diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/build.rb b/Library/Homebrew/build.rb
index 676d6f2cd0..09a9138bdc 100755
--- a/Library/Homebrew/build.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/build.rb
@@ -61,8 +61,14 @@ class Build
 
   def initialize(f)
     @f = f
-    @deps = expand_deps
-    @reqs = expand_reqs
+
+    if ARGV.ignore_deps?
+      @deps = []
+      @reqs = []
+    else
+      @deps = expand_deps
+      @reqs = expand_reqs
+    end
   end
 
   def post_superenv_hacks
@@ -113,7 +119,7 @@ class Build
 
     deps.map(&:to_formula).each do |dep|
       opt = HOMEBREW_PREFIX/:opt/dep
-      fixopt(dep) unless opt.directory? or ARGV.ignore_deps?
+      fixopt(dep) unless opt.directory?
     end
 
     if superenv?