diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 50b006b2..e1ea7664 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 xbps-0.44 (???):
 
+ * libxbps: add packages on hold mode to the transaction, but just ignore them.
+   This way those are shown in the xbps-install(8) output and the user really
+   knows that there's a pending update that is not being applied.
+   Idea by @chneukirchen.
+
  * libxbps: make sure to remove the pkg metadata file if a pkg upgrade does not
    own any file and a dependency replaces it due to moving files between them.
    Added two new test cases to verify its correctness.
diff --git a/lib/transaction_commit.c b/lib/transaction_commit.c
index 5a2cf783..da0a9ae5 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_commit.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_commit.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ check_binpkgs(struct xbps_handle *xhp, xbps_object_iterator_t iter)
 	while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter)) != NULL) {
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "transaction", &trans);
 		if ((strcmp(trans, "remove") == 0) ||
+		    (strcmp(trans, "hold") == 0) ||
 		    (strcmp(trans, "configure") == 0))
 			continue;
 
@@ -132,6 +133,7 @@ download_binpkgs(struct xbps_handle *xhp, xbps_object_iterator_t iter)
 	while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter)) != NULL) {
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "transaction", &trans);
 		if ((strcmp(trans, "remove") == 0) ||
+		    (strcmp(trans, "hold") == 0) ||
 		    (strcmp(trans, "configure") == 0))
 			continue;
 
@@ -315,6 +317,11 @@ xbps_transaction_commit(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 				    strerror(rv));
 				goto out;
 			}
+		} else if (strcmp(tract, "hold") == 0) {
+			/*
+			 * Package is on hold mode, ignore it.
+			 */
+			continue;
 		} else {
 			/* Install a package */
 			xbps_set_cb_state(xhp, XBPS_STATE_INSTALL, 0,
@@ -359,6 +366,7 @@ xbps_transaction_commit(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "pkgver", &pkgver);
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "transaction", &tract);
 		if ((strcmp(tract, "remove") == 0) ||
+		    (strcmp(tract, "hold") == 0) ||
 		    (strcmp(tract, "configure") == 0)) {
 			xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: skipping configuration for "
 			    "%s: %s\n", __func__, pkgver, tract);
diff --git a/lib/transaction_dictionary.c b/lib/transaction_dictionary.c
index fa05fb86..2be598b2 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_dictionary.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_dictionary.c
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ xbps_transaction_prepare(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 		pkgd = xbps_array_get(pkgs, i);
 		str = xbps_dictionary_get(pkgd, "pkgver");
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkgd, "transaction", &tract);
-		if (strcmp(tract, "remove") == 0)
+		if ((strcmp(tract, "remove") == 0) || strcmp(tract, "hold") == 0)
 			continue;
 
 		assert(xbps_object_type(str) == XBPS_TYPE_STRING);
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index b1496041..60a802ea 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*-
- * Copyright (c) 2009-2014 Juan Romero Pardines.
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2015 Juan Romero Pardines.
  * All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ enum {
 };
 
 static int
-trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
+trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall,
+		bool hold)
 {
 	xbps_dictionary_t pkg_pkgdb = NULL, pkg_repod = NULL;
 	xbps_array_t pkgs;
@@ -187,10 +188,11 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 		reason = "configure";
 	else if (state == XBPS_PKG_STATE_NOT_INSTALLED)
 		reason = "install";
+	else if ((action == TRANS_UPDATE) && hold)
+		reason = "hold";
 
 	/*
-	 * Set transaction obj in pkg dictionary to "install", "configure"
-	 * or "update".
+	 * Set transaction obj reason.
 	 */
 	if (!xbps_dictionary_set_cstring_nocopy(pkg_repod,
 	    "transaction", reason)) {
@@ -208,12 +210,9 @@ trans_find_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg, bool reinstall)
 int
 xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 {
-	xbps_dictionary_t pkgd;
 	xbps_object_t obj;
 	xbps_object_iterator_t iter;
-	const char *pkgver;
-	char *pkgname = NULL;
-	bool hold, newpkg_found = false;
+	bool newpkg_found = false;
 	int rv = 0;
 
 	if ((rv = xbps_pkgdb_init(xhp)) != 0)
@@ -223,21 +222,24 @@ xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 	assert(iter);
 
 	while ((obj = xbps_object_iterator_next(iter))) {
+		xbps_dictionary_t pkgd;
+		const char *pkgver;
+		char *pkgname;
+		bool hold = false;
+
 		pkgd = xbps_dictionary_get_keysym(xhp->pkgdb, obj);
 		xbps_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(pkgd, "pkgver", &pkgver);
-		hold = false;
 		xbps_dictionary_get_bool(pkgd, "hold", &hold);
 		if (hold) {
 			xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "[rpool] package `%s' "
 			    "on hold, ignoring updates.\n", pkgver);
-			continue;
 		}
 		pkgname = xbps_pkg_name(pkgver);
 		assert(pkgname);
-		rv = trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkgname, false);
-		if (rv == 0)
+		rv = trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkgname, false, hold);
+		if (rv == 0) {
 			newpkg_found = true;
-		else if (rv == ENOENT || rv == EEXIST || rv == ENODEV) {
+		} else if (rv == ENOENT || rv == EEXIST || rv == ENODEV) {
 			/*
 			 * missing pkg or installed version is greater than or
 			 * equal than pkg in repositories.
@@ -254,14 +256,14 @@ xbps_transaction_update_packages(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 int
 xbps_transaction_update_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 {
-	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, false);
+	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, false, false);
 }
 
 int
 xbps_transaction_install_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg,
 			     bool reinstall)
 {
-	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, reinstall);
+	return trans_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, reinstall, false);
 }
 
 int
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Kyuafile b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Kyuafile
index 5bc1f1de..9b48c916 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Kyuafile
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Kyuafile
@@ -17,3 +17,4 @@ atf_test_program{name="vpkg_test"}
 atf_test_program{name="install_test"}
 atf_test_program{name="preserve_files_test"}
 atf_test_program{name="update_shlibs"}
+atf_test_program{name="update_hold"}
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Makefile b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Makefile
index 060a4502..46586503 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Makefile
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/Makefile
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ TESTSHELL = conf_files_test issue6_test issue18_test issue20_test remove_test
 TESTSHELL+= replace_test installmode_test obsoletefiles_test
 TESTSHELL+= issue31_test scripts_test incorrect_deps_test
 TESTSHELL+= vpkg_test install_test preserve_files_test
-TESTSHELL+= update_shlibs
+TESTSHELL+= update_shlibs update_hold
 EXTRA_FILES = Kyuafile
 
 include $(TOPDIR)/mk/test.mk
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_hold.sh b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_hold.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8521e144
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/update_hold.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env atf-sh
+
+atf_test_case update_hold
+
+update_hold_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg update: pkg is on hold mode"
+}
+
+update_hold_body() {
+	mkdir -p repo pkg_A
+	cd repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.0_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ..
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yd A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-pkgdb -r root -m hold A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -H)
+	atf_check_equal $out A-1.0_1
+	cd repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.1_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ..
+	out=$(xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -un)
+	atf_check_equal "$out" "A-1.1_1 hold noarch $PWD/repo"
+	xbps-install -r root --repository=$PWD/repo -yuvd
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver A)
+	atf_check_equal $out A-1.0_1
+
+}
+
+atf_init_test_cases() {
+	atf_add_test_case update_hold
+}