diff --git a/hasjob/views/helper.py b/hasjob/views/helper.py
index aea31243..9771da75 100644
--- a/hasjob/views/helper.py
+++ b/hasjob/views/helper.py
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ def usessl(url):
     return url
 
 
-def filter_basequery(basequery, filters, exclude_list=()):
+def filter_basequery(basequery, filters, exclude_list=None):
     """
     - Accepts a query of type sqlalchemy.Query, and returns a modified query
     based on the keys in the `filters` object.
@@ -927,6 +927,8 @@ def filter_basequery(basequery, filters, exclude_list=()):
     `pay_min`, `pay_max`, `currency`, `equity` and `query`.
     - exclude_list is an array of keys that need to be ignored in the `filters` object
     """
+    if exclude_list is None:
+        exclude_list = []
     filter_by_location = filters.get('locations') and 'locations' not in exclude_list
     filter_by_anywhere = filters.get('anywhere') and 'anywhere' not in exclude_list
     if filter_by_location:
diff --git a/hasjob/views/listing.py b/hasjob/views/listing.py
index 184adae3..319ef682 100644
--- a/hasjob/views/listing.py
+++ b/hasjob/views/listing.py
@@ -806,7 +806,9 @@ def pinnedjob(domain, hashid):
 @app.route('/reject/<hashid>', defaults={'domain': None}, methods=('GET', 'POST'))
 @lastuser.requires_permission('siteadmin')
 def rejectjob(domain, hashid):
-    def send_reject_mail(reject_type, post, banned_posts=()):
+    def send_reject_mail(reject_type, post, banned_posts=None):
+        if banned_posts is None:
+            banned_posts = []
         if reject_type not in ['reject', 'ban']:
             return
         mail_meta = {