diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/Project.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/Project.kt
index 255a3b19..d597947a 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/Project.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/api/Project.kt
@@ -64,17 +64,18 @@ open public class Project(
 
     @Directive
     public fun dependencies(init: Dependencies.() -> Unit) : Dependencies {
-        dependencies = Dependencies(this, compileDependencies, compileProvidedDependencies)
+        dependencies = Dependencies(this, compileDependencies, compileProvidedDependencies, compileRuntimeDependencies)
         dependencies!!.init()
         return dependencies!!
     }
 
     val compileDependencies : ArrayList<IClasspathDependency> = arrayListOf()
     val compileProvidedDependencies : ArrayList<IClasspathDependency> = arrayListOf()
+    val compileRuntimeDependencies : ArrayList<IClasspathDependency> = arrayListOf()
 
     @Directive
     public fun dependenciesTest(init: Dependencies.() -> Unit) : Dependencies {
-        dependencies = Dependencies(this, testDependencies, testProvidedDependencies)
+        dependencies = Dependencies(this, testDependencies, testProvidedDependencies, compileRuntimeDependencies)
         dependencies!!.init()
         return dependencies!!
     }
@@ -91,7 +92,8 @@ public class Sources(val project: Project, val sources: ArrayList<String>) {
 }
 
 public class Dependencies(val project: Project, val dependencies: ArrayList<IClasspathDependency>,
-        val providedDependencies: ArrayList<IClasspathDependency>) {
+        val providedDependencies: ArrayList<IClasspathDependency>,
+        val runtimeDependencies: ArrayList<IClasspathDependency>) {
     @Directive
     fun compile(vararg dep: String) {
         dep.forEach { dependencies.add(MavenDependency.create(it)) }
@@ -101,5 +103,10 @@ public class Dependencies(val project: Project, val dependencies: ArrayList<ICla
     fun provided(vararg dep: String) {
         dep.forEach { providedDependencies.add(MavenDependency.create(it))}
     }
+
+    @Directive
+    fun runtime(vararg dep: String) {
+        dep.forEach { runtimeDependencies.add(MavenDependency.create(it))}
+    }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/packaging/PackagingPlugin.kt b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/packaging/PackagingPlugin.kt
index b5b88305..40fe69e2 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/packaging/PackagingPlugin.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/com/beust/kobalt/plugin/packaging/PackagingPlugin.kt
@@ -143,14 +143,17 @@ public class PackagingPlugin @Inject constructor(val dependencyManager : Depende
         }
 
         //
-        // If fatJar is true, add all the transitive dependencies too
+        // If fatJar is true, add all the transitive dependencies as well (both compile and runtime)
         //
         if (jar.fatJar) {
             log(2, "Creating fat jar")
-            val allDependencies = dependencyManager.transitiveClosure(project.compileDependencies)
-            allDependencies.map { it.jarFile.get() }.forEach {
-                if (! isExcluded(it, jar.excludes)) {
-                    allFiles.add(IncludedFile(arrayListOf(FileSpec(it.path))))
+
+            listOf(dependencyManager.transitiveClosure(project.compileDependencies),
+                    dependencyManager.transitiveClosure(project.compileRuntimeDependencies)).forEach { dep ->
+                dep.map { it.jarFile.get() }.forEach {
+                    if (!isExcluded(it, jar.excludes)) {
+                        allFiles.add(IncludedFile(arrayListOf(FileSpec(it.path))))
+                    }
                 }
             }
         }