diff --git a/ognibuild/buildsystem.py b/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
index 8ffd75b..df8320c 100644
--- a/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
+++ b/ognibuild/buildsystem.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ from .requirements import (
     NodePackageRequirement,
     CargoCrateRequirement,
     RPackageRequirement,
+    OctavePackageRequirement,
 )
 from .fix_build import run_with_build_fixers
 
@@ -453,9 +454,7 @@ class Octave(BuildSystem):
 
     @classmethod
     def exists(cls, path):
-        if not (
-                os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, "DESCRIPTION")) and
-                os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, "COPYING"))):
+        if not os.path.exists(os.path.join(path, "DESCRIPTION")):
             return False
         # Urgh, isn't there a better way to see if this is an octave package?
         for entry in os.scandir(path):
@@ -471,9 +470,23 @@ class Octave(BuildSystem):
     @classmethod
     def probe(cls, path):
         if cls.exists(path):
-            logging.debug("Found DESCRIPTION and COPYING, assuming octave package.")
+            logging.debug("Found DESCRIPTION, assuming octave package.")
             return cls(path)
 
+    def _read_description(self):
+        path = os.path.join(self.path, 'DESCRIPTION')
+        from email.parser import BytesParser
+        with open(path, 'rb') as f:
+            return BytesParser().parse(f)
+
+    def get_declared_dependencies(self, session, fixers=None):
+        def parse_list(t):
+            return [s.strip() for s in t.split(',') if s.strip()]
+        description = self._read_description()
+        if 'Depends' in description:
+            for s in parse_list(description['Depends']):
+                yield "build", OctavePackageRequirement.from_str(s)
+
 
 class Gradle(BuildSystem):
 
diff --git a/ognibuild/requirements.py b/ognibuild/requirements.py
index 8b6a0b1..51fba07 100644
--- a/ognibuild/requirements.py
+++ b/ognibuild/requirements.py
@@ -278,6 +278,41 @@ class RPackageRequirement(Requirement):
         raise ValueError(text)
 
 
+class OctavePackageRequirement(Requirement):
+
+    package: str
+    minimum_version: Optional[str]
+
+    def __init__(self, package: str, minimum_version: Optional[str] = None):
+        super(OctavePackageRequirement, self).__init__("octave-package")
+        self.package = package
+        self.minimum_version = minimum_version
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "%s(%r, minimum_version=%r)" % (
+            type(self).__name__,
+            self.package,
+            self.minimum_version,
+        )
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        if self.minimum_version:
+            return "Octave package: %s (>= %s)" % (self.package, self.minimum_version)
+        else:
+            return "Octave package: %s" % (self.package,)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def from_str(cls, text):
+        # TODO(jelmer): More complex parser
+        m = re.fullmatch(r'(.*) \(>= (.*)\)', text)
+        if m:
+            return cls(m.group(1), m.group(2))
+        m = re.fullmatch(r'([^ ]+)', text)
+        if m:
+            return cls(m.group(1))
+        raise ValueError(text)
+
+
 class LibraryRequirement(Requirement):
 
     library: str
diff --git a/ognibuild/resolver/__init__.py b/ognibuild/resolver/__init__.py
index 7e03cf3..790dd79 100644
--- a/ognibuild/resolver/__init__.py
+++ b/ognibuild/resolver/__init__.py
@@ -132,6 +132,50 @@ class RResolver(Resolver):
             raise UnsatisfiedRequirements(missing)
 
 
+class OctaveForgeResolver(Resolver):
+    def __init__(self, session, user_local=False):
+        self.session = session
+        self.user_local = user_local
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "octave-forge"
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "%s(%r)" % (type(self).__name__, self.session)
+
+    def _cmd(self, req):
+        # TODO(jelmer: Handle self.user_local
+        return ["octave-cli", "--eval", "pkg install -forge %s" % req.package]
+
+    def explain(self, requirements):
+        from ..requirements import OctavePackageRequirement
+
+        rreqs = []
+        for requirement in requirements:
+            if not isinstance(requirement, OctavePackageRequirement):
+                continue
+            rreqs.append(requirement)
+        if rreqs:
+            yield ([self._cmd(req) for req in rreqs])
+
+    def install(self, requirements):
+        from ..requirements import OctavePackageRequirement
+
+        if self.user_local:
+            user = None
+        else:
+            user = "root"
+
+        missing = []
+        for requirement in requirements:
+            if not isinstance(requirement, OctavePackageRequirement):
+                missing.append(requirement)
+                continue
+            self.session.check_call(self._cmd(requirement), user=user)
+        if missing:
+            raise UnsatisfiedRequirements(missing)
+
+
 class CRANResolver(RResolver):
 
     def __init__(self, session, user_local=False):
@@ -362,6 +406,7 @@ NATIVE_RESOLVER_CLS = [
     HackageResolver,
     CRANResolver,
     BioconductorResolver,
+    OctaveForgeResolver,
     ]