diff --git a/include/xbps_api.h b/include/xbps_api.h
index 781fe9c1..9c9c86d1 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api.h
@@ -1229,7 +1229,8 @@ int xbps_repository_pool_foreach(
 
 /**
  * Finds a package dictionary in the repository pool by specifying a
- * package pattern or a package name.
+ * package pattern or a package name. This function does not take into
+ * account virtual packages set in configuration file.
  *
  * @param[in] pkg Package pattern or name.
  * @param[in] bypattern True if \a pkg is a pattern, false if it is a pkgname.
@@ -1241,6 +1242,22 @@ int xbps_repository_pool_foreach(
 prop_dictionary_t
 	xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best);
 
+/**
+ * Finds a package dictionary in repository pool by specifying a
+ * package pattern or a package name. Only virtual packages set in
+ * configuration file will be matched.
+ *
+ * @param[in] pkg Virtual package pattern or name.
+ * @param[in] bypattern True if \a pkg is a pattern, false if it is a pkgname.
+ * @param[in] best True to find the best version available in repo, false to
+ * fetch the first package found matching its pkgname.
+ *
+ * @return The package dictionary if found, NULL otherwise.
+ */
+prop_dictionary_t
+	xbps_repository_pool_find_virtualpkg(const char *pkg,
+					     bool bypattern, bool best);
+
 /**
  * Iterate over the the repository pool and search for a metadata plist
  * file in a binary package named 'pkgname'. If a package is matched by
diff --git a/lib/repository_finddeps.c b/lib/repository_finddeps.c
index 8f665b82..f845eca0 100644
--- a/lib/repository_finddeps.c
+++ b/lib/repository_finddeps.c
@@ -242,10 +242,20 @@ find_repo_deps(prop_dictionary_t transd,	/* transaction dictionary */
 		/*
 		 * Check if package is already added in the
 		 * array of unsorted deps, and check if current required
-		 * dependency pattern is matched.
+		 * dependency pattern is matched. First checking if required
+		 * dependency is supplied by a virtual pkg set in
+		 * the configuration file.
 		 */
-		curpkgd = xbps_find_pkg_in_dict_by_pattern(transd,
+		curpkgd = xbps_find_virtualpkg_conf_in_dict_by_pattern(transd,
 		    "unsorted_deps", reqpkg);
+		if (curpkgd == NULL) {
+			/*
+			 * Look for a real package matching pattern
+			 * if no match.
+			 */
+			curpkgd = xbps_find_pkg_in_dict_by_pattern(transd,
+			    "unsorted_deps", reqpkg);
+		}
 		if (curpkgd != NULL) {
 			prop_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(curpkgd,
 			    "pkgver", &pkgver_q);
@@ -260,30 +270,35 @@ find_repo_deps(prop_dictionary_t transd,	/* transaction dictionary */
 			}
 		}
 		/*
-		 * If required pkgdep is not in repo, add it into the
-		 * missing deps array and pass to the next one.
+		 * If required pkgdep (first virtual pkg in conf, otherwise
+		 * real pkg) is not in repo, add it into the missing deps
+		 * array and pass to the next one.
 		 */
-		curpkgd = xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(reqpkg, true, false);
+		curpkgd = xbps_repository_pool_find_virtualpkg(reqpkg, true, false);
 		if (curpkgd == NULL) {
-			if (errno && errno != ENOENT) {
-				rv = errno;
-				break;
-			}
+			curpkgd = xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(reqpkg, true, false);
+			if (curpkgd == NULL) {
+				/* pkg not found, there was some error */
+				if (errno && errno != ENOENT) {
+					rv = errno;
+					break;
+				}
 
-			rv = add_missing_reqdep(mrdeps, reqpkg);
-			if (rv != 0 && rv != EEXIST) {
-				xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s': "
-				    "add_missing_reqdep failed %s\n", reqpkg);
-				break;
-			} else if (rv == EEXIST) {
-				xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s' missing dep "
-				    "already added.\n", reqpkg);
-				rv = 0;
-				continue;
-			} else {
-				xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s' added "
-				    "into the missing deps array.\n", reqpkg);
-				continue;
+				rv = add_missing_reqdep(mrdeps, reqpkg);
+				if (rv != 0 && rv != EEXIST) {
+					xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s': "
+					    "add_missing_reqdep failed %s\n", reqpkg);
+					break;
+				} else if (rv == EEXIST) {
+					xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s' missing dep "
+					    "already added.\n", reqpkg);
+					rv = 0;
+					continue;
+				} else {
+					xbps_dbg_printf_append("`%s' added "
+					    "into the missing deps array.\n", reqpkg);
+					continue;
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		pkgname = xbps_pkgpattern_name(reqpkg);
diff --git a/lib/repository_findpkg.c b/lib/repository_findpkg.c
index ce79070e..4fd9f02c 100644
--- a/lib/repository_findpkg.c
+++ b/lib/repository_findpkg.c
@@ -87,10 +87,14 @@ repository_find_pkg(const char *pattern, const char *reason)
 	pkg_repod = xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(pattern,
 	    bypattern, bestpkg);
 	if (pkg_repod == NULL) {
-		/* not found */
-		rv = errno;
-		errno = 0;
-		goto out;
+		pkg_repod = xbps_repository_pool_find_virtualpkg(pattern,
+		    bypattern, bestpkg);
+		if (pkg_repod == NULL) {
+			/* not found */
+			rv = errno;
+			errno = 0;
+			goto out;
+		}
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Prepare transaction dictionary and missing deps array.
diff --git a/lib/repository_pool.c b/lib/repository_pool.c
index 5c2baf94..789780ab 100644
--- a/lib/repository_pool.c
+++ b/lib/repository_pool.c
@@ -387,11 +387,10 @@ repo_find_best_pkg_cb(struct repository_pool_index *rpi,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-prop_dictionary_t
-xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best)
+static struct repo_pool_fpkg *
+repo_find_pkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best, bool virtual)
 {
 	struct repo_pool_fpkg *rpf;
-	prop_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL;
 	int rv = 0;
 
