"tcp"</code>.
+-- @param states A state or list of states to match against, default
+-- {<code>"open"</code>, <code>"open|filtered"</code>}.
+-- @return Function for the portrule.
+version_port_or_service = function(ports, services, protos, states)
+        return function(host, port)
+                local p_s_check = port_or_service(ports, services, protos, states)
+                return p_s_check(host, port)
+                       and not(port_is_excluded(port.number, port.protocol))
+        end
+end
diff --git a/scripts/db2-das-info.nse b/scripts/db2-das-info.nse
index efced4763..8108679bd 100644
--- a/scripts/db2-das-info.nse
+++ b/scripts/db2-das-info.nse
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ require "shortport"
 --
 --   Details on how to reproduce these steps with the CLI are welcome.
 
-portrule = shortport.portnumber({523}, {"tcp","udp"}, {"open", "open|filtered"})
+portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service({523}, nil,
+                                            {"tcp","udp"},
+                                            {"open", "open|filtered"})
 
 --- Extracts the server profile from an already parsed db2 packet
 --
diff --git a/scripts/db2-info.nse b/scripts/db2-info.nse
index b3d9ff4fd..a7e41f87f 100644
--- a/scripts/db2-info.nse
+++ b/scripts/db2-info.nse
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ require "db2"
 -- parseVersion was ripped from the old db2-info.nse written by Tom Sellers
 --
 
-portrule = shortport.port_or_service({50000,60000},"ibm-db2", "tcp", {"open", "open|filtered"})
+portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service({50000,60000},
+                                            "ibm-db2", "tcp",
+                                            {"open", "open|filtered"})
 
 --- Converts the prodrel server string to a version string
 --
@@ -86,4 +88,4 @@ action = function( host, port )
 	results = results .. "External Name:   " .. response.extname
 	
 	return results
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/scripts/iax2-version.nse b/scripts/iax2-version.nse
index 50acc9244..dd7302429 100644
--- a/scripts/iax2-version.nse
+++ b/scripts/iax2-version.nse
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ categories = {"version"}
 require "comm"
 require "shortport"
 
-portrule = shortport.portnumber(4569, "udp")
+portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service(4569, nil, "udp")
 
 action = function(host, port)
  	-- see http://www.cornfed.com/iax.pdf for all options.
diff --git a/scripts/jdwp-version.nse b/scripts/jdwp-version.nse
index 431a4d3fd..c05f24e92 100644
--- a/scripts/jdwp-version.nse
+++ b/scripts/jdwp-version.nse
@@ -17,12 +17,14 @@ categories = {"version"}
 -- 9999/tcp open  jdwp    Java Debug Wire Protocol (Reference Implementation) version 1.6 1.6.0_17
 
 require "comm"
+require "shortport"
 
 portrule = function(host, port)
         -- JDWP will close the port if there is no valid handshake within 2
 	-- seconds, Service detection's NULL probe detects it as tcpwrapped.
         return port.service == "tcpwrapped"
                and port.protocol == "tcp" and port.state == "open"
+               and not(shortport.port_is_excluded(port.number,port.protocol))
 end
 
 action = function(host, port)
diff --git a/scripts/pptp-version.nse b/scripts/pptp-version.nse
index 03f8f94c7..46f5c7c87 100644
--- a/scripts/pptp-version.nse
+++ b/scripts/pptp-version.nse
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ categories = {"version"}
 require "comm"
 require "shortport"
 
-portrule = shortport.portnumber(1723)
+portrule = shortport.version_port_or_service(1723)
 
 action = function(host, port)
 	-- build a PPTP Start-Control-Connection-Request packet
diff --git a/scripts/skypev2-version.nse b/scripts/skypev2-version.nse
index a08530f48..1b85dbd6e 100644
--- a/scripts/skypev2-version.nse
+++ b/scripts/skypev2-version.nse
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ license = "Same as Nmap--See http://nmap.org/book/man-legal.html"
 categories = {"version"}
 
 require "comm"
+require "shortport"
 
 portrule = function(host, port)
         return (port.number == 80 or port.number == 443 or
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ portrule = function(host, port)
                 port.service == "unknown")
                and port.protocol == "tcp" and port.state == "open"
                and port.service ~= "http" and port.service ~= "ssl/http"
+               and not(shortport.port_is_excluded(port.number,port.protocol))
 end
 
 action = function(host, port)
diff --git a/service_scan.cc b/service_scan.cc
index b7e1df8c9..842e370e3 100644
--- a/service_scan.cc
+++ b/service_scan.cc
@@ -1172,6 +1172,28 @@ void AllProbes::service_scan_free(void)
   }
 }
 
+// Function that calls isExcluded() function to check if the port
+// is in the excludedports list.
+int AllProbes::check_excluded_port(unsigned short portno, int proto)
+{
+  int excluded;
+
+  // Check if the -sV version scan option was specified
+  // or if the --allports option was used
+  if (!o.servicescan || o.override_excludeports)
+    return 0;
+
+  if (global_AP == NULL)
+    fatal("Failed to check the list of excluded ports: %s", __func__);
+
+  if (excluded = global_AP->isExcluded(portno, proto)) {
+    if (o.debugging)
+      log_write(LOG_PLAIN, "EXCLUDING %d/%s\n",
+                           portno, IPPROTO2STR(proto));
+  }
+
+  return excluded;
+}
 
 // If the buf (of length buflen) matches one of the regexes in this
 // ServiceProbe, returns the details of nth match (service name,
diff --git a/service_scan.h b/service_scan.h
index f93dfb191..02b8388a0 100644
--- a/service_scan.h
+++ b/service_scan.h
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ public:
   
   static AllProbes *service_scan_init(void);
   static void service_scan_free(void);
+  static int check_excluded_port(unsigned short port, int proto);
 protected:
   static AllProbes *global_AP;
 };