diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 924b85f1..cc595bec 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 xbps-0.16 (???):
 
+ * Added support to put packages "on hold". Packages on hold
+   won't be updated by system upgrades even if there is a newer version.
+   The configuration string list "PackagesOnHold" in xbps.conf expects
+   a list of package names.
+
  * xbps-repo(8): new target: 'clean'. This removes obsolete binpkgs
    from cachedir, either because the binpkg is not available in repository
    pool anymore or because its sha256 hash that doesn't match with the
diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 66f32a48..b5f6954b 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 libxbps:
  - conflicts: the object is there but is not handled yet (ETA 0.16)
- - properties: (hold) still unimplemented (ETA 0.16)
  - properties: (update-first) still unimplemented.
 
 xbps-repo:
diff --git a/etc/xbps.conf b/etc/xbps.conf
index aaf0b343..f9e93242 100644
--- a/etc/xbps.conf
+++ b/etc/xbps.conf
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ repositories = {
 	http://xbps.nopcode.org/repos/current/nonfree/x86_64
 }
 
+# Packages on hold.
+#
+# Packages that are put on hold won't be updated even if there is a
+# newer version in repository pool.
+#
+# This expects package names and separated by commas.
+#
+#PackagesOnHold = { glibc, xbps }
+
 # Virtual packages.
 #
 # The following syntax is used:
diff --git a/include/xbps_api.h b/include/xbps_api.h
index e0cecabb..d5dffb74 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api.h
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
  */
 #define XBPS_PKGINDEX_VERSION	"1.4"
 
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120506-1"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20120508"
 #define XBPS_VERSION		"0.16"
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/initend.c b/lib/initend.c
index c453612a..f7fb3375 100644
--- a/lib/initend.c
+++ b/lib/initend.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ xbps_init(struct xbps_handle *xh)
 		    XBPS_TRANS_FLUSH, CFGF_NONE),
 		CFG_BOOL(__UNCONST("syslog"), true, CFGF_NONE),
 		CFG_STR_LIST(__UNCONST("repositories"), NULL, CFGF_MULTI),
+		CFG_STR_LIST(__UNCONST("PackagesOnHold"), NULL, CFGF_MULTI),
 		CFG_SEC(__UNCONST("virtual-package"),
 		    vpkg_opts, CFGF_MULTI|CFGF_TITLE),
 		CFG_FUNC(__UNCONST("include"), &cfg_include),
diff --git a/lib/transaction_ops.c b/lib/transaction_ops.c
index d239d727..cd85c0b1 100644
--- a/lib/transaction_ops.c
+++ b/lib/transaction_ops.c
@@ -188,13 +188,23 @@ out:
 static int
 update_pkgs_cb(prop_object_t obj, void *arg, bool *done)
 {
-	const char *pkgname;
+	struct xbps_handle *xhp = xbps_handle_get();
+	const char *pkgname, *holdpkgname;
 	bool *newpkg_found = arg;
 	int rv = 0;
+	size_t i;
 
 	(void)done;
 
 	prop_dictionary_get_cstring_nocopy(obj, "pkgname", &pkgname);
+	for (i = 0; i < cfg_size(xhp->cfg, "PackagesOnHold"); i++) {
+		holdpkgname = cfg_getnstr(xhp->cfg, "PackagesOnHold", i);
+		if (strcmp(pkgname, holdpkgname) == 0) {
+			xbps_dbg_printf("[rpool] package %s on hold, "
+			    "ignoring updates.\n", pkgname);
+			return 0;
+		}
+	}
 	rv = xbps_transaction_update_pkg(pkgname);
 	if (rv == 0)
 		*newpkg_found = true;