diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index f5cf3b4c..d3401839 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -101,7 +101,11 @@ var DefaultExcludePatterns = []ExcludePattern{
 	},
 }
 
-func GetDefaultExcludePatternsStrings(include []string) []string {
+func GetDefaultExcludePatternsStrings() []string {
+	return GetExcludePatternsStrings(nil)
+}
+
+func GetExcludePatternsStrings(include []string) []string {
 	includeMap := make(map[string]bool, len(include))
 	for _, inc := range include {
 		includeMap[inc] = true
diff --git a/pkg/lint/runner.go b/pkg/lint/runner.go
index 3be2700a..22859afc 100644
--- a/pkg/lint/runner.go
+++ b/pkg/lint/runner.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func NewRunner(cfg *config.Config, log logutils.Log, goenv *goutil.Env,
 	icfg := cfg.Issues
 	excludePatterns := icfg.ExcludePatterns
 	if icfg.UseDefaultExcludes {
-		excludePatterns = append(excludePatterns, config.GetDefaultExcludePatternsStrings(icfg.IncludeDefaultExcludes)...)
+		excludePatterns = append(excludePatterns, config.GetExcludePatternsStrings(icfg.IncludeDefaultExcludes)...)
 	}
 
 	var excludeTotalPattern string
diff --git a/test/bench/bench_test.go b/test/bench/bench_test.go
index 5084ee96..42caffd7 100644
--- a/test/bench/bench_test.go
+++ b/test/bench/bench_test.go
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ func getGometalinterCommonArgs() []string {
 		"--vendor",
 		"--cyclo-over=30",
 		"--dupl-threshold=150",
-		"--exclude", fmt.Sprintf("(%s)", strings.Join(config.GetDefaultExcludePatternsStrings(nil), "|")),
+		"--exclude", fmt.Sprintf("(%s)", strings.Join(config.GetDefaultExcludePatternsStrings(), "|")),
 		"--disable-all",
 		"--enable=vet",
 		"--enable=vetshadow",