diff --git a/bin/ansible-galaxy b/bin/ansible-galaxy
index afc2d9de85..3c624693b3 100755
--- a/bin/ansible-galaxy
+++ b/bin/ansible-galaxy
@@ -696,10 +696,12 @@ def execute_install(args, options, parser):
 
     roles_done = []
     if role_file:
-        # roles listed in a file, one per line
-        # so we'll go through and grab them all
         f = open(role_file, 'r')
-        roles_left = f.readlines()
+        if role_file.endswith('.yaml') or role_file.endswith('.yml'):
+            roles_left = map(ansible.utils.role_yaml_parse, yaml.safe_load(f))
+        else:
+            # roles listed in a file, one per line
+            roles_left = map(ansible.utils.role_spec_parse, f.readlines())
         f.close()
     else:
         # roles were specified directly, so we'll just go out grab them
@@ -708,16 +710,18 @@ def execute_install(args, options, parser):
 
     while len(roles_left) > 0:
         # query the galaxy API for the role data
-        (scm, role_src, role_version, role_name) = ansible.utils.role_spec_parse(roles_left.pop(0))
         role_data = None
+        role = roles_left.pop(0)
+        role_src = role.get("src")
+        role_scm = role.get("scm")
 
         if os.path.isfile(role_src):
             # installing a local tar.gz
             tmp_file = role_src
         else:
-            if scm:
+            if role_scm:
                 # create tar file from scm url
-                tmp_file = scm_archive_role(scm, role_src, role_version, role_name)
+                tmp_file = scm_archive_role(role_scm, role_src, role.get("version"), role.get("name"))
             elif '://' in role_src:
                 # just download a URL - version will probably be in the URL
                 tmp_file = fetch_role(role_src, None, None, options)
@@ -729,7 +733,7 @@ def execute_install(args, options, parser):
                     continue
 
                 role_versions = api_fetch_role_related(api_server, 'versions', role_data['id'])
-                if not role_version: 
+                if "version" not in role:
                     # convert the version names to LooseVersion objects
                     # and sort them to get the latest version. If there
                     # are no versions in the list, we'll grab the head 
@@ -737,40 +741,43 @@ def execute_install(args, options, parser):
                     if len(role_versions) > 0:
                         loose_versions = [LooseVersion(a.get('name',None)) for a in role_versions]
                         loose_versions.sort()
-                        role_version = str(loose_versions[-1])
+                        role["version"] = str(loose_versions[-1])
                     else:
-                        role_version = 'master'
-                    print " no version specified, installing %s" % role_version
+                        role["version"] = 'master'
+                    print " no version specified, installing %s" % role.version
                 else:
-                    if role_versions and role_version not in [a.get('name',None) for a in role_versions]:
-                        print "The specified version (%s) was not found in the list of available versions." % role_version
+                    if role_versions and role["version"] not in [a.get('name',None) for a in role_versions]:
+                        print "The specified version (%s) was not found in the list of available versions." % role.version
                         exit_without_ignore(options)
                         continue
 
                 # download the role. if --no-deps was specified, we stop here, 
                 # otherwise we recursively grab roles and all of their deps.
-                tmp_file = fetch_role(role_src, role_version, role_data, options)
-        if tmp_file and install_role(role_name, role_version, tmp_file, options):
+                tmp_file = fetch_role(role_src, role["version"], role_data, options)
+        if tmp_file and install_role(role.get("name"), role.get("version"), tmp_file, options):
             # we're done with the temp file, clean it up
             os.unlink(tmp_file)
             # install dependencies, if we want them
             if not no_deps:
                 if not role_data:
-                    role_data = get_role_metadata(role_name, options)
+                    role_data = get_role_metadata(role.get("name"), options)
                     role_dependencies = role_data['dependencies']
                 else:
                     role_dependencies = role_data['summary_fields']['dependencies'] # api_fetch_role_related(api_server, 'dependencies', role_data['id'])
-                for dep_name in role_dependencies:
-                    #dep_name = "%s.%s" % (dep['owner'], dep['name'])
-                    if not get_role_metadata(dep_name.split('/')[-1], options):
-                        print ' adding dependency: %s' % dep_name
-                        roles_left.append(dep_name)
+                for dep in role_dependencies:
+                    if isinstance(dep, str):
+                        dep = ansible.utils.role_spec_parse(dep)
                     else:
-                        print ' dependency %s is already installed, skipping.' % dep_name
+                        dep = ansible.utils.role_yaml_parse(dep)
+                    if not get_role_metadata(dep["name"], options):
+                        print ' adding dependency: %s' % dep["name"]
+                        roles_left.append(dep)
+                    else:
+                        print ' dependency %s is already installed, skipping.' % dep["name"]
         else:
             if tmp_file:
                 os.unlink(tmp_file)
-            print "%s was NOT installed successfully." % role_name
+            print "%s was NOT installed successfully." % role.get("name")
             exit_without_ignore(options)
     sys.exit(0)
 
diff --git a/docsite/rst/playbooks_roles.rst b/docsite/rst/playbooks_roles.rst
index 233ba9becf..4ce69a7130 100644
--- a/docsite/rst/playbooks_roles.rst
+++ b/docsite/rst/playbooks_roles.rst
@@ -299,6 +299,13 @@ Role dependencies can also be specified as a full path, just like top level role
     dependencies:
        - { role: '/path/to/common/roles/foo', x: 1 }
 
