diff --git a/pisi/operations.py b/pisi/operations.py
index dcf29f1e..34f24325 100644
--- a/pisi/operations.py
+++ b/pisi/operations.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def remove_single(package_name):
         else:
             os.unlink(fpath)
     installdb.remove(package_name)
-    inst_packagedb.remove_package(package_name)
+    packagedb.remove_package(package_name)
     if comard:
         # FIXME: (return value)...
         comard.remove(package_name)
diff --git a/pisi/packagedb.py b/pisi/packagedb.py
index b620d114..17795414 100644
--- a/pisi/packagedb.py
+++ b/pisi/packagedb.py
@@ -138,5 +138,13 @@ def get_rev_deps(name):
 
     return None
 
+def remove_package(name):
+    # remove the guy from the tracking databases
+    inst_packagedb.remove_package(name)
+    if thirdparty_packagedb.has_package(name):
+        thirdparty_packagedb.remove_package(name)
+
+# tracking databases for non-repository information
+
 thirdparty_packagedb = PackageDB('thirdparty')
 inst_packagedb = PackageDB('installed')
diff --git a/pisi/toplevel.py b/pisi/toplevel.py
index ed681ae3..b6470912 100644
--- a/pisi/toplevel.py
+++ b/pisi/toplevel.py
@@ -132,11 +132,21 @@ def install_pkg_names(A):
     return True                         # everything went OK :)
 
 def remove(A):
-    """remove set A of packages from system"""
+    """remove set A of packages from system (A is a list of package names)"""
     
+    # filter packages that are not installed
+    Ap = []
+    for x in A:
+        if installdb.is_installed(x):
+            Ap.append(x)
+        else:
+            ui.info('Package %s does not exist. Cannot remove.\n' % x)
+    A = Ap
+
     if len(A)==0:
+        ui.info('No packages to remove.\n')
         return True
-    
+        
     # try to construct a pisi graph of packages to
     # install / reinstall
 
@@ -169,6 +179,8 @@ def remove(A):
     for x in l:
         if installdb.is_installed(x):
             operations.remove_single(x)
+        else:
+            ui.info('Package %s does not exist. Cannot remove.\n' % x)
         
     return True                         # everything went OK :)