I have just done the following with no problems: # apt-get remove gnus-bonus-el gnus # apt-get install semi wl t-gnus # apt-get install gnus-bonus-el with no errors at all. Perhaps this was fixed in a release after the one you have installed (which appears to be 1.14.6+0.20040). Can you try with a more recent version of the package and tell me if you still see the bug? Thomas (for the Debian QA team)