diff --git a/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go b/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
index 3af3c1243..c69be69ec 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/dependency_build.go
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ type dependencyBuildCmd struct {
 	chartpath string
 	verify    bool
 	keyring   string
+	recursive bool
 	helmhome  helmpath.Home
 }
 
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func newDependencyBuildCmd(out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	f := cmd.Flags()
 	f.BoolVar(&dbc.verify, "verify", false, "verify the packages against signatures")
 	f.StringVar(&dbc.keyring, "keyring", defaultKeyring(), "keyring containing public keys")
+	f.BoolVar(&dbc.recursive, "recursive", false, "run build recursively for the dependent charts")
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -75,11 +77,16 @@ func (d *dependencyBuildCmd) run() error {
 		ChartPath: d.chartpath,
 		HelmHome:  d.helmhome,
 		Keyring:   d.keyring,
+		Recursive: d.recursive,
 		Getters:   getter.All(settings),
 	}
 	if d.verify {
 		man.Verify = downloader.VerifyIfPossible
 	}
 
-	return man.Build()
+	if d.recursive {
+		return man.BuildRecursively()
+	}
+	_, err := man.Build()
+	return err
 }
diff --git a/cmd/helm/dependency_build_test.go b/cmd/helm/dependency_build_test.go
index 207313bf5..55cadf9b1 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/dependency_build_test.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/dependency_build_test.go
@@ -16,13 +16,19 @@ limitations under the License.
 package main
 
 import (
+	"archive/tar"
 	"bytes"
+	"compress/gzip"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/chartutil"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/helm/helmpath"
+	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/proto/hapi/chart"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/provenance"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/repo"
 	"k8s.io/helm/pkg/repo/repotest"
@@ -116,5 +122,132 @@ func TestDependencyBuildCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	if v := reqver.Version; v != "0.1.0" {
 		t.Errorf("mismatched versions. Expected %q, got %q", "0.1.0", v)
 	}
+}
+
+func TestDependencyRecursiveBuildCmd(t *testing.T) {
+	hh, err := tempHelmHome(t)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	cleanup := resetEnv()
+	defer func() {
+		os.RemoveAll(hh.String())
+		cleanup()
+	}()
+
+	settings.Home = hh
+
+	srv := repotest.NewServer(hh.String())
+	defer srv.Stop()
+
+	chartname := "rectest"
+	if err := createTestingChartWithRecursiveDep(hh.String(), chartname, srv); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	out := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
+	dbc := &dependencyBuildCmd{out: out}
+	dbc.helmhome = helmpath.Home(hh)
+	dbc.chartpath = filepath.Join(hh.String(), chartname)
+	dbc.recursive = true
 
+	if err := dbc.run(); err != nil {
+		output := out.String()
+		t.Logf("Output: %s", output)
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expect := filepath.Join(hh.String(), chartname, "charts/rectest1-0.1.0.tgz")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(expect); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expect = filepath.Join(hh.String(), chartname, "charts/rectest1/charts/rectest2-0.1.0.tgz")
+	if _, err := os.Stat(expect); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
+func createTestingChartWithRecursiveDep(dest string, name string, srv *repotest.Server) error {
+	// Create the deepest chart without any dependency
+	rectestChart2 := "rectest2"
+	rectestChart2Version := "0.1.0"
+	err := createAndSaveTestingChart(dest, rectestChart2, rectestChart2Version, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	rectestChart1 := "rectest1"
+	rectestChart1Version := "0.1.0"
+	err = createAndSaveTestingChart(dest, rectestChart1, rectestChart1Version,
+		[]*chartutil.Dependency{
+			{Name: rectestChart2, Version: rectestChart2Version, Repository: srv.URL()}},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = srv.CopyCharts(filepath.Join(dest, "/*.tgz"))
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return createAndSaveTestingChart(dest, name, "0.1.0",
+		[]*chartutil.Dependency{
+			{Name: rectestChart1, Version: rectestChart1Version, Repository: srv.URL()}},
+	)
+}
+
+func createAndSaveTestingChart(dest string, name, version string, deps []*chartutil.Dependency) error {
+	cfile := &chart.Metadata{
+		Name:    name,
+		Version: version,
+	}
+	dir := filepath.Join(dest, name)
+	_, err := chartutil.Create(cfile, dest)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if len(deps) > 0 {
+		req := &chartutil.Requirements{
+			Dependencies: deps,
+		}
+		err := writeRequirements(dir, req)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
+	archiveFile := filepath.Join(dest, fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s.tgz", name, version))
+	f, err := os.Create(archiveFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	zipper := gzip.NewWriter(f)
+	defer zipper.Close()
+	tarball := tar.NewWriter(zipper)
+	defer tarball.Close()
+	return filepath.Walk(dir, func(path string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		header, err := tar.FileInfoHeader(info, info.Name())
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		header.Name = filepath.Join(filepath.Base(dir), strings.TrimPrefix(path, dir))
+		if err := tarball.WriteHeader(header); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if info.IsDir() {
+			return nil
+		}
+		file, err := os.Open(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer file.Close()
+		_, err = io.Copy(tarball, file)
+		return err
+	})
 }
diff --git a/docs/helm/helm_dependency_build.md b/docs/helm/helm_dependency_build.md
index fba70f2ec..f3fa39d42 100644
--- a/docs/helm/helm_dependency_build.md
+++ b/docs/helm/helm_dependency_build.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ helm dependency build [flags] CHART
 ```
   -h, --help             help for build
       --keyring string   keyring containing public keys (default "~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg")
+      --recursive        run build recursively for the dependent charts
       --verify           verify the packages against signatures
 ```
 
diff --git a/docs/man/man1/helm_dependency_build.1 b/docs/man/man1/helm_dependency_build.1
index adc225a81..1f6c51113 100644
--- a/docs/man/man1/helm_dependency_build.1
+++ b/docs/man/man1/helm_dependency_build.1
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ of 'helm dependency update'.
 \fB\-\-keyring\fP="~/.gnupg/pubring.gpg"
     keyring containing public keys
 
