diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
index 90acb07743..ef01d0452c 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
@@ -78,16 +78,20 @@ module Homebrew extend self
     unless formulae.empty?
       perform_preinstall_checks
       formulae.each do |f|
-        begin
-          fi = FormulaInstaller.new(f)
-          fi.install
-          fi.caveats
-          fi.finish
-        rescue CannotInstallFormulaError => e
-          ofail e.message
-        end
+        install_formula(f)
       end
     end
   end
 
+  def install_formula f
+    fi = FormulaInstaller.new(f)
+    fi.install
+    fi.caveats
+    fi.finish
+  rescue FormulaInstallationAlreadyAttemptedError
+    # We already attempted to install f as part of the dependency tree of
+    # another formula. In that case, don't generate an error, just move on.
+  rescue CannotInstallFormulaError => e
+    ofail e.message
+  end
 end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/upgrade.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/upgrade.rb
index 06dfb87329..c3a924ec51 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/upgrade.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/upgrade.rb
@@ -73,6 +73,9 @@ module Homebrew extend self
     installer.install
     installer.caveats
     installer.finish
+  rescue FormulaInstallationAlreadyAttemptedError
+    # We already attempted to upgrade f as part of the dependency tree of
+    # another formula. In that case, don't generate an error, just move on.
   rescue CannotInstallFormulaError => e
     ofail e
   rescue BuildError => e
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb b/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
index db54f9d602..66d0827cd0 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/formula_installer.rb
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ class FormulaInstaller
   end
 
   def check_install_sanity
+    @@attempted ||= Set.new
+    raise FormulaInstallationAlreadyAttemptedError, f if @@attempted.include? f
+    @@attempted << f
+
     if f.installed?
       msg = "#{f}-#{f.installed_version} already installed"
       msg << ", it's just not linked" if not f.linked_keg.symlink? and not f.keg_only?
@@ -112,10 +116,6 @@ class FormulaInstaller
 
     oh1 "Installing #{f}" if show_header
 
-    @@attempted ||= Set.new
-    raise FormulaInstallationAlreadyAttemptedError, f if @@attempted.include? f
-    @@attempted << f
-
     if install_bottle
       pour
     else