diff --git a/conf/packages/packages.server.dep_rewrite.example b/conf/packages/packages.server.dep_rewrite.example
index 52b43b6c6..d2a6ed435 100644
--- a/conf/packages/packages.server.dep_rewrite.example
+++ b/conf/packages/packages.server.dep_rewrite.example
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 # AND or OR operators: ( app-foo/bar & foo-app/rab ) | app-nice/woot
 # Please take this into consideration when writing dep rewrites.
 
+# 1. Regex-based dependency rewrite syntax.
+
 # LINE CONSTRUCTION:
 # <::pkg::> <::dep_pattern::> <::dep_replace_1::> [<::dep_replace_2::> ...]
 # ::pkg:: = package containing dependency to match, or * for catch-all
@@ -59,3 +61,25 @@
 # Apply a dep_rewrite rule to any package being added:
 #    * <::dep_pattern::> <::dep_replace_1::> [<::dep_replace_2::> ...]
 # In other words, set <::pkg::> to *
+
+
+# 2. Token-based dependency rewrite syntax.
+
+# This syntax supports only modification to dependencies, not addition nor removal.
+# rewrite <::pkg::> <::rule::>
+# where <::pkg::> is matched the same was as explained above,
+# and <::rule::> is:
+# <from-dep=::dep_atom::> <to-dep=::new_dep_atom::>
+#	[<if-dep-has-use=::use_to_match::>] [<drop-use=::use_to_remove::>]
+# (order does not matter).
+#
+# To a dependency to be rewritten, ::dep_atom:: must match and ::use_to_match:: if present.
+# Dependency will be rewritten as ::new_dep_atom::.
+# If present in rule, ::use_to_remove:: will be removed if dependency contains it.
+#
+# ::dep_atom:: and ::new_dep_atom:: are category/package names, without version, slot etc.
+# ::use_to_remove:: can be an asterisk (*) which means to remove all USE flags.
+#
+# EXAMPLE
+#	rewrite foo/bar from-dep=app-crypt/pinentry to-dep=app-crypt/pinentry-gtk2 if-dep-has-use=gtk drop-use=gtk
+# will change foo/bar's dependency "app-crypt/pinentry[gtk,qt5]" to "app-crypt/pinentry-gtk2[qt5]".
diff --git a/lib/entropy/dep.py b/lib/entropy/dep.py
index fbbe1108e..1f6b5684f 100644
--- a/lib/entropy/dep.py
+++ b/lib/entropy/dep.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 """
 
     @author: Fabio Erculiani <lxnay@sabayon.org>
+    @author: Slawomir Nizio <slawomir.nizio@sabayon.org>
     @contact: lxnay@sabayon.org
-    @copyright: Fabio Erculiani
+    @copyright: Fabio Erculiani, Slawomir Nizio
     @license: GPL-2
 
     B{Entropy dependency functions module}.
@@ -1241,3 +1242,140 @@ def expand_dependencies(dependencies, entropy_repository_list,
             pkg_deps.append((dep, dep_type))
 
