diff --git a/utils/plist.c b/utils/plist.c
index 262be0217fc..1088bdd498b 100644
--- a/utils/plist.c
+++ b/utils/plist.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 
 struct callback_args {
 	const char *string;
-	int number;
+	int64_t number;
 };
 
 bool
@@ -176,6 +176,51 @@ xbps_get_pkgidx_string(const char *repofile)
 	return res;
 }
 
+bool
+xbps_remove_pkg_dict_from_file(const char *pkg, const char *plist)
+{
+	prop_dictionary_t pdict;
+	prop_array_t array;
+	prop_object_t obj;
+	prop_object_iterator_t iter;
+	const char *curpkg;
+	int i = 0;
+
+	pdict = prop_dictionary_internalize_from_file(plist);
+	if (pdict == NULL)
+		return false;
+
+	array = prop_dictionary_get(pdict, "packages");
+	if (array == NULL || prop_object_type(array) != PROP_TYPE_ARRAY)
+		return false;
+
+	iter = prop_array_iterator(array);
+	if (iter == NULL)
+		return false;
+
+	/* Iterate over the array of dictionaries to find its index. */
+	while ((obj = prop_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
+		prop_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "pkgname", &curpkg);
+		if ((curpkg && (strcmp(curpkg, pkg) == 0))) {
+			/* Found, remove it and write plist file. */
+			prop_array_remove(array, i);
+			prop_object_iterator_release(iter);
+			goto wr_plist;
+		}
+		i++;
+	}
+
+	prop_object_iterator_release(iter);
+	errno = ENODEV;
+	return false;
+
+wr_plist:
+	if (!prop_dictionary_externalize_to_file(pdict, plist))
+		return false;
+
+	return true;
+}
+
 bool
 xbps_remove_string_from_array(prop_object_t obj, void *arg, bool *loop_done)
 {
diff --git a/utils/plist.h b/utils/plist.h
index 4bc4f38c04b..c38465965a0 100644
--- a/utils/plist.h
+++ b/utils/plist.h
@@ -115,6 +115,19 @@ xbps_get_array_iter_from_dict(prop_dictionary_t, const char *);
 bool xbps_register_repository(const char *);
 bool xbps_unregister_repository(const char *);
 
+/*
+ * Remove package's dictionary from the "packages" array in
+ * the specified plist file.
+ *
+ * Arguments:
+ * 	- 1st const char *: package name.
+ * 	- 2nd const char *: full path to plist file.
+ *
+ * Returns true on success, or false and an appropiate errno value otherwise.
+ */
+bool
+xbps_remove_pkg_dict_from_file(const char *, const char *);
+
 /*
  * Shows information of a package by looking at its dictionary.
  * All known objects on it will be showed up.
diff --git a/utils/xbps-pkgdb.c b/utils/xbps-pkgdb.c
index 3f041bb9d7d..5cecb047f17 100644
--- a/utils/xbps-pkgdb.c
+++ b/utils/xbps-pkgdb.c
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ typedef struct pkg_data {
 
 static prop_dictionary_t make_dict_from_pkg(pkg_data_t *);
 static void register_pkg(prop_dictionary_t, pkg_data_t *, const char *);
-static void unregister_pkg(prop_dictionary_t, const char *, const char *);
 static void write_plist_file(prop_dictionary_t, const char *);
 
 static prop_dictionary_t
@@ -83,42 +82,6 @@ register_pkg(prop_dictionary_t dict, pkg_data_t *pkg, const char *dbfile)
 	write_plist_file(dict, dbfile);
 }
 
-static void
-unregister_pkg(prop_dictionary_t dict, const char *pkgname, const char *dbfile)
-{
-	prop_array_t array;
-	prop_object_t obj;
-	prop_object_iterator_t iter;
-	const char *curpkgn;
-	int i = 0;
-	bool found = false;
-
-	assert(dict != NULL || pkgname != NULL);
-	array = prop_dictionary_get(dict, "packages");
-	assert(array != NULL);
-	assert(prop_object_type(array) == PROP_TYPE_ARRAY);
-	iter = prop_array_iterator(array);
-	assert(iter != NULL);
-
-	/* Iterate over the array of dictionaries to find its index. */
-	while ((obj = prop_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
-		prop_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "pkgname", &curpkgn);
-		if (strcmp(curpkgn, pkgname) == 0) {
-			found = true;
-			break;
-		}
-		i++;
-	}
-
-	if (found == false) {
-		printf("=> ERROR: %s not registered in database.\n", pkgname);
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
-	prop_array_remove(array, i);
-	write_plist_file(dict, dbfile);
-}
-
 static void
 write_plist_file(prop_dictionary_t dict, const char *file)
 {
@@ -248,8 +211,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		if (argc != 4)
 			usage();
 
-		unregister_pkg(prop_dictionary_internalize_from_file(dbfile),
-		    argv[2], dbfile);
+		if (!xbps_remove_pkg_dict_from_file(argv[2], dbfile)) {
+			if (errno == ENODEV)
+				printf("=> ERROR: %s not registered "
+				    "in database.\n", argv[2]);
+			else
+				printf("=> ERROR: couldn't unregister %s "
+				    "from database (%s)\n", argv[2],
+				    strerror(errno));
+			exit(EINVAL);
+		}
 
 		printf("%s=> %s-%s unregistered successfully.\n",
 		    in_chroot ? "[chroot] " : "", argv[2], argv[3]);