asmdefs always reference specific other packages

Even when turning "Override References" on, UnityEditor.Compilation.Assembly.asseblyReferences always has specific dependencies on other Unity packages that I can't get rid of.
(I'm trying to understand how packages/their asmdefs and compiled assemblies reference each other)

Every single asmdef file seems to reference

• UnityEditor.UI (from com.unity.ugui)
• Unity.2D.Tilemap.Editor (from com.unity.2d.tilemap)

Additionally, editor asmdefs (that are set to Editor only) also always have the following:

• com.unity.ext.nunit
  
• com.unity.test-framework

This seems wrong, as obviously those are part of packages, and removing those packages does not break compilation for all others.

Is that hardcoded? Why? Which other packages inject themselves in this way? It's hard to understand references when "Override References" which is supposed to give me explicit control doesn't actually override all references...

I guess this goes to both Package Manager team @okcompute_unity and asmdef team @karl_jones

 

@okcompute_unity would still be great to get your input here.

 

@okcompute_unity bump...