diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
index fe9ac9869e7ad..77739583598b6 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/cmd/install.rb
@@ -289,6 +289,7 @@ def run
             only_dependencies: args.only_dependencies?,
             force:             args.force?,
             quiet:             args.quiet?,
+            overwrite:         args.overwrite?,
           )
         end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/install.rb b/Library/Homebrew/install.rb
index 34849222f1d8b..f71fa8215ca53 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/install.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/install.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ def install_formula?(
         fetch_head: false,
         only_dependencies: false,
         force: false,
-        quiet: false
+        quiet: false,
+        overwrite: false
       )
         # head-only without --HEAD is an error
         if !head && formula.stable.nil?
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ def install_formula?(
                 The currently linked version is: #{formula.linked_version}
               EOS
             end
-          elsif only_dependencies
+          elsif only_dependencies || (!formula.linked? && overwrite)
             msg = nil
             return true
           elsif !formula.linked? || formula.keg_only?