diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 0e57506f..3913b956 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 xbps-0.16 (???):
 
+ * libxbps: when removing package files and if metadata files.plist wasn't
+   found, do not error out and rather just continue until the package is
+   fully removed.
+
  * xbps-bin(8): renamed "autoupdate" target to "dist-upgrade" and
    "autoremove" to "remove-orphans". For compatibility with previous
    versions the old targets are still kept, but will be removed in future
diff --git a/include/xbps_api.h b/include/xbps_api.h
index d5dffb74..2d032a52 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
  */
 #define XBPS_PKGINDEX_VERSION	"1.4"
 
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120508"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120521"
 #define XBPS_VERSION		"0.16"
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/package_remove.c b/lib/package_remove.c
index a776d16c..45cf0053 100644
--- a/lib/package_remove.c
+++ b/lib/package_remove.c
@@ -328,38 +328,31 @@ xbps_remove_pkg(const char *pkgname, const char *version, bool update)
 	}
 
 	pkgd = xbps_dictionary_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (pkgd == NULL) {
-		rv = errno;
-		goto out;
+	if (pkgd) {
+		/* Remove links */
+		if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "links", pkgver)) != 0)
+			goto out;
+		/* Remove regular files */
+		if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "files", pkgver)) != 0)
+			goto out;
+		/* Remove configuration files */
+		if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "conf_files", pkgver)) != 0)
+			goto out;
+		/* Remove dirs */
+		if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "dirs", pkgver)) != 0)
+			goto out;
 	}
-	/* Remove links */
-	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "links", pkgver)) != 0)
-		goto out;
-
-	/* Remove regular files */
-	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "files", pkgver)) != 0)
-		goto out;
-
-	/* Remove configuration files */
-	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "conf_files", pkgver)) != 0)
-		goto out;
-
-	/* Remove dirs */
-	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(pkgd, "dirs", pkgver)) != 0)
-		goto out;
-
 	/*
 	 * Execute the post REMOVE action if file exists and we aren't
 	 * updating the package.
 	 */
 	if (rmfile_exists &&
-	    (xbps_file_exec(buf, "post", pkgname, version, "no",
-	     xhp->conffile, NULL) != 0)) {
+	    ((rv = xbps_file_exec(buf, "post", pkgname, version, "no",
+	     xhp->conffile, NULL)) != 0)) {
 		xbps_set_cb_state(XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FAIL,
-		    errno, pkgname, version,
+		    rv, pkgname, version,
 		    "%s: [remove] REMOVE script failed to execute "
-		    "post ACTION: %s", pkgver, strerror(errno));
-		rv = errno;
+		    "post ACTION: %s", pkgver, strerror(rv));
 		goto out;
 	}
 	/*
@@ -390,13 +383,12 @@ purge:
 	 * Execute the purge REMOVE action if file exists.
 	 */
 	if (access(buf, X_OK) == 0) {
-	    if (xbps_file_exec(buf, "purge", pkgname, version, "no",
-	        xhp->conffile, NULL) != 0) {
-		rv = errno;
+	    if ((rv = xbps_file_exec(buf, "purge", pkgname, version, "no",
+	        xhp->conffile, NULL)) != 0) {
 		xbps_set_cb_state(XBPS_STATE_REMOVE_FAIL,
-		    errno, pkgname, version,
+		    rv, pkgname, version,
 		    "%s: REMOVE script failed to execute "
-		    "purge ACTION: %s", pkgver, strerror(errno));
+		    "purge ACTION: %s", pkgver, strerror(rv));
 		goto out;
 	    }
 	}