diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
index 1f4ec19b5988..e4a787455136 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/tap.rb
@@ -4,24 +4,21 @@ def tap
     if ARGV.empty?
       tapd = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Taps"
       tapd.children.each do |tap|
-        puts tap.basename.sub('-', '/') if (tap/'.git').directory?
+        next unless (tap/'.git').directory?
+        puts tap.basename.to_s =~ /^direct_/ ? tap.basename.sub(/^direct_/,'') : tap.basename.sub('-','/')
       end if tapd.directory?
     else
       install_tap(*tap_args)
     end
   end
 
-  def install_tap user, repo
+  def install_tap clone_url, tapd_name
     raise "brew install git" unless which 'git'
 
-    # we special case homebrew so users don't have to shift in a terminal
-    repouser = if user == "homebrew" then "Homebrew" else user end
-    user = "homebrew" if user == "Homebrew"
-
     # we downcase to avoid case-insensitive filesystem issues
-    tapd = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Taps/#{user.downcase}-#{repo.downcase}"
+    tapd = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Taps/#{tapd_name.downcase}"
     raise "Already tapped!" if tapd.directory?
-    abort unless system "git clone https://github.com/#{repouser}/homebrew-#{repo} #{tapd}"
+    abort unless system "git clone #{clone_url} #{tapd}"
 
     files = []
     tapd.find_formula{ |file| files << tapd.basename.join(file) }
@@ -60,10 +57,24 @@ def link_tap_formula formulae
 
   private
 
-  def tap_args
-    ARGV.first =~ %r{^(\S+)/(homebrew-)?(\w+)$}
-    raise "Invalid usage" unless $1 and $3
-    [$1, $3]
+  def tap_args return_nil = false
+    case ARGV.first
+    when %r{^(https?|git)://\S+/(\S+?)(\.git)?$}
+      [ARGV.first, "direct_#{File.basename($2)}"]
+    when %r{^\S+@\S+:(\S+?)(\.git)?$}
+      [ARGV.first, "direct_#{File.basename($1)}"]
+    when %r{^(\S+)/(homebrew-)?(\w+)$}
+      user, repo = $1, $3
+
+      # we special case homebrew so users don't have to shift in a terminal
+      repouser = if user == "homebrew" then "Homebrew" else user end
+      user = "homebrew" if user == "Homebrew"
+
+      ["https://github.com/#{repouser}/homebrew-#{repo}", "#{user}-#{repo}"]
+    else
+      return nil if return_nil
+      raise "Invalid usage"
+    end
   end
 
 end
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/untap.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/untap.rb
index 148e96448d12..3e4b0b1f7437 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/untap.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/untap.rb
@@ -2,21 +2,22 @@
 
 module Homebrew extend self
   def untap
-    user, repo = tap_args
+    clone_url, tapd_name = tap_args(true)
+
+    tapd_name = "direct_#{ARGV.first}" unless tapd_name
 
     # we consistently downcase in tap to ensure we are not bitten by case-insensive
     # filesystem issues. Which is the default on mac. The problem being the
     # filesystem cares, but our regexps don't. So unless we resolve *every* path
     # we will get bitten.
-    user.downcase!
-    repo.downcase!
+    tapd_name.downcase!
 
-    tapd = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Taps/#{user}-#{repo}"
+    tapd = HOMEBREW_LIBRARY/"Taps/#{tapd_name}"
 
     raise "No such tap!" unless tapd.directory?
 
     files = []
-    tapd.find_formula{ |file| files << Pathname.new("#{user}-#{repo}").join(file) }
+    tapd.find_formula{ |file| files << Pathname.new(tapd_name).join(file) }
     untapped = unlink_tap_formula(files)
     rm_rf tapd
     puts "Untapped #{untapped} formula"