diff --git a/elements/dpkg/bin/install-packages b/elements/dpkg/bin/install-packages
index dc755abcd..800ce37ff 100755
--- a/elements/dpkg/bin/install-packages
+++ b/elements/dpkg/bin/install-packages
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ install_deb_packages () {
 if [ "$1" = "-u" ] ; then
   install_deb_packages dist-upgrade
   exit 0
+elif [ "$1" = "-e" ]; then
+  install_deb_packages remove $@
+  shift
 else
   install_deb_packages install $@
 fi
diff --git a/elements/yum/bin/install-packages b/elements/yum/bin/install-packages
index fe839827a..2ee49cb66 100755
--- a/elements/yum/bin/install-packages
+++ b/elements/yum/bin/install-packages
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 set -e
 
 EXTRA_ARGS=
+ACTION=install
 
 if [ "$1" = "-u" ] ; then
   yum -y update
@@ -24,6 +25,9 @@ if [ "$1" = "-u" ] ; then
 elif [ "$1" = "-d" ] ; then
   EXTRA_ARGS="--downloadonly"
   shift
+elif [ "$1" = "-e" ]; then
+  ACTION=erase
+  shift
 fi
 
 # Packages that aren't available in the distro but requested for installation
@@ -42,7 +46,7 @@ if [ -n "$WHITELIST" ]; then
   if [ -f /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release ]; then
     rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release
   fi
-  yum -y install $EXTRA_ARGS $(map-packages $WHITELIST)
+  yum -y $ACTION $EXTRA_ARGS $(map-packages $WHITELIST)
   for pkg in "$@"; do
     if [ "$pkg" = "python-pip" ] ; then
       alternatives --install /usr/bin/pip pip /usr/bin/pip-python 10