diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index fbe72a2..6fc3b02 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ const flatten = function flatten(options) {
         });
     }
 
-    files.forEach(function(filename, index) {
+    files.forEach(function (filename, index) {
         licenseFile = path.join(module_path, filename);
         // Checking that the file is in fact a normal file and not a directory for example.
         /*istanbul ignore else*/
@@ -393,7 +393,18 @@ const removeUnwantedDependencies = (json, args) => {
     }
 };
 
-exports.init = function init(args, callback) {
+function prepareArgs(args) {
+    const normalizedArgs = { ...args };
+    if (args.direct === true) {
+        normalizedArgs.direct = 0;
+    } else if (typeof args.direct !== 'number') {
+        normalizedArgs.direct = Infinity;
+    }
+    return normalizedArgs;
+}
+
+exports.init = function init(initArgs, callback) {
+    const args = prepareArgs(initArgs);
     // Fix path if on Windows:
     const workingDir = args.start.replace(/\\\\/g, '\\');
 
diff --git a/tests/test.js b/tests/test.js
index fa7f561..c04d3e4 100644
--- a/tests/test.js
+++ b/tests/test.js
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ const checker = require('../lib/index');
 let args = require('../lib/args');
 const chalk = require('chalk');
 const fs = require('fs');
+const pkgPath = path.join(__dirname, '../package.json');
+const pkgJson = require(pkgPath);
 
 describe('main tests', function () {
     it('should load init', function () {
@@ -140,6 +142,34 @@ describe('main tests', function () {
         });
     });
 
+    describe('should parse direct dependencies only', function () {
+        let output;
+
+        before(function (done) {
+            checker.init(
+                {
+                    start: path.join(__dirname, '../'),
+                    direct: true,
+                },
+                function (err, sorted) {
+                    output = sorted;
+                    done();
+                },
+            );
+        });
+
+        it('and give us results', function () {
+            const pkgDepsNumber =
+                Object.keys(pkgJson.dependencies || {}).length +
+                Object.keys(pkgJson.devDependencies || {}).length +
+                Object.keys(pkgJson.peerDependencies || {}).length;
+            // all and only the dependencies listed in the package.json should be included in the output,
+            // plus the main module itself
+            assert.ok(Object.keys(output).length === pkgDepsNumber + 1);
+            assert.equal(output['abbrev@1.0.9'], undefined);
+        });
+    });
+
     function parseAndExclude(parsePath, licenses, result) {
         return function (done) {
             checker.init(