Thanks everyone for the discussion so far, I'm trying to add a few details and fill a few argumentative gaps.
First let me re-share the simple scenario which I used to illustrate/prove the issues. Then in another comment below I'll outline a few affects of this overall case. Example: On bionic install it "wrong" not using the meta package $ apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 $ do-release-upgrade Before: # dpkg -l | grep -e apache -e php ii apache2 2.4.29-1ubuntu4.23 amd64 Apache HTTP Server ii apache2-bin 2.4.29-1ubuntu4.23 amd64 Apache HTTP Server (modules and other binary files) ii apache2-data 2.4.29-1ubuntu4.23 all Apache HTTP Server (common files) ii apache2-utils 2.4.29-1ubuntu4.23 amd64 Apache HTTP Server (utility programs for web servers) ii libapache2-mod-php7.2 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 server-side, HTML-embedded scripting language (Apache 2 module) ii php-common 1:60ubuntu1 all Common files for PHP packages ii php7.2-cli 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 command-line interpreter for the PHP scripting language ii php7.2-common 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 documentation, examples and common module for PHP ii php7.2-json 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 JSON module for PHP ii php7.2-opcache 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 Zend OpCache module for PHP ii php7.2-readline 7.2.24-0ubuntu0.18.04.11 amd64 readline module for PHP After: # dpkg -l | grep -e apache -e php ii apache2 2.4.41-4ubuntu3.11 amd64 Apache HTTP Server ii apache2-bin 2.4.41-4ubuntu3.11 amd64 Apache HTTP Server (modules and other binary files) ii apache2-data 2.4.41-4ubuntu3.11 all Apache HTTP Server (common files) ii apache2-utils 2.4.41-4ubuntu3.11 amd64 Apache HTTP Server (utility programs for web servers) ii php-common 2:75 all Common files for PHP packages There are other variations of the bug, but they all end in a similar situation like this. And with that situation PHP execution is essentially "off" -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1890263 Title: release upgrade does not move to the new php apache mod To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/php-defaults/+bug/1890263/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs