diff --git a/v2/ansible/playbook/role.py b/v2/ansible/playbook/role.py
index 38a8ac195d0..b4b7eed012a 100644
--- a/v2/ansible/playbook/role.py
+++ b/v2/ansible/playbook/role.py
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ __all__ = ['Role']
 # will be based on the repr() of the dictionary object)
 _ROLE_CACHE = dict()
 
+# The valid metadata keys for meta/main.yml files
 _VALID_METADATA_KEYS = [
     'dependencies',
     'allow_duplicates',
@@ -369,20 +370,30 @@ class Role(Base):
         if parent_role not in self._parents:
             self._parents.append(parent_role)
 
-    def get_variables(self):
-        # returns the merged variables for this role, including
-        # recursively merging those of all child roles
-        return dict()
+    def get_parents(self):
+        return self._parents
 
-    def get_immediate_dependencies(self):
-        return self._dependencies
+    # FIXME: not yet used
+    #def get_variables(self):
+    #    # returns the merged variables for this role, including
+    #    # recursively merging those of all child roles
+    #    return dict()
+
+    def get_direct_dependencies(self):
+        return self._attributes['dependencies'][:]
 
     def get_all_dependencies(self):
         # returns a list built recursively, of all deps from
         # all child dependencies
-        all_deps = []
-        for dep in self._dependencies:
-            list_union(all_deps, dep.get_all_dependencies())
-        all_deps = list_union(all_deps, self.dependencies)
-        return all_deps
+
+        child_deps  = []
+        direct_deps = self.get_direct_dependencies()
+
+        for dep in direct_deps:
+            dep_deps = dep.get_all_dependencies()
+            for dep_dep in dep_deps:
+                if dep_dep not in child_deps:
+                    child_deps.append(dep_dep)
+
+        return direct_deps + child_deps
 
diff --git a/v2/test/playbook/test_role.py b/v2/test/playbook/test_role.py
index 094c5c3f494..2c1ca6c959d 100644
--- a/v2/test/playbook/test_role.py
+++ b/v2/test/playbook/test_role.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ __metaclass__ = type
 from ansible.compat.tests import unittest
 from ansible.compat.tests.mock import patch, MagicMock
 
-from ansible.errors import AnsibleParserError
+from ansible.errors import AnsibleError, AnsibleParserError
 from ansible.playbook.block import Block
 from ansible.playbook.role import Role
 from ansible.playbook.task import Task
@@ -124,16 +124,30 @@ class TestRole(unittest.TestCase):
                 return ('foo', '/etc/ansible/roles/foo')
             elif role == 'bar':
                 return ('bar', '/etc/ansible/roles/bar')
+            elif role == 'baz':
+                return ('baz', '/etc/ansible/roles/baz')
+            elif role == 'bam':
+                return ('bam', '/etc/ansible/roles/bam')
             elif role == 'bad1':
                 return ('bad1', '/etc/ansible/roles/bad1')
             elif role == 'bad2':
                 return ('bad2', '/etc/ansible/roles/bad2')
+            elif role == 'recursive1':
+                return ('recursive1', '/etc/ansible/roles/recursive1')
+            elif role == 'recursive2':
+                return ('recursive2', '/etc/ansible/roles/recursive2')
 
         def fake_load_role_yaml(role_path, subdir):
             if role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/foo':
                 if subdir == 'meta':
                     return dict(dependencies=['bar'], allow_duplicates=True, galaxy_info=dict(a='1', b='2', c='3'))
             elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/bar':
+                if subdir == 'meta':
+                    return dict(dependencies=['baz'])
+            elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/baz':
+                if subdir == 'meta':
+                    return dict(dependencies=['bam'])
+            elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/bam':
                 if subdir == 'meta':
                     return dict()
             elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/bad1':
@@ -142,21 +156,36 @@ class TestRole(unittest.TestCase):
             elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/bad2':
                 if subdir == 'meta':
                     return dict(foo='bar')
+            elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/recursive1':
+                if subdir == 'meta':
+                    return dict(dependencies=['recursive2'])
+            elif role_path == '/etc/ansible/roles/recursive2':
+                if subdir == 'meta':
+                    return dict(dependencies=['recursive1'])
             return None
 
         _get_role_path.side_effect  = fake_get_role_path
         _load_role_yaml.side_effect = fake_load_role_yaml
 
         r = Role.load('foo')
-        self.assertEqual(len(r.dependencies), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(type(r.dependencies[0]), Role)
-        self.assertEqual(len(r.dependencies[0]._parents), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(r.dependencies[0]._parents[0], r)
+        role_deps = r.get_direct_dependencies()
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(role_deps), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(type(role_deps[0]), Role)
+        self.assertEqual(len(role_deps[0].get_parents()), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(role_deps[0].get_parents()[0], r)
         self.assertEqual(r.allow_duplicates, True)
         self.assertEqual(r.galaxy_info, dict(a='1', b='2', c='3'))
 
+        all_deps = r.get_all_dependencies()
+        self.assertEqual(len(all_deps), 3)
+        self.assertEqual(all_deps[0].role_name, 'bar')
+        self.assertEqual(all_deps[1].role_name, 'baz')
+        self.assertEqual(all_deps[2].role_name, 'bam')
+
         self.assertRaises(AnsibleParserError, Role.load, 'bad1')
         self.assertRaises(AnsibleParserError, Role.load, 'bad2')
+        self.assertRaises(AnsibleError, Role.load, 'recursive1')
 
     @patch.object(Role, '_get_role_path')
     @patch.object(Role, '_load_role_yaml')
@@ -174,4 +203,6 @@ class TestRole(unittest.TestCase):
 
         r = Role.load(dict(role='foo'))
 
+        # FIXME: add tests for the more complex url-type
+        #        constructions and tags/when statements