diff --git a/bin/xbps-install/main.c b/bin/xbps-install/main.c
index d060723f..9ee4964b 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-install/main.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-install/main.c
@@ -243,9 +243,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (syncf && !update && (argc == optind))
 		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 
-	if (!drun && (rv = xbps_pkgdb_lock(&xh)) != 0) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Failed to lock the pkgdb: %s\n", strerror(rv));
-		exit(rv);
+	if (!(xh.flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) && !drun) {
+		if ((rv = xbps_pkgdb_lock(&xh)) != 0) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Failed to lock the pkgdb: %s\n", strerror(rv));
+			exit(rv);
+		}
 	}
 
 	eexist = optind;
diff --git a/bin/xbps-install/util.c b/bin/xbps-install/util.c
index 84753edb..49c5beb5 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-install/util.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-install/util.c
@@ -138,6 +138,10 @@ print_trans_colmode(struct transaction *trans, int cols)
 		pkgname = xbps_pkg_name(pkgver);
 		assert(pkgname);
 
+		if (trans->xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
+			tract = "download";
+		}
+
 		if (strcmp(tract, "install") == 0) {
 			trans->inst_pkgcnt++;
 		} else if (strcmp(tract, "update") == 0) {
@@ -147,16 +151,14 @@ print_trans_colmode(struct transaction *trans, int cols)
 		} else if (strcmp(tract, "configure") == 0) {
 			trans->cf_pkgcnt++;
 		}
+		ipkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkg(trans->xhp, pkgname);
+
 		if (trans->xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
-			trans->inst_pkgcnt = 0;
-			trans->up_pkgcnt = 0;
-			trans->rm_pkgcnt = 0;
-			trans->cf_pkgcnt = 0;
+			ipkgd = NULL;
 		}
 		if (dload) {
 			trans->dl_pkgcnt++;
 		}
-		ipkgd = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkg(trans->xhp, pkgname);
 		if (ipkgd) {
 			xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(ipkgd, "pkgver", &ipkgver);
 			iver = xbps_pkg_version(ipkgver);
diff --git a/lib/repo_pkgdeps.c b/lib/repo_pkgdeps.c
index 0dbb0010..21b529b1 100644
--- a/lib/repo_pkgdeps.c
+++ b/lib/repo_pkgdeps.c
@@ -198,6 +198,16 @@ find_repo_deps(struct xbps_handle *xhp,
 				foundvpkg = true;
 			}
 		}
+		if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
+			/*
+			 * if XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY always assume
+			 * all deps are not installed. This way one can download
+			 * the whole set of binary packages to perform an
+			 * off-line installation later on.
+			 */
+			curpkgd = NULL;
+		}
+
 		if (curpkgd == NULL) {
 			if (errno && errno != ENOENT) {
 				/* error */
diff --git a/lib/transaction_fetch.c b/lib/transaction_fetch.c
index 67c8ecbf..e6749f68 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_fetch.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_fetch.c
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@
  * THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
-#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index 03725ee3..cbdc9721 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall,
 	} else {
 		pkg_pkgdb = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkg(xhp, pkg);
 	}
+
+	if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
+		pkg_pkgdb = NULL;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Find out if the pkg has been found in repository pool.
 	 */
@@ -254,6 +259,10 @@ xbps_autoupdate(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 	xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: trans_find_pkg xbps: %d\n", __func__, rv);
 
 	if (rv == 0) {
+		if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
+			xhp->flags |= XBPS_FLAG_FORCE_REMOVE_REVDEPS;
+			return 1;
+		}
 		/* a new xbps version is available, check its revdeps */
 		rdeps = xbps_pkgdb_get_pkg_revdeps(xhp, "xbps");
 		for (unsigned int i = 0; i < xbps_array_count(rdeps); i++)  {
diff --git a/lib/transaction_prepare.c b/lib/transaction_prepare.c
index 5e3aa052..1ac27ef9 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_prepare.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_prepare.c
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ compute_transaction_stats(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 	struct statvfs svfs;
 	uint64_t rootdir_free_size, tsize, dlsize, instsize, rmsize;
 	uint32_t inst_pkgcnt, up_pkgcnt, cf_pkgcnt, rm_pkgcnt, dl_pkgcnt;
-	const char *tract, *pkgver, *repo;
 
 	inst_pkgcnt = up_pkgcnt = cf_pkgcnt = rm_pkgcnt = dl_pkgcnt = 0;
 	tsize = dlsize = instsize = rmsize = 0;
@@ -72,6 +71,7 @@ compute_transaction_stats(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 		return EINVAL;
 
 	while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter)) != NULL) {
+		const char *pkgver = NULL, *repo = NULL, *tract = NULL;
 		bool preserve = false;
 		/*
 		 * Count number of pkgs to be removed, configured,
@@ -82,6 +82,20 @@ compute_transaction_stats(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "repository", &repo);
 		xbps_dictionary_get_bool(obj, "preserve", &preserve);
 
+		if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY) {
+			tract = "download";
+			if (xbps_repository_is_remote(repo) &&
+			    !xbps_binpkg_exists(xhp, obj)) {
+				xbps_dictionary_get_uint64(obj,
+				    "filename-size", &tsize);
+				tsize += 512;
+				dlsize += tsize;
+				dl_pkgcnt++;
+				xbps_dictionary_set_bool(obj, "download", true);
+			}
+			continue;
+		}
+
 		if (strcmp(tract, "configure") == 0) {
 			cf_pkgcnt++;
 			continue;
@@ -347,6 +361,13 @@ xbps_transaction_prepare(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 	if (all_on_hold)
 		goto out;
 
+	/*
+	 * Do not perform any checks if XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY
+	 * is set. We just need to download the archives (dependencies).
+	 */
+	if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_DOWNLOAD_ONLY)
+		goto out;
+
 	/*
 	 * Check for packages to be replaced.
 	 */