diff --git a/ognibuild/buildsystem.py b/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
index 1f4989b..cc86382 100644
--- a/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
+++ b/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
@@ -999,9 +999,10 @@ class DistZilla(BuildSystem):
             return cls(os.path.join(path, "dist.ini"))
 
     def get_declared_dependencies(self, session, fixers=None):
-        lines = run_with_build_fixers(session, ["dzil", "authordeps"], fixers)
-        for entry in lines:
-            yield "build", PerlModuleRequirement(entry.strip())
+        if os.path.exists(os.path.join(self.path, "dist.ini")):
+            lines = run_with_build_fixers(session, ["dzil", "authordeps"], fixers)
+            for entry in lines:
+                yield "build", PerlModuleRequirement(entry.strip())
         if os.path.exists(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(self.path), "cpanfile")):
             yield from _declared_deps_from_cpanfile(session, fixers)