diff --git a/common/xbps-src/shutils/purge_distfiles.sh b/common/xbps-src/shutils/purge_distfiles.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..7f75617996
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/xbps-src/shutils/purge_distfiles.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# Scan srcpkgs/*/template for hashes and distfiles to determine
+# obsolete sources/by_sha256 files and their corresponding
+# sources/<pkgname>-<version> files that can be purged
+
+
+purge_distfiles() {
+	if [ -z "$XBPS_SRCDISTDIR" ]; then
+		msg_error "The variable \$XBPS_SRCDISTDIR is not set."
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	#
+	# Scann all templates for their current distfiles and checksums (hashes)
+	#
+	declare -A my_hashes
+	templates=(srcpkgs/*/template)
+	max=${#templates[@]}
+	cur=0
+	if [ -z "$max" ]; then
+		msg_error "No srcpkgs/*/template files found. Wrong working directory?"
+		exit 1
+	fi
+	for template in ${templates[@]}; do
+		pkg="$(echo "$template" | cut -d / -f 2)"
+		if [ ! -L "srcpkgs/$pkg" ]; then
+			unset checksum
+			source $template 2>/dev/null
+			read -a _my_hashes <<< ${checksum}
+			i=0
+			while [ -n "${_my_hashes[$i]}" ]; do
+				hash="${_my_hashes[$i]}"
+				[ -z "${my_hashes[$hash]}" ] && my_hashes[$hash]=$template
+				i=$((i + 1))
+			done
+		fi
+		cur=$((cur + 1))
+		printf "\rScanning templates  : %3d%% (%d/%d)" $((100*$cur/$max)) $cur $max
+	done
+	echo
+	echo "Number of hashes    : ${#my_hashes[@]}"
+
+	#
+	# Collect inodes of all distfiles in $XBPS_SRCDISTDIR
+	#
+	declare -A inodes
+	distfiles=($XBPS_SRCDISTDIR/*/*)
+	max=${#distfiles[@]}
+	cur=0
+	for distfile in ${distfiles[@]}; do
+		inode=$(stat "$distfile" --printf "%i")
+		if [ -z "${inodes[$inode]}" ]; then
+			inodes[$inode]="$distfile"
+		else
+			inodes[$inode]+="|$distfile"
+		fi
+		cur=$((cur + 1))
+		printf "\rCollecting inodes   : %3d%% (%d/%d)" $((100*$cur/$max)) $cur $max
+	done
+	echo
+
+	hashes=($XBPS_SRCDISTDIR/by_sha256/*)
+	readonly HASHLEN=64
+	for file in ${hashes[@]}; do
+		hash_distfile=$(basename "$file")
+		hash=${hash_distfile:0:$HASHLEN}
+		[ -n "${my_hashes[$hash]}" ] && continue
+		inode=$(stat "$file" --printf "%i")
+		echo "Obsolete $hash (inode: $inode)"
+		( IFS="|"; for f in ${inodes[$inode]}; do rm -v "$f"; done )
+	done
+	echo "Done."
+}
diff --git a/xbps-src b/xbps-src
index 4a18127918..5296e22cc7 100755
--- a/xbps-src
+++ b/xbps-src
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ remove <pkgname>
 remove-autodeps
     Removes all package dependencies that were installed automatically.
 
+purge-distfiles
+    Removes all obsolete distfiles in <hostdir>/sources.
+
 show <pkgname>
     Show information for the specified package.
 
@@ -648,6 +651,9 @@ case "$XBPS_TARGET" in
     list)
         $XBPS_QUERY_CMD -l
         ;;
+    purge-distfiles)
+        purge_distfiles
+        ;;
     show)
         read_pkg
         show_pkg