SUMMARY mariadb "Transitional empty package" for client and server causing problems with MySQL 8 updates, even with the preferences pinning removed. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Remove / comment out pinning of packages in /etc/apt/preferences.d/50-neon-mariadb and install mysql-server / mysql-client packages (MySQL 8.0). 2. Try to run updates via apt OBSERVED RESULT Packages conflict and updates are held back e.g.: Investigating (0) mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-client-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK > Considering mysql-client-8.0:amd64 1 as a solution to mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 0 Holding Back mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 rather than change mysql-client-8.0:amd64 Investigating (0) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Breaks on mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 -> 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umU > Considering mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 -1 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20210114.1331 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20201124.1143 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Conflicts//Breaks against version 0.4+p20.04+git20201123.1041 for mysql-server-core-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Investigating (1) mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 -> 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umU Ib > Broken mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 Depends on mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 < none | 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uH > Considering mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 0 as a solution to mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 1 Holding Back mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 rather than change mariadb-client-core-10.3:amd64 Investigating (1) mysql-server:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mR > Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mysql-server:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (1) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.19-0ubuntu5 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Fixing mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 via remove of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Try to Re-Instate (2) mysql-client-core-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mysql-server:amd64 < 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mR > Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 -2 as a solution to mysql-server:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 < none -> 1:10.3.25-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 @un uN Ib > Broken mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 Conflicts on mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Conflicts//Breaks against version 8.0.23-0ubuntu0.20.04.1 for mysql-server-8.0 but that is not InstVer, ignoring Considering mysql-server-8.0:amd64 0 as a solution to mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 0 Holding Back mariadb-server-core-10.3:amd64 rather than change mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Investigating (2) mysql-server-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 @ii mK Ib > Broken mysql-server-8.0:amd64 Depends on mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 < 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3 | 1:0.0+p20.04+git20210201.1401 @ii umR > (= 8.0.22-0ubuntu0.20.04.3) Considering mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 -1 as a solution to mysql-server-8.0:amd64 0 Added mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 to the remove list Fixing mysql-server-8.0:amd64 via keep of mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Try to Re-Instate (3) mysql-server-core-8.0:amd64 Done Calculating upgrade... Done The following packages have been kept back: mysql-client-core-8.0 mysql-server-core-8.0 0 to upgrade, 0 to newly install, 0 to remove and 2 not to upgrade. Also: The following packages have unmet dependencies. mysql-client-core-8.0 : Depends: mariadb-client-core-10.3 but it is not going to be installed mysql-server-core-8.0 : Depends: mariadb-server-core-10.3 but it is not going to be installed E: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages. EXPECTED RESULT Packages update without conflicts or errors when the pinned mariadb packages in preferences have been removed. SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Distributor ID: Neon Description: KDE neon User Edition 5.20 Release: 20.04 Codename: focal ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I was able to work around this by pinning the ubuntu versions e.g.: Package: mysql-client-core-8.0 Pin: origin "gb.archive.ubuntu.com" Pin-Priority: 700 Package: mysql-server-core-8.0 Pin: origin "gb.archive.ubuntu.com" Pin-Priority: 700 (in my case apt policy showed origin as gb.archive.ubuntu.com)