diff --git a/src/main/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperation.java b/src/main/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperation.java
index 4ce9979..2b67f0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperation.java
+++ b/src/main/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperation.java
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 public class TestNgOperation extends TestOperation<TestNgOperation, List<String>> {
     private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(TestNgOperation.class.getName());
     /**
-     * The classpath entries used for running tests.
+     * The methods to run.
      */
-    private final Set<String> testClasspath_ = new HashSet<>();
+    private final Set<String> methods_ = new HashSet<>();
     /**
      * The run options.
      */
@@ -56,6 +56,10 @@ public class TestNgOperation extends TestOperation<TestNgOperation, List<String>
      * The suites to run.
      */
     private final Set<String> suites_ = new HashSet<>();
+    /**
+     * The classpath entries used for running tests.
+     */
+    private final Set<String> testClasspath_ = new HashSet<>();
     private BaseProject project_;
 
     /**
@@ -202,13 +206,19 @@ public class TestNgOperation extends TestOperation<TestNgOperation, List<String>
                 }
             }
 
+            if (!methods_.isEmpty()) {
+                args.add("-methods");
+                args.add(String.join(",", methods_));
+            }
 
             if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.FINE) && !silent()) {
                 LOGGER.fine(String.join(" ", args));
             }
+
             if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO) && !silent()) {
                 LOGGER.info(String.format("Report will be saved in file://%s",
                         new File(options_.get("-d")).toURI().getPath()));
+            }
         }
 
         return args;
@@ -441,7 +451,7 @@ public class TestNgOperation extends TestOperation<TestNgOperation, List<String>
      * @see #methods(Collection) #methods(Collection)
      */
     public TestNgOperation methods(String... method) {
-        options_.put("-methods", String.join(",", Arrays.stream(method).filter(this::isNotBlank).toList()));
+        methods_.addAll(List.of(method));
         return this;
     }
 
@@ -455,10 +465,19 @@ public class TestNgOperation extends TestOperation<TestNgOperation, List<String>
      * @see #methods(String...) #methods(String...)
      */
     public TestNgOperation methods(Collection<String> method) {
-        options_.put("-methods", String.join(",", method.stream().filter(this::isNotBlank).toList()));
+        methods_.addAll(method);
         return this;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns the methods to run.
+     *
+     * @return the set of methods
+     */
+    public Set<String> methods() {
+        return methods_;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Mixed mode autodetects the type of current test and run it with appropriate runner.
      *
diff --git a/src/test/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperationTest.java b/src/test/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperationTest.java
index c6c7bc2..83b1f80 100644
--- a/src/test/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/rife/bld/extension/TestNgOperationTest.java
@@ -169,10 +169,9 @@ class TestNgOperationTest {
 
         assertThatCode(() ->
                 new TestNgOperation().fromProject(new Project())
-                        .testClass("rife.bld.extension.TestNgExampleTest")
-                        .methods("rife.bld.extension.TestNgExampleTest.verifyHello")
+                        .methods("rife.bld.extension.TestNgExampleTest.foo")
                         .execute())
-                .as("with methods").doesNotThrowAnyException();
+                .as("with methods").isInstanceOf(ExitStatusException.class);
 
         assertThatCode(() ->
                 new TestNgOperation().fromProject(new Project())
@@ -295,10 +294,10 @@ class TestNgOperationTest {
     @Test
     void testMethods() {
         var op = new TestNgOperation().methods(FOO, BAR);
-        assertThat(op.options().get("-methods")).isEqualTo(String.format("%s,%s", FOO, BAR));
+        assertThat(op.methods()).containsExactly(BAR, FOO);
 
         new TestNgOperation().methods(List.of(FOO, BAR));
-        assertThat(op.options().get("-methods")).as("as list").isEqualTo(String.format("%s,%s", FOO, BAR));
+        assertThat(op.methods()).containsExactly(BAR, FOO);
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/src/test/resources/testng.xml b/src/test/resources/testng.xml
index 8ad378e..ef68357 100644
--- a/src/test/resources/testng.xml
+++ b/src/test/resources/testng.xml
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@
     <test name="simple test">
         <classes>
             <class name="rife.bld.extension.TestNgExample"/>
+                <methods>
+                    <exclude name="foo"/>
+                </methods>
+            </class>
         </classes>
     </test>
 </suite>
\ No newline at end of file