diff --git a/newt/project/project.go b/newt/project/project.go
index 882890431..ee37674ee 100644
--- a/newt/project/project.go
+++ b/newt/project/project.go
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func (proj *Project) UpgradeIf(
     predicate func(r *repo.Repo) bool) error {
 
 	// Make sure we have an up to date copy of all `repository.yml` files.
-	if err := proj.downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(okRepos); err != nil {
+	if err := proj.downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(noDeps, okRepos); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ func (proj *Project) InfoIf(predicate func(r *repo.Repo) bool,
 
 	if remote {
 		// Make sure we have an up to date copy of all `repository.yml` files.
-		if err := proj.downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(nil); err != nil {
+		if err := proj.downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(false, nil); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ func (proj *Project) checkNewtVer() error {
 }
 
 // Loads the `repository.yml` file for each depended-on repo.  This
-func (proj *Project) loadRepoDeps(download bool, okRepos []string) error {
+func (proj *Project) loadRepoDeps(download bool, noDeps bool, okRepos []string) error {
 	seen := map[string]struct{}{}
 
 	loadDeps := func(r *repo.Repo) ([]*repo.Repo, error) {
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func (proj *Project) loadRepoDeps(download bool, okRepos []string) error {
 		depMap := r.CommitDepMap()
 		for _, depSlice := range depMap {
 			for _, dep := range depSlice {
-				if !isOkRepo(dep.Name, okRepos) {
+				if noDeps && !isOkRepo(dep.Name, okRepos) {
 					log.Debugf("Skipping repo %s", dep.Name)
 					continue
 				}
@@ -503,7 +503,8 @@ func (proj *Project) loadRepoDeps(download bool, okRepos []string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (proj *Project) downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(okRepos []string) error {
+func (proj *Project) downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(noDeps bool,
+	okRepos []string) error {
 	// Download the `repository.yml` file for each root-level repo (those
 	// specified in the `project.yml` file).
 	for _, r := range proj.repos.Sorted() {
@@ -518,7 +519,7 @@ func (proj *Project) downloadRepositoryYmlFiles(okRepos []string) error {
 	}
 
 	// Download the `repository.yml` file for each depended-on repo.
-	if err := proj.loadRepoDeps(true, okRepos); err != nil {
+	if err := proj.loadRepoDeps(true, noDeps, okRepos); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -584,7 +585,7 @@ func (proj *Project) addRepo(r *repo.Repo, download bool, isDep bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (proj *Project) loadConfig(download bool, okRepos []string) error {
+func (proj *Project) loadConfig(download bool, noDeps bool, okRepos []string) error {
 	yc, err := config.ReadFile(proj.BasePath + "/" + PROJECT_FILE_NAME)
 	if err != nil {
 		return util.NewNewtError(err.Error())
@@ -643,7 +644,7 @@ func (proj *Project) loadConfig(download bool, okRepos []string) error {
 	// Read `repository.yml` files belonging to dependee repos from disk.
 	// These repos might not be specified in the `project.yml` file, but they
 	// are still part of the project.
-	if err := proj.loadRepoDeps(download, okRepos); err != nil {
+	if err := proj.loadRepoDeps(download, noDeps, okRepos); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -690,7 +691,7 @@ func (proj *Project) Init(dir string, download bool, okRepos []string) error {
 	proj.rootRepoReqs = map[string]newtutil.RepoVersion{}
 
 	// Load Project configuration
-	if err := proj.loadConfig(download, okRepos); err != nil {
+	if err := proj.loadConfig(download, false, okRepos); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}