diff --git a/sci b/sci
index f29089b6..aaf5821f 160000
--- a/sci
+++ b/sci
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit f29089b68e2e7d41e9491be0c1d7c48e1b9691e7
+Subproject commit aaf5821f8c084d6301c96da88f05c570bffcc84d
diff --git a/src/babashka/impl/deps.clj b/src/babashka/impl/deps.clj
index 65c40860..735ec477 100644
--- a/src/babashka/impl/deps.clj
+++ b/src/babashka/impl/deps.clj
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@
      paths)))
 
 #_(merge-default-deps '{:deps {medley/medley nil}
-                      :aliases {:foo {medley/medley nil}}}
-                    '{medley/medley {:mvn/version "1.3.0"}})
+                        :aliases {:foo {medley/medley nil}}}
+                      '{medley/medley {:mvn/version "1.3.0"}})
 
 ;;;; end merge edn files
 
@@ -66,31 +66,35 @@
                      paths)
                    paths)]
        (cp/add-classpath (str/join cp/path-sep paths))))
-   (when-let [deps-map (not-empty (dissoc deps-map
-                                          ;; paths are added manually above
-                                          ;; extra-paths are added as :paths in tasks
-                                          :paths
-                                          :tasks :raw :min-bb-version))]
-     (binding [*print-namespace-maps* false]
-       (let [deps-map (assoc-in deps-map [:aliases :org.babashka/defaults]
-                                {:replace-paths [] ;; babashka sets paths manually
-                                 :classpath-overrides (cond->
-                                                          '{org.clojure/clojure ""
-                                                            org.clojure/spec.alpha ""}
-                                                        ;; only remove core specs when they are not mentioned in deps map
-                                                        (not (str/includes? (str deps-map) "org.clojure/core.specs.alpha"))
-                                                        (assoc 'org.clojure/core.specs.alpha ""))})
-             args (list "-Srepro" ;; do not include deps.edn from user config
-                        "-Spath" "-Sdeps" (str deps-map)
-                        "-Sdeps-file" "") ;; we reset deps file so the local deps.edn isn't used
-             args (if force (cons "-Sforce" args) args)
-             args (concat args [(str "-A:" (str/join ":" (cons ":org.babashka/defaults" aliases)))])
-             cp (with-out-str (binding [deps/*env* env
-                                        deps/*extra-env* extra-env]
-                                (apply deps/-main args)))
-             cp (str/trim cp)
-             cp (str/replace cp (re-pattern (str cp/path-sep "+$")) "")]
-         (cp/add-classpath cp))))))
+   (let [need-deps? (or (:deps deps-map)
+                        (and (:aliases deps-map)
+                             aliases))]
+     (when need-deps?
+       (let [deps-map (dissoc deps-map
+                              ;; paths are added manually above
+                              ;; extra-paths are added as :paths in tasks
+                              :paths :tasks :raw :file :deps-root
+                              :min-bb-version)]
+         (binding [*print-namespace-maps* false]
+           (let [deps-map (assoc-in deps-map [:aliases :org.babashka/defaults]
+                                    {:replace-paths [] ;; babashka sets paths manually
+                                     :classpath-overrides (cond->
+                                                              '{org.clojure/clojure ""
+                                                                org.clojure/spec.alpha ""}
+                                                            ;; only remove core specs when they are not mentioned in deps map
+                                                            (not (str/includes? (str deps-map) "org.clojure/core.specs.alpha"))
+                                                            (assoc 'org.clojure/core.specs.alpha ""))})
+                 args (list "-Srepro" ;; do not include deps.edn from user config
+                            "-Spath" "-Sdeps" (str deps-map)
+                            "-Sdeps-file" "") ;; we reset deps file so the local deps.edn isn't used
+                 args (if force (cons "-Sforce" args) args)
+                 args (concat args [(str "-A:" (str/join ":" (cons ":org.babashka/defaults" aliases)))])
+                 cp (with-out-str (binding [deps/*env* env
+                                            deps/*extra-env* extra-env]
+                                    (apply deps/-main args)))
+                 cp (str/trim cp)
+                 cp (str/replace cp (re-pattern (str cp/path-sep "+$")) "")]
+             (cp/add-classpath cp))))))))
 
 (def deps-namespace
   {'add-deps (sci/copy-var add-deps dns)
diff --git a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
index e585ece4..05942116 100644
--- a/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
+++ b/test/babashka/bb_edn_test.clj
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
    [babashka.impl.common :as common]
    [babashka.main :as main]
    [babashka.test-utils :as test-utils]
+   [borkdude.deps]
    [clojure.edn :as edn]
    [clojure.string :as str]
    [clojure.test :as test :refer [deftest is testing]]))
@@ -362,3 +363,11 @@
         (is (= 1 (count entries)))
         (is (= (fs/parent config) (fs/parent entry)))
         (is (str/ends-with? entry "src"))))))
+
+(deftest without-deps-test
+  (when-not test-utils/native?
+    (with-redefs [borkdude.deps/-main (fn [& _]
+                                        (throw (ex-info "This ain't allowed!" {})))]
+      (testing "bb.edn without :deps should not require deps.clj"
+        (test-utils/with-config '{:tasks {a 1}}
+          (bb "-e" "(+ 1 2 3)"))))))