diff --git a/cmd/dep/init.go b/cmd/dep/init.go
index 180f6d5d45..e8c255c87d 100644
--- a/cmd/dep/init.go
+++ b/cmd/dep/init.go
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ func (cmd *initCommand) Run(ctx *dep.Ctx, args []string) error {
 	}
 
 	p, err := cmd.establishProjectAt(root, ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	sm, err := ctx.SourceManager()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -100,9 +103,7 @@ func (cmd *initCommand) Run(ctx *dep.Ctx, args []string) error {
 		ctx.Out.Println("Getting direct dependencies...")
 	}
 
-	// If this errors, the next call will too; don't bother handling it twice.
-	ptree, _ := p.ParseRootPackageTree()
-	directDeps, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
+	ptree, directDeps, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "init failed: unable to determine direct dependencies")
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/dep/status.go b/cmd/dep/status.go
index de09497c26..c342b20f29 100644
--- a/cmd/dep/status.go
+++ b/cmd/dep/status.go
@@ -766,7 +766,7 @@ func collectConstraints(ctx *dep.Ctx, p *dep.Project, sm gps.SourceManager) (con
 
 	// Collect the complete set of direct project dependencies, incorporating
 	// requireds and ignores appropriately.
-	directDeps, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
+	_, directDeps, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
 	if err != nil {
 		// Return empty collection, not nil, if we fail here.
 		return constraintCollection, []error{errors.Wrap(err, "failed to get direct dependencies")}
diff --git a/project.go b/project.go
index 5f25c48e66..d2677e8866 100644
--- a/project.go
+++ b/project.go
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ func (p *Project) MakeParams() gps.SolveParameters {
 //
 // The resulting tree is cached internally at p.RootPackageTree.
 func (p *Project) ParseRootPackageTree() (pkgtree.PackageTree, error) {
-	if len(p.RootPackageTree.Packages) == 0 {
+	if p.RootPackageTree.Packages == nil {
 		ptree, err := pkgtree.ListPackages(p.ResolvedAbsRoot, string(p.ImportRoot))
 		if err != nil {
 			return pkgtree.PackageTree{}, errors.Wrap(err, "analysis of current project's packages failed")
@@ -174,10 +174,10 @@ func (p *Project) ParseRootPackageTree() (pkgtree.PackageTree, error) {
 // This function will correctly utilize ignores and requireds from an existing
 // manifest, if one is present, but will also do the right thing without a
 // manifest.
-func (p *Project) GetDirectDependencyNames(sm gps.SourceManager) (map[gps.ProjectRoot]bool, error) {
+func (p *Project) GetDirectDependencyNames(sm gps.SourceManager) (pkgtree.PackageTree, map[gps.ProjectRoot]bool, error) {
 	ptree, err := p.ParseRootPackageTree()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return pkgtree.PackageTree{}, nil, err
 	}
 
 	var ig *pkgtree.IgnoredRuleset
@@ -211,26 +211,26 @@ func (p *Project) GetDirectDependencyNames(sm gps.SourceManager) (map[gps.Projec
 	for _, ip := range reach {
 		pr, err := sm.DeduceProjectRoot(ip)
 		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+			return pkgtree.PackageTree{}, nil, err
 		}
 		directDeps[pr] = true
 	}
 
-	return directDeps, nil
+	return ptree, directDeps, nil
 }
 
 // FindIneffectualConstraints looks for constraint rules expressed in the
 // manifest that will have no effect during solving, as they are specified for
 // projects that are not direct dependencies of the Project.
 //
-// "Direct dependency" here is as implemented by GetDirectDependencyNames() -
-// after all "ignored" and "required" rules have been considered.
+// "Direct dependency" here is as implemented by GetDirectDependencyNames();
+// it correctly incorporates all "ignored" and "required" rules.
 func (p *Project) FindIneffectualConstraints(sm gps.SourceManager) []gps.ProjectRoot {
 	if p.Manifest == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	dd, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
+	_, dd, err := p.GetDirectDependencyNames(sm)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}