In a method of fabricating a microelectronic package having copper circuitization on a dielectric substrate, comprising depositing a chromium adhesion layer on the dielectric substrate, depositing a copper seed layer on the chromium adhesion layer, depositing photoresist on the copper seed layer, imaging and developing the photoresist, and forming a pattern of copper circuitization on the selected portions of the seed copper layer, the improvement comprising removing chromium adhesion layer material from the dielectric substrate by contacting the chromium adhesion layer with aqueous sulfuric acid electrolyte while maintaining the chromium adhesion layer electrolytically in series with a counterelectrode, and maintaining the chromium adhesion layer anodic with respect to the counterelectrode.