diff --git a/lib/package_remove.c b/lib/package_remove.c
index fc8937cd..00e3be41 100644
--- a/lib/package_remove.c
+++ b/lib/package_remove.c
@@ -37,264 +37,71 @@
 
 static bool
 check_remove_pkg_files(struct xbps_handle *xhp,
-	xbps_dictionary_t pkgd, const char *pkgver, uid_t euid)
+	xbps_array_t obsoletes, const char *pkgver, uid_t euid)
 {
 	struct stat st;
-	xbps_array_t array;
-	xbps_object_iterator_t iter;
-	xbps_object_t obj;
-	const char *objs[] = { "files", "conf_files", "links", "dirs" };
-	const char *file;
-	char path[PATH_MAX];
 	bool fail = false;
 
-	for (uint8_t i = 0; i < __arraycount(objs); i++) {
-		array = xbps_dictionary_get(pkgd, objs[i]);
-		if (array == NULL || xbps_array_count(array) == 0)
-			continue;
+	if (euid == 0)
+		return true;
 
-		iter = xbps_array_iter_from_dict(pkgd, objs[i]);
-		if (iter == NULL)
+	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < xbps_array_count(obsoletes); i++) {
+		const char *file = NULL;
+		xbps_array_get_cstring_nocopy(obsoletes, i, &file);
+		/*
+		 * Check if effective user ID owns the file; this is
+		 * enough to ensure the user has write permissions
+		 * on the directory.
+		 */
+		if (lstat(file, &st) == 0 && euid == st.st_uid) {
+			/* success */
 			continue;
-
-		while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
-			xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "file", &file);
-			snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/%s", xhp->rootdir, file);
-			/*
-			 * Check if effective user ID owns the file; this is
-			 * enough to ensure the user has write permissions
-			 * on the directory.
-			 */
-			if (euid == 0 || (!lstat(path, &st) && euid == st.st_uid)) {
-				/* success */
-				continue;
-			}
-			if (errno != ENOENT) {
-				/*
-				 * only bail out if something else than ENOENT
-				 * is returned.
-				 */
-				int rv = errno;
-				if (rv == 0) {
-					/* lstat succeeds but euid != uid */
-					rv = EPERM;
-				}
-				fail = true;
-				xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_FAIL,
-				    rv, pkgver,
-				    "%s: cannot remove `%s': %s",
-				    pkgver, file, strerror(rv));
-			}
-			errno = 0;
 		}
-		xbps_object_iterator_release(iter);
+		if (errno != ENOENT) {
+			/*
+			 * only bail out if something else than ENOENT
+			 * is returned.
+			 */
+			int rv = errno;
+			if (rv == 0) {
+				/* lstat succeeds but euid != uid */
+				rv = EPERM;
+			}
+			fail = true;
+			xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_FAIL,
+				rv, pkgver,
+				"%s: cannot remove `%s': %s",
+				pkgver, file, strerror(rv));
+		}
+		errno = 0;
 	}
-
 	return fail;
 }
 
-struct order_length_t {
-	unsigned int pos;
-	size_t len;
-};
-
-static int cmp_order_length(const void *l1, const void *l2) {
-	size_t a = ((const struct order_length_t*)l1)->len;
-	size_t b = ((const struct order_length_t*)l2)->len;
-	return (a < b) - (b < a);
-}
-
 static int
 remove_pkg_files(struct xbps_handle *xhp,
-		 xbps_dictionary_t dict,
-		 const char *key,
+		 xbps_array_t obsoletes,
 		 const char *pkgver)
 {
-	xbps_array_t array, dirs;
-	xbps_object_iterator_t iter;
-	xbps_object_t obj;
-	const char *curobj = NULL;
-	/* These are symlinks in Void and must not be removed */
-	const char *basesymlinks[] = {
-		"/bin",
-		"/sbin",
-		"/usr/sbin",
-		"/lib",
-		"/lib32",
-		"/lib64",
-		"/usr/lib32",
-		"/usr/lib64",
-		"/var/run",
-	};
 	int rv = 0;
 
