diff --git a/britney.py b/britney.py
index 6a7262f..7d754b1 100755
--- a/britney.py
+++ b/britney.py
@@ -1498,11 +1498,10 @@ class Britney(object):
         # check if there is a `force' hint for this package, which allows it to go in even if it is not updateable
         forces = self.hints.search('force', package=src, version=source_u.version)
         if forces:
-            excuse.dontinvalidate = True
-            if not excuse.is_valid:
+            # force() updates the final verdict for us
+            changed_state = excuse.force()
+            if changed_state:
                 excuse.addhtml("Should ignore, but forced by %s" % (forces[0].user))
-                excuse.force()
-                excuse.is_valid = True
 
         self.excuses[excuse.name] = excuse
         return excuse.is_valid
diff --git a/britney2/excuse.py b/britney2/excuse.py
index d7afd18..706e95a 100644
--- a/britney2/excuse.py
+++ b/britney2/excuse.py
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ class Excuse(object):
         self.mindays = None
         self.section = None
         self._is_valid = False
-        self._dontinvalidate = False
         self.needs_approval = False
         self.hints = []
         self.forced = False
@@ -80,13 +79,7 @@ class Excuse(object):
     def is_valid(self, value):
         self._is_valid = value
 
-    @property
-    def dontinvalidate(self):
-        return self._dontinvalidate
 
-    @dontinvalidate.setter
-    def dontinvalidate(self, value):
-        self._dontinvalidate = value
 
     def set_vers(self, tver, uver):
         """Set the testing and unstable versions"""
@@ -127,6 +120,10 @@ class Excuse(object):
     def force(self):
         """Add force hint"""
         self.forced = True
+        if not self._is_valid:
+            self._is_valid = True
+            return True
+        return False
 
     def addhtml(self, note):
         """Add a note in HTML"""
diff --git a/britney2/utils.py b/britney2/utils.py
index c819362..3827aa0 100644
--- a/britney2/utils.py
+++ b/britney2/utils.py
@@ -802,14 +802,14 @@ def invalidate_excuses(excuses, valid, invalid):
             continue
         # loop on the reverse dependencies
         for x in revdeps[ename]:
-            # if the item is valid and it is marked as `dontinvalidate', skip the item
-            if x in valid and excuses[x].dontinvalidate:
-                continue
-
-            # otherwise, invalidate the dependency and mark as invalidated and
-            # remove the depending excuses
-            excuses[x].invalidate_dep(ename)
             if x in valid:
+                # if the item is valid and it is marked as `forced', skip the item
+                if excuses[x].forced:
+                    continue
+
+                # otherwise, invalidate the dependency and mark as invalidated and
+                # remove the depending excuses
+                excuses[x].invalidate_dep(ename)
                 p = valid.index(x)
                 invalid.append(valid.pop(p))
                 excuses[x].addhtml("Invalidated by dependency")