     return pkg_deps
+
+class WrongRewriteRuleError(Exception):
+    """
+    Exception thrown when the new dep_rewrite mechanism encounters a badly
+    formatted rule.
+    """
+    pass
+
+
+class DependencyRewriter(object):
+    """
+    Class that implements the new dependency rewrite schema.
+    It is simpler to use but less powerful than the regex based one, so the two
+    are complementary.
+    """
+    _use_in_depstring_re = re.compile(r"\[([^\]]+)\]")
+
+    def __init__(self, deps, rule):
+        self.deps = deps
+        self._rule = rule
+        self._rule_dict = self._get_rewrite_rules_dict(rule)
+        self.matched = None
+        self.changed = None
+
+        self._dep_has_use, self._modify_use = self._setup_default_funcs()
+
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _get_rewrite_rules_dict(rule):
+        known_rule_keys = set(["if-dep-has-use", "from-dep", "to-dep", "drop-use"])
+        mandatory_keys = set(["from-dep", "to-dep"])
+
+        rule_dict = {}
+        for rule_word in rule.split():
+            try:
+                op, arg = rule_word.split("=", 1)
+            except ValueError:
+                raise WrongRewriteRuleError("Badly formatted line with '%s'" % (rule_word,))
+            rule_dict[op] = arg
+
+            if op not in known_rule_keys:
+                raise WrongRewriteRuleError("Bad key '%s'" % (op,))
+
+        missing_keys = mandatory_keys - set(rule_dict.keys())
+        if missing_keys:
+            raise WrongRewriteRuleError("Incomplete rewrite rule")
+
+        return rule_dict
+
+
+    def _setup_default_funcs(self):
+        if 'if-dep-has-use' in self._rule_dict:
+            dep_has_use_func = lambda deps_: self._rule_dict['if-dep-has-use'] in deps_
+        else:
+            dep_has_use_func = lambda _: True
+
+        if 'drop-use' in self._rule_dict:
+            if self._rule_dict['drop-use'] == "*":
+                modify_use_func = lambda dep_postfix, use_flags_list, clean_use_flags_list: \
+                        DependencyRewriter._use_in_depstring_re.sub(
+                            "",
+                            dep_postfix,
+                            count=1)
+            else:
+                modify_use_func = lambda dep_postfix, use_flags_list, clean_use_flags_list: \
+                        DependencyRewriter._use_in_depstring_re.sub(
+                            self._filter_use(use_flags_list, clean_use_flags_list, self._rule_dict['drop-use']),
+                            dep_postfix,
+                            count=1)
+        else:
+            modify_use_func = lambda dep_postfix, _1, _2: dep_postfix
+
+        return dep_has_use_func, modify_use_func
+
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _filter_use(use_list, clean_use_list, use_to_remove):
+        filtered_use = []
+        for orig_use, clean_use in zip(use_list, clean_use_list):
+            if clean_use != use_to_remove:
+                filtered_use.append(orig_use)
+
+        if filtered_use:
+            result = "[%s]" % (",".join(filtered_use),)
+        else:
+            result = ""
+
+        return result
+
+
+    def rewrite(self):
+        """
+        Do a rewrite of dependencies and set attributes: self.deps (rewritten
+        dependencies), self.matched (any dependency matched its prerequisites)
+        and self.changed (at least one dependency was modifed).
+
+        Value of these attributes is not defined before executing this method.
+        """
+        matched = False
+        changed = False
+
+        new_deps = []
+        for dep in self.deps:
+            clean_dep = dep_getkey(dep)
+            dep_prefix, dep_postfix = dep.split(clean_dep, 1)
+
+            use_flags_list, clean_use_flags_list = self._use_flags_from_dep(dep_postfix)
+
+            if self._rule_dict['from-dep'] == clean_dep and self._dep_has_use(clean_use_flags_list):
+                new_dep = dep_prefix + self._rule_dict['to-dep'] + self._modify_use(dep_postfix, use_flags_list, clean_use_flags_list)
+                new_deps.append(new_dep)
+                matched = True
+                if dep != new_dep:
+                    changed = True
+            else:
+                new_deps.append(dep)
+
+        self.matched = matched
+        self.changed = changed
+        self.deps = new_deps
+
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def _use_flags_from_dep(depstring):
+        dep_use_match = DependencyRewriter._use_in_depstring_re.search(depstring)
+        usestring = dep_use_match.group(1) if dep_use_match else ""
+        dep_use = usestring.split(",")
+        clean_dep_use = []
+        use_postfixes_to_strip = ("?", "(-)", "(+)")
+        for raw_dep in dep_use:
+            for use_postfix_to_strip in use_postfixes_to_strip:
+                if raw_dep.endswith(use_postfix_to_strip):
+                    raw_dep = raw_dep[:-len(use_postfix_to_strip)]
+            clean_dep_use += [raw_dep]
+
+        assert len(dep_use) == len(clean_dep_use)
+        return dep_use, clean_dep_use
diff --git a/lib/entropy/server/interfaces/main.py b/lib/entropy/server/interfaces/main.py
index 28fb49807..9633d9d7d 100644
--- a/lib/entropy/server/interfaces/main.py
+++ b/lib/entropy/server/interfaces/main.py
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 """
 
