diff --git a/bin/xbps-install/transaction.c b/bin/xbps-install/transaction.c
index 1f5eff3b..919712a3 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-install/transaction.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-install/transaction.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2009-2015 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2019 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -229,7 +229,8 @@ out:
 }
 
 static bool
-all_pkgs_on_hold(struct transaction *trans) {
+all_pkgs_on_hold(struct transaction *trans)
+{
 	xbps_object_t obj;
 	const char *action = NULL;
 	bool all_on_hold = true;
@@ -252,21 +253,25 @@ dist_upgrade(struct xbps_handle *xhp, int cols, bool yes, bool drun)
 {
 	int rv = 0;
 
-	if ((rv = xbps_transaction_update_packages(xhp)) != 0) {
-		if (rv == ENOENT) {
-			printf("No packages currently registered.\n");
-			return 0;
-		} else if (rv == EEXIST) {
-			return 0;
-		} else if (rv == ENOTSUP) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "No repositories currently "
-			    "registered!\n");
-			return -1;
+	rv = xbps_transaction_update_packages(xhp);
+	if (rv == ENOENT) {
+		printf("No packages currently registered.\n");
+		return 0;
+	} else if (rv == EBUSY) {
+		if (drun) {
+			rv = 0;
 		} else {
-			fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected error %s\n",
-			    strerror(rv));
-			return -1;
+			printf("The 'xbps' package must be updated, please run `xbps-install -u xbps`\n");
+			return rv;
 		}
+	} else if (rv == EEXIST) {
+		return 0;
+	} else if (rv == ENOTSUP) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "No repositories currently registered!\n");
+		return rv;
+	} else if (rv != 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected error %s\n", strerror(rv));
+		return -1;
 	}
 
 	return exec_transaction(xhp, cols, yes, drun);
@@ -277,42 +282,42 @@ install_new_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 {
 	int rv;
 
-	if ((rv = xbps_transaction_install_pkg(xhp, pkg, reinstall)) != 0) {
-		if (rv == EEXIST) {
-			printf("Package `%s' already installed.\n", pkg);
-		} else if (rv == ENOENT) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "Unable to locate '%s' in "
-			    "repository pool.\n", pkg);
-		} else if (rv == ENOTSUP) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "No repositories  "
-			    "currently registered!\n");
-		} else if (rv == ENXIO) {
-			fprintf(stderr, "Package `%s' contains invalid dependencies, exiting.\n", pkg);
-		} else {
-			fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected error: %s\n",
-			    strerror(rv));
-			rv = -1;
-		}
+	rv = xbps_transaction_install_pkg(xhp, pkg, reinstall);
+	if (rv == EEXIST)
+		printf("Package `%s' already installed.\n", pkg);
+	else if (rv == ENOENT)
+		fprintf(stderr, "Package '%s' not found in repository pool.\n", pkg);
+	else if (rv == ENOTSUP)
+		fprintf(stderr, "No repositories currently registered!\n");
+	else if (rv == ENXIO)
+		fprintf(stderr, "Package `%s' contains invalid dependencies, exiting.\n", pkg);
+	else if (rv == EBUSY)
+		fprintf(stderr, "The 'xbps' package must be updated, please run `xbps-install -u xbps`\n");
+	else if (rv != 0) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected error: %s\n", strerror(rv));
+		rv = -1;
 	}
 	return rv;
 }
 
 int
-update_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkgname)
+update_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 {
 	int rv;
 
-	rv = xbps_transaction_update_pkg(xhp, pkgname);
-	if (rv == EEXIST) {
-		printf("Package '%s' is up to date.\n", pkgname);
-		return EEXIST;
-	} else if (rv == ENOENT)
-		fprintf(stderr, "Package '%s' not found in "
-		    "repository pool.\n", pkgname);
+	rv = xbps_transaction_update_pkg(xhp, pkg);
+	if (rv == EEXIST)
+		printf("Package '%s' is up to date.\n", pkg);
+	else if (rv == ENOENT)
+		fprintf(stderr, "Package '%s' not found in repository pool.\n", pkg);
 	else if (rv == ENODEV)
-		printf("Package '%s' not installed.\n", pkgname);
+		fprintf(stderr, "Package '%s' not installed.\n", pkg);
 	else if (rv == ENOTSUP)
 		fprintf(stderr, "No repositories currently registered!\n");
+	else if (rv == ENXIO)
+		fprintf(stderr, "Package `%s' contains invalid dependencies, exiting.\n", pkg);
+	else if (rv == EBUSY)
+		fprintf(stderr, "The 'xbps' package must be updated, please run `xbps-install -u xbps`\n");
 	else if (rv != 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Unexpected error: %s\n", strerror(rv));
 		return -1;
diff --git a/include/xbps.h.in b/include/xbps.h.in
index 8354b2e0..130e37df 100644
--- a/include/xbps.h.in
+++ b/include/xbps.h.in
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
  *
  * This header documents the full API for the XBPS Library.
  */
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20190707"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20191227"
 
