diff --git a/lib/initend.c b/lib/initend.c
index a15fbb78..64286978 100644
--- a/lib/initend.c
+++ b/lib/initend.c
@@ -73,10 +73,14 @@ xbps_init(struct xbps_handle *xh)
 	xhp->conf_dictionary =
 	    prop_dictionary_internalize_from_file(xhp->conffile);
 	if (xhp->conf_dictionary == NULL) {
-		xbps_dbg_printf("%s: cannot internalize conf "
-		    "dictionary: %s\n", strerror(errno));
-		xbps_end();
-		return errno;
+		if (errno != ENOENT) {
+			xbps_dbg_printf("%s: cannot internalize conf "
+			    "dictionary: %s\n", strerror(errno));
+			xbps_end();
+			return errno;
+		}
+		xbps_dbg_printf("%s: conf_dictionary not internalized.\n",
+		    __func__);
 	}
 	/*
 	 * Initialize repository pool.
diff --git a/lib/plist_find.c b/lib/plist_find.c
index 3e6eff14..c91f2a10 100644
--- a/lib/plist_find.c
+++ b/lib/plist_find.c
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ find_virtualpkg_user_in_conf(const char *vpkg, bool bypattern)
 	char *vpkgname = NULL;
 
 	xhp = xbps_handle_get();
+	if (xhp->conf_dictionary == NULL)
+		return NULL;
 
 	if ((iter = xbps_array_iter_from_dict(xhp->conf_dictionary,
 	    "package-virtual")) == NULL)
diff --git a/lib/repository_pool.c b/lib/repository_pool.c
index 820b1dab..59f7a007 100644
--- a/lib/repository_pool.c
+++ b/lib/repository_pool.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ xbps_repository_pool_init(void)
 	bool duprepo;
 
 	xhp = xbps_handle_get();
+	if (xhp->conf_dictionary == NULL)
+		return ENOTSUP;
 
 	if (repolist_initialized)
 		return 0;