diff --git a/pavelib/assets.py b/pavelib/assets.py
index 44f30fd564..049684f5a0 100644
--- a/pavelib/assets.py
+++ b/pavelib/assets.py
@@ -700,10 +700,31 @@ def collect_assets(systems, settings, **kwargs):
     `settings` is the Django settings module to use.
     `**kwargs` include arguments for using a log directory for collectstatic output. Defaults to /dev/null.
     """
+    ignore_patterns = [
+        # Karma test related files...
+        "fixtures",
+        "karma_*.js",
+        "spec",
+        "spec_helpers",
+        "spec-helpers",
+        "xmodule_js",  # symlink for tests
+
+        # Geo-IP data, only accessed in Python
+        "geoip",
+
+        # We compile these out, don't need the source files in staticfiles
+        "sass",
+        "*.coffee",
+    ]
+
+    ignore_args = " ".join(
+        '--ignore "{}"'.format(pattern) for pattern in ignore_patterns
+    )
 
     for sys in systems:
         collectstatic_stdout_str = _collect_assets_cmd(sys, **kwargs)
-        sh(django_cmd(sys, settings, "collectstatic --noinput {logfile_str}".format(
+        sh(django_cmd(sys, settings, "collectstatic {ignore_args} --noinput {logfile_str}".format(
+            ignore_args=ignore_args,
             logfile_str=collectstatic_stdout_str
         )))
         print("\t\tFinished collecting {} assets.".format(sys))
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_assets.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_assets.py
index 7877f1e5ca..c5f9bb3486 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_assets.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_assets.py
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ class TestCollectAssets(PaverTestCase):
         specified_log_dict = specified_log_loc
         log_loc = options.get("expected_log_location", "> /dev/null")
         systems = options.get("systems", ["lms"])
-        expected_messages = self._set_expected_messages(log_location=log_loc, systems=systems)
         if specified_log_loc is None:
             collect_assets(
                 systems,
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ class TestCollectAssets(PaverTestCase):
                 Env.DEVSTACK_SETTINGS,
                 **specified_log_dict
             )
-        self.assertEqual(self.task_messages, expected_messages)
+        self._assert_correct_messages(log_location=log_loc, systems=systems)
 
     def test_collect_assets_debug(self):
         """
@@ -149,27 +148,22 @@ class TestCollectAssets(PaverTestCase):
         expected_log_loc = ""
         systems = ["lms"]
         kwargs = {COLLECTSTATIC_LOG_DIR_ARG: None}
-        expected_messages = self._set_expected_messages(log_location=expected_log_loc, systems=systems)
         collect_assets(systems, Env.DEVSTACK_SETTINGS, **kwargs)
-        self.assertEqual(self.task_messages, expected_messages)
+        self._assert_correct_messages(log_location=expected_log_loc, systems=systems)
 
-    def _set_expected_messages(self, log_location, systems):
-        """
-        Returns a list of messages that are expected to be sent from paver
-         to the commandline for collectstatic functions. This list is constructed
-         based on the log location and systems being passed in.
+    def _assert_correct_messages(self, log_location, systems):
         """
+        Asserts that the expected commands were run.
 
-        expected_messages = []
-        for sys in systems:
-            expected_messages.append(
-                'python manage.py {system} --settings={settings} collectstatic --noinput {log_loc}'.format(
-                    system=sys,
-                    settings=Env.DEVSTACK_SETTINGS,
-                    log_loc=log_location
-                )
-            )
-        return expected_messages
+        We just extract the pieces we care about here instead of specifying an
+        exact command, so that small arg changes don't break this test.
+        """
+        for i, sys in enumerate(systems):
+            msg = self.task_messages[i]
+            self.assertTrue(msg.startswith('python manage.py {}'.format(sys)))
+            self.assertIn(' collectstatic '.format(Env.DEVSTACK_SETTINGS), msg)
+            self.assertIn('--settings={}'.format(Env.DEVSTACK_SETTINGS), msg)
+            self.assertTrue(msg.endswith(' {}'.format(log_location)))
 
 
 @ddt.ddt
@@ -181,7 +175,7 @@ class TestUpdateAssetsTask(PaverTestCase):
 
     @ddt.data(
         [{"expected_substring": "> /dev/null"}],  # go to /dev/null by default
-        [{"cmd_args": ["--debug"], "expected_substring": "collectstatic --noinput "}]  # TODO: make this regex
+        [{"cmd_args": ["--debug"], "expected_substring": "collectstatic"}]  # TODO: make this regex
     )
     @ddt.unpack
     def test_update_assets_task_collectstatic_log_arg(self, options):
diff --git a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
index 93e894b38b..087f712f2b 100644
--- a/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
+++ b/pavelib/paver_tests/test_servers.py
@@ -30,7 +30,11 @@ EXPECTED_CMS_SASS_COMMAND = [
     u"python manage.py cms --settings={asset_settings} compile_sass cms ",
 ]
 EXPECTED_COLLECT_STATIC_COMMAND = (
-    u"python manage.py {system} --settings={asset_settings} collectstatic --noinput {log_string}"
+    u'python manage.py {system} --settings={asset_settings} collectstatic '
+    u'--ignore "fixtures" --ignore "karma_*.js" --ignore "spec" '
+    u'--ignore "spec_helpers" --ignore "spec-helpers" --ignore "xmodule_js" '
+    u'--ignore "geoip" --ignore "sass" --ignore "*.coffee" '
+    u'--noinput {log_string}'
 )
 EXPECTED_CELERY_COMMAND = (
     u"python manage.py lms --settings={settings} celery worker --beat --loglevel=INFO --pythonpath=."