diff --git a/BUILDING.md b/BUILDING.md
index 2d5a1011..d52ed0d9 100644
--- a/BUILDING.md
+++ b/BUILDING.md
@@ -71,9 +71,7 @@ commands, such as `go test`, should work per package (please see
 A `Makefile` has been provided as a convenience to support repeatable builds.
 Please install the following into `GOPATH` for it to work:
 
-    go get github.com/tools/godep github.com/golang/lint/golint
-
-**TODO(stevvooe):** Add a `make setup` command to Makefile to run this. Have to think about how to interact with Godeps properly.
+    go get github.com/golang/lint/golint
 
 Once these commands are available in the `GOPATH`, run `make` to get a full
 build:
@@ -105,8 +103,8 @@ build:
     + /Users/sday/go/src/github.com/docker/distribution/bin/registry-api-descriptor-template
     + binaries
 
-The above provides a repeatable build using the contents of the vendored
-Godeps directory. This includes formatting, vetting, linting, building,
+The above provides a repeatable build using the contents of the vendor
+directory. This includes formatting, vetting, linting, building,
 testing and generating tagged binaries. We can verify this worked by running
 the registry binary generated in the "./bin" directory:
 
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 47b8f1d0..339bbc43 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ PKGS=$(shell go list -tags "${DOCKER_BUILDTAGS}" ./... | grep -v ^github.com/doc
 
 # Resolving binary dependencies for specific targets
 GOLINT=$(shell which golint || echo '')
-GODEP=$(shell which godep || echo '')
+VNDR=$(shell which vndr || echo '')
 
 ${PREFIX}/bin/registry: $(GOFILES)
 	@echo "+ $@"
@@ -86,24 +86,13 @@ clean:
 	@echo "+ $@"
 	@rm -rf "${PREFIX}/bin/registry" "${PREFIX}/bin/digest" "${PREFIX}/bin/registry-api-descriptor-template"
 
-dep-save:
-	@echo "+ $@"
-	$(if $(GODEP), , \
-		$(error Please install godep: go get github.com/tools/godep))
-	@$(GODEP) save $(PKGS)
-
-dep-restore:
-	@echo "+ $@"
-	$(if $(GODEP), , \
-		$(error Please install godep: go get github.com/tools/godep))
-	@$(GODEP) restore -v
-
-dep-validate: dep-restore
+dep-validate:
 	@echo "+ $@"
+	$(if $(VNDR), , \
+		$(error Please install vndr: go get github.com/lk4d4/vndr))
 	@rm -Rf .vendor.bak
 	@mv vendor .vendor.bak
-	@rm -Rf Godeps
-	@$(GODEP) save ./...
+	@$(VNDR)
 	@test -z "$$(diff -r vendor .vendor.bak 2>&1 | tee /dev/stderr)" || \
-		(echo >&2 "+ borked dependencies! what you have in Godeps/Godeps.json does not match with what you have in vendor" && false)
+		(echo >&2 "+ inconsistent dependencies! what you have in vendor.conf does not match with what you have in vendor" && false)
 	@rm -Rf .vendor.bak
diff --git a/circle.yml b/circle.yml
index 61f8be0c..76276763 100644
--- a/circle.yml
+++ b/circle.yml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ dependencies:
 
   override:
   # Install dependencies for every copied clone/go version
-    - gvm use stable && go get github.com/tools/godep:
+    - gvm use stable && go get github.com/lk4d4/vndr:
         pwd: $BASE_STABLE
 
   post:
@@ -49,14 +49,13 @@ test:
     # - gvm use old && go version
     - gvm use stable && go version
 
-  # todo(richard): replace with a more robust vendoring solution. Removed due to a fundamental disagreement in godep philosophies.
   # Ensure validation of dependencies
-  #    - gvm use stable && if test -n "`git diff --stat=1000 master | grep -Ei \"vendor|godeps\"`"; then make dep-validate; fi:
-  #      pwd: $BASE_STABLE
+    - gvm use stable && if test -n "`git diff --stat=1000 master | grep -E \"^[[:space:]]*vendor\"`"; then make dep-validate; fi:
+        pwd: $BASE_STABLE
 
   # First thing: build everything. This will catch compile errors, and it's
   # also necessary for go vet to work properly (see #807).
-    - gvm use stable && godep go install $(go list ./... | grep -v "/vendor/"):
+    - gvm use stable && go install $(go list ./... | grep -v "/vendor/"):
         pwd: $BASE_STABLE
 
   # FMT
@@ -73,12 +72,12 @@ test:
 
   override:
   # Test stable, and report
-     - gvm use stable; export ROOT_PACKAGE=$(go list .); go list -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" ./... | grep -v "/vendor/" | xargs -L 1 -I{} bash -c 'export PACKAGE={}; godep go test -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" -test.short -coverprofile=$GOPATH/src/$PACKAGE/coverage.out -coverpkg=$(./coverpkg.sh $PACKAGE $ROOT_PACKAGE) $PACKAGE':
+     - gvm use stable; export ROOT_PACKAGE=$(go list .); go list -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" ./... | grep -v "/vendor/" | xargs -L 1 -I{} bash -c 'export PACKAGE={}; go test -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" -test.short -coverprofile=$GOPATH/src/$PACKAGE/coverage.out -coverpkg=$(./coverpkg.sh $PACKAGE $ROOT_PACKAGE) $PACKAGE':
          timeout: 1000
          pwd: $BASE_STABLE
 
   # Test stable with race
-     - gvm use stable; export ROOT_PACKAGE=$(go list .); go list -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" ./... | grep -v "/vendor/" | grep -v "registry/handlers" | grep -v "registry/storage/driver" | xargs -L 1 -I{} bash -c 'export PACKAGE={}; godep go test -race -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" -test.short $PACKAGE':
+     - gvm use stable; export ROOT_PACKAGE=$(go list .); go list -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" ./... | grep -v "/vendor/" | grep -v "registry/handlers" | grep -v "registry/storage/driver" | xargs -L 1 -I{} bash -c 'export PACKAGE={}; go test -race -tags "$DOCKER_BUILDTAGS" -test.short $PACKAGE':
          timeout: 1000
          pwd: $BASE_STABLE
   post: