diff --git a/packaging/apt b/packaging/apt
index 829a689fc2e..6ca2177e9a9 100644
--- a/packaging/apt
+++ b/packaging/apt
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ def install(m, pkgspec, cache, upgrade=False, default_release=None,
 def remove(m, pkgspec, cache, purge=False,
            dpkg_options=expand_dpkg_options(DPKG_OPTIONS)):
     packages = ""
+    pkgspec = expand_pkgspec_from_fnmatches(m, pkgspec, cache)
     for package in pkgspec:
         name, version = package_split(package)
         installed, upgradable, has_files = package_status(m, name, version, cache, state='remove')