Fiesty: libusplash0 failed to unpack

Binary package hint: usplash

While doing a dist-upgrade, libusplash0 failed to unpack, and thus usplash failed to configure. Log of aptitude output below. Attempting to reinstall libusplash0 via aptitude didn't seem to work, even when forced, but apt-get seemed to correct it fine. It also appears that the second attempt to unpack the same package (a new copy wasn't downloaded) worked, which suggests the file wasn't corrupt. (I assuming apt-get and aptitude call upon the same tools to unpack, so this seems odd.)

# aptitude dist-upgrade
[...]
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  espeak espeak-data gdebi-core gs-esp-x libavahi-core5 libespeak1
  libgpod-common libgpod1 libgs-esp8 libusplash0 libx86-1
  python-launchpad-bugs python-software-properties software-properties-gtk
  update-manager-core
The following packages will be upgraded:
  apport avahi-daemon gdebi gnome-app-install gs-esp libgnome-speech3
  rhythmbox update-manager usplash
[...]
Get:6 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main libusplash0 0.4-40 [90.3kB]
Get:7 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com feisty/main usplash 0.4-40 [22.0kB]
[...]
Unpacking libusplash0 (from .../libusplash0_0.4-40_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libusplash0_0.4-40_i386.deb (--unpack):
 trying to overwrite `/lib/libusplash.so.0', which is also in package usplash
[...]
Preparing to replace usplash 0.4-35 (using .../usplash_0.4-40_i386.deb) ...
Unpacking replacement usplash ...
Errors were encountered while processing:
 /var/cache/apt/archives/libusplash0_0.4-40_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)
A package failed to install. Trying to recover:
[...]
dpkg: dependency problems prevent configuration of usplash:
 usplash depends on libusplash0; however:
  Package libusplash0 is not installed.
dpkg: error processing usplash (--configure):
 dependency problems - leaving unconfigured
[...]
Errors were encountered while processing:
 usplash

# aptitude install "libusplash0&M"
[...]
The following packages are BROKEN:
  usplash
The following packages are unused and will be REMOVED:
  libx86-1
[...]
The following packages have unmet dependencies:
  usplash: Depends: libusplash0 but it is not installable
Resolving dependencies...
The following actions will resolve these dependencies:

Remove the following packages:
ubuntu-desktop
usplash
usplash-theme-ubuntu

Score is -1003

Accept this solution? [Y/n/q/?] q
Abandoning all efforts to resolve these dependencies.
Abort.

# apt-get install libusplash0
[...]
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  libusplash0
Need to get 0B/90.3kB of archives.
After unpacking 479kB of additional disk space will be used.
(Reading database ... 143159 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking libusplash0 (from .../libusplash0_0.4-40_i386.deb) ...
Setting up libusplash0 (0.4-40) ...
Setting up usplash (0.4-40) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.20-6-386