diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index b1d0abe6..e00f39b0 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 xbps-0.38 (???):
 
+ * Disabled best pkg matching code for performance reasons. When installing
+   or updating a package without any version component, the first repo containing
+   it wins. Previously the repository with the greatest version won. Use a specific
+   package expression to match packages in multiple repos, or switch the order
+   of the repos instead.
+
  * Added bash completion for xbps-*. Contributed by Eivind Uggedal.
 
  * Added zsh completion for xbps-* and xbps-src. Contributed by Christian Neukirchen.
 
- * xbps-query(8): added -s/--search local mode, the previous repository mode must
-   be specified with -R/--repository mode explicitly.
+ * xbps-query(8): added -s/--search local mode; local pkg queries are now possible.
 
  * pkgdb-0.38 format: the pkgdb plist file now contains all pkg metadata objects
    plus the pkgdb specific ones (automatic-install, install-date, metafile-sha256)
diff --git a/lib/rpool.c b/lib/rpool.c
index 541cedd7..973d29d9 100644
--- a/lib/rpool.c
+++ b/lib/rpool.c
@@ -275,9 +275,6 @@ xbps_rpool_get_virtualpkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 xbps_dictionary_t
 xbps_rpool_get_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 {
-	if (!xbps_pkgpattern_version(pkg) && !xbps_pkg_version(pkg))
-		return repo_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, BEST_PKG);
-
 	return repo_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, REAL_PKG);
 }