diff --git a/doc/commands.rst b/doc/commands.rst
index a46644208..74cf95089 100644
--- a/doc/commands.rst
+++ b/doc/commands.rst
@@ -107,3 +107,7 @@ Install Options
 
   Continue installing despite errors.
 
+**-R**
+
+  Install implicit/recursive dependencies.
+
diff --git a/doc/man/rosdep.rst b/doc/man/rosdep.rst
index f2c5679f1..2dbd43523 100644
--- a/doc/man/rosdep.rst
+++ b/doc/man/rosdep.rst
@@ -104,3 +104,8 @@ Install Options
 **-r**
 
   Continue installing despite errors.
+
+**-R**
+
+  Install implicit/recursive dependencies.
+
diff --git a/src/rosdep2/__init__.py b/src/rosdep2/__init__.py
index 2f7a05727..3d4c9f3ea 100644
--- a/src/rosdep2/__init__.py
+++ b/src/rosdep2/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import print_function
 
-__version__ = '0.8.7'
+__version__ = '0.9.0'
 
 import sys
 
diff --git a/src/rosdep2/installers.py b/src/rosdep2/installers.py
index 4f7ca0c36..27d23e027 100644
--- a/src/rosdep2/installers.py
+++ b/src/rosdep2/installers.py
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ def __init__(self, installer_context, lookup):
         self.installer_context = installer_context
         self.lookup = lookup
         
-    def get_uninstalled(self, resources, verbose=False):
+    def get_uninstalled(self, resources, implicit=False, verbose=False):
         """
         Get list of system dependencies that have not been installed
         as well as a list of errors from performing the resolution.
@@ -390,6 +390,8 @@ def get_uninstalled(self, resources, verbose=False):
         optimizations in checking install state.
 
         :param resources: List of resource names (e.g. ROS package names), ``[str]]``
+        :param implicit: Install implicit (recursive) dependencies of
+            resources.  Default ``False``.
 
         :returns: (uninstalled, errors), ``({str: [opaque]}, {str: ResolutionError})``.
           Uninstalled is a dictionary with the installer_key as the key.
@@ -401,7 +403,7 @@ def get_uninstalled(self, resources, verbose=False):
         # resolutions have been unique()d
         if verbose:
             print("resolving for resources [%s]"%(', '.join(resources)))
-        resolutions, errors = self.lookup.resolve_all(resources, installer_context)
+        resolutions, errors = self.lookup.resolve_all(resources, installer_context, implicit=implicit)
         
         # for each installer, figure out what is left to install
         uninstalled = {}
diff --git a/src/rosdep2/lookup.py b/src/rosdep2/lookup.py
index a36c981db..e7f11e26e 100644
--- a/src/rosdep2/lookup.py
+++ b/src/rosdep2/lookup.py
@@ -305,12 +305,15 @@ def create_from_rospkg(rospack=None, rosstack=None,
 
         return lookup
 
-    def resolve_all(self, resources, installer_context):
+    def resolve_all(self, resources, installer_context, implicit=False):
         """
         Resolve all the rosdep dependencies for *resources* using *installer_context*.
 
         :param resources: list of resources (e.g. packages), ``[str]]``
         :param installer_context: :class:`InstallerContext`
+        :param implicit: Install implicit (recursive) dependencies of
+            resources.  Default ``False``.
+        
         :returns: (resolutions, errors), ``({str: opaque}, {str: ResolutionError})``.  resolutions maps the installer keys
           to resolved objects.  Resolved objects are opaque but can be passed into the associated installer for processing.
           errors maps package names to an :exc:`ResolutionError` or :exc:`KeyError` exception.
@@ -319,7 +322,7 @@ def resolve_all(self, resources, installer_context):
         errors = {}
         for resource_name in resources:
             try:
-                rosdep_keys = self.get_rosdeps(resource_name, implicit=True)
+                rosdep_keys = self.get_rosdeps(resource_name, implicit=implicit)
                 if self.verbose:
                     print("resolve_all: resource [%s] requires rosdep keys [%s]"%(resource_name, ', '.join(rosdep_keys)), file=sys.stderr)
                 for rosdep_key in rosdep_keys:
diff --git a/src/rosdep2/main.py b/src/rosdep2/main.py
index a6b131832..d2d9fc318 100644
--- a/src/rosdep2/main.py
+++ b/src/rosdep2/main.py
@@ -201,6 +201,8 @@ def _rosdep_main(args):
                       action="store_true", help="Continue installing despite errors.")
     parser.add_option("-a", "--all", dest="rosdep_all", default=False, 
                       action="store_true", help="select all packages")
+    parser.add_option("-R", dest="recursive", default=False, 
+                      action="store_true", help="Install implicit/recursive dependencies.  Only valid with 'install' command.")
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args(args)
     if options.print_version:
@@ -400,9 +402,9 @@ def command_install(lookup, packages, options):
     if options.reinstall:
         if options.verbose:
             print("reinstall is true, resolving all dependencies")
-        uninstalled, errors = lookup.resolve_all(packages, installer_context)
+        uninstalled, errors = lookup.resolve_all(packages, installer_context, implicit=options.recursive)
     else:
-        uninstalled, errors = installer.get_uninstalled(packages, verbose=options.verbose)
+        uninstalled, errors = installer.get_uninstalled(packages, implicit=options.recursive, verbose=options.verbose)
         
     if options.verbose:
         print("uninstalled dependencies are: [%s]"%(', '.join(uninstalled.keys())))