-	assert(xbps_object_type(dict) == XBPS_TYPE_DICTIONARY);
-	assert(key != NULL);
-
-	array = xbps_dictionary_get(dict, key);
-	if (xbps_array_count(array) == 0)
-		return 0;
-
-	iter = xbps_array_iter_from_dict(dict, key);
-	if (iter == NULL)
-		return ENOMEM;
-
-	if (strcmp(key, "files") == 0)
-		curobj = "file";
-	else if (strcmp(key, "conf_files") == 0)
-		curobj = "configuration file";
-	else if (strcmp(key, "links") == 0)
-		curobj = "link";
-	else if (strcmp(key, "dirs") == 0)
-		curobj = "directory";
-
-	xbps_object_iterator_reset(iter);
-
-	/*
-	 * directories must be ordered before removal
-	 */
-	if (strcmp(key, "dirs") == 0) {
-		unsigned int i = 0;
-		unsigned int n = xbps_array_count(array);
-		struct order_length_t *lengths =
-		  (struct order_length_t*) malloc(sizeof(struct order_length_t) * n);
-
-		if (lengths == NULL)
-			return ENOMEM;
-
-		while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
-			const char *file;
-			xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "file", &file);
-			lengths[i].len = strlen(file);
-			lengths[i].pos = i;
-			i++;
-		}
-
-		qsort(lengths, n, sizeof(struct order_length_t), cmp_order_length);
-		dirs = xbps_array_create_with_capacity(n);
-
-		for (i = 0; i < n; i++) {
-			xbps_array_add(dirs, xbps_array_get(array, lengths[i].pos));
-		}
-
-		xbps_object_iterator_release(iter);
-		iter = xbps_array_iterator(dirs);
-		free(lengths);
-	}
-
-	xbps_object_iterator_reset(iter);
-
-	while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
-		const char *file, *sha256;
-		char path[PATH_MAX];
-		bool found;
-
-		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "file", &file);
-		if (strcmp(xhp->rootdir, "/") == 0)
-			snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s", file);
-		else
-			snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s%s", xhp->rootdir, file);
-
-		if ((strcmp(key, "files") == 0) ||
-		    (strcmp(key, "conf_files") == 0)) {
-			/*
-			 * Check SHA256 hash in regular files and
-			 * configuration files.
-			 */
-			xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj,
-			    "sha256", &sha256);
-			rv = xbps_file_hash_check(path, sha256);
-			if (rv == ENOENT) {
-				/* missing file, ignore it */
-				xbps_set_cb_state(xhp,
-				    XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_HASH_FAIL,
-				    rv, pkgver,
-				    "%s: failed to check hash for %s `%s': %s",
-				    pkgver, curobj, file, strerror(rv));
-				rv = 0;
-				continue;
-			} else if (rv == ERANGE) {
-				rv = 0;
-				if ((xhp->flags &
-				    XBPS_FLAG_FORCE_REMOVE_FILES) == 0) {
-					xbps_set_cb_state(xhp,
-					    XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_HASH_FAIL,
-					    0, pkgver,
-					    "%s: %s `%s' SHA256 mismatch, "
-					    "preserving file", pkgver,
-					    curobj, file);
-					continue;
-				} else {
-					xbps_set_cb_state(xhp,
-					    XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_HASH_FAIL,
-					    0, pkgver,
-					    "%s: %s `%s' SHA256 mismatch, "
-					    "forcing removal", pkgver,
-					    curobj, file);
-				}
-			} else if (rv != 0 && rv != ERANGE) {
-				xbps_set_cb_state(xhp,
-				    XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_HASH_FAIL,
-				    rv, pkgver,
-				    "%s: [remove] failed to check hash for "
-				    "%s `%s': %s", pkgver, curobj, file,
-				    strerror(rv));
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		/*
-		 * Make sure to not remove any symlink of root directory.
-		 */
-		found = false;
-		for (uint8_t i = 0; i < __arraycount(basesymlinks); i++) {
-			if (strcmp(file, basesymlinks[i]) == 0) {
-				found = true;
-				xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "[remove] %s ignoring "
-				    "%s removal\n", pkgver, file);
-				break;
-			}
-		}
-		if (found) {
-			continue;
-		}
-		if (strcmp(key, "links") == 0) {
-			const char *target = NULL;
-			char *lnk;
-
-			xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "target", &target);
-			assert(target);
-			lnk = xbps_symlink_target(xhp, path, target);
-			if (lnk == NULL) {
-				xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "[remove] %s "
-				    "symlink_target: %s\n", path, strerror(errno));
-				continue;
-			}
-			if (strcmp(lnk, target)) {
-				xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "[remove] %s symlink "
-				    "modified (stored %s current %s)\n", path,
-				    target, lnk);
-				if ((xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_FORCE_REMOVE_FILES) == 0) {
-					free(lnk);
-					continue;
-				}
-			}
-			free(lnk);
-		}
+	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < xbps_array_count(obsoletes); i++) {
+		const char *file = NULL;
+		xbps_array_get_cstring_nocopy(obsoletes, i, &file);
 		/*
 		 * Remove the object if possible.
 		 */
-		if (remove(path) == -1) {
+		if (remove(file) == -1) {
 			xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE_FAIL,
 			    errno, pkgver,
-			    "%s: failed to remove %s `%s': %s", pkgver,
-			    curobj, file, strerror(errno));
+			    "%s: failed to remove `%s': %s", pkgver,
+			    file, strerror(errno));
 		} else {
 			/* success */
 			xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FILE,
-			    0, pkgver, "Removed %s `%s'", curobj, file);
+			    0, pkgver, "Removed `%s'", file);
 		}
 	}
-	xbps_object_iterator_release(iter);
 