 #ifndef XBPS_VERSION
  #define XBPS_VERSION		"UNSET"
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index 2a078c25..3d3fc36a 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -297,8 +297,8 @@ xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 	rv = xbps_autoupdate(xhp);
 	switch (rv) {
 	case 1:
-		/* xbps needs to be updated, don't add any other package */
-		return 0;
+		/* xbps needs to be updated, don't allow any other update */
+		return EBUSY;
 	case -1:
 		/* error */
 		return EINVAL;
@@ -349,7 +349,9 @@ xbps_transaction_update_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 	xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: xbps_autoupdate %d\n", __func__, rv);
 	switch (rv) {
 	case 1:
-		/* xbps needs to be updated, don't add any other package */
+		/* xbps needs to be updated, only allow xbps to be updated */
+		if (strcmp(pkg, "xbps"))
+			return EBUSY;
 		return 0;
 	case -1:
 		/* error */
@@ -388,7 +390,9 @@ xbps_transaction_install_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg,
 	rv = xbps_autoupdate(xhp);
 	switch (rv) {
 	case 1:
-		/* xbps needs to be updated, don't add any other package */
+		/* xbps needs to be updated, only allow xbps to be updated */
+		if (strcmp(pkg, "xbps"))
+			return EBUSY;
 		return 0;
 	case -1:
 		/* error */
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
index d76e7361..1e742d82 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
@@ -488,6 +488,20 @@ update_xbps_body() {
 	set -- $out
 	exp="$1 $2 $3 $4"
 	atf_check_equal "$exp" "xbps-1.1_1 update noarch $(readlink -f repo)"
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=repo -yu xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
+	atf_check_equal "$out" "xbps-1.1_1"
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=repo -yu
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver B)
+	atf_check_equal "$out" "B-1.1_1"
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver C)
+	atf_check_equal "$out" "C-1.1_1"
 }
 
 atf_test_case update_xbps_virtual
@@ -527,6 +541,12 @@ update_xbps_virtual_body() {
 	set -- $out
 	exp="$1 $2 $3 $4"
 	atf_check_equal "$exp" "xbps-git-1.1_1 update noarch $(readlink -f repo)"
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=repo -yu xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps-git)
+	atf_check_equal "$out" "xbps-git-1.1_1"
 }
 
 atf_test_case update_with_revdeps
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_itself_test.sh b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_itself_test.sh
index 2ae42ec6..a5ba8207 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_itself_test.sh
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_itself_test.sh
@@ -30,7 +30,14 @@ update_xbps_body() {
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 	cd ..
 
+	# EBUSY
 	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yud
+	atf_check_equal $? 16
+
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
+	atf_check_equal $out xbps-1.0_1
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yu xbps
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 
 	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
@@ -40,7 +47,7 @@ update_xbps_body() {
 atf_test_case update_xbps_with_revdeps
 
 update_xbps_with_revdeps_head() {
-	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg updates: xbps autoupdates itself with revdeps"
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg updates: xbps updates itself with revdeps"
 }
 
 update_xbps_with_revdeps_body() {
@@ -80,8 +87,11 @@ update_xbps_with_revdeps_body() {
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 	cd ..
 
-	# first time, xbps autoupdates
+	# first time, xbps must be updated (returns EBUSY)
 	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yud
+	atf_check_equal $? 16
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yu xbps
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 
 	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
@@ -110,7 +120,7 @@ update_xbps_with_revdeps_body() {
 atf_test_case update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps
 
 update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps_head() {
-	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg updates: xbps autoupdates itself with already up-to-date revdeps"
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg updates: xbps updates itself with already up-to-date revdeps"
 }
 
 update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps_body() {
@@ -143,6 +153,9 @@ update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps_body() {
 	cd ..
 
 	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yud
+	atf_check_equal $? 16
+
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yu xbps
 	atf_check_equal $? 0
 
 	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
@@ -154,78 +167,8 @@ update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps_body() {
 
 atf_test_case update_xbps_on_any_op
 
-update_xbps_on_any_op_head() {
-	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg updates: xbps autoupdates itself on any operation"
-}
-
-update_xbps_on_any_op_body() {
-	mkdir -p repo xbps foo bar
-	touch xbps/foo foo/blah bar/baz
-
-	cd repo
-	xbps-create -A noarch -n xbps-1.0_1 -s "xbps pkg" ../xbps
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	xbps-create -A noarch -n foo-1.0_1 -s "foo pkg" ../foo
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	xbps-create -A noarch -n bar-1.0_1 -s "bar pkg" ../bar
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	cd ..
-
-	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yd xbps foo
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
-	atf_check_equal $out xbps-1.0_1
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver foo)
-	atf_check_equal $out foo-1.0_1
-
-	cd repo
-	xbps-create -A noarch -n xbps-1.1_1 -s "xbps pkg" ../xbps
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	xbps-create -A noarch -n foo-1.1_1 -s "foo pkg" ../foo
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-	cd ..
-
-	# install an unrelated pkg, xbps autoupdates
-	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yd bar
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
-	atf_check_equal $out xbps-1.1_1
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver foo)
-	atf_check_equal $out foo-1.0_1
-
-	# ENOENT
-	xbps-query -r root -p pkgver bar
-	atf_check_equal $? 2
-
-	# xbps has been updated, 2nd time
-	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yd bar
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver bar)
-	atf_check_equal $out bar-1.0_1
-
-	# perform a globl update
-	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yud
-	atf_check_equal $? 0
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver xbps)
-	atf_check_equal $out xbps-1.1_1
-
-	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver foo)
-	atf_check_equal $out foo-1.1_1
-}
-
 atf_init_test_cases() {
 	atf_add_test_case update_xbps
 	atf_add_test_case update_xbps_with_revdeps
 	atf_add_test_case update_xbps_with_uptodate_revdeps
-	atf_add_test_case update_xbps_on_any_op
 }