+\fB\-\-recursive\fP[=false]
+    run build recursively for the dependent charts
+
 .PP
 \fB\-\-verify\fP[=false]
     verify the packages against signatures
diff --git a/pkg/downloader/manager.go b/pkg/downloader/manager.go
index 372940880..2f7a536a9 100644
--- a/pkg/downloader/manager.go
+++ b/pkg/downloader/manager.go
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ type Manager struct {
 	Keyring string
 	// SkipUpdate indicates that the repository should not be updated first.
 	SkipUpdate bool
+	// Recursive indicates that there is a recursive build
+	Recursive bool
 	// Getter collection for the operation
 	Getters []getter.Provider
 }
@@ -64,42 +66,102 @@ type Manager struct {
 // If the lockfile is not present, this will run a Manager.Update()
 //
 // If SkipUpdate is set, this will not update the repository.
-func (m *Manager) Build() error {
+func (m *Manager) Build() ([]*chartutil.Dependency, error) {
 	c, err := m.loadChartDir()
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// If a lock file is found, run a build from that. Otherwise, just do
 	// an update.
 	lock, err := chartutil.LoadRequirementsLock(c)
 	if err != nil {
-		return m.Update()
+		err = m.Update()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		req, err := chartutil.LoadRequirements(c)
+		if err != nil {
+			if err == chartutil.ErrRequirementsNotFound {
+				return nil, nil
+			}
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		return req.Dependencies, nil
 	}
 
 	// A lock must accompany a requirements.yaml file.
 	req, err := chartutil.LoadRequirements(c)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("requirements.yaml cannot be opened: %s", err)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("requirements.yaml cannot be opened: %s", err)
 	}
 	if sum, err := resolver.HashReq(req); err != nil || sum != lock.Digest {
-		return fmt.Errorf("requirements.lock is out of sync with requirements.yaml")
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("requirements.lock is out of sync with requirements.yaml")
 	}
 
 	// Check that all of the repos we're dependent on actually exist.
 	if err := m.hasAllRepos(lock.Dependencies); err != nil {
-		return err
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	if !m.SkipUpdate {
 		// For each repo in the file, update the cached copy of that repo
 		if err := m.UpdateRepositories(); err != nil {
-			return err
+			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
 
 	// Now we need to fetch every package here into charts/
-	return m.downloadAll(lock.Dependencies)
+	return req.Dependencies, m.downloadAll(lock.Dependencies)
+}
+
+// BuildRecursively rebuilds recursively a local charts directory from a lockfile.
+// If the lockfile is not present, this will run a Manager.Update()
+//
+// If SkipUpdate is set, this will not update the repository.
+func (m *Manager) BuildRecursively() error {
+	// Build the main chart
+	dependencies, err := m.Build()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	m.SkipUpdate = true
+	baseChartPath := filepath.Join(m.ChartPath, "charts")
+
+	// Do a Breadth-first traversal over the chart dependencies and
+	// build them on by one
+	type chartDep struct {
+		path string
+		deps []*chartutil.Dependency
+	}
+	depQueue := []chartDep{{
+		path: baseChartPath,
+		deps: dependencies,
+	}}
+	for {
+		if len(depQueue) == 0 {
+			break
+		}
+		currChartDep := depQueue[0]
+		depQueue = depQueue[1:]
+		for _, dep := range currChartDep.deps {
+			chartPath := filepath.Join(currChartDep.path, dep.Name)
+			m.ChartPath = chartPath
+			newDeps, err := m.Build()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if len(newDeps) > 0 {
+				depQueue = append(depQueue, chartDep{
+					path: filepath.Join(chartPath, "charts"),
+					deps: newDeps,
+				})
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 // Update updates a local charts directory.
@@ -253,6 +315,15 @@ func (m *Manager) downloadAll(deps []*chartutil.Dependency) error {
 			saveError = fmt.Errorf("could not download %s: %s", churl, err)
 			break
 		}
+
+		if m.Recursive {
+			tarPath := filepath.Join(destPath, filepath.Base(churl))
+			fmt.Fprintln(m.Out, "Unpacking:", tarPath)
+			err := chartutil.ExpandFile(destPath, tarPath)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("could not unpack %s: %s", tarPath, err)
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	if saveError == nil {
@@ -647,6 +718,12 @@ func move(tmpPath, destPath string) error {
 		filename := file.Name()
 		tmpfile := filepath.Join(tmpPath, filename)
 		destfile := filepath.Join(destPath, filename)
+		if _, err := os.Stat(destfile); err == nil {
+			err := os.RemoveAll(destfile)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
 		if err := os.Rename(tmpfile, destfile); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("Unable to move local charts to charts dir: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/scripts/completions.bash b/scripts/completions.bash
index 36cb01f15..45c74225d 100644
--- a/scripts/completions.bash
+++ b/scripts/completions.bash
@@ -327,6 +327,8 @@ _helm_dependency_build()
 
     flags+=("--keyring=")
     local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--keyring=")
+    flags+=("--recursive")
+    local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--recursive")
     flags+=("--verify")
     local_nonpersistent_flags+=("--verify")
     flags+=("--debug")