diff --git a/srcpkgs/bash/template b/srcpkgs/bash/template
index f8d1504af6..d35b982132 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/bash/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/bash/template
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ long_desc="
  modification."
 
 base_chroot=yes
-essential=yes
 register_shell="/bin/bash"
 
 Add_dependency run	glibc
diff --git a/srcpkgs/coreutils/template b/srcpkgs/coreutils/template
index 7ebc9adde4..e430776860 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/coreutils/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/coreutils/template
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ long_desc="
  utilities of the GNU operating system. These are the core utilities
  which are expected to exist on every operating system."
 
-essential=yes
 Add_dependency run glibc
 Add_dependency run gmp
 Add_dependency run attr
diff --git a/srcpkgs/dash/template b/srcpkgs/dash/template
index 09d1c171b7..a4d7da5a65 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/dash/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/dash/template
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ long_desc="
  (ash). It was ported to Linux by Herbert Xu in early 1997. It was renamed to
  dash in 2002."
 
-essential=yes
 register_shell="/bin/sh"
 Add_dependency full glibc
 Add_dependency full coreutils
diff --git a/srcpkgs/glibc/template b/srcpkgs/glibc/template
index 8251cec408..4873bc9709 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/glibc/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/glibc/template
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ fi
 # Don't check for deps here
 ignore_vdeps_dir="/usr/lib/gconv"
 
-essential=yes
 base_chroot=yes
 conf_files="/etc/rpc /etc/ld.so.conf /etc/nsswitch.conf"
 subpackages="glibc-devel glibc-locales nscd"
diff --git a/srcpkgs/xbps-base-files/template b/srcpkgs/xbps-base-files/template
index 9e776bc298..5692b372f4 100644
--- a/srcpkgs/xbps-base-files/template
+++ b/srcpkgs/xbps-base-files/template
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ long_desc="
  aren't installed by any other package and are required on any
  GNU/Linux system."
 
-essential=yes
 keep_empty_dirs=yes
 base_chroot=yes
 
diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh b/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
index de2c9ae4b8..8102ae0a4a 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/metadata.sh
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ xbps_write_metadata_pkg()
 		fi
 		setup_tmpl ${sourcepkg}
 		unset run_depends conf_files noarch triggers replaces \
-			revision openrc_services system_accounts essential \
+			revision openrc_services system_accounts \
 			preserve keep_empty_dirs xml_entries sgml_entries \
 			xml_catalogs sgml_catalogs gconf_entries gconf_schemas \
 			gtk_iconcache_dirs font_dirs
@@ -296,12 +296,6 @@ _EOF
 		Add_dependency run shadow
 	fi
 
-	# Is this an essential pkg?
-	if [ -n "$essential" ]; then
-		echo "<key>essential</key>" >> $TMPFPROPS
-		echo "<true/>" >> $TMPFPROPS
-	fi
-
 	# pkg needs to preserve its files after removal/upgrade?
 	if [ -n "$preserve" ]; then
 		echo "<key>preserve</key>" >> $TMPFPROPS
diff --git a/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh b/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
index 6a178959af..47f982bbb5 100644
--- a/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
+++ b/xbps-src/shutils/tmpl_funcs.sh
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ reset_tmpl_vars()
 			make_build_target configure_script noextract nofetch \
 			pre_configure pre_build pre_install build_depends \
 			post_configure post_build post_install nostrip \
-			make_install_target version revision essential \
+			make_install_target version revision \
 			sgml_catalogs xml_catalogs xml_entries sgml_entries \
 			disable_parallel_build run_depends font_dirs preserve \
 			only_for_archs conf_files keep_libtool_archives \