diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh.in b/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh.in
index 505e3f89a4..1edbbb4db3 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh.in
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/pkgtarget_funcs.sh.in
@@ -218,7 +218,9 @@ remove_pkg()
 	[ -z $pkgname ] && msg_error "unexistent package, aborting.\n"
 
 	ver=$($XBPS_PKGDB_CMD version $pkgname)
-	[ -z "$ver" ] && msg_error "$pkgname is not installed.\n"
+	if [ -z "$ver" ]; then
+		msg_warning "$pkgname is not installed.\n"
+	fi
 
 	. $XBPS_SHUTILSDIR/stow_funcs.sh
 	stow_pkg_handler unstow || return $?