A method is disclosed for regenerating a diesel particulate filter without excessively increasing NO2 emissions. The system includes a fuel delivery device, an oxidation catalyst, and a diesel particulate filter. During a first operational mode, the fuel injection device injects a relatively smaller amount of fuel into the exhaust stream to reduce the capacity of the oxidation catalyst to oxidize NO in the exhaust stream to NO2. At a determined time, a second operational mode is initiated where a relatively larger amount of fuel is injected into the exhaust stream and is oxidized within the oxidation catalyst, thereby raising the exhaust temperature sufficiently to combust substantially all of the soot trapped on the diesel particulate filter.