     @author: Fabio Erculiani <lxnay@sabayon.org>
+    @author: Slawomir Nizio <slawomir.nizio@sabayon.org>
     @contact: lxnay@sabayon.org
-    @copyright: Fabio Erculiani
+    @copyright: Fabio Erculiani, Slawomir Nizio
     @license: GPL-2
 
     B{Entropy Package Manager Server Main Interfaces}.
@@ -984,16 +985,83 @@ class ServerSystemSettingsPlugin(SystemSettingsPlugin):
         if cached is not None:
             return cached
 
-        data = {}
+        data = []
         rewrite_file = Server._get_conf_dep_rewrite_file()
         if not os.path.isfile(rewrite_file):
             return data
         rewrite_content = self.__generic_parser(rewrite_file)
 
+        def add_dep_handler(dep_pattern):
+            metadata = {'dep_pattern_str': dep_pattern,
+                        'replaces_str': _("added"),
+                        'action': "add",
+                        'add_what': dep_pattern}
+            return metadata
+
+        def remove_dep_handler(dep_pattern, compiled_pattern):
+            metadata = {'dep_pattern_str': dep_pattern,
+                        'replaces_str': _("removed"),
+                        'action': "remove",
+                        'does_dep_match_func': lambda dep_string: compiled_pattern.match(dep_string) is not None,
+                        'replaces': []}
+            return metadata
+
+        def replace_dep_handler(dep_pattern, compiled_pattern, replaces):
+            def _do(replace, dep_string):
+                new_dep_string, number_of_subs_made = \
+                    compiled_pattern.subn(replace, dep_string)
+                return new_dep_string, bool(number_of_subs_made)
+
+            metadata = {'dep_pattern_str': dep_pattern,
+                        'replaces_str': "=> " + ', '.join(replaces),
+                        'action': "replace",
+                        'does_dep_match_func': lambda dep_string: compiled_pattern.match(dep_string) is not None,
+                        'replaces': replaces,
+                        'do_func': _do}
+            return metadata
+
+        def new_replace_dep_handler(rule):
+            def _do(_unused, dep_string):
+                try:
+                    # Should not actually happen as it's tested with does_dep_match_func.
+                    rewriter = entropy.dep.DependencyRewriter([dep_string], rule)
+                except entropy.dep.WrongRewriteRuleError:
+                    return dep_string, False
+
+                rewriter.rewrite()
+                return rewriter.deps[0], rewriter.changed
+
+            def _does_dep_match(dep_string):
+                try:
+                    rewriter = entropy.dep.DependencyRewriter([dep_string], rule)
+                except entropy.dep.WrongRewriteRuleError:
+                    return False
+
+                rewriter.rewrite()
+                return rewriter.matched
+
+            metadata = {'dep_pattern_str': "rewrite",
+                            # not translated to match the keyword in configuration
+                        'replaces_str': "~> %s" % (rule,),
+                        'action': "replace",
+                        'does_dep_match_func': _does_dep_match,
+                        'replaces': [rule],
+                        'do_func': _do}
+            return metadata
+
         for line in rewrite_content:
             params = line.split()
             if len(params) < 2:
                 continue
+
+            if params[0] == "rewrite":
+                if len(params) < 3:
+                    continue
+                _unused, pkg_match, rule = line.split(None, 2)
+                metadata = new_replace_dep_handler(rule)
+                data.append((pkg_match, metadata))
+                continue
+
             pkg_match, pattern, replaces = params[0], params[1], params[2:]
             if pattern.startswith("++"):
                 compiled_pattern = None
@@ -1007,8 +1075,18 @@ class ServerSystemSettingsPlugin(SystemSettingsPlugin):
                 except re.error:
                     # invalid pattern
                     continue
+
+            if compiled_pattern is None:
+                # this means that user is asking to add dep_pattern
+                # as a dependency to package
+                metadata = add_dep_handler(pattern)
+            elif not replaces:
+                # this means that user is asking to remove dep_pattern
+                metadata = remove_dep_handler(pattern, compiled_pattern)
+            else:
+                metadata = replace_dep_handler(pattern, compiled_pattern, replaces)
             # use this key to make sure to not overwrite similar entries
-            data[(pkg_match, pattern)] = (compiled_pattern, replaces)
+            data.append((pkg_match, metadata))
 
