Package A has package B in IDEPEND. No one more has B as any dependency. `emerge --depclean --with-bdeps=n` doesn't unmerge B. It's unexpected, as discussed on IRC.
IDEPEND can be used to satisfy dependencies used by e.g. pkg_pre/postrm() ran when a package is unmerged, and there's no mechanism to re-install these dependencies while depcleaning.
So, do you mean: 1. `IDEPEND`s are needed on `pkg_prerm`, `pkg_postrm` [1]. 2. So they aren't cleaned and this is a cause. Then, questions: 1. Right? 2. Is there a way to force clean? 3. Should be there a way to force clean? 4. Is there a *theoretically* scenario to solve it this way: a. `IDEPEND`s are cleaned on (some) depcleans, b. but they are (re-)installed before some package's unmerge. (Yes, I understand: at least, this introduce a cyclic dependencies probability.) ? 5. Maybe, should we add some notes to the documentation? BTW, $ man emerge | grep "install-time" | wc -c # => 0 Thanks! --- [1] https://projects.gentoo.org/pms/8/pms.html#x1-720008.1