mk/flavor/pkg/install.mk has:

.PHONY: register-pkg
register-pkg: generate-metadata ${_COOKIE.depends}
        @${STEP_MSG} "Registering installation for ${PKGNAME}"
        ${_PKG_SILENT}${_PKG_DEBUG}${RM} -fr ${_PKG_DBDIR}/${PKGNAME}
        ${_PKG_SILENT}${_PKG_DEBUG}${MKDIR} ${_PKG_DBDIR}/${PKGNAME}

Is that rm -fr really needed?

Is there a case where this would have metafiles that should be removed?

For now I have removed that rm -fr for my own testing.

Johnny, a few months ago you had mentioned that pkgviews are going away or 
changing somehow. Can you refresh us about the ideas/plans with this?

Thanks