diff --git a/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py b/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
index 0299da69d..33b156ae4 100644
--- a/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
+++ b/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ def parse_arguments(*arguments):
     parser.add_argument(
         '--excludes',
         dest='excludes_filename',
-        default=DEFAULT_EXCLUDES_FILENAME if os.path.exists(DEFAULT_EXCLUDES_FILENAME) else None,
-        help='Excludes filename',
+        help='Excludes filename, deprecated in favor of excludes_patterns within configuration',
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         '-v', '--verbosity',
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ def main():  # pragma: no cover
         convert.guard_configuration_upgraded(LEGACY_CONFIG_FILENAME, args.config_filename)
         config = validate.parse_configuration(args.config_filename, validate.schema_filename())
         repository = config.location['repository']
-        remote_path = config.location.get('remote_path')
+        remote_path = config.location['remote_path']
 
         borg.initialize(config.storage)
         borg.create_archive(
diff --git a/borgmatic/config/convert.py b/borgmatic/config/convert.py
index bdf9eb2d3..1aaf7aa29 100644
--- a/borgmatic/config/convert.py
+++ b/borgmatic/config/convert.py
@@ -77,3 +77,21 @@ def guard_configuration_upgraded(source_config_filename, destination_config_file
     '''
     if os.path.exists(source_config_filename) and not os.path.exists(destination_config_filename):
         raise LegacyConfigurationNotUpgraded()
+
+
+class LegacyExcludesFilenamePresent(FileNotFoundError):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super(LegacyExcludesFilenamePresent, self).__init__(
+            '''borgmatic changed its configuration file format in version 1.1.0 from INI-style
+to YAML. This better supports validation, and has a more natural way to express
+lists of values. The new configuration file incorporates excludes, so you no
+longer need to provide an excludes filename on the command-line with an
+"--excludes" argument.
+
+Please remove the "--excludes" argument and run borgmatic again.'''
+        )
+
+
+def guard_excludes_filename_omitted(excludes_filename):
+    if excludes_filename != None:
+        raise LegacyExcludesFilenamePresent()
diff --git a/borgmatic/tests/integration/commands/test_borgmatic.py b/borgmatic/tests/integration/commands/test_borgmatic.py
index 12afeedf0..f1cc43a6a 100644
--- a/borgmatic/tests/integration/commands/test_borgmatic.py
+++ b/borgmatic/tests/integration/commands/test_borgmatic.py
@@ -7,18 +7,14 @@ from borgmatic.commands import borgmatic as module
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_no_arguments_uses_defaults():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(True)
-
     parser = module.parse_arguments()
 
     assert parser.config_filename == module.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME
-    assert parser.excludes_filename == module.DEFAULT_EXCLUDES_FILENAME
+    assert parser.excludes_filename == None
     assert parser.verbosity is None
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_filename_arguments_overrides_defaults():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(True)
-
     parser = module.parse_arguments('--config', 'myconfig', '--excludes', 'myexcludes')
 
     assert parser.config_filename == 'myconfig'
@@ -26,38 +22,14 @@ def test_parse_arguments_with_filename_arguments_overrides_defaults():
     assert parser.verbosity is None
 
 
-def test_parse_arguments_with_missing_default_excludes_file_sets_filename_to_none():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(False)
-
-    parser = module.parse_arguments()
-
-    assert parser.config_filename == module.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME
-    assert parser.excludes_filename is None
-    assert parser.verbosity is None
-
-
-def test_parse_arguments_with_missing_overridden_excludes_file_retains_filename():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(False)
-
-    parser = module.parse_arguments('--excludes', 'myexcludes')
-
-    assert parser.config_filename == module.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME
-    assert parser.excludes_filename == 'myexcludes'
-    assert parser.verbosity is None
-
-
 def test_parse_arguments_with_verbosity_flag_overrides_default():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(True)
-
     parser = module.parse_arguments('--verbosity', '1')
 
     assert parser.config_filename == module.DEFAULT_CONFIG_FILENAME
-    assert parser.excludes_filename == module.DEFAULT_EXCLUDES_FILENAME
+    assert parser.excludes_filename == None
     assert parser.verbosity == 1
 
 
 def test_parse_arguments_with_invalid_arguments_exits():
-    flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').and_return(True)
-
     with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
         module.parse_arguments('--posix-me-harder')
diff --git a/borgmatic/tests/unit/config/test_convert.py b/borgmatic/tests/unit/config/test_convert.py
index 2e5849bd0..39f0cee0e 100644
--- a/borgmatic/tests/unit/config/test_convert.py
+++ b/borgmatic/tests/unit/config/test_convert.py
@@ -92,3 +92,12 @@ def test_guard_configuration_upgraded_does_not_raise_when_neither_config_present
     flexmock(os.path).should_receive('exists').with_args('config.yaml').and_return(False)
 
     module.guard_configuration_upgraded('config', 'config.yaml')
+
+
+def test_guard_excludes_filename_omitted_raises_when_filename_provided():
+    with pytest.raises(module.LegacyExcludesFilenamePresent):
+        module.guard_excludes_filename_omitted(excludes_filename='/etc/borgmatic/excludes')
+
+
+def test_guard_excludes_filename_omitted_does_not_raise_when_filename_not_provided():
+    module.guard_excludes_filename_omitted(excludes_filename=None)