diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index fff0c29..d7e869c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -3,22 +3,25 @@ module github.com/retailnext/iptables_exporter
 go 1.21
 
 require (
-  github.com/alecthomas/template v0.0.0-20160405071501-a0175ee3bccc // indirect
-  github.com/alecthomas/units v0.0.0-20151022065526-2efee857e7cf // indirect
-  github.com/beorn7/perks v0.0.0-20180321164747-3a771d992973 // indirect
-  github.com/go-test/deep v1.0.1
-  github.com/golang/protobuf v1.1.0 // indirect
-  github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.1 // indirect
-  github.com/prometheus/client_golang v0.8.0
-  github.com/prometheus/client_model v0.0.0-20171117100541-99fa1f4be8e5 // indirect
-  github.com/prometheus/common v0.0.0-20180518154759-7600349dcfe1
-  github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.0-20180612222113-7d6f385de8be // indirect
-  github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.0.5 // indirect
-  github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0 // indirect
-  golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180621125126-a49355c7e3f8 // indirect
-  golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c // indirect
-  golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180627142611-7138fd3d9dc8 // indirect
-  gopkg.in/airbrake/gobrake.v2 v2.0.9 // indirect
-  gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6
-  gopkg.in/gemnasium/logrus-airbrake-hook.v2 v2.1.2 // indirect
+	github.com/go-test/deep v1.0.1
+	github.com/prometheus/client_golang v0.8.0
+	github.com/prometheus/common v0.0.0-20180518154759-7600349dcfe1
+	gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6
+)
+
+require (
+	github.com/alecthomas/template v0.0.0-20160405071501-a0175ee3bccc // indirect
+	github.com/alecthomas/units v0.0.0-20151022065526-2efee857e7cf // indirect
+	github.com/beorn7/perks v0.0.0-20180321164747-3a771d992973 // indirect
+	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.1.0 // indirect
+	github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.1 // indirect
+	github.com/prometheus/client_model v0.0.0-20171117100541-99fa1f4be8e5 // indirect
+	github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.0-20180612222113-7d6f385de8be // indirect
+	github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.0.5 // indirect
+	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180621125126-a49355c7e3f8 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c // indirect
+	golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180627142611-7138fd3d9dc8 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/airbrake/gobrake.v2 v2.0.9 // indirect
+	gopkg.in/gemnasium/logrus-airbrake-hook.v2 v2.1.2 // indirect
 )
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index c5f7e1d..89a41e5 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -4,12 +4,15 @@ github.com/alecthomas/units v0.0.0-20151022065526-2efee857e7cf h1:qet1QNfXsQxTZq
 github.com/alecthomas/units v0.0.0-20151022065526-2efee857e7cf/go.mod h1:ybxpYRFXyAe+OPACYpWeL0wqObRcbAqCMya13uyzqw0=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v0.0.0-20180321164747-3a771d992973 h1:xJ4a3vCFaGF/jqvzLMYoU8P317H5OQ+Via4RmuPwCS0=
 github.com/beorn7/perks v0.0.0-20180321164747-3a771d992973/go.mod h1:Dwedo/Wpr24TaqPxmxbtue+5NUziq4I4S80YR8gNf3Q=
+github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0 h1:ZDRjVQ15GmhC3fiQ8ni8+OwkZQO4DARzQgrnXU1Liz8=
 github.com/davecgh/go-spew v1.1.0/go.mod h1:J7Y8YcW2NihsgmVo/mv3lAwl/skON4iLHjSsI+c5H38=
+github.com/go-test/deep v1.0.1 h1:UQhStjbkDClarlmv0am7OXXO4/GaPdCGiUiMTvi28sg=
 github.com/go-test/deep v1.0.1/go.mod h1:wGDj63lr65AM2AQyKZd/NYHGb0R+1RLqB8NKt3aSFNA=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.1.0 h1:0iH4Ffd/meGoXqF2lSAhZHt8X+cPgkfn/cb6Cce5Vpc=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.1.0/go.mod h1:6lQm79b+lXiMfvg/cZm0SGofjICqVBUtrP5yJMmIC1U=
