diff --git a/cli/deploy.go b/cli/deploy.go
index 9759274b..1b5a478e 100644
--- a/cli/deploy.go
+++ b/cli/deploy.go
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ type DeployArgs struct {
 	NoGit bool     `arg:"--no-git" help:"don't look at git commit id for safe deploys"`
 	Force bool     `arg:"--force" help:"force a new deploy, even if the safety chain would break"`
 
+	NoAutoEdges bool `arg:"--no-autoedges" help:"skip the autoedges stage"`
+
 	DeployEmpty      *cliUtil.EmptyArgs      `arg:"subcommand:empty" help:"deploy empty payload"`
 	DeployLang       *cliUtil.LangArgs       `arg:"subcommand:lang" help:"deploy lang (mcl) payload"`
 	DeployYaml       *cliUtil.YamlArgs       `arg:"subcommand:yaml" help:"deploy yaml graph payload"`
@@ -251,6 +253,8 @@ func (obj *DeployArgs) Run(ctx context.Context, data *cliUtil.Data) (bool, error
 	deploy.Noop = obj.Noop
 	deploy.Sema = obj.Sema
 
+	deploy.NoAutoEdges = obj.NoAutoEdges
+
 	str, err := deploy.ToB64()
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, errwrap.Wrapf(err, "encoding error")
diff --git a/cli/run.go b/cli/run.go
index 61185a24..32321385 100644
--- a/cli/run.go
+++ b/cli/run.go
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ func (obj *RunArgs) Run(ctx context.Context, data *cliUtil.Data) (bool, error) {
 			Noop:     obj.Noop,
 			Sema:     obj.Sema,
 			//Update: obj.Update,
+
+			NoAutoEdges: obj.NoAutoEdges,
 		},
 
 		Fs:    standaloneFs,
diff --git a/gapi/deploy.go b/gapi/deploy.go
index 7362853d..d053a14c 100644
--- a/gapi/deploy.go
+++ b/gapi/deploy.go
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ type Deploy struct {
 	//Sync bool // wait for everyone to close previous GAPI before switching
 	Noop bool
 	Sema int // sema override
+
+	NoAutoEdges bool
+
 	GAPI GAPI
 }
 
diff --git a/gapi/gapi.go b/gapi/gapi.go
index 98075e87..d6f30e0f 100644
--- a/gapi/gapi.go
+++ b/gapi/gapi.go
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ type Flags struct {
 
 	Noop bool
 	Sema int
+
+	NoAutoEdges bool
 }
 
 // Info is the set of input values passed into the Cli method so that the GAPI
diff --git a/lang/gapi/gapi.go b/lang/gapi/gapi.go
index 562d4d68..c7e3300e 100644
--- a/lang/gapi/gapi.go
+++ b/lang/gapi/gapi.go
@@ -488,6 +488,9 @@ func (obj *GAPI) Cli(info *gapi.Info) (*gapi.Deploy, error) {
 		Name: Name,
 		Noop: info.Flags.Noop,
 		Sema: info.Flags.Sema,
+
+		NoAutoEdges: info.Flags.NoAutoEdges,
+
 		GAPI: &GAPI{
 			InputURI: fs.URI(),
 			Data: &lang.Data{
diff --git a/lib/main.go b/lib/main.go
index f8d411e5..200453d1 100644
--- a/lib/main.go
+++ b/lib/main.go
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	// TODO: We should consider deprecating this feature.
 	NoDeployWatch bool `arg:"--no-deploy-watch" help:"do not change deploys after an initial deploy"`
 
+	// NoAutoEdges tells the engine to not try and build autoedges.
+	NoAutoEdges bool `arg:"--no-autoedges" help:"skip the autoedges stage"`
+
 	// Noop globally forces all resources into no-op mode.
 	Noop bool `arg:"--noop" help:"globally force all resources into no-op mode"`
 
@@ -834,13 +837,17 @@ func (obj *Main) Run() error {
 
 			// XXX: can we change this into a ge.Apply operation?
 			// add autoedges; modifies the graph only if no error
-			timing = time.Now()
-			if err := obj.ge.AutoEdge(); err != nil {
-				obj.ge.Abort() // delete graph
-				Logf("error running auto edges: %+v", err)
-				continue
+			if mainDeploy.NoAutoEdges {
+				Logf("skipping auto edges...")
+			} else {
+				timing = time.Now()
+				if err := obj.ge.AutoEdge(); err != nil {
+					obj.ge.Abort() // delete graph
+					Logf("error running auto edges: %+v", err)
+					continue
+				}
+				Logf("auto edges took: %s", time.Since(timing))
 			}
-			Logf("auto edges took: %s", time.Since(timing))
 
 			// XXX: can we change this into a ge.Apply operation?
 			// run autogroup; modifies the graph