diff --git a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
index 9d008e4f..6a7ed682 100644
--- a/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
+++ b/internal/app/wwctl/overlay/delete/main.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func CobraRunE(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	if fileName == "" {
-		if overlayName == "wwinit" {
+		if overlayName == "wwinit" || overlayName == "host" {
 			return errors.New("refusing to delete the Warewulf overlay")
 		}
 		if Force {
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/methods.go b/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
index fe4e7b9a..c8c65fd6 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/methods.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func (ent *Entry) GetSlice() []string {
 	if ent.altvalue != "" {
 		retval = util.SliceAppendUniq(retval, strings.Split(ent.altvalue, ","))
 	}
-	if ent.def != "" {
+	if ent.def != "" && len(retval) == 0 {
 		retval = util.SliceAppendUniq(retval, strings.Split(ent.def, ","))
 
 	}