diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 4ba45495..359cdd18 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -1,16 +1,32 @@
-# Sample .travis.yml for R projects.
-#
-# See README.md for instructions, or for more configuration options,
-# see the wiki:
+# file used by TravisCI to run testing on mrds
+# this will also check reverse dependencies of mrds -- to check that
+# other packages will not break.
+
+# see the wiki for details:
 #   https://github.com/craigcitro/r-travis/wiki
 
 language: c
 
+env:
+  - BOOTSTRAP_LATEX="1"
+  - BOOTSTRAP_LATEX="1" R_CHECK_REVDEP="1" # checks reverse depends
+
+# Create a build matrix that will test a regular check
+# and also check the reverse dependencies
+matrix:
+  # http://docs.travis-ci.com/user/build-configuration/#Fast-finishing
+  # allows the build to "pass" when the non-failure-able builds are done
+  fast_finish: true
+  # http://docs.travis-ci.com/user/build-configuration/#Rows-That-are-Allowed-To-Fail
+  allow_failures:
+    # allows the revdep build to fail and still "pass" within travis
+    - env: BOOTSTRAP_LATEX="1" R_CHECK_REVDEP="1"
+
 before_install:
   - curl -OL http://raw.github.com/craigcitro/r-travis/master/scripts/travis-tool.sh
   - chmod 755 ./travis-tool.sh
   - ./travis-tool.sh bootstrap
-# replace the .Rbuildignore, so tests actually run
+  # replace the .Rbuildignore, so tests actually run
   - rm .Rbuildignore
   - echo '^travis-tool\.sh$' >>.Rbuildignore
 install: