diff --git a/build.xml b/build.xml
index a28fa9cb..268bac63 100644
--- a/build.xml
+++ b/build.xml
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@
       <exclude name="com/threerings/**/tools/xml/**" unless="build.xml"/>
       <exclude name="com/threerings/**/tools/editor/**" unless="build.xml"/>
       <exclude name="com/threerings/**/tools/viewer/**" unless="build.xml"/>
+      <exclude name="com/threerings/parlor/ratings/**" unless="depot.present"/>
       <compilerarg value="-Xlint"/>
       <compilerarg value="-Xlint:-serial"/>
       <compilerarg value="-Xlint:-unchecked"/> <!-- TODO: fix -->
diff --git a/depends-incl.xml b/depends-incl.xml
index a408660e..bfee73a0 100644
--- a/depends-incl.xml
+++ b/depends-incl.xml
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
     <condition property="build.xml">
       <isset property="xml-writer.present"/>
     </condition>
+
+    <available property="depot.present"
+     classname="com.samskivert.jdbc.depot.Query" classpathref="classpath"/>
+    <echo message="Have JDBC Depot: ${depot.present}"/>
   </target>
 
 </project>