diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 3217db71..00d6fbbc 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,5 +1,10 @@
 xbps-0.42 (???):
 
+ * Added a new configuration keyword "bestmatching", which expects "true" or "false"
+   and disabled by default. If enabled the pkg with the greatest version available
+   in all registered repositories will be choosen, rather than the first package
+   matching the expression. This keyword can be set in a configuration file.
+
  * xbps-rindex(8): added -d/--debug option.
 
  * utils: the -C/--config option now expects a path to a directory storing
diff --git a/data/xbps.conf b/data/xbps.conf
index eaf9b267..54010638 100644
--- a/data/xbps.conf
+++ b/data/xbps.conf
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 # Set it to false to disable syslog logging.
 #syslog=true
 
+# Enable package best matching (disabled by default). If enabled a package with
+# the greatest version available in all repositories will be choosen, rather
+# than on the firt package matching the expression.
+#
+#bestmatching=true
+
 ## REPOSITORIES
 #
 # The `repository' keyword defines a repository. A complete URL or absolute
diff --git a/include/xbps.h.in b/include/xbps.h.in
index 614e94e8..a2544b44 100644
--- a/include/xbps.h.in
+++ b/include/xbps.h.in
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
  *
  * This header documents the full API for the XBPS Library.
  */
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20141105"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20141107"
 
 #ifndef XBPS_VERSION
  #define XBPS_VERSION		"UNSET"
@@ -175,6 +175,13 @@
  */
 #define XBPS_FLAG_DISABLE_SYSLOG 	0x00000080
 
+/**
+ * @def XBPS_FLAG_BESTMATCH
+ * Enable pkg best matching when resolving packages.
+ * Must be set through the xbps_handle::flags member.
+ */
+#define XBPS_FLAG_BESTMATCH 		0x00000100
+
 /**
  * @def XBPS_FETCH_CACHECONN
  * Default (global) limit of cached connections used in libfetch.
diff --git a/lib/initend.c b/lib/initend.c
index 697c64d5..fc43bcbb 100644
--- a/lib/initend.c
+++ b/lib/initend.c
@@ -156,7 +156,8 @@ parse_option(char *buf, char **k, char **v)
 		"repository",
 		"virtualpkg",
 		"include",
-		"preserve"
+		"preserve",
+		"bestmatching"
 	};
 	bool found = false;
 
@@ -263,6 +264,15 @@ parse_file(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *cwd, const char *path, bool nest
 			store_vpkg(xhp, path, nlines, v);
 		} else if (strcmp(k, "preserve") == 0) {
 			store_preserved_file(xhp, v);
+		} else if (strcmp(k, "bestmatching") == 0) {
+			if (strcasecmp(v, "true") == 0) {
+				xhp->flags |= XBPS_FLAG_BESTMATCH;
+				xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: pkg best matching enabled\n", path);
+			} else {
+				xhp->flags &= ~XBPS_FLAG_BESTMATCH;
+				xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: pkg best matching disabled\n", path);
+			}
+			xbps_dbg_printf(xhp, "%s: enabling pkg best matching\n", path);
 		}
 		/* Avoid double-nested parsing, only allow it once */
 		if (nested)
diff --git a/lib/rpool.c b/lib/rpool.c
index 973d29d9..be92b9fe 100644
--- a/lib/rpool.c
+++ b/lib/rpool.c
@@ -275,6 +275,9 @@ xbps_rpool_get_virtualpkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 xbps_dictionary_t
 xbps_rpool_get_pkg(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *pkg)
 {
+	if (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_BESTMATCH)
+		return repo_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, BEST_PKG);
+
 	return repo_find_pkg(xhp, pkg, REAL_PKG);
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
index adaa1213..1a25d845 100644
--- a/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
+++ b/tests/xbps/libxbps/shell/install_test.sh
@@ -204,12 +204,103 @@ install_dups_body() {
 	atf_check_equal $out 1
 }
 
+atf_test_case install_bestmatch
+
+install_bestmatch_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg installations: install with bestmatching enabled"
+}
+
+install_bestmatch_body() {
+	mkdir -p repo repo2 pkg_A/usr/bin
+	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 ../repo2
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.1_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	cd ..
+	mkdir -p root/xbps.d
+	echo "bestmatching=true" > root/xbps.d/bestmatch.conf
+	xbps-install -C xbps.d -r root --repository=$PWD/repo --repository=$PWD/repo2 -yvd A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver A)
+	atf_check_equal $out A-1.1_1
+}
+
+atf_test_case install_bestmatch_deps
+
+install_bestmatch_deps_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg installations: install with bestmatching enabled for deps"
+}
+
+install_bestmatch_deps_body() {
+	mkdir -p repo repo2 pkg_A/usr/bin pkg_B/usr/bin
+	cd repo
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.0_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n B-1.0_1 -s "B pkg" --dependencies "A>=0" ../pkg_B
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	cd ../repo2
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.1_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n B-1.1_1 -s "B pkg" --dependencies "A>=0" ../pkg_B
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	cd ..
+	mkdir -p root/xbps.d
+	echo "bestmatching=true" > root/xbps.d/bestmatch.conf
+	xbps-install -C xbps.d -r root --repository=$PWD/repo --repository=$PWD/repo2 -yvd B
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver A)
+	atf_check_equal $out A-1.1_1
+	out=$(xbps-query -r root -p pkgver B)
+	atf_check_equal $out B-1.1_1
+}
+
+atf_test_case install_bestmatch_disabled
+
+install_bestmatch_disabled_head() {
+	atf_set "descr" "Tests for pkg installations: install with bestmatching disabled"
+}
+
+install_bestmatch_disabled_body() {
+	mkdir -p repo repo2 pkg_A/usr/bin
+	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 ../repo2
+	xbps-create -A noarch -n A-1.1_1 -s "A pkg" ../pkg_A
+	xbps-rindex -d -a $PWD/*.xbps
+	atf_check_equal $? 0
+
+	cd ..
+	mkdir -p root/xbps.d
+	echo "bestmatching=false" > root/xbps.d/bestmatch.conf
+	xbps-install -C xbps.d -r root --repository=$PWD/repo --repository=$PWD/repo2 -yvd A
+	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 install_empty
 	atf_add_test_case install_with_deps
 	atf_add_test_case install_with_vpkg_deps
 	atf_add_test_case install_if_not_installed_on_update
 	atf_add_test_case install_dups
+	atf_add_test_case install_bestmatch
+	atf_add_test_case install_bestmatch_deps
+	atf_add_test_case install_bestmatch_disabled
 	atf_add_test_case update_if_installed
 	atf_add_test_case update_to_empty_pkg
 }