diff --git a/chroot-script b/chroot-script
index 4f68ca7..f768345 100755
--- a/chroot-script
+++ b/chroot-script
@@ -83,6 +83,14 @@ askpass() {
 }
 # }}}
 
+# mark existing packages as automatically installed {{{
+markauto() {
+  # Mark most leaf packages as automatically installed.
+  # Later in the systems life, apt autoremove will remove them if possible.
+  apt-mark auto '~i ~M ?not(~prequired) ?not(~pimportant) ?not(~pstandard)'
+}
+# }}}
+
 # define chroot mirror {{{
 chrootmirror() {
   if [ "$KEEP_SRC_LIST" = "yes" ] ; then
@@ -810,7 +818,7 @@ trap signal_handler HUP INT QUIT TERM
  # always execute install_policy_rcd
  install_policy_rcd
 
- for i in chrootmirror grmlrepos backportrepos kernelimg_conf \
+ for i in markauto chrootmirror grmlrepos backportrepos kernelimg_conf \
      kernel packages extrapackages reconfigure hosts \
      default_locales timezone fstab install_fs_tools hostname \
      initrd grub_install passwords \