diff --git a/api/data_pipeline.py b/api/data_pipeline.py
index 67b2dcbf..458c8fa3 100644
--- a/api/data_pipeline.py
+++ b/api/data_pipeline.py
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ def should_process_file(file_path: str, use_inclusion: bool, included_dirs: List
             # Check if file is in an included directory
             if included_dirs:
                 for included in included_dirs:
-                    clean_included = included.strip("./").rstrip("/")
+                    clean_included = included.removeprefix("./").removesuffix("/")
                     if clean_included in file_path_parts:
                         is_included = True
                         break
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ def should_process_file(file_path: str, use_inclusion: bool, included_dirs: List
 
             # Check if file is in an excluded directory
             for excluded in excluded_dirs:
-                clean_excluded = excluded.strip("./").rstrip("/")
+                clean_excluded = excluded.removeprefix("./").removesuffix("/")
                 if clean_excluded in file_path_parts:
                     is_excluded = True
                     break