> @@ -2178,7 +2278,7 @@ Optional argument NOQUERY non-nil means do not ask the user to confirm."
>                        (length install-list)
>                        (mapconcat #'package-desc-full-name
>                                   install-list ", ")))))
> -         (mapc 'package-install install-list)))
> +         (mapc (lambda (p) (package-install p 1)) install-list)))

IIUC, this will mark dependencies as installed directly when the user performs an upgrade (`U x' in the package list).