diff --git a/functions/main b/functions/main
index 8f8bd8fa..ba4e3762 100644
--- a/functions/main
+++ b/functions/main
@@ -217,28 +217,35 @@ fi
 generate_template_list() {
   [ -n "$TEMPLATE_POOL_BASE" ] || return 1
 
+  local filelist_allfiles=$(mktemp)
   local filelist_prepared=$(mktemp)
   local filelist_final=$(mktemp)
   local filelist_sorted=$(mktemp)
+  declare -a dirs_to_process=()
 
   for dir in ${CONFIG_POOL} ; do
     [ -n "${dir}" ] || ( echo "${dir} doesn't exist" >&2 ; continue )
-    # iterate over all files
-    for file in $(find "$TEMPLATE_POOL_BASE/${dir}" -name \*.tt2 -o -name \*.tt2"${HA_FILE:-}" -o -name \*.tt2"${HOST_FILE:-}" -o -name \*.tt2"${PAIR_FILE:-}") ; do
-      # *NO* arguments provided via cmdline
-      if [ -z "${1:-}" ] ; then
-        echo "$file" >> "${filelist_prepared}"
-      else
-        # arguments (file list/pattern) provided via cmdline
-        for arg in "$@"; do
-          if echo $file | grep -q -- "${arg}" ; then
-            echo "$file" >> "${filelist_prepared}"
-          fi
-        done
-      fi
-    done
+    dirs_to_process+=("$TEMPLATE_POOL_BASE/${dir}")
   done
 
+  # find all files we should process
+  find "${dirs_to_process[@]}" \
+    -name \*.tt2 \
+    -o -name \*.tt2"${HA_FILE:-}" \
+    -o -name \*.tt2"${HOST_FILE:-}" \
+    -o -name \*.tt2"${PAIR_FILE:-}" \
+      > "${filelist_allfiles}"
+
+  # argument(s) (file list/pattern) provided via cmdline
+  if [ -z "${1:-}" ] ; then
+    cat "${filelist_allfiles}" >> "${filelist_prepared}"
+  else
+    # limit processing to requested file(s) only
+    for arg in "$@"; do
+      grep -- "${arg}" "${filelist_allfiles}" >> "${filelist_prepared}"
+    done
+  fi
+
   # remove all filenames where a preferred filename exists
   # foo.customtt.tt2.hostname > foo.customtt.tt2.pairname > foo.customtt.tt2.spX > foo.customtt.tt2 > foo.tt2.hostname > foo.tt2.pairname > foo.tt2.spX > foo.tt2
   for line in $(cat ${filelist_prepared}); do
@@ -336,14 +343,15 @@ generate_template_list() {
   if [ -n "${DEBUG:-}" ] ; then
     # send to stderr since stdout is used from outside
     log_debug "Not removing temporary filelist files since we are in debug mode:" >&2
+    log_debug "  filelist_allfiles = ${filelist_allfiles}" >&2
     log_debug "  filelist_prepared = ${filelist_prepared}" >&2
     log_debug "  filelist_final    = ${filelist_final}" >&2
     log_debug "  filelist_sorted   = ${filelist_sorted}" >&2
   else
-    rm -f "${filelist_prepared}" "${filelist_final}" "${filelist_sorted}"
+    rm -f "${filelist_allfiles}" "${filelist_prepared}" "${filelist_final}" "${filelist_sorted}"
   fi
 
-  unset filelist_prepared filelist_final
+  unset filelist_allfiles filelist_prepared filelist_final dirs_to_process
 }
 
 record_commit_id() {