diff --git a/app/models/dependency.rb b/app/models/dependency.rb
index dfc98c9b4fa..07b0f3da738 100644
--- a/app/models/dependency.rb
+++ b/app/models/dependency.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ class Dependency < ActiveRecord::Base
 
   attr_accessor :gem_dependency
 
+  cattr_writer :allow_unknown
+
+  def self.allow_unknown
+    @@allow_unknown ||= false
+  end
+
   def name
     rubygem.name
   end
@@ -42,6 +48,8 @@ def use_gem_dependency
   end
 
   def use_existing_rubygem
+    return true if self.class.allow_unknown
+
     self.rubygem = Rubygem.find_by_name(gem_dependency.name)
 
     if rubygem.blank?
diff --git a/config/initializers/rubygems_config.rb b/config/initializers/rubygems_config.rb
index be79a41a093..d61717672cc 100644
--- a/config/initializers/rubygems_config.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/rubygems_config.rb
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 $rubygems_config = YAML.load_file(Rails.root.join("config", "rubygems.yml"))[Rails.env].symbolize_keys
 
-HOST          = $rubygems_config[:host]
-Hostess.local = $rubygems_config[:local_storage]
+HOST                      = $rubygems_config[:host]
+Hostess.local             = $rubygems_config[:local_storage]
+Dependency.allow_unknown  = $rubygems_config[:allow_unknown_dependencies]
 
 Gemcutter::Application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.default_url_options = { :host => HOST }
diff --git a/config/rubygems.yml.example b/config/rubygems.yml.example
index cbab71c0914..a66bb0cf0fc 100644
--- a/config/rubygems.yml.example
+++ b/config/rubygems.yml.example
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 development:
   host: localhost
   local_storage: true
+  allow_unknown_dependencies: false
 
 test: &TEST
   host: www.example.com
   local_storage: true
+  allow_unknown_dependencies: false
 
 cucumber:
   <<: *TEST
@@ -12,11 +14,14 @@ cucumber:
 staging:
   host: staging.rubygems.org
   local_storage: false
+  allow_unknown_dependencies: false
 
 production:
   host: rubygems.org
   local_storage: false
+  allow_unknown_dependencies: false
 
 maintenance:
   host: rubygems.org
   local_storage: false
+  allow_unknown_dependencies: false