         self._mod_rewrite_data = data
         return data
@@ -7357,7 +7435,7 @@ class Server(Client):
 
         rewrites_enabled = []
         wildcard_rewrite = False
-        for dep_string_rewrite, dep_pattern in dep_rewrite:
+        for dep_string_rewrite, handler in dep_rewrite:
             # magic catch-all support
             if dep_string_rewrite == "*":
                 pkg_id, rc = None, 0
@@ -7366,7 +7444,7 @@ class Server(Client):
                 wildcard_rewrite = False
                 pkg_id, rc = tmp_repo.atomMatch(dep_string_rewrite)
             if rc == 0:
-                rewrites_enabled.append((dep_string_rewrite, dep_pattern))
+                rewrites_enabled.append((dep_string_rewrite, handler))
         tmp_repo.close()
 
         if not rewrites_enabled:
@@ -7384,22 +7462,11 @@ class Server(Client):
                 level = "info",
                 header = brown(" @@ ")
             )
-            for dep_string_rewrite, dep_pattern in rewrites_enabled:
-                compiled_pattern, replaces = \
-                    dep_rewrite[(dep_string_rewrite, dep_pattern)]
-                if compiled_pattern is None:
-                    # this means that user is asking to add dep_pattern
-                    # as a dependency to package
-                    replaces_str = _("added")
-                elif not replaces:
-                    # this means that user is asking to remove dep_pattern
-                    replaces_str = _("removed")
-                else:
-                    replaces_str = "=> " + ', '.join(replaces)
+            for dep_string_rewrite, handler in rewrites_enabled:
                 self.output(
                     "%s %s" % (
-                        purple(dep_pattern),
-                        replaces_str,
+                        purple(handler['dep_pattern_str']),
+                        handler['replaces_str'],
                     ),
                     importance = 1,
                     level = "info",
@@ -7457,17 +7524,19 @@ class Server(Client):
 
         for dep_string, dep_value, is_conflict in pkg_deps:
 
-            dep_string_matched = False
+            dep_changed = False
             matched_pattern = False
 
-            for key in rewrites_enabled:
+            for dep_string_rewrite, handler in rewrites_enabled:
 
-                dep_string_rewrite, dep_pattern = key
-                compiled_pattern, replaces = dep_rewrite[key]
-                if compiled_pattern is None:
-                    # user is asking to add dep_pattern to dependency list
+                action = handler['action']
+
+                assert action in ("add", "remove", "replace")
+
+                if action == "add":
+                    # user is asking to add a dependency to dependency list
                     dep_pattern_string, dep_pattern_type, conflict = \
-                        _extract_dep_add_from_dep_pattern(dep_pattern)
+                        _extract_dep_add_from_dep_pattern(handler['add_what'])
                     if conflict:
                         conflicts.add(dep_pattern_string)
                     else:
@@ -7475,20 +7544,19 @@ class Server(Client):
                             (dep_pattern_string, dep_pattern_type))
                     continue
 
-                if not compiled_pattern.match(dep_string):
+                if not handler['does_dep_match_func'](dep_string):
                     # dep_string not matched, skipping
                     continue
                 matched_pattern = True
 
-                if not replaces:
-                    # then it's a removal
-                    dep_string_matched = True
+                if action == "remove":
+                    dep_changed = True
 
-                for replace in replaces:
-                    new_dep_string, number_of_subs_made = \
-                        compiled_pattern.subn(replace, dep_string)
-                    if number_of_subs_made:
-                        dep_string_matched = True
+                for replace in handler['replaces']:
+                    new_dep_string, subst_made = \
+                        handler['do_func'](replace, dep_string)
+                    if subst_made:
+                        dep_changed = True
                         if new_dep_string and (new_dep_string != "-"):
 
                             if is_conflict:
@@ -7529,13 +7597,13 @@ class Server(Client):
                             header = darkred("   !!! ")
                         )
 
-            if dep_string_matched:
+            if dep_changed:
                 if is_conflict:
                     remove_conflicts.add(dep_string)
                 else:
                     remove_dependencies.add(dep_string)
 