 	return rv;
 }
@@ -302,7 +109,8 @@ remove_pkg_files(struct xbps_handle *xhp,
 int HIDDEN
 xbps_remove_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkgver, bool update)
 {
-	xbps_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL, pkgfilesd = NULL;
+	xbps_dictionary_t pkgd = NULL, obsd = NULL;
+	xbps_array_t obsoletes;
 	char *pkgname, metafile[PATH_MAX];
 	int rv = 0;
 	pkg_state_t state = 0;
@@ -341,13 +149,6 @@ xbps_remove_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkgver, bool update)
 		goto out;
 	}
 
-	/* internalize pkg files dictionary from metadir */
-	snprintf(metafile, sizeof(metafile), "%s/.%s-files.plist", xhp->metadir, pkgname);
-	pkgfilesd = xbps_plist_dictionary_from_file(xhp, metafile);
-	if (pkgfilesd == NULL)
-		xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "WARNING: metaplist for %s "
-		    "doesn't exist!\n", pkgver);
-
 	/* If package was "half-removed", remove it fully. */
 	if (state == XBPS_PKG_STATE_HALF_REMOVED)
 		goto purge;
@@ -384,29 +185,24 @@ xbps_remove_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkgver, bool update)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	if (pkgfilesd) {
+	if (xbps_dictionary_get_dict(xhp->transd, "obsolete_files", &obsd))
+		obsoletes = xbps_dictionary_get(obsd, pkgname);
+
+	if (xbps_array_count(obsoletes) > 0) {
 		/*
 		 * Do the removal in 2 phases:
 		 * 	1- check if user has enough perms to remove all entries
 		 * 	2- perform removal
 		 */
-		if (check_remove_pkg_files(xhp, pkgfilesd, pkgver, euid)) {
+		if (check_remove_pkg_files(xhp, obsoletes, pkgver, euid)) {
 			rv = EPERM;
 			goto out;
 		}
 		/* Remove links */
-		if ((rv = remove_pkg_files(xhp, pkgfilesd, "links", pkgver)) != 0)
-			goto out;
-		/* Remove regular files */
-		if ((rv = remove_pkg_files(xhp, pkgfilesd, "files", pkgver)) != 0)
-			goto out;
-		/* Remove configuration files */
-		if ((rv = remove_pkg_files(xhp, pkgfilesd, "conf_files", pkgver)) != 0)
-			goto out;
-		/* Remove dirs */
-		if ((rv = remove_pkg_files(xhp, pkgfilesd, "dirs", pkgver)) != 0)
+		if ((rv = remove_pkg_files(xhp, obsoletes, pkgver)) != 0)
 			goto out;
 	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Execute the post REMOVE action if file exists and we aren't
 	 * updating the package.
@@ -447,6 +243,7 @@ purge:
 	/*
 	 * Remove package metadata plist.
 	 */
+	snprintf(metafile, sizeof(metafile), "%s/.%s-files.plist", xhp->metadir, pkgname);
 	if (remove(metafile) == -1) {
 		if (errno != ENOENT) {
 			xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FAIL,