 	assert(pkg != NULL);
@@ -411,37 +410,57 @@ xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best)
 		 * pattern in all repositories.
 		 */
 		rv = xbps_repository_pool_foreach(repo_find_best_pkg_cb, rpf);
-		if (rv != 0) {
+		if (rv != 0)
 			errno = rv;
-			goto out;
-		} else if (rpf->pkgfound == false) {
-			goto out;
-		}
 	} else {
-		/*
-		 * Look for any virtual package set by the user matching
-		 * the package name or pattern.
-		 */
-		rv = xbps_repository_pool_foreach(repo_find_virtualpkg_cb, rpf);
-		if (rv != 0) {
-			errno = rv;
-			goto out;
-		} else if (rpf->pkgfound == false) {
+		if (virtual) {
 			/*
-			 * No virtual package found. Look for real package
-			 * names or patterns instead.
+			 * No package found. Look for virtual package
+			 * set by the user or any virtual pkg available.
+			 */
+			rv = xbps_repository_pool_foreach(repo_find_virtualpkg_cb, rpf);
+			if (rv != 0)
+				errno = rv;
+		} else {
+			/*
+			 * Look for a package (non virtual) in repositories.
 			 */
 			rv = xbps_repository_pool_foreach(repo_find_pkg_cb, rpf);
-			if (rv != 0) {
+			if (rv != 0)
 				errno = rv;
-				goto out;
-			} else if (rpf->pkgfound == false) {
-				goto out;
-			}
 		}
 	}
-	pkgd = prop_dictionary_copy(rpf->pkgd);
-out:
+
+	return rpf;
+}
+
+prop_dictionary_t
+xbps_repository_pool_find_virtualpkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best)
+{
+	struct repo_pool_fpkg *rpf;
+	prop_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL;
+
+	assert(pkg != NULL);
+
+	rpf = repo_find_pkg(pkg, bypattern, best, true);
+	if (rpf->pkgfound && rpf->pkgd != NULL)
+		pkgd = prop_dictionary_copy(rpf->pkgd);
+	free(rpf);
+
+	return pkgd;
+}
+
+prop_dictionary_t
+xbps_repository_pool_find_pkg(const char *pkg, bool bypattern, bool best)
+{
+	struct repo_pool_fpkg *rpf;
+	prop_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL;
+
+	assert(pkg != NULL);
+
+	rpf = repo_find_pkg(pkg, bypattern, best, false);
+	if (rpf->pkgfound && rpf->pkgd != NULL)
+		pkgd = prop_dictionary_copy(rpf->pkgd);
 	free(rpf);
 
 	return pkgd;
diff --git a/lib/transaction_sortdeps.c b/lib/transaction_sortdeps.c
index 3e667587..b0c81940 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_sortdeps.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_sortdeps.c
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ pkgdep_find(const char *name, const char *trans)
 		if (pd->d == NULL)
 			continue;
 		if (xbps_match_virtual_pkg_in_dict(pd->d, name, false)) {
-			if (trans == pd->trans)
+			if (trans && pd->trans &&
+			    (strcmp(trans, pd->trans) == 0))
 				return pd;
 		}
 	}
@@ -96,7 +97,8 @@ pkgdep_find_idx(const char *name, const char *trans)
 		if (pd->d == NULL)
 			continue;
 		if (xbps_match_virtual_pkg_in_dict(pd->d, name, false)) {
-			if (trans == pd->trans)
+			if (trans && pd->trans &&
+			    (strcmp(trans, pd->trans) == 0))
 				return idx;
 		}
 
@@ -156,8 +158,14 @@ pkgdep_end(prop_array_t sorted)
 			 * Do not add duplicate pkg dictionaries with the
 			 * same transaction reason into the sorted array.
 			 */
-			sorted_pkgd = xbps_find_pkg_in_array_by_name(sorted,
-			   pd->name);
+			sorted_pkgd =
+			    xbps_find_pkg_in_array_by_name(sorted, pd->name);
+			if (sorted_pkgd == NULL) {
+				/* find virtualpkg if no match */
+				sorted_pkgd =
+				    xbps_find_virtualpkg_in_array_by_name(
+				    sorted, pd->name);
+			}
 			if (sorted_pkgd == NULL) {
 				prop_array_add(sorted, pd->d);
 				pkgdep_release(pd);
@@ -233,10 +241,13 @@ again:
 			free(pkgnamedep);
 			continue;
 		}
+		/* Find pkg by name */
 		curpkgd = xbps_find_pkg_in_dict_by_name(transd,
 		    "unsorted_deps", pkgnamedep);
 		if (curpkgd == NULL) {
-			curpkgd = xbps_find_virtualpkg_in_dict_by_name(transd,
+			/* find virtualpkg by name if no match */
+			curpkgd =
+			    xbps_find_virtualpkg_in_dict_by_name(transd,
 			    "unsorted_deps", pkgnamedep);
 		}
 		if (curpkgd == NULL) {