diff --git a/src/lib/charm/openstack/designate.py b/src/lib/charm/openstack/designate.py
index 914b478..7d0b27d 100644
--- a/src/lib/charm/openstack/designate.py
+++ b/src/lib/charm/openstack/designate.py
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@ class DesignateCharm(ch_plugins.PolicydOverridePlugin,
                 'designate-central', 'designate-sink',
                 'designate-api']
 
+    deprecated_services = []
+
     api_ports = {
         'designate-api': {
             os_ip.PUBLIC: 9001,
@@ -370,15 +372,6 @@ class DesignateCharm(ch_plugins.PolicydOverridePlugin,
     # policyd override constants
     policyd_service_name = 'designate'
 
-    def __init__(self, release=None, **kwargs):
-        """Custom initialiser for class
-        If no release is passed, then the charm determines the release from the
-        ch_utils.os_release() function.
-        """
-        if release is None:
-            release = ch_utils.os_release('python-keystonemiddleware')
-        super(DesignateCharm, self).__init__(release=release, **kwargs)
-
     def install(self):
         """Customise the installation, configure the source and then call the
         parent install() method to install the packages
@@ -657,6 +650,8 @@ class DesignateCharm(ch_plugins.PolicydOverridePlugin,
         nrpe.add_init_service_checks(
             charm_nrpe, self.services, current_unit)
         charm_nrpe.write()
+        # Remove service checks for which services are no longer needed
+        nrpe.remove_deprecated_check(charm_nrpe, self.deprecated_services)
 
     def add_nrpe_nameserver_checks(self):
         """Add NRPE service checks for upstream nameservers."""
@@ -804,7 +799,17 @@ class DesignateCharmCaracal(DesignateCharmRocky):
                 'python3-designate',
                 'python3-apt']
 
+    purge_packages = [
+        'python-designate',
+        'python-memcache',
+        'designate-agent',
+        'designate-zone-manager',
+        'designate-pool-manager',
+    ]
+
     services = ['designate-mdns', 'designate-producer',
                 'designate-worker',
                 'designate-central', 'designate-sink',
                 'designate-api']
+
+    deprecated_services = ["designate-agent"]
diff --git a/src/reactive/designate_handlers.py b/src/reactive/designate_handlers.py
index 2de3005..b2fb9a8 100644
--- a/src/reactive/designate_handlers.py
+++ b/src/reactive/designate_handlers.py
@@ -210,6 +210,19 @@ def configure_designate_full(*args):
         args = args + (dns_backend, )
     with charm.provide_charm_instance() as instance:
         instance.upgrade_if_available(args)
+        # Workaround to purge packages in case of upgrades from one release to
+        # another
+        # Eventhough upgrade_if_available() purges the unnecessary packages,
+        # reactive/layer_openstack.py::default_upgrade_charm again tries to
+        # install due to singleton class pointing to older release charm
+        # instance i.e., it installs all the packages mentioned in older
+        # release. After that even though configure_designate_full() is
+        # triggered, upgrade_if_available does nothing as the installed
+        # packages are already of same release as expected and it
+        # did not care about purge packages.
+        # Example scenario that triggered this change is removal of
+        # designate-agent from caracal release
+        instance.remove_obsolete_packages()
         instance.configure_ssl()
         instance.render_full_config(args)
         try:
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_designate_handlers.py b/unit_tests/test_designate_handlers.py
index ca7b20b..0448bb2 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_designate_handlers.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_designate_handlers.py
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ class TestHandlers(test_utils.PatchHelper):
         the_charm.update_pools.assert_called_once_with()
         the_charm.upgrade_if_available.assert_called_once_with(
             ('arg1', 'arg2', ))
+        the_charm.remove_obsolete_packages.assert_called_once_with()
 
     def test_cluster_connected(self):
         the_charm = self._patch_provide_charm_instance()