diff --git a/lua/config/plugins.lua b/lua/config/plugins.lua
index 03243d3..82e176f 100644
--- a/lua/config/plugins.lua
+++ b/lua/config/plugins.lua
@@ -74,6 +74,17 @@ local function sync_packages()
         print("Install all packages...")
         vim.pack.add(package_list)
         print("All packages installed!")
+        -- packages removed from package_list are left on disk by vim.pack (never
+        -- deleted automatically) and stay "inactive"; update() below would otherwise
+        -- keep re-adding their stale lock file entry on every sync, see nvim-web-devicons
+        local inactive = vim.iter(vim.pack.get())
+            :filter(function(pkg) return not pkg.active end)
+            :map(function(pkg) return pkg.spec.name end)
+            :totable()
+        if #inactive > 0 then
+            print("Prune orphaned: " .. table.concat(inactive, ", "))
+            vim.pack.del(inactive)
+        end
         -- update() normally opens a confirmation buffer (:write applies it); in headless
         -- mode (README setup command) that buffer would just be discarded, so apply directly
         vim.pack.update(nil, { force = #vim.api.nvim_list_uis() == 0 })
diff --git a/nvim-pack-lock.json b/nvim-pack-lock.json
index 24abcd4..0631d2e 100644
--- a/nvim-pack-lock.json
+++ b/nvim-pack-lock.json
@@ -77,10 +77,6 @@
       "rev": "851e865342e5a4cb1ae23d31caf6e991e1c99f1e",
       "src": "https://github.com/nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter-textobjects.git"
     },
-    "nvim-web-devicons": {
-      "rev": "09d1324e264c6950262dbe02a9bce2933a6800db",
-      "src": "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons.git"
-    },
     "obsidian.nvim": {
       "rev": "bf1616d46e72477ad978051363fdb5c839c1cce5",
       "src": "https://github.com/obsidian-nvim/obsidian.nvim.git"