diff --git a/lib/libalpm/be_package.c b/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
index b4f3f1c26..bedec723e 100644
--- a/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
+++ b/lib/libalpm/be_package.c
@@ -244,8 +244,6 @@ static int parse_descfile(alpm_handle_t *handle, struct archive *a, alpm_pkg_t *
 				CALLOC(backup, 1, sizeof(alpm_backup_t), return -1);
 				STRDUP(backup->name, ptr, FREE(backup); return -1);
 				newpkg->backup = alpm_list_add(newpkg->backup, backup);
-			} else if(strcmp(key, "pkgtype") == 0) {
-				/* not used atm */
 			} else if(strcmp(key, "xdata") == 0) {
 				alpm_pkg_xdata_t *pd = _alpm_pkg_parse_xdata(ptr);
 				if(pd == NULL || !alpm_list_append(&newpkg->xdata, pd)) {
diff --git a/scripts/makepkg.sh.in b/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
index 5aaabf633..9d3ae3cd5 100644
--- a/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
+++ b/scripts/makepkg.sh.in
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ write_pkginfo() {
 
 	write_kv_pair "pkgname" "$pkgname"
 	write_kv_pair "pkgbase" "$pkgbase"
-	write_kv_pair "pkgtype" "$pkgtype"
+	write_kv_pair "xdata" "pkgtype=$pkgtype"
 
 	local fullver=$(get_full_version)
 	write_kv_pair "pkgver" "$fullver"