diff --git a/src/pylorax/__init__.py b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
index fe5b3560..776c4b4d 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/__init__.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/__init__.py
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ class Lorax(BaseLoraxClass):
         # prepare the install tree
         self.pinfo(":: preparing the install tree")
         self.installtree.install_packages(packages=packages)
+
+        # XXX
+        if not os.path.isdir("/tmp/pkglists"):
+            os.makedirs("/tmp/pkglists")
+
+        for pkg in self.installtree.yum.installed_packages:
+            with open("/tmp/pkglists/%s" % pkg.name, "w") as f:
+                for filename in self.installtree.yum.get_file_list(pkg):
+                    f.write("%s\n" % filename)
+
         self.installtree.run_ldconfig()
         self.installtree.copy_updates()
         self.installtree.fix_problems()
diff --git a/src/pylorax/base.py b/src/pylorax/base.py
index 10c5582f..ef90be70 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/base.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/base.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ class BaseImageClass(BaseLoraxClass):
     def __init__(self):
         BaseLoraxClass.__init__(self)
         self.srctree, self.dsttree = None, None
+        self.pkgs_to_remove = set()
 
     def parse_template(self, template_file, variables={}):
         template = ltmpl.Template()
@@ -102,6 +103,9 @@ class BaseImageClass(BaseLoraxClass):
             fname = os.path.join(self.dsttree, fname)
             remove_(fname)
 
+    def removepkg(self, pkgname):
+        self.pkgs_to_remove.add(pkgname)
+
     def symlink(self, link_target, link_name):
         link_name = os.path.join(self.dsttree, link_name)
         symlink_(link_target, link_name)
diff --git a/src/pylorax/images.py b/src/pylorax/images.py
index 3c2a72b4..44224342 100644
--- a/src/pylorax/images.py
+++ b/src/pylorax/images.py
@@ -621,6 +621,7 @@ class Install(BaseImageClass):
     def __init__(self, installtree, template_file, workdir="/tmp"):
         BaseImageClass.__init__(self)
 
+        self.installtree = installtree
         self.srctree = installtree.rootdir
         self.dsttree = installtree.rootdir
         self.template_file = template_file
@@ -632,6 +633,21 @@ class Install(BaseImageClass):
         # copy the .buildstamp
         shutil.copy2(self.conf.buildstamp, self.srctree)
 
+        # parse the template file
+        self.pinfo("parsing the template")
+        variables = {"buildarch": self.conf.buildarch,
+                     "basearch": self.conf.basearch,
+                     "libdir": self.conf.libdir}
+        self.parse_template(self.template_file, variables)
+
+        # XXX remove whole packages
+        for pkg in self.installtree.yum.installed_packages:
+            if pkg.name in self.pkgs_to_remove:
+                self.pinfo("removing not needed package %s" % pkg.name)
+                for fname in pkg.filelist:
+                    self.pdebug("removing file %s%s" % (self.srctree, fname))
+                    remove_("%s%s" % (self.srctree, fname))
+
         self.copy_stubs()
         self.copy_bootloaders()
         self.rename_repos()
@@ -642,13 +658,6 @@ class Install(BaseImageClass):
         self.remove_unnecessary_files()
         self.move_bins()
 
-        # parse the template file
-        self.pinfo("parsing the template")
-        variables = {"buildarch": self.conf.buildarch,
-                     "basearch": self.conf.basearch,
-                     "libdir": self.conf.libdir}
-        self.parse_template(self.template_file, variables)
-
         # copy custom files
         self.pinfo("copying custom files")
         self.copy_custom_files()