diff --git a/scripts/labtainer-student/bin/CheckTars.py b/scripts/labtainer-student/bin/CheckTars.py
index d1ec05e5..7517d70a 100755
--- a/scripts/labtainer-student/bin/CheckTars.py
+++ b/scripts/labtainer-student/bin/CheckTars.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def CheckTars(container_dir, image_name, logger):
                     os.chdir(tmp_loc)
                     full_tar = os.path.join(full, tar_name)
                     if f == 'home_tar':
-                        cmd = 'tar czf %s --owner=:1000 --group=:1000 `ls -A -1` > %s' % (full_tar, manifest)
+                        cmd = 'tar czvf %s --owner=:1000 --group=:1000 `ls -A -1` > %s' % (full_tar, manifest)
                     else:
                         cmd = 'tar czf %s --owner=root --group=root `ls -A -1`' % (full_tar)
                     os.system(cmd)
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ def CheckTars(container_dir, image_name, logger):
                     os.chdir(tmp_loc)
                     full_tar = os.path.join(full, tar_name)
                     if f == 'home_tar':
-                        cmd = 'tar czf %s `ls -A -1` > %s' % (full_tar, manifest)
+                        cmd = 'tar czvf %s `ls -A -1` > %s' % (full_tar, manifest)
                     else:
                         cmd = 'tar czf %s `ls -A -1`' % (full_tar)
                     os.system(cmd)
diff --git a/scripts/labtainer-student/lab_bin/Student.py b/scripts/labtainer-student/lab_bin/Student.py
index a46adf6d..e2fec61c 100755
--- a/scripts/labtainer-student/lab_bin/Student.py
+++ b/scripts/labtainer-student/lab_bin/Student.py
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ def otherUsers(start_time, zipoutput, studentHomeDir, skip_list, dt_skip_list, s
     udir = '/home'
     os.chdir('/home')
     for rootdir, subdirs, files in os.walk(udir):
-            if rootdir == studentHomeDir:
+            # the primary user's tree is archived by main(); walking into it here duplicated every
+            # deliverable under other_users/<primary user>/ (os.walk descends past the top match)
+            if rootdir == studentHomeDir or rootdir.startswith(studentHomeDir + '/'):
                 continue
             newdir = rootdir.replace(udir, '.')
             # TBD FIX this