diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 8b3f469529..b3cdadb903 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ export default async (opts: HeadlessOptions) => {
   const filteredShrinkwrap = filterShrinkwrap(wantedShrinkwrap, filterOpts)
 
   stageLogger.debug('importing_started')
-  const depGraph = await shrinkwrapToDepGraph(filteredShrinkwrap, currentShrinkwrap, opts)
+  const depGraph = await shrinkwrapToDepGraph(filteredShrinkwrap, opts.force ? null : currentShrinkwrap, opts)
 
   statsLogger.debug({added: Object.keys(depGraph).length})
 
diff --git a/test/index.ts b/test/index.ts
index 3f95d46493..b111cf7697 100644
--- a/test/index.ts
+++ b/test/index.ts
@@ -233,6 +233,44 @@ test('available packages are used when node_modules is not clean', async (t) =>
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('available packages are relinked during forced install', async (t) => {
+  const projectDir = tempy.directory()
+  t.comment(projectDir)
+
+  const destPackageJsonPath = path.join(projectDir, 'package.json')
+  const destShrinkwrapYamlPath = path.join(projectDir, 'shrinkwrap.yaml')
+
+  const hasGlobDir = path.join(fixtures, 'has-glob')
+  const hasGlobAndRimrafDir = path.join(fixtures, 'has-glob-and-rimraf')
+  fse.copySync(path.join(hasGlobDir, 'package.json'), destPackageJsonPath)
+  fse.copySync(path.join(hasGlobDir, 'shrinkwrap.yaml'), destShrinkwrapYamlPath)
+
+  await headless(await testDefaults({prefix: projectDir}))
+
+  fse.copySync(path.join(hasGlobAndRimrafDir, 'package.json'), destPackageJsonPath)
+  fse.copySync(path.join(hasGlobAndRimrafDir, 'shrinkwrap.yaml'), destShrinkwrapYamlPath)
+
+  const reporter = sinon.spy()
+  await headless(await testDefaults({prefix: projectDir, reporter, force: true}))
+
+  const project = assertProject(t, projectDir)
+  await project.has('rimraf')
+  await project.has('glob')
+
+  t.ok(reporter.calledWithMatch({
+    level: 'debug',
+    pkgId: 'localhost+4873/balanced-match/1.0.0',
+    status: 'resolving_content',
+  } as ProgressLog), 'does not resolve already available package')
+  t.ok(reporter.calledWithMatch({
+    level: 'debug',
+    pkgId: 'localhost+4873/rimraf/2.6.2',
+    status: 'resolving_content',
+  } as ProgressLog), 'resolves rimraf')
+
+  t.end()
+})
+
 test('fail when shrinkwrap.yaml is not up-to-date with package.json', async (t) => {
   const projectDir = tempy.directory()
   t.comment(projectDir)