 github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.1 h1:4hp9jkHxhMHkqkrB3Ix0jegS5sx/RkqARlsWZ6pIwiU=
 github.com/matttproud/golang_protobuf_extensions v1.0.1/go.mod h1:D8He9yQNgCq6Z5Ld7szi9bcBfOoFv/3dc6xSMkL2PC0=
+github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0 h1:4DBwDE0NGyQoBHbLQYPwSUPoCMWR5BEzIk/f1lZbAQM=
 github.com/pmezard/go-difflib v1.0.0/go.mod h1:iKH77koFhYxTK1pcRnkKkqfTogsbg7gZNVY4sRDYZ/4=
 github.com/prometheus/client_golang v0.8.0 h1:1921Yw9Gc3iSc4VQh3PIoOqgPCZS7G/4xQNVUp8Mda8=
 github.com/prometheus/client_golang v0.8.0/go.mod h1:7SWBe2y4D6OKWSNQJUaRYU/AaXPKyh/dDVn+NZz0KFw=
@@ -22,15 +25,20 @@ github.com/prometheus/procfs v0.0.0-20180612222113-7d6f385de8be/go.mod h1:c3At6R
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.0.5 h1:8c8b5uO0zS4X6RPl/sd1ENwSkIc0/H2PaHxE3udaE8I=
 github.com/sirupsen/logrus v1.0.5/go.mod h1:pMByvHTf9Beacp5x1UXfOR9xyW/9antXMhjMPG0dEzc=
 github.com/stretchr/objx v0.1.0/go.mod h1:HFkY916IF+rwdDfMAkV7OtwuqBVzrE8GR6GFx+wExME=
+github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0 h1:nwc3DEeHmmLAfoZucVR881uASk0Mfjw8xYJ99tb5CcY=
 github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0/go.mod h1:6Fq8oRcR53rry900zMqJjRRixrwX3KX962/h/Wwjteg=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180621125126-a49355c7e3f8 h1:h7zdf0RiEvWbYBKIx4b+q41xoUVnMmvsGZnIVE5syG8=
 golang.org/x/crypto v0.0.0-20180621125126-a49355c7e3f8/go.mod h1:6SG95UA2DQfeDnfUPMdvaQW0Q7yPrPDi9nlGo2tz2b4=
+golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c h1:5KslGYwFpkhGh+Q16bwMP3cOontH8FOep7tGV86Y7SQ=
 golang.org/x/sync v0.0.0-20210220032951-036812b2e83c/go.mod h1:RxMgew5VJxzue5/jJTE5uejpjVlOe/izrB70Jof72aM=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180627142611-7138fd3d9dc8 h1:RI4LLZfYDSosZMJ7FzhhEQbwo7tA8Bp9Vhml1PukQsg=
 golang.org/x/sys v0.0.0-20180627142611-7138fd3d9dc8/go.mod h1:STP8DvDyc/dI5b8T5hshtkjS+E42TnysNCUPdjciGhY=
+gopkg.in/airbrake/gobrake.v2 v2.0.9 h1:7z2uVWwn7oVeeugY1DtlPAy5H+KYgB1KeKTnqjNatLo=
 gopkg.in/airbrake/gobrake.v2 v2.0.9/go.mod h1:/h5ZAUhDkGaJfjzjKLSjv6zCL6O0LLBxU4K+aSYdM/U=
 gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6 h1:jMFz6MfLP0/4fUyZle81rXUoxOBFi19VUFKVDOQfozc=
 gopkg.in/alecthomas/kingpin.v2 v2.2.6/go.mod h1:FMv+mEhP44yOT+4EoQTLFTRgOQ1FBLkstjWtayDeSgw=
 gopkg.in/check.v1 v0.0.0-20161208181325-20d25e280405/go.mod h1:Co6ibVJAznAaIkqp8huTwlJQCZ016jof/cbN4VW5Yz0=
+gopkg.in/gemnasium/logrus-airbrake-hook.v2 v2.1.2 h1:OAj3g0cR6Dx/R07QgQe8wkA9RNjB2u4i700xBkIT4e0=
 gopkg.in/gemnasium/logrus-airbrake-hook.v2 v2.1.2/go.mod h1:Xk6kEKp8OKb+X14hQBKWaSkCsqBpgog8nAV2xsGOxlo=
+gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20200313102051-9f266ea9e77c h1:dUUwHk2QECo/6vqA44rthZ8ie2QXMNeKRTHCNY2nXvo=
 gopkg.in/yaml.v3 v3.0.0-20200313102051-9f266ea9e77c/go.mod h1:K4uyk7z7BCEPqu6E+C64Yfv1cQ7kz7rIZviUmN+EgEM=
diff --git a/iptables/ruleparser.go b/iptables/ruleparser.go
index 6edd897..af0e05c 100644
--- a/iptables/ruleparser.go
+++ b/iptables/ruleparser.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func (p *ruleParser) handleToken(token string) {
 		p.packets, p.bytes, p.countersOk = parseCounters(token)
 		return
 	}
-	if strings.HasPrefix(token, "-") {
+	if strings.HasPrefix(token, "-") || strings.HasPrefix(token, "!") {
 		p.flush()
 		p.current = token
 		return
diff --git a/iptables_exporter.go b/iptables_exporter.go
index a9a79c5..854b5dd 100644
--- a/iptables_exporter.go
+++ b/iptables_exporter.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func (c *collector) Collect(metricChan chan<- prometheus.Metric) {
 	tables, err := iptables.GetTables()
 	duration := time.Since(start)
 	if err == nil && len(tables) == 0 {
-		err = errors.New("no output from iptables-save; this is probably due to insufficient permissions")
+		err = errors.New("no output from iptables-save; no iptables rules found")
 	}
 	metricChan <- prometheus.MustNewConstMetric(scrapeDurationDesc, prometheus.GaugeValue, duration.Seconds())
 	if err != nil {