diff --git a/bin/xbps-bin/check.c b/bin/xbps-bin/check.c
index ab41b547..84ed0a75 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-bin/check.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-bin/check.c
@@ -110,15 +110,7 @@ xbps_check_pkg_integrity(const char *pkgname)
 	/*
 	 * Check for props.plist metadata file.
 	 */
-	path = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s", xbps_get_rootdir(),
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
-	if (path == NULL) {
-		rv = errno;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	propsd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(path);
-	free(path);
+	propsd = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
 	if (propsd == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr,
 		    "E: %s: unexistent %s metadata file.\n", pkgname,
@@ -142,15 +134,7 @@ xbps_check_pkg_integrity(const char *pkgname)
 	/*
 	 * Check for files.plist metadata file.
 	 */
-	path = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s", xbps_get_rootdir(),
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (path == NULL) {
-		rv = errno;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	filesd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(path);
-	free(path);
+	filesd = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
 	if (filesd == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr,
 		    "E: %s: unexistent %s metadata file.\n", pkgname,
diff --git a/bin/xbps-bin/find-files.c b/bin/xbps-bin/find-files.c
index 5c5bb01c..6b8acdd2 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-bin/find-files.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-bin/find-files.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ find_files_in_packages(const char *pattern)
 	prop_array_t files_keys;
 	DIR *dirp;
 	struct dirent *dp;
-	char *path, *filesplist;
+	char *path;
 	int rv = 0;
 	unsigned int i, count;
 
@@ -94,16 +94,9 @@ find_files_in_packages(const char *pattern)
 		    (strcmp(dp->d_name, "..") == 0))
 			continue;
 
-		filesplist = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/%s", path, dp->d_name,
+		pkg_filesd = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(dp->d_name,
 		    XBPS_PKGFILES);
-		if (filesplist == NULL) {
-			rv = -1;
-			break;
-		}
-
-		pkg_filesd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(filesplist);
 		if (pkg_filesd == NULL) {
-			free(filesplist);
 			if (errno == ENOENT)
 				continue;
 			rv = -1;
@@ -118,7 +111,6 @@ find_files_in_packages(const char *pattern)
 				break;
 		}
 		prop_object_release(pkg_filesd);
-		free(filesplist);
 		if (rv == -1)
 			break;
 	}
diff --git a/bin/xbps-bin/show-deps.c b/bin/xbps-bin/show-deps.c
index 3c856e22..cf3f7b69 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-bin/show-deps.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-bin/show-deps.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2009 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2010 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ int
 xbps_show_pkg_deps(const char *pkgname)
 {
 	prop_dictionary_t pkgd, propsd;
-	char *path;
 	int rv = 0;
 
 	assert(pkgname != NULL);
@@ -47,17 +46,12 @@ xbps_show_pkg_deps(const char *pkgname)
 		printf("Package %s is not installed.\n", pkgname);
 		return 0;
 	}
+	prop_object_release(pkgd);
 
 	/*
 	 * Check for props.plist metadata file.
 	 */
-	path = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s", xbps_get_rootdir(),
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
-	if (path == NULL)
-		return errno;
-
-	propsd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(path);
-	free(path);
+	propsd = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
 	if (propsd == NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr,
 		    "%s: unexistent %s metadata file.\n", pkgname,
@@ -68,7 +62,6 @@ xbps_show_pkg_deps(const char *pkgname)
 	rv = xbps_callback_array_iter_in_dict(propsd, "run_depends",
 	     list_strings_sep_in_array, NULL);
 	prop_object_release(propsd);
-	prop_object_release(pkgd);
 
 	return rv;
 }
diff --git a/bin/xbps-bin/show-info-files.c b/bin/xbps-bin/show-info-files.c
index d0571203..6d8fdddf 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-bin/show-info-files.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-bin/show-info-files.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2008-2009 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2008-2010 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -37,23 +37,14 @@
 int
 show_pkg_info_from_metadir(const char *pkgname)
 {
-	prop_dictionary_t pkgd;
-	char *plist;
+	prop_dictionary_t d;
 
-	plist = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s", xbps_get_rootdir(),
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
-	if (plist == NULL)
-		return EINVAL;
-
-	pkgd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(plist);
-	if (pkgd == NULL) {
-		free(plist);
+	d = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGPROPS);
+	if (d == NULL)
 		return errno;
-	}
 
-	show_pkg_info(pkgd);
-	prop_object_release(pkgd);
-	free(plist);
+	show_pkg_info(d);
+	prop_object_release(d);
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -61,24 +52,15 @@ show_pkg_info_from_metadir(const char *pkgname)
 int
 show_pkg_files_from_metadir(const char *pkgname)
 {
-	prop_dictionary_t pkgd;
-	char *plist;
+	prop_dictionary_t d;
 	int rv = 0;
 
-	plist = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s", xbps_get_rootdir(),
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (plist == NULL)
-		return EINVAL;
-
-	pkgd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(plist);
-	if (pkgd == NULL) {
-		free(plist);
+	d = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
+	if (d == NULL)
 		return errno;
-	}
-	free(plist);
 
