diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
index 48014e3844..e64fd9b335 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/keg.rb
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ class Keg
     tap = Tab.for_keg(self).source["tap"]
     Keg.all.select do |keg|
       tab = Tab.for_keg(keg)
-      next if tab.runtime_dependencies.nil? # no dependency information saved.
+      next if tab.runtime_dependencies.nil?
       tab.runtime_dependencies.any? do |dep|
         # Resolve formula rather than directly comparing names
         # in case of conflicts between formulae from different taps.
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb b/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
index 40626bad1e..669846dfc9 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/tab.rb
@@ -242,6 +242,17 @@ class Tab < OpenStruct
     super || DevelopmentTools.default_compiler
   end
 
+  def parsed_homebrew_version
+    return Version::NULL if homebrew_version.nil?
+    Version.new(homebrew_version)
+  end
+
+  def runtime_dependencies
+    # Homebrew versions prior to 1.1.6 generated incorrect runtime dependency
+    # lists.
+    super unless parsed_homebrew_version < "1.1.6"
+  end
+
   def cxxstdlib
     # Older tabs won't have these values, so provide sensible defaults
     lib = stdlib.to_sym if stdlib
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/keg_test.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/keg_test.rb
index eeead64a05..45d63aa951 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/keg_test.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/keg_test.rb
@@ -348,13 +348,22 @@ class InstalledDependantsTests < LinkTestCase
     tab.write
   end
 
-  def dependencies(deps)
+  # 1.1.6 is the earliest version of Homebrew that generates correct runtime
+  # dependency lists in tabs.
+  def dependencies(deps, homebrew_version: "1.1.6")
     alter_tab do |tab|
+      tab.homebrew_version = homebrew_version
       tab.tabfile = @dependent.join("INSTALL_RECEIPT.json")
       tab.runtime_dependencies = deps
     end
   end
 
+  def unreliable_dependencies(deps)
+    # 1.1.5 is (hopefully!) the last version of Homebrew that generates
+    # incorrect runtime dependency lists in tabs.
+    dependencies(deps, homebrew_version: "1.1.5")
+  end
+
   # Test with a keg whose formula isn't known.
   # This can happen if e.g. a formula is installed
   # from a file path or URL.
@@ -426,4 +435,11 @@ class InstalledDependantsTests < LinkTestCase
     assert_equal [@dependent], @keg.installed_dependents
     assert_equal [[@keg], ["bar 1.0"]], Keg.find_some_installed_dependents([@keg])
   end
+
+  def test_fallback_for_old_versions
+    unreliable_dependencies [{ "full_name" => "baz", "version" => "1.0" }]
+    Formula["bar"].class.depends_on "foo"
+    assert_empty @keg.installed_dependents
+    assert_equal [[@keg], ["bar"]], Keg.find_some_installed_dependents([@keg])
+  end
 end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/receipt.json b/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/receipt.json
index b20626bbe2..a57d6d80d2 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/receipt.json
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/receipt.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+  "homebrew_version": "1.1.6",
   "used_options": [
     "--with-foo",
     "--without-bar"
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/tab_test.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/tab_test.rb
index 5d83b5907f..526e1f79e3 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/tab_test.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/tab_test.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ class TabTests < Homebrew::TestCase
 
   def test_defaults
     tab = Tab.empty
+
+    # FIXME: remove this line after Homebrew 1.1.6 is released.
+    # See https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/pull/1750#discussion_r94254622
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.6"
+
     assert_empty tab.unused_options
     assert_empty tab.used_options
     assert_nil tab.changed_files
@@ -69,6 +74,49 @@ class TabTests < Homebrew::TestCase
     assert_predicate tab, :universal?
   end
 
+  def test_parsed_homebrew_version
+    tab = Tab.new
+    assert_same Version::NULL, tab.parsed_homebrew_version
+
+    tab = Tab.new(homebrew_version: "1.2.3")
+    assert_equal "1.2.3", tab.parsed_homebrew_version
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version < "1.2.3-1-g12789abdf"
+    assert_kind_of Version, tab.parsed_homebrew_version
+
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.2.4-567-g12789abdf"
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version > "1.2.4"
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version > "1.2.4-566-g21789abdf"
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version < "1.2.4-568-g01789abdf"
+
+    tab = Tab.new(homebrew_version: "2.0.0-134-gabcdefabc-dirty")
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version > "2.0.0"
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version > "2.0.0-133-g21789abdf"
+    assert tab.parsed_homebrew_version < "2.0.0-135-g01789abdf"
+  end
+
+  def test_runtime_dependencies
+    tab = Tab.new
+    assert_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.6"
+    assert_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.runtime_dependencies = []
+    refute_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.5"
+    assert_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.7"
+    refute_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.10"
+    refute_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+
+    tab.runtime_dependencies = [{ "full_name" => "foo", "version" => "1.0" }]
+    refute_nil tab.runtime_dependencies
+  end
+
   def test_cxxstdlib
     assert_equal :clang, @tab.cxxstdlib.compiler
     assert_equal :libcxx, @tab.cxxstdlib.type
@@ -151,6 +199,10 @@ class TabTests < Homebrew::TestCase
     stdlib = :libcxx
     tab = Tab.create(f, compiler, stdlib)
 
+    # FIXME: remove this line after Homebrew 1.1.6 is released.
+    # See https://github.com/Homebrew/brew/pull/1750#discussion_r94254622
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.6"
+
     runtime_dependencies = [
       { "full_name" => "bar", "version" => "2.0" },
       { "full_name" => "user/repo/from_tap", "version" => "1.0" },
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/uninstall_test.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/uninstall_test.rb
index 5c53988f24..e7849178b3 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/uninstall_test.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/uninstall_test.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ class UninstallTests < Homebrew::TestCase
     [@dependency, @dependent].each { |f| f.installed_prefix.mkpath }
 
     tab = Tab.empty
+    tab.homebrew_version = "1.1.6"
     tab.tabfile = @dependent.installed_prefix/Tab::FILENAME
     tab.runtime_dependencies = [
       { "full_name" => "dependency", "version" => "1" },