diff --git a/playbooks/host_update.yml b/playbooks/host_update.yml
index ac6650b666..6a6cb9905a 100644
--- a/playbooks/host_update.yml
+++ b/playbooks/host_update.yml
@@ -4,19 +4,39 @@
 
 
 ---
+
 - name: Update the system
   hosts: "{{ target }}"
-  gather_facts: false
+  gather_facts: true
   user: root
 
   tasks:
-  - name: Expire-caches
-    ansible.builtin.command: yum clean expire-cache
 
-  - name: Yum -y {{ yumcommand }}
-    ansible.builtin.command: yum -y {{ yumcommand }}
+  - name: Apply updates
+    ansible.builtin.package:
+      state: latest
+      name: "*"
+      update_cache: true
     async: 7200
     poll: 30
+    when: package_excludes is not defined
+
+  - debug:
+      msg:
+      - '!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! host {{ inventory_hostname }} has EXCLUDES OF {{ package_excludes }} !!!!!!!!!!!!!'
+      - '!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DANGER DANGER DANGER ^ CHECK THAT EXCLUDES ARE STILL NEEDED ^ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'
+    when: package_excludes is defined
+    changed_when: true
+
+  - name: Apply updates with excludes
+    ansible.builtin.package:
+      state: latest
+      name: "*"
+      update_cache: true
+      exclude: "{{ package_excludes }}"
+    async: 7200
+    poll: 30
+    when: package_excludes is defined
 
 - name: Run rkhunter if installed
   hosts: "{{ target }}"