Code review comment for ~ahasenack/ubuntu/+source/base-files:xenial-handle-was-removed-1895302

> So, installing motd-news-config (e.g. after or independently from upgrading
> base-files) should always remove /e/d/motd-news.wasremoved if it is present?
> I don't think I'm seeing that though:
>
> root@triage-bionic+18.04:~# ll /etc/default/motd*
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Sep 17 22:26 /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved
...
(install base-files)
...
> root@triage-bionic+18.04:~# !ll
> ll /etc/default/motd*
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Sep 17 22:26 /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved
...
(install motd-news-config)
...
> root@triage-bionic+18.04:~# apt-get install motd-news-config
> Reading package lists... Done
...
> root@triage-bionic+18.04:~# ll /etc/default/motd*
> -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 779 Sep 18 16:57 /etc/default/motd-news
> root@triage-bionic+18.04:~#

The .wasremoved file is gone, did you misread /etc/default/motd-news as /etc/default/motd-news.wasremoved?