+Role dependencies can also be installed from source control repos or tar files, using a comma separated format of path, an optional version (tag, commit, branch etc) and optional friendly role name (an attempt is made to derive a role name from the repo name or archive filename)::
+
+    ---
+    dependencies:
+      - { role: 'git+http://git.example.com/repos/role-foo,v1.1,foo' }
+      - { role: '/path/to/tar/file.tgz,,friendly-name' }
+
 Roles dependencies are always executed before the role that includes them, and are recursive. By default, 
 roles can also only be added as a dependency once - if another role also lists it as a dependency it will
 not be run again. This behavior can be overridden by adding `allow_duplicates: yes` to the `meta/main.yml` file.
diff --git a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
index cdbab8c59e..50bd99173c 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/playbook/play.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ class Play(object):
                 raise errors.AnsibleError("expected a role name in dictionary: %s" % orig_path)
             role_vars = orig_path
         else:
-            (scm, role_src, role_version, role_name) = utils.role_spec_parse(orig_path)
+            role_name = utils.role_spec_parse(orig_path)["name"]
 
         role_path = None
 
@@ -412,8 +412,7 @@ class Play(object):
             if isinstance(role, dict):
                 role_name = role['role']
             else:
-                role_name = role
-            (scm, role_src, role_version, role_name) = utils.role_spec_parse(role_name)
+                role_name = utils.role_spec_parse(role)["name"]
 
             role_names.append(role_name)
             if os.path.isfile(task):
diff --git a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
index 65dc80150b..5692d6986b 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/utils/__init__.py
@@ -380,7 +380,17 @@ def role_spec_parse(role_spec):
         role_name = tokens[2]
     else:
         role_name = repo_url_to_role_name(tokens[0])
-    return (scm, role_url, role_version, role_name)
+    return dict(scm=scm, src=role_url, version=role_version, name=role_name)
+
+
+def role_yaml_parse(role):
+    if '+' in role["src"]:
+        (scm, src) = role["src"].split('+')
+        role["scm"] = scm
+        role["src"] = src
+    if 'name' not in role:
+        role["name"] = repo_url_to_role_name(role["src"])
+    return role
 
 
 def json_loads(data):
diff --git a/test/integration/Makefile b/test/integration/Makefile
index e31b820e8b..8188680c50 100644
--- a/test/integration/Makefile
+++ b/test/integration/Makefile
@@ -105,11 +105,22 @@ rackspace: $(CREDENTIALS_FILE)
     CLOUD_RESOURCE_PREFIX="$(CLOUD_RESOURCE_PREFIX)" make rackspace_cleanup ; \
     exit $$RC;
 
-test_galaxy:
+test_galaxy: test_galaxy_spec test_galaxy_yaml
+
+test_galaxy_spec:
 	mytmpdir=$(TMPDIR) ; \
 	ansible-galaxy install -r galaxy_rolesfile -p $$mytmpdir/roles ; \
     cp galaxy_playbook.yml $$mytmpdir ; \
     ansible-playbook -i $(INVENTORY) $$mytmpdir/galaxy_playbook.yml -v $(TEST_FLAGS) ; \
     RC=$$? ; \
     rm -rf $$mytmpdir ; \
-    exit $$RC 
+    exit $$RC
+
+test_galaxy_yaml:
+	mytmpdir=$(TMPDIR) ; \
+	ansible-galaxy install -r galaxy_roles.yml -p $$mytmpdir/roles ; \
+    cp galaxy_playbook.yml $$mytmpdir ; \
+    ansible-playbook -i $(INVENTORY) $$mytmpdir/galaxy_playbook.yml -v $(TEST_FLAGS) ; \
+    RC=$$? ; \
+    rm -rf $$mytmpdir ; \
+    exit $$RC
diff --git a/test/integration/galaxy_playbook.yml b/test/integration/galaxy_playbook.yml
index d7adebf340..8e64798c70 100644
--- a/test/integration/galaxy_playbook.yml
+++ b/test/integration/galaxy_playbook.yml
@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@
   roles:
   - "git-ansible-galaxy"
   - "http-role"
+  - "hg-ansible-galaxy"
diff --git a/test/integration/galaxy_roles.yml b/test/integration/galaxy_roles.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f354f5985f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/galaxy_roles.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+- src: git+http://bitbucket.org/willthames/git-ansible-galaxy
+  version: v1.4
+
+- src: ssh://hg@bitbucket.org/willthames/hg-ansible-galaxy
+  scm: hg
+
+- src: https://bitbucket.org/willthames/http-ansible-galaxy/get/master.tar.gz
+  name: http-role