diff --git a/src/IRTools.jl b/src/IRTools.jl
index b4bb473..4f9b039 100644
--- a/src/IRTools.jl
+++ b/src/IRTools.jl
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ let exports = :[
       definitions, usages, dominators, domtree, domorder, domorder!, renumber,
       merge_returns!, expand!, prune!, ssa!, inlineable!, log!, pis!, func, evalir,
       Simple, Loop, Multiple, reloop, stackify, functional, cond, WorkQueue,
-      Graph, liveness, interference, colouring, inline,
+      Graph, liveness, interference, colouring, inline, dependencies,
       # Reflection, Dynamo
       Meta, Lambda, meta, dynamo, transform, refresh, recurse!, self,
       varargs!, slots!,
diff --git a/src/passes/passes.jl b/src/passes/passes.jl
index 11ee3a8..8302615 100644
--- a/src/passes/passes.jl
+++ b/src/passes/passes.jl
@@ -41,6 +41,97 @@ function usages(b::Block)
   return uses
 end
 
+usages(st::Statement) = usages(st.expr)
+usages(ex) = Set{Variable}()
+
+function usages(ex::Expr)
+  uses = Set{Variable}()
+  for x in ex.args
+    x isa Variable && push!(uses, x)
+  end
+  return uses
+end
+
+function block_changes_deps(deps, ir, b)
+  for (v, st) in b
+    if haskey(deps, v)
+      (usages(st) ⊆ deps[v]) || return true
+    else
+      return true
+    end
+  end
+
+  brs = branches(b)
+  for br in brs
+    if br.block > 0
+      next_block = block(ir, br.block)
+      if !isempty(br.args)
+        for (x, y) in zip(arguments(next_block), br.args)
+          haskey(deps, x) && (y in deps[x]) && return true
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
+function update_deps!(deps, v, direct)
+  set = get!(deps, v, Set{Variable}())
+  union!(set, setdiff(direct, (v, )))
+  
+  for x in direct
+    if (v != x) && haskey(deps, x) && !(deps[x] ⊆ set)
+      update_deps!(deps, v, deps[x])
+    end
+  end
+  return deps
+end
+
+"""
+  dependencies(ir::IR)
+
+Return the list of direct dependencies for each variable.
+"""
+function dependencies(ir::IR)
+  worklist = [block(ir, 1)]
+  deps = Dict()
+  while !isempty(worklist)
+    b = pop!(worklist)
+    for (v, st) in b
+      update_deps!(deps, v, usages(st))
+    end
+
+    brs = branches(b)
+    jump_next_block = true
+    for br in brs
+      if br.condition === nothing
+        jump_next_block = false
+      end
+
+      if br.block > 0 # reachable
+        next_block = block(ir, br.block)
+        if !isempty(br.args) # pass arguments
+          for (x, y) in zip(arguments(next_block), br.args)
+            y isa Variable && update_deps!(deps, x, (y, ))
+          end
+        end
+
+        if block_changes_deps(deps, ir, next_block)
+          push!(worklist, next_block)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    if jump_next_block
+      next_block = block(ir, b.id + 1)
+      if block_changes_deps(deps, ir, next_block)
+        push!(worklist, next_block)
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  return deps
+end
+
 function usecounts(ir::IR)
   counts = Dict{Variable,Int}()
   prewalk(ir) do x
diff --git a/test/analysis.jl b/test/analysis.jl
index 9123989..31940d6 100644
--- a/test/analysis.jl
+++ b/test/analysis.jl
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 using IRTools, Test
-using IRTools: CFG, dominators, domtree
+using IRTools: CFG, dominators, domtree, dependencies, var
 
 relu(x) = (y = x > 0 ? x : 0)
 ir = @code_ir relu(1)
@@ -10,3 +10,45 @@ ir = @code_ir relu(1)
 @test domtree(CFG(ir)) == (1 => [2 => [], 3 => [], 4 => []])
 
 @test domtree(CFG(ir)', entry = 4) == (4 => [1 => [], 2 => [], 3 => []])
+
+function f(x)
+  x = sin(x)
+  y = cos(x)
+
+  if x > 1
+    x = cos(x) + 1
+  else
+    x = y + 1
+  end
+  return x
+end
+
+ir = @code_ir f(1.0)
+
+deps = dependencies(ir)
+
+@test deps[var(9)] == Set(var.([2, 8, 7, 3, 4, 6]))
+@test deps[var(8)] == Set(var.([3, 2, 4]))
+@test deps[var(7)] == Set(var.([6, 3, 2]))
+@test deps[var(6)] == Set(var.([3, 2]))
+@test deps[var(5)] == Set(var.([3, 2]))
+@test deps[var(4)] == Set(var.([3, 2]))
+@test deps[var(3)] == Set([var(2)])
+
+function pow(x, n)
+  r = 1
+  while n > 0
+    n -= 1
+    r *= x
+  end
+  return r
+end
+
+ir = @code_ir pow(1.0, 2)
+deps = dependencies(ir)
+
+@test deps[var(8)] == Set(var.([5, 2]))
+@test deps[var(7)] == Set(var.([4, 3]))
+@test deps[var(6)] == Set(var.([4, 3]))
+@test deps[var(5)] == Set(var.([2, 8]))
+@test deps[var(4)] == Set(var.([3, 7]))