diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index dfd2ef293..9cb4eea08 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -155,12 +155,11 @@
   </target>
 
   <!-- build the java class files -->
-  <target name="compile" depends="check-available,prepare">
+  <target name="compile" depends="prepare">
     <javac srcdir="src/java" destdir="${classes.dir}" includeAntRuntime="false"
            debug="on" optimize="{$build.optimize}" deprecation="on"
            source="1.5" target="1.5">
       <classpath refid="classpath"/>
-      <exclude name="com/threerings/parlor/rating/server/**" unless="depot.present"/>
       <compilerarg value="-Xlint"/>
       <compilerarg value="-Xlint:-serial"/>
     </javac>
diff --git a/etc/depends-incl.xml b/etc/depends-incl.xml
index 96e9e1736..7733c8788 100644
--- a/etc/depends-incl.xml
+++ b/etc/depends-incl.xml
@@ -3,11 +3,4 @@
 <!-- build configuration -->
 <project name="narya-checks" basedir=".">
 
-  <!-- checks the availability of certain libraries -->
-  <target name="check-available">
-    <available property="depot.present"
-     classname="com.samskivert.jdbc.depot.Query" classpathref="classpath"/>
-    <echo message="Have JDBC Depot: ${depot.present}"/>
-  </target>
-
 </project>