diff --git a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/pkg/CmdInstall.py b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/pkg/CmdInstall.py
index 066b8b8e..a041652b 100644
--- a/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/pkg/CmdInstall.py
+++ b/src/python/jw/pkg/cmds/pkg/CmdInstall.py
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ class CmdInstall(Cmd):  # export
             action = 'store_true',
             help = "Only update the listed packages, don't install them",
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            '-x',
+            '--exact',
+            default = False,
+            action = 'store_true',
+            help = "Install local files directly, without resolving "
+            "dependencies",
+        )
         parser.add_argument(
             '-F',
             '--fixed-strings',
@@ -38,4 +46,8 @@ class CmdInstall(Cmd):  # export
         names = (
             args.names if args.fixed_strings else self.distro.expand_macros(args.names)
         )
-        return await self.distro.install(names, only_update = args.only_update)
+        return await self.distro.install(
+            names,
+            only_update = args.only_update,
+            install_deps = not (args.only_update or args.exact),
+        )
diff --git a/test/integration/jw_pkg/help/test-expected.txt b/test/integration/jw_pkg/help/test-expected.txt
index 9c2e5f12..fe76fc8d 100644
--- a/test/integration/jw_pkg/help/test-expected.txt
+++ b/test/integration/jw_pkg/help/test-expected.txt
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ options:
   --download-only  Only download packages from the repos, don't install them,
                    yet (default: False)
 ============= Running: jw-pkg.py -t ../../../.. --log-level info packages install --help
-usage: jw-pkg.py packages install [-h] [--only-update] [-F] [names ...]
+usage: jw-pkg.py packages install [-h] [--only-update] [-x] [-F] [names ...]
 
 Install the distribution's notion of available packages
 
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ options:
   -h, --help           show this help message and exit
   --only-update        Only update the listed packages, don't install them
                        (default: False)
+  -x, --exact          Install local files directly, without resolving
+                       dependencies (default: False)
   -F, --fixed-strings  Don't expand macros in <names> (default: False)
 ============= Running: jw-pkg.py -t ../../../.. --log-level info packages ls --help
 usage: jw-pkg.py packages ls [-h] [names ...]