diff --git a/bin/xbps-pkgdb/main.c b/bin/xbps-pkgdb/main.c
index 60256620..18ccefa2 100644
--- a/bin/xbps-pkgdb/main.c
+++ b/bin/xbps-pkgdb/main.c
@@ -65,9 +65,6 @@ usage(void)
 	"  Options shared by all actions:\n"
 	"    -r\t\t\t<rootdir>\n"
 	"\n"
-	"  Options used by the register action:\n"
-	"    -a\t\t\tSet automatic installation flag.\n"
-	"\n"
 	"  Examples:\n"
 	"    $ xbps-pkgdb getpkgname foo-2.0\n"
 	"    $ xbps-pkgdb getpkgrevision foo-2.0_1\n"
@@ -86,15 +83,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	prop_dictionary_t dict;
 	const char *version;
 	char *plist, *pkgname, *in_chroot_env, *root = NULL;
-	bool automatic = false, in_chroot = false;
+	bool in_chroot = false;
 	int c, rv = 0;
 
 	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "ar:")) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
-		case 'a':
-			/* Set automatic install flag */
-			automatic = true;
-			break;
 		case 'r':
 			/* To specify the root directory */
 			root = strdup(optarg);
@@ -142,7 +135,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		if (rv != 0)
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 
-		rv = xbps_register_pkg(dict, automatic);
+		rv = xbps_register_pkg(dict, false);
 		if (rv == EEXIST) {
 			printf("%s=> %s-%s already registered.\n",
 			    in_chroot ? "[chroot] " : "", argv[1], argv[2]);
diff --git a/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh b/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
index c7e25dcc..94773c6c 100644
--- a/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
+++ b/shutils/builddep_funcs.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ install_pkg_deps()
                 prev_pkg="$j"
         done
 
-	install_pkg $curpkgname auto
+	install_pkg $curpkgname
 	[ -n "$prev_pkg" ] && unset prev_pkg
 }
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ install_dependencies_pkg()
 		check_build_depends_pkg
 		if [ $? -eq 1 ]; then
 			msg_normal "Installing $lpkgname dependency: $ipkgname."
-			install_pkg $ipkgname auto
+			install_pkg $ipkgname
 		else
 			install_pkg_deps $i $pkg
 		fi
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ install_builddeps_required_pkg()
 		if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
 			msg_normal "Installing $pkgname dependency: $dep."
 			depname=$(xbps-pkgdb getpkgname ${dep})
-			install_pkg $depname auto
+			install_pkg $depname
 		fi
 	done
 }
diff --git a/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh b/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh
index 6c917f16..ddecca25 100644
--- a/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh
+++ b/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ install_pkg()
 {
 	local pkg=
 	local curpkgn="$1"
-	local automatic="$2"
 	local cdestdir=
 	local cur_tmpl="$XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR/$curpkgn/template"
 
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ install_pkg()
 	#
 	if [ -z "$install_destdir_target" ]; then
 		. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/stow_funcs.sh
-		stow_pkg $curpkgn $automatic
+		stow_pkg $curpkgn
 	fi
 }
 
diff --git a/shutils/stow_funcs.sh b/shutils/stow_funcs.sh
index a99dd94c..632bf213 100644
--- a/shutils/stow_funcs.sh
+++ b/shutils/stow_funcs.sh
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@
 stow_pkg()
 {
 	local pkg="$1"
-	local automatic="$2"
 	local subpkg spkgrev
 
 	for subpkg in ${subpackages}; do
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ stow_pkg()
 		. $XBPS_TEMPLATESDIR/${sourcepkg}/${subpkg}.template
 		pkgname=${sourcepkg}-${subpkg}
 		set_tmpl_common_vars
-		stow_pkg_real ${pkgname} ${automatic}
+		stow_pkg_real ${pkgname}
 		run_template ${sourcepkg}
 		if [ "${pkg}" = "${sourcepkg}-${subpkg}" ]; then
 			#
@@ -64,7 +63,6 @@ stow_pkg()
 	done
 
 	stow_pkg_real ${pkg} ${automatic}
-
 	return $?
 }
 
@@ -75,7 +73,6 @@ stow_pkg()
 stow_pkg_real()
 {
 	local pkg="$1"
-	local automatic="$2"
 	local i lver regpkgdb_flags
 
 	[ -z "$pkg" ] && return 2
@@ -102,18 +99,15 @@ stow_pkg_real()
 	done
 
 	#
-	# Register pkg in plist file and add automatic installation
-	# object if requested.
+	# Register pkg in plist file.
 	#
-	[ -n "$automatic" ] && regpkgdb_flags="-a"
-
 	if [ -n "$revision" ]; then
 		lver="${version}_${revision}"
 	else
 		lver="${version}"
 	fi
-	$XBPS_REGPKGDB_CMD $regpkgdb_flags register \
-		$pkg $lver "$short_desc" || exit 1
+	$XBPS_REGPKGDB_CMD register $pkg $lver "$short_desc" || exit 1
+	return $?
 }
 
 #
@@ -172,6 +166,5 @@ unstow_pkg()
 
 	# Unregister pkg from plist file.
 	$XBPS_REGPKGDB_CMD unregister $pkg $ver
-
 	return $?
 }