diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dependencies_helpers.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dependencies_helpers.rb
index 8006882b11..dd2a3acd2e 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dependencies_helpers.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dependencies_helpers.rb
@@ -56,11 +56,7 @@ module DependenciesHelpers
 
       # If a tap isn't installed, we can't find the dependencies of one of
       # its formulae, and an exception will be thrown if we try.
-      if klass == Dependency &&
-         dep.is_a?(TapDependency) &&
-         !dep.tap.installed?
-        Dependency.keep_but_prune_recursive_deps
-      end
+      Dependency.keep_but_prune_recursive_deps if klass == Dependency && dep.tap && !dep.tap.installed?
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dependency.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dependency.rb
index 14b4b9d48b..a371a7d58a 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dependency.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dependency.rb
@@ -11,18 +11,20 @@ class Dependency
   include Dependable
   extend Cachable
 
-  attr_reader :name, :env_proc, :option_names
+  attr_reader :name, :env_proc, :option_names, :tap
 
   DEFAULT_ENV_PROC = proc {}.freeze
   private_constant :DEFAULT_ENV_PROC
 
-  def initialize(name, tags = [], env_proc = DEFAULT_ENV_PROC, option_names = [name])
+  def initialize(name, tags = [], env_proc = DEFAULT_ENV_PROC, option_names = [name&.split("/")&.last])
     raise ArgumentError, "Dependency must have a name!" unless name
 
     @name = name
     @tags = tags
     @env_proc = env_proc
     @option_names = option_names
+
+    @tap = Tap.fetch(Regexp.last_match(1), Regexp.last_match(2)) if name =~ HOMEBREW_TAP_FORMULA_REGEX
   end
 
   def to_s
@@ -46,6 +48,8 @@ class Dependency
 
   def installed?
     to_formula.latest_version_installed?
+  rescue FormulaUnavailableError
+    false
   end
 
   def satisfied?(inherited_options = [])
@@ -204,19 +208,3 @@ class Dependency
     end
   end
 end
-
-# A dependency on another Homebrew formula in a specific tap.
-class TapDependency < Dependency
-  attr_reader :tap
-
-  def initialize(name, tags = [], env_proc = DEFAULT_ENV_PROC, option_names = [name.split("/").last])
-    @tap = Tap.fetch(name.rpartition("/").first)
-    super(name, tags, env_proc, option_names)
-  end
-
-  def installed?
-    super
-  rescue FormulaUnavailableError
-    false
-  end
-end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb b/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
index b05addd086..6288462cb3 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/dependency_collector.rb
@@ -144,11 +144,7 @@ class DependencyCollector
   end
 
   def parse_string_spec(spec, tags)
-    if spec.match?(HOMEBREW_TAP_FORMULA_REGEX)
-      TapDependency.new(spec, tags)
-    else
-      Dependency.new(spec, tags)
-    end
+    Dependency.new(spec, tags)
   end
 
   def parse_symbol_spec(spec, tags)
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/dependency_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/dependency_spec.rb
index 431006cb57..b9367544c2 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/dependency_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/dependency_spec.rb
@@ -100,15 +100,20 @@ describe Dependency do
     expect(foo1).not_to eql(foo3)
   end
 
-  describe TapDependency do
-    subject(:dependency) { described_class.new("foo/bar/dog") }
-
-    specify "#tap" do
+  describe "#tap" do
+    it "returns a tap passed a fully-qualified name" do
+      dependency = described_class.new("foo/bar/dog")
       expect(dependency.tap).to eq(Tap.new("foo", "bar"))
     end
 
-    specify "#option_names" do
-      expect(dependency.option_names).to eq(%w[dog])
+    it "returns no tap passed a simple name" do
+      dependency = described_class.new("dog")
+      expect(dependency.tap).to be_nil
     end
   end
+
+  specify "#option_names" do
+    dependency = described_class.new("foo/bar/dog")
+    expect(dependency.option_names).to eq(%w[dog])
+  end
 end