diff --git a/mamba/mamba/mamba_env.py b/mamba/mamba/mamba_env.py
index 6a6016211c..a4d56d4bee 100644
--- a/mamba/mamba/mamba_env.py
+++ b/mamba/mamba/mamba_env.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, print_function
 
+import os
 import sys
 import tempfile
 
@@ -16,7 +17,14 @@
 
 import libmambapy as api
 from mamba.linking import handle_txn
-from mamba.utils import get_installed_jsonfile, init_api_context, load_channels, to_txn
+from mamba.utils import (
+    compute_final_precs,
+    get_installed_jsonfile,
+    init_api_context,
+    load_channels,
+    to_txn,
+    to_txn_precs,
+)
 
 
 def mamba_install(prefix, specs, args, env, dry_run=False, *_, **kwargs):
@@ -51,10 +59,21 @@ def mamba_install(prefix, specs, args, env, dry_run=False, *_, **kwargs):
 
     installed_pkg_recs = []
 
+    prune = getattr(args, "prune", False)
+
     # We check for installed packages even while creating a new
     # Conda environment as virtual packages such as __glibc are
     # always available regardless of the environment.
     installed_json_f, installed_pkg_recs = get_installed_jsonfile(prefix)
+    if prune:
+        try:
+            installed_json_f.close()
+            os.unlink(installed_json_f.name)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        installed_pkg_recs_prefix = installed_pkg_recs
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            installed_json_f, installed_pkg_recs = get_installed_jsonfile(td)
     repo = api.Repo(pool, "installed", installed_json_f.name, "")
     repo.set_installed()
     repos.append(repo)
@@ -124,10 +143,29 @@ def mamba_install(prefix, specs, args, env, dry_run=False, *_, **kwargs):
     downloaded = transaction.prompt(repos)
     if not downloaded:
         exit(0)
-    conda_transaction = to_txn(
-        specs_to_add, [], prefix, to_link, to_unlink, installed_pkg_recs, index
-    )
+    if prune:
+        history = api.History(prefix)
+        history_map = history.get_requested_specs_map()
+        specs_to_add_names = {m.name for m in specs_to_add}
+        specs_to_remove = [
+            MatchSpec(m) for m in history_map if m not in specs_to_add_names
+        ]
+        final_precs = compute_final_precs(
+            None, to_link, to_unlink, installed_pkg_recs_prefix, index
+        )
+        conda_transaction = to_txn_precs(
+            specs_to_add, specs_to_remove, prefix, final_precs
+        )
+    else:
+        conda_transaction = to_txn(
+            specs_to_add, [], prefix, to_link, to_unlink, installed_pkg_recs, index
+        )
     handle_txn(conda_transaction, prefix, args, True)
+    try:
+        installed_json_f.close()
+        os.unlink(installed_json_f.name)
+    except Exception:
+        pass
 
 
 def mamba_dry_run(specs, args, env, *_, **kwargs):
diff --git a/mamba/mamba/utils.py b/mamba/mamba/utils.py
index 9a8c337c84..5dd74339c7 100644
--- a/mamba/mamba/utils.py
+++ b/mamba/mamba/utils.py
@@ -337,21 +337,14 @@ def get_installed_jsonfile(prefix):
     return installed_json_f, installed_pkg_recs
 
 
-def to_txn(
-    specs_to_add,
-    specs_to_remove,
-    prefix,
-    to_link,
-    to_unlink,
-    installed_pkg_recs,
-    index=None,
+def compute_final_precs(
+    prefix_records, to_link, to_unlink, installed_pkg_recs, index=None
 ):
     if index is None:
         index = []
     to_link_records, to_unlink_records = [], []
 
-    prefix_data = PrefixData(prefix)
-    final_precs = IndexedSet(prefix_data.iter_records())
+    final_precs = IndexedSet(prefix_records)
 
     lookup_dict = {}
     for _, entry in index:
@@ -383,9 +376,15 @@ def to_txn(
         final_precs.add(rec)
         to_link_records.append(rec)
 
+    return IndexedSet(PrefixGraph(final_precs).graph)
+
+
+def to_txn_precs(
+    specs_to_add, specs_to_remove, prefix, final_precs,
+):
     unlink_precs, link_precs = diff_for_unlink_link_precs(
         prefix,
-        final_precs=IndexedSet(PrefixGraph(final_precs).graph),
+        final_precs=final_precs,
         specs_to_add=specs_to_add,
         force_reinstall=context.force_reinstall,
     )
@@ -401,3 +400,19 @@ def to_txn(
 
     conda_transaction = UnlinkLinkTransaction(pref_setup)
     return conda_transaction
+
+
+def to_txn(
+    specs_to_add,
+    specs_to_remove,
+    prefix,
+    to_link,
+    to_unlink,
+    installed_pkg_recs,
+    index=None,
+):
+    prefix_data = PrefixData(prefix)
+    final_precs = compute_final_precs(
+        prefix_data.iter_records(), to_link, to_unlink, installed_pkg_recs, index,
+    )
+    return to_txn_precs(specs_to_add, specs_to_remove, prefix, final_precs,)