`pkg install -A` marks `pkg` as automatically installed if upgraded inline

[astralblue]

Environment

pkg version 2.7.5 on FreeBSD 15.0-RELEASE-p8

Background

When pkg install runs and it sees that pkg itself is outdated, it offers to update pkg before proceeding.

Problem

When pkg updates itself as part of a pkg install -A command (including non-interactive pkg install -A -y) to temporarily install a package subject for later auto-removal, the updated pkg itself is also marked as automatically installed and becomes subject to auto-removal. Then later when pkg autoremove is run, pkg gets removed as well, unless marked as vital.

Workaround

Run pkg set -v 1 -y pkg to mark pkg as vital—this prevents it from being auto-removed.