-	rv = show_pkg_files(pkgd);
-	prop_object_release(pkgd);
+	rv = show_pkg_files(d);
+	prop_object_release(d);
 
 	return rv;
 }
diff --git a/include/xbps_api.h b/include/xbps_api.h
index 83c800eb..2d9c0296 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api.h
@@ -510,6 +510,19 @@ bool xbps_find_string_in_array(prop_array_t array, const char *val);
 prop_object_iterator_t xbps_get_array_iter_from_dict(prop_dictionary_t dict,
 						     const char *key);
 
+/**
+ * Get a proplib object dictionary associated with the installed package
+ * \a pkgn, by internalizing its plist file defined by \a plist.
+ *
+ * @param[in] pkgn Package name of installed package.
+ * @param[in] plist Package metadata property list file.
+ *
+ * @return The proplib object dictionary on success, NULL otherwise and
+ * errno is set appropiately.
+ */
+prop_dictionary_t xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(const char *pkgn,
+							const char *plist);
+
 /**
  * Finds a proplib dictionary in an archive, matching a specific
  * entry on it.
diff --git a/lib/package_config_files.c b/lib/package_config_files.c
index 39de213c..2334f08d 100644
--- a/lib/package_config_files.c
+++ b/lib/package_config_files.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2009 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2010 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -58,13 +58,7 @@ xbps_config_file_from_archive_entry(prop_dictionary_t d,
 	 * Get original hash for the file from current
 	 * installed package.
 	 */
-	buf = xbps_xasprintf(".%s/metadata/%s/%s", XBPS_META_PATH,
-	    pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (buf == NULL)
-		return errno;
-
-	forigd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(buf);
-	free(buf);
+	forigd = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
 	if (forigd == NULL) {
 		install_new = true;
 		goto out;
diff --git a/lib/package_purge.c b/lib/package_purge.c
index d3737b4a..991376e6 100644
--- a/lib/package_purge.c
+++ b/lib/package_purge.c
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ int
 xbps_purge_pkg(const char *pkgname, bool check_state)
 {
 	prop_dictionary_t dict, pkgd;
-	char *path;
 	int rv = 0, flags;
 	pkg_state_t state = 0;
 
@@ -170,20 +169,11 @@ xbps_purge_pkg(const char *pkgname, bool check_state)
 	/*
 	 * Remove unmodified configuration files.
 	 */
-	path = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s",
-	    xbps_get_rootdir(), XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (path == NULL) {
-                rv = errno;
-		goto out;
-	}
-
-	dict = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(path);
+	dict = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
 	if (dict == NULL) {
-		free(path);
 		rv = errno;
 		goto out;
 	}
-	free(path);
 	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(dict, "conf_files")) != 0) {
 		prop_object_release(dict);
 		goto out;
diff --git a/lib/package_remove.c b/lib/package_remove.c
index 3787e248..050879ed 100644
--- a/lib/package_remove.c
+++ b/lib/package_remove.c
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ int
 xbps_remove_pkg(const char *pkgname, const char *version, bool update)
 {
 	prop_dictionary_t dict;
-	char *path, *buf;
+	char *buf;
 	int rv = 0;
 
 	assert(pkgname != NULL);
@@ -240,19 +240,11 @@ xbps_remove_pkg(const char *pkgname, const char *version, bool update)
 	/*
 	 * Remove links, files and dirs.
 	 */
-	path = xbps_xasprintf(".%s/metadata/%s/%s",
-	    XBPS_META_PATH, pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
-	if (path == NULL) {
-		free(buf);
-		return errno;
-	}
-	dict = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(path);
+	dict = xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(pkgname, XBPS_PKGFILES);
 	if (dict == NULL) {
-		free(path);
 		free(buf);
 		return errno;
 	}
-	free(path);
 
 	/* Remove links */
 	if ((rv = xbps_remove_pkg_files(dict, "links")) != 0) {
diff --git a/lib/plist.c b/lib/plist.c
index 6c69e608..f77a3685 100644
--- a/lib/plist.c
+++ b/lib/plist.c
@@ -287,6 +287,26 @@ xbps_get_array_iter_from_dict(prop_dictionary_t dict, const char *key)
 	return prop_array_iterator(array);
 }
 
+prop_dictionary_t
+xbps_get_pkg_dict_from_metadata_plist(const char *pkgn, const char *plist)
+{
+	prop_dictionary_t plistd = NULL;
+	char *plistf;
+
+	assert(pkgn != NULL);
+	assert(plist != NULL);
+
+	plistf = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/metadata/%s/%s",
+	    xbps_get_rootdir(), XBPS_META_PATH, pkgn, plist);
+	if (plistf == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	plistd = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_zfile(plistf);
+	free(plistf);
+
+	return plistd;
+}
+
 int
 xbps_remove_string_from_array(prop_array_t array, const char *str)
 {