diff --git a/pmb/parse/apkindex.py b/pmb/parse/apkindex.py
index 38ac5531..a1c64d1e 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/apkindex.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/apkindex.py
@@ -37,9 +37,16 @@ def parse_next_block(args, path, lines, start):
     :returns: a dictionary with the following structure:
               { "arch": "noarch",
                 "depends": ["busybox-extras", "lddtree", ... ],
+                "origin": "postmarketos-mkinitfs",
                 "pkgname": "postmarketos-mkinitfs",
                 "provides": ["mkinitfs=0.0.1"],
+                "timestamp": "1500000000",
                 "version": "0.0.4-r10" }
+              NOTE: "depends" is not set for packages without any dependencies,
+                    e.g. musl.
+              NOTE: "timestamp" and "origin" are not set for virtual packages
+                    (#1273). We use that information to skip these virtual
+                    packages in parse().
     :returns: None, when there are no more blocks
     """
 
@@ -77,7 +84,7 @@ def parse_next_block(args, path, lines, start):
     # Format and return the block
     if end_of_block_found:
         # Check for required keys
-        for key in ["pkgname", "version", "timestamp"]:
+        for key in ["arch", "pkgname", "version"]:
             if key not in ret:
                 raise RuntimeError("Missing required key '" + key +
                                    "' in block " + str(ret) + ", file: " + path)
@@ -209,6 +216,12 @@ def parse(args, path, multiple_providers=True):
         if not block:
             break
 
+        # Skip virtual packages
+        if "timestamp" not in block:
+            logging.verbose("Skipped virtual package " + str(block) + " in"
+                            " file: " + path)
+            continue
+
         # Add the next package and all aliases
         parse_add_block(ret, block, None, multiple_providers)
         if "provides" in block:
diff --git a/test/test_parse_apkindex.py b/test/test_parse_apkindex.py
index f964aa31..7424e2b2 100644
--- a/test/test_parse_apkindex.py
+++ b/test/test_parse_apkindex.py
@@ -101,6 +101,42 @@ def test_parse_next_block_no_error(args):
     assert start == [45]
 
 
+def test_parse_next_block_virtual(args):
+    """
+    Test parsing a virtual package from an APKINDEX.
+    """
+    # Read the file
+    func = pmb.parse.apkindex.parse_next_block
+    path = pmb.config.pmb_src + "/test/testdata/apkindex/virtual_package"
+    with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+        lines = handle.readlines()
+
+    # First block
+    start = [0]
+    block = {'arch': 'x86_64',
+             'depends': ['so:libc.musl-x86_64.so.1'],
+             'origin': 'hello-world',
+             'pkgname': 'hello-world',
+             'provides': ['cmd:hello-world'],
+             'timestamp': '1500000000',
+             'version': '2-r0'}
+    assert func(args, path, lines, start) == block
+    assert start == [20]
+
+    # Second block: virtual package
+    block = {'arch': 'noarch',
+             'depends': ['hello-world'],
+             'pkgname': '.pmbootstrap',
+             'provides': [],
+             'version': '0'}
+    assert func(args, path, lines, start) == block
+    assert start == [31]
+
+    # No more blocks
+    assert func(args, path, lines, start) is None
+    assert start == [31]
+
+
 def test_parse_add_block(args):
     func = pmb.parse.apkindex.parse_add_block
     multiple_providers = False
@@ -231,6 +267,24 @@ def test_parse(args):
     assert args.cache["apkindex"][path]["multiple"] == ret_multiple
 
 
+def test_parse_virtual(args):
+    """
+    This APKINDEX contains a virtual package .pbmootstrap. It must not be part
+    of the output.
+    """
+    path = pmb.config.pmb_src + "/test/testdata/apkindex/virtual_package"
+    block = {'arch': 'x86_64',
+             'depends': ['so:libc.musl-x86_64.so.1'],
+             'origin': 'hello-world',
+             'pkgname': 'hello-world',
+             'provides': ['cmd:hello-world'],
+             'timestamp': '1500000000',
+             'version': '2-r0'}
+    ret = {"hello-world": block, "cmd:hello-world": block}
+    assert pmb.parse.apkindex.parse(args, path, False) == ret
+    assert args.cache["apkindex"][path]["single"] == ret
+
+
 def test_providers_invalid_package(args, tmpdir):
     # Create empty APKINDEX
     path = str(tmpdir) + "/APKINDEX"
diff --git a/test/testdata/apkindex/virtual_package b/test/testdata/apkindex/virtual_package
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fa2f24d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/testdata/apkindex/virtual_package
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+C:Q1XaZzCVZ9mvH8djPyEb5aUYhG3r4=
+P:hello-world
+V:2-r0
+A:x86_64
+S:2897
+I:20480
+T:hello world program to be built in the testsuite
+U:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Hello,_World!%22_program
+L:MIT
+o:hello-world
+t:1500000000
+c:
+D:so:libc.musl-x86_64.so.1
+p:cmd:hello-world
+F:usr
+F:usr/bin
+R:hello-world
+a:0:0:755
+Z:Q1ZjTpsnMchSsSwEPB1cTjihYuJvo=
+
+C:Q127l1Ui9vzedbeR3BMelZnSa4pwY=
+P:.pmbootstrap
+V:0
+A:noarch
+S:0
+I:0
+T:virtual meta package
+U:
+L:
+D:hello-world
+