diff --git a/gclient.py b/gclient.py
index 15a75301a..f1428c52b 100755
--- a/gclient.py
+++ b/gclient.py
@@ -371,6 +371,9 @@ class Dependency(gclient_utils.WorkItem, DependencySettings):
     # recursedeps is a mutable value that selectively overrides the default
     # 'no recursion' setting on a dep-by-dep basis.  It will replace
     # recursion_override.
+    #
+    # It will be a dictionary of {deps_name: {"deps_file": depfile_name}} or
+    # None.
     self.recursedeps = None
 
     if not self.name and self.parent:
@@ -650,9 +653,14 @@ class Dependency(gclient_utils.WorkItem, DependencySettings):
       self.recursion_override = local_scope.get('recursion')
       logging.warning(
           'Setting %s recursion to %d.', self.name, self.recursion_limit)
-    self.recursedeps = local_scope.get('recursedeps', None)
+    self.recursedeps = None
     if 'recursedeps' in local_scope:
-      self.recursedeps = set(self.recursedeps)
+      self.recursedeps = {}
+      for ent in local_scope['recursedeps']:
+        if isinstance(ent, basestring):
+          self.recursedeps[ent] = {"deps_file": self.deps_file}
+        else:  # (depname, depsfilename)
+          self.recursedeps[ent[0]] = {"deps_file": ent[1]}
       logging.warning('Found recursedeps %r.', repr(self.recursedeps))
     # If present, save 'target_os' in the local_target_os property.
     if 'target_os' in local_scope:
@@ -687,9 +695,9 @@ class Dependency(gclient_utils.WorkItem, DependencySettings):
       # Update recursedeps if it's set.
       if self.recursedeps is not None:
         logging.warning('Updating recursedeps by prepending %s.', self.name)
-        rel_deps = set()
-        for d in self.recursedeps:
-          rel_deps.add(os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.name, d)))
+        rel_deps = {}
+        for depname, options in self.recursedeps.iteritems():
+          rel_deps[os.path.normpath(os.path.join(self.name, depname))] = options
         self.recursedeps = rel_deps
 
     if 'allowed_hosts' in local_scope:
@@ -708,9 +716,14 @@ class Dependency(gclient_utils.WorkItem, DependencySettings):
     deps_to_add = []
     for name, url in deps.iteritems():
       should_process = self.recursion_limit and self.should_process
+      deps_file = self.deps_file
+      if self.recursedeps is not None:
+        ent = self.recursedeps.get(name)
+        if ent is not None:
+          deps_file = ent['deps_file']
       deps_to_add.append(Dependency(
           self, name, url, None, None, None, self.custom_vars, None,
-          self.deps_file, should_process))
+          deps_file, should_process))
     deps_to_add.sort(key=lambda x: x.name)
 
     # override named sets of hooks by the custom hooks
diff --git a/tests/gclient_test.py b/tests/gclient_test.py
index 0374ed091..a7c31e268 100755
--- a/tests/gclient_test.py
+++ b/tests/gclient_test.py
@@ -847,6 +847,42 @@ class GclientTest(trial_dir.TestCase):
         ],
         self._get_processed())
 
+  def testRecursedepsAltfile(self):
+    """Verifies gclient respects the |recursedeps| var syntax with overridden
+    target DEPS file.
+
+    This is what we mean to check here:
+    - Naming an alternate DEPS file in recursedeps pulls from that one.
+    """
+    write(
+        '.gclient',
+        'solutions = [\n'
+        '  { "name": "foo", "url": "svn://example.com/foo" },\n'
+        ']')
+    write(
+        os.path.join('foo', 'DEPS'),
+        'deps = {\n'
+        '  "bar": "/bar",\n'
+        '}\n'
+        'recursedeps = [("bar", "DEPS.alt")]')
+    write(os.path.join('bar', 'DEPS'), 'ERROR ERROR ERROR')
+    write(
+        os.path.join('bar', 'DEPS.alt'),
+        'deps = {\n'
+        '  "baz": "/baz",\n'
+        '}')
+
+    options, _ = gclient.OptionParser().parse_args([])
+    obj = gclient.GClient.LoadCurrentConfig(options)
+    obj.RunOnDeps('None', [])
+    self.assertEquals(
+        [
+          'svn://example.com/foo',
+          'svn://example.com/foo/bar',
+          'svn://example.com/foo/bar/baz',
+        ],
+        self._get_processed())
+
   def testGitDeps(self):
     """Verifies gclient respects a .DEPS.git deps file.