diff --git a/cmd/helm/downloader/manager.go b/cmd/helm/downloader/manager.go
index c140504fc..4e4ddebf2 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/downloader/manager.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/downloader/manager.go
@@ -173,6 +173,17 @@ func (m *Manager) downloadAll(deps []*chartutil.Dependency) error {
 		HelmHome: m.HelmHome,
 	}
 
+	destPath := filepath.Join(m.ChartPath, "charts")
+
+	// Create 'charts' directory if it doesn't already exist.
+	if fi, err := os.Stat(destPath); err != nil {
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(destPath, 0755); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	} else if !fi.IsDir() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%q is not a directory", destPath)
+	}
+
 	fmt.Fprintf(m.Out, "Saving %d charts\n", len(deps))
 	for _, dep := range deps {
 		fmt.Fprintf(m.Out, "Downloading %s from repo %s\n", dep.Name, dep.Repository)
@@ -183,8 +194,7 @@ func (m *Manager) downloadAll(deps []*chartutil.Dependency) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		dest := filepath.Join(m.ChartPath, "charts")
-		if _, _, err := dl.DownloadTo(churl, "", dest); err != nil {
+		if _, _, err := dl.DownloadTo(churl, "", destPath); err != nil {
 			fmt.Fprintf(m.Out, "WARNING: Could not download %s: %s (skipped)", churl, err)
 			continue
 		}
@@ -257,6 +267,8 @@ func (m *Manager) parallelRepoUpdate(repos []*repo.Entry) {
 }
 
 // urlsAreEqual normalizes two URLs and then compares for equality.
+//
+// TODO: This and the urlJoin functions should really be moved to a 'urlutil' package.
 func urlsAreEqual(a, b string) bool {
 	au, err := url.Parse(a)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/charts.md b/docs/charts.md
index 1ee1cebe9..f94fdb22d 100644
--- a/docs/charts.md
+++ b/docs/charts.md
@@ -115,6 +115,10 @@ In Helm, one chart may depend on any number of other charts. These
 dependencies are expressed explicitly by copying the dependency charts
 into the `charts/` directory.
 
+A dependency can be either a chart archive (`foo-1.2.3.tgz`) or an
+unpacked chart directory. But its name cannot start with `_` or `.`.
+Such files are ignored by the chart loader.
+
 **Note:** The `dependencies:` section of the `Chart.yaml` from Helm
 Classic has been completely removed.
 
@@ -141,7 +145,7 @@ on Apache and MySQL by including those charts inside of its `charts/`
 directory.
 
 **TIP:** _To drop a dependency into your `charts/` directory, use the
-`helm fetch` command._
+`helm fetch` command or use a `requirements.yaml` file_
 
 ### Managing Dependencies with `requirements.yaml`
 
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/load.go b/pkg/chartutil/load.go
index 05bc1187b..dba1100e1 100644
--- a/pkg/chartutil/load.go
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/load.go
@@ -125,6 +125,10 @@ func loadFiles(files []*afile) (*chart.Chart, error) {
 				continue
 			}
 			cname := strings.TrimPrefix(f.name, "charts/")
+			if strings.IndexAny(cname, "._") == 0 {
+				// Ignore charts/ that start with . or _.
+				continue
+			}
 			parts := strings.SplitN(cname, "/", 2)
 			scname := parts[0]
 			subcharts[scname] = append(subcharts[scname], &afile{name: cname, data: f.data})
@@ -141,7 +145,9 @@ func loadFiles(files []*afile) (*chart.Chart, error) {
 	for n, files := range subcharts {
 		var sc *chart.Chart
 		var err error
-		if filepath.Ext(n) == ".tgz" {
+		if strings.IndexAny(n, "_.") == 0 {
+			continue
+		} else if filepath.Ext(n) == ".tgz" {
 			file := files[0]
 			if file.name != n {
 				return c, fmt.Errorf("error unpacking tar in %s: expected %s, got %s", c.Metadata.Name, n, file.name)
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz-1.2.3.tgz b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz-1.2.3.tgz
index 07b111364..aaf443dba 100644
Binary files a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz-1.2.3.tgz and b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz-1.2.3.tgz differ
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/_ignore_me b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/_ignore_me
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2cecca682
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/_ignore_me
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+This should be ignored by the loader, but may be included in a chart.
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/mariner-4.3.2.tgz b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/mariner-4.3.2.tgz
index 88f255c23..3af333e76 100644
Binary files a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/mariner-4.3.2.tgz and b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/frobnitz/charts/mariner-4.3.2.tgz differ
diff --git a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/mariner/charts/albatross-0.1.0.tgz b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/mariner/charts/albatross-0.1.0.tgz
index 5fb374a78..0b66d27fe 100644
Binary files a/pkg/chartutil/testdata/mariner/charts/albatross-0.1.0.tgz and b/pkg/chartutil/testdata/mariner/charts/albatross-0.1.0.tgz differ