diff --git a/lib/repository_findpkg.c b/lib/repository_findpkg.c
index 0b458201..79ebefc9 100644
--- a/lib/repository_findpkg.c
+++ b/lib/repository_findpkg.c
@@ -205,6 +205,14 @@ xbps_repository_get_transaction_dict(void)
 	 * Sort package list if necessary.
 	 */
 	if ((rv = xbps_sort_pkg_deps(trans_dict)) != 0) {
+		/*
+		 * If there are missing deps (errno==ENOENT)
+		 * return the dictionary, the client should always
+		 * check if that's the case.
+		 */
+		if (errno == ENOENT)
+			return trans_dict;
+
 		errno = rv;
 		return NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/sortdeps.c b/lib/sortdeps.c
index 1c1dddef..25dad620 100644
--- a/lib/sortdeps.c
+++ b/lib/sortdeps.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ find_sorteddep_by_name(const char *pkgname)
 int HIDDEN
 xbps_sort_pkg_deps(prop_dictionary_t chaindeps)
 {
-	prop_array_t sorted, unsorted, rundeps;
+	prop_array_t sorted, unsorted, rundeps, missingdeps;
 	prop_object_t obj, obj2;
 	prop_object_iterator_t iter, iter2;
 	struct sorted_dependency *sdep;
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ xbps_sort_pkg_deps(prop_dictionary_t chaindeps)
 
 	assert(chaindeps != NULL);
 
+	/*
+	 * If there are missing dependencies, bail out.
+	 */
+	missingdeps = prop_dictionary_get(chaindeps, "missing_deps");
+	if (prop_array_count(missingdeps) > 0)
+		return ENOENT;
+
 	sorted = prop_array_create();
 	if (sorted == NULL)
 		return ENOMEM;