-            elif (not dep_string_matched) and matched_pattern:
+            elif (not dep_changed) and matched_pattern:
                 self.output(
                     "%s: %s :: %s" % (
                         darkred(_("No dependency rewrite made for")),
diff --git a/lib/tests/dep.py b/lib/tests/dep.py
index bae8e12e1..f17894bd8 100644
--- a/lib/tests/dep.py
+++ b/lib/tests/dep.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import unittest
 from entropy.const import const_convert_to_rawstring, const_convert_to_unicode
 from entropy.output import print_generic
 import tests._misc as _misc
+import itertools
 import tempfile
 import subprocess
 import shutil
@@ -285,6 +286,255 @@ class DepTest(unittest.TestCase):
             outcome = et.get_entropy_package_sha1(name)
             self.assertEqual(outcome, expected_outcome)
 
+
+class DepsRewriteTestsMixin:
+    def _validate(self):
+        rewriter = et.DependencyRewriter(self._deps, self._rule)
+        rewriter.rewrite()
+        self.assertEqual(rewriter.deps, self._expected_deps)
+
+
+class MatchedChangedTestsMixin:
+    def _validate(self):
+        rewriter = et.DependencyRewriter(self._deps, self._rule)
+        rewriter.rewrite()
+        self.assertEqual(rewriter.matched, self._expected_matched)
+        self.assertEqual(rewriter.changed, self._expected_changed)
+
+
+class DependencyRewriterTests(unittest.TestCase, DepsRewriteTestsMixin):
+    # Test for the new rewrite rules without regexes.
+    def test_dep_changed(self):
+        # inspired by:
+        # foo/bar (.*)app-text/poppler(.*)(\[.*\]) \1app-text/poppler-glib\2
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["app-text/poppler"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["app-text/poppler-glib"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def _test_dep_changed_pkg_data_stays(self, dep_matches):
+        prefixes = ("", "=", ">=", "<", "~")
+        postfixes = ("", ":3", "[some]", "[some,use]", ":4[use]")
+        rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+
+        if dep_matches:
+            dep_base = "app-text/poppler"
+            expected_base = "app-text/poppler-glib"
+        else:
+            dep_base = "foobar"
+            expected_base = dep_base
+
+        for prefix, postfix in itertools.product(prefixes, postfixes):
+            self._rule = rule
+            self._deps = [prefix + dep_base + postfix]
+            self._expected_deps = [prefix + expected_base + postfix]
+            self._validate()
+
+    def test_dep_changed_pkg_data_stays(self):
+        self._test_dep_changed_pkg_data_stays(dep_matches=True)
+
+    def test_dep_with_pkg_data_dep_not_matched(self):
+        self._test_dep_changed_pkg_data_stays(dep_matches=False)
+
+    def test_dep_changed_version_stays(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["=app-text/poppler-10"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["=app-text/poppler-glib-10"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_version_dep_not_matched(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["=app-text/not-poppler-10"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["=app-text/not-poppler-10"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_version_and_data_matches(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["=app-text/poppler-10:3[use]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["=app-text/poppler-glib-10:3[use]"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_version_and_data_not_matches(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["=app-text/not-poppler-10:3[use]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["=app-text/not-poppler-10:3[use]"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_more_deps_one_changed(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["d1", "app-text/poppler", "d2"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["d1", "app-text/poppler-glib", "d2"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_dep_not_changed_dep_not_matched(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler-not to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["app-text/poppler"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["app-text/poppler"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_more_deps_none_changed_dep_not_matched(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler-not to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = ["d1", "app-text/poppler", "d2"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["d1", "app-text/poppler", "d2"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def _test_with_if_has_use(self, dep_use, rule_use, dep_use_matches):
+        assert dep_use.startswith("[") or not dep_use
+        if dep_use_matches:
+            expected_dep_base = "x11-misc/lightdm-qt4"
+        else:
+            expected_dep_base = "x11-misc/lightdm"
+
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 if-dep-has-use=%s" % (rule_use,)
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm"+dep_use]
+        self._expected_deps = [expected_dep_base+dep_use]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_matched(self):
+        self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use="[qt4]", rule_use="qt4", dep_use_matches=True)
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_matched_complex(self):
+        use_list = ("[qt4,qt5]", "[qt4?,qt5]", "[qt4(-)]", "[qt4(+)]")
+        for use in use_list:
+            self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use=use, rule_use="qt4", dep_use_matches=True)
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_not_matched_no_use(self):
+        self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use="", rule_use="qt4", dep_use_matches=False)
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_not_matched_different_use(self):
