diff --git a/converters/latex.py b/converters/latex.py
index 372861f..d5bdb4a 100755
--- a/converters/latex.py
+++ b/converters/latex.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class ConverterLaTeX(Converter):
                    5: r'\subparagraph',
                    6: r'\subparagraph'}
     user_preamble = None
-    exclude_cells = None
+    exclude_cells = []
 
     def in_env(self, environment, lines):
         """Return list of environment lines for input lines
@@ -107,14 +107,19 @@ class ConverterLaTeX(Converter):
 
         # Cell codes first carry input code, we use lstlisting for that
         lines = [ur'\begin{codecell}']
-        
-        lines.extend(self.in_env('codeinput',
-                              self.in_env('lstlisting', cell.input)))
+
+        if 'source' not in self.exclude_cells:
+            lines.extend(self.in_env('codeinput',
+                                     self.in_env('lstlisting', cell.input)))
+        else:
+            # Empty output is still needed for LaTeX formatting
+            lines.extend(self.in_env('codeinput', ''))
 
         outlines = []
-        for output in cell.outputs:
-            conv_fn = self.dispatch(output.output_type)
-            outlines.extend(conv_fn(output))
+        if 'output' not in self.exclude_cells:
+            for output in cell.outputs:
+                conv_fn = self.dispatch(output.output_type)
+                outlines.extend(conv_fn(output))
 
         # And then output of many possible types; use a frame for all of it.
         if outlines:
diff --git a/nbconvert.py b/nbconvert.py
index ba051d7..5bf6162 100755
--- a/nbconvert.py
+++ b/nbconvert.py
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
                         known_formats)
     parser.add_argument('-p', '--preamble',
                         help='Path to a user-specified preamble file')
-    parser.add_argument('-e', '--exclude', help='Comma-separated list of cells to exclude')
+    parser.add_argument('-e', '--exclude', default='',
+                        help='Comma-separated list of cells to exclude')
+
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    exclude_cells = [s.strip() for s in args.exclude.split(',')]
+        
     main(infile=args.infile[0], format=args.format,
-         preamble=args.preamble, exclude=args.exclude)
+         preamble=args.preamble, exclude=exclude_cells)