diff --git a/include/xbps.h.in b/include/xbps.h.in
index a8024a2b..a864fe4c 100644
--- a/include/xbps.h.in
+++ b/include/xbps.h.in
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
  *
  * This header documents the full API for the XBPS Library.
  */
-#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20200221"
+#define XBPS_API_VERSION	"20200414"
 
 #ifndef XBPS_VERSION
  #define XBPS_VERSION		"UNSET"
@@ -1645,12 +1645,21 @@ struct xbps_repo *xbps_repo_stage_open(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url)
 struct xbps_repo *xbps_repo_public_open(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url);
 
 /**
- * Closes a repository object and releases resources.
+ * Closes a repository object, its archive associated is
+ * closed and those resources released.
  *
  * @param[in] repo The repository object to close.
  */
 void xbps_repo_close(struct xbps_repo *repo);
 
+/**
+ * This calls \fn xbps_repo_close and releases all resources
+ * associated with this repository object.
+ *
+ * @param[in] repo The repository object to release.
+ */
+void xbps_repo_release(struct xbps_repo *repo);
+
 /**
  *
  * Returns a heap-allocated string with the repository local path.
diff --git a/lib/repo.c b/lib/repo.c
index f3f6ed4f..224482ba 100644
--- a/lib/repo.c
+++ b/lib/repo.c
@@ -171,6 +171,11 @@ repo_open_local(struct xbps_repo *repo, const char *repofile)
 		repo->is_signed = true;
 		xbps_dictionary_make_immutable(repo->idxmeta);
 	}
+	/*
+	 * We don't need the archive anymore, we are only
+	 * interested in the proplib dictionaries.
+	 */
+	xbps_repo_close(repo);
 
 	return true;
 }
@@ -195,9 +200,9 @@ repo_open_remote(struct xbps_repo *repo)
 static struct xbps_repo *
 repo_open_with_type(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url, const char *name)
 {
-	struct xbps_repo *repo;
+	struct xbps_repo *repo = NULL;
 	const char *arch;
-	char *repofile;
+	char *repofile = NULL;
 
 	assert(xhp);
 	assert(url);
@@ -218,8 +223,7 @@ repo_open_with_type(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url, const char *name)
 		char *rpath;
 
 		if ((rpath = xbps_get_remote_repo_string(url)) == NULL) {
-			free(repo);
-			return NULL;
+			goto out;
 		}
 		repofile = xbps_xasprintf("%s/%s/%s-%s", xhp->metadir, rpath, arch, name);
 		free(rpath);
@@ -232,9 +236,10 @@ repo_open_with_type(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url, const char *name)
 	 * In memory repo sync.
 	 */
 	if (repo->is_remote && (xhp->flags & XBPS_FLAG_REPOS_MEMSYNC)) {
-		if (repo_open_remote(repo))
+		if (repo_open_remote(repo)) {
+			free(repofile);
 			return repo;
-
+		}
 		goto out;
 	}
 	/*
@@ -254,7 +259,7 @@ repo_open_with_type(struct xbps_handle *xhp, const char *url, const char *name)
 
 out:
 	free(repofile);
-	xbps_repo_close(repo);
+	xbps_repo_release(repo);
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -369,8 +374,23 @@ xbps_repo_close(struct xbps_repo *repo)
 	if (!repo)
 		return;
 
-	if (repo->ar != NULL)
+	if (repo->ar != NULL) {
 		archive_read_finish(repo->ar);
+		repo->ar = NULL;
+	}
+	if (repo->fd != -1) {
+		close(repo->fd);
+		repo->fd = -1;
+	}
+}
+
+void
+xbps_repo_release(struct xbps_repo *repo)
+{
+	if (!repo)
+		return;
+
+	xbps_repo_close(repo);
 
 	if (repo->idx != NULL) {
 		xbps_object_release(repo->idx);
@@ -380,9 +400,6 @@ xbps_repo_close(struct xbps_repo *repo)
 		xbps_object_release(repo->idxmeta);
 		repo->idxmeta = NULL;
 	}
-	if (repo->fd != -1)
-		close(repo->fd);
-
 	free(repo);
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/rpool.c b/lib/rpool.c
index 69c12125..70e57126 100644
--- a/lib/rpool.c
+++ b/lib/rpool.c
@@ -120,16 +120,18 @@ xbps_rpool_get_repo(const char *url)
 }
 
 void
-xbps_rpool_release(struct xbps_handle *xhp UNUSED)
+xbps_rpool_release(struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 {
 	struct xbps_repo *repo;
 
 	while ((repo = SIMPLEQ_FIRST(&rpool_queue))) {
 	       SIMPLEQ_REMOVE(&rpool_queue, repo, xbps_repo, entries);
-	       xbps_repo_close(repo);
+	       xbps_repo_release(repo);
 	}
-	if (xhp->repositories)
+	if (xhp && xhp->repositories) {
 		xbps_object_release(xhp->repositories);
+		xhp->repositories = NULL;
+	}
 }
 
 int