+        self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use="[not-qt4]", rule_use="qt4", dep_use_matches=False)
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_not_matched_different_use_complex(self):
+        self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use="[qt4]", rule_use="not-qt4", dep_use_matches=False)
+        # There is no necessity to handle [-use(-)].
+        self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use="[-qt4]", rule_use="qt4", dep_use_matches=False)
+        use_list = ("[qt4,qt5]", "[qt4?,qt5]", "[qt4(-)]", "[qt4(+)]")
+        for use in use_list:
+            self._test_with_if_has_use(dep_use=use, rule_use="not-qt4", dep_use_matches=False)
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_and_drop_use(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 if-dep-has-use=qt4 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt4"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_and_drop_use_more_deps(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 if-dep-has-use=qt4 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4,something-else]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt4[something-else]"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_and_drop_use_complex(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 if-dep-has-use=qt4 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4(-),something-else(+)]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt4[something-else(+)]"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_if_has_use_and_drop_use_no_dropped_use_match(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 if-dep-has-use=qt4 drop-use=something"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt4[qt4]"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_without_if_has_use_but_with_drop_use(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt5"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_drop_use_asterisk(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 drop-use=*"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4?,qt5]"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt5"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_drop_use_asterisk_and_no_use_in_dep(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 drop-use=*"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm"]
+        self._expected_deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm-qt5"]
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_raises_on_unknown_key(self):
+        rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 haha=true"
+        deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm"]
+
+        with self.assertRaisesRegexp(et.WrongRewriteRuleError, r"^Bad key 'haha'"):
+            et.DependencyRewriter(deps, rule)
+
+    def test_raises_on_missing_key(self):
+        rule_parts = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4".split()
+        deps = []
+        for rule in rule_parts:
+            with self.assertRaisesRegexp(et.WrongRewriteRuleError, r"Incomplete rewrite rule"):
+                et.DependencyRewriter(deps, rule)
+
+    def test_raises_on_key_with_no_assignment(self):
+        wrong_values = ("if-has-use", "drop-use", "haha")
+        for value in wrong_values:
+            rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt4 %s" % (value,)
+            deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm"]
+            with self.assertRaisesRegexp(et.WrongRewriteRuleError,
+                                         r"^Badly formatted line with '%s'" % (value,)):
+                et.DependencyRewriter(deps, rule)
+
+    def test_with_empty_deps(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = []
+        self._expected_deps = []
+        self._validate()
+
+
+class DependencyRewriterBasicAttrsTests(unittest.TestCase, MatchedChangedTestsMixin):
+    def test_matched_and_changed(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_matched = True
+        self._expected_changed = True
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_not_matched_and_not_changed_dep_mismatch(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 drop-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["something-else/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_matched = False
+        self._expected_changed = False
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_not_matched_and_not_changed_use_mismatch(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm-qt5 if-dep-has-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[not-qt4]"]
+        self._expected_matched = False
+        self._expected_changed = False
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_matched_and_not_changed(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm if-dep-has-use=qt4"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[qt4]"]
+        self._expected_matched = True
+        self._expected_changed = False
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_with_empty_deps(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=app-text/poppler to-dep=app-text/poppler-glib"
+        self._deps = []
+        self._expected_matched = False
+        self._expected_changed = False
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_matched_and_changed_with_use_asterisk(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm drop-use=*"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm[gtk]"]
+        self._expected_matched = True
+        self._expected_changed = True
+        self._validate()
+
+    def test_matched_and_not_changed_with_use_asterisk(self):
+        self._rule = "from-dep=x11-misc/lightdm to-dep=x11-misc/lightdm drop-use=*"
+        self._deps = ["x11-misc/lightdm"]
+        self._expected_matched = True
+        self._expected_changed = False
+        self._validate()
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()
     raise SystemExit(0)