diff --git a/osc/core.py b/osc/core.py
index 45e25b38..3564415a 100644
--- a/osc/core.py
+++ b/osc/core.py
@@ -672,13 +672,14 @@ class Project:
                 upstream_del = [ pac for pac in self.pacs_have if not pac in self.pacs_available and self.get_state(pac) != 'A']
 
                 for pac in upstream_del:
-                    p = Package(os.path.join(self.dir, pac))
-                    self.delPackage(p, force = True)
-                    delete_storedir(p.storedir)
-                    try:
-                        os.rmdir(pac)
-                    except:
-                        pass
+                    if self.status(pac) != '!':
+                        p = Package(os.path.join(self.dir, pac))
+                        self.delPackage(p, force = True)
+                        delete_storedir(p.storedir)
+                        try:
+                            os.rmdir(pac)
+                        except:
+                            pass
                     self.pac_root.remove(self.get_package_node(p.name))
                     self.pacs_have.remove(pac)