diff --git a/build/moz.configure/compilers-util.configure b/build/moz.configure/compilers-util.configure
index 32271a010d14..0d99dde47d4f 100644
--- a/build/moz.configure/compilers-util.configure
+++ b/build/moz.configure/compilers-util.configure
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def compiler_class(compiler):
                 def checking_fn(fn):
                     return fn
 
-            @depends_when(self, dependable(flags), extra_toolchain_flags, when=when)
+            @depends(self, dependable(flags), extra_toolchain_flags, when=when)
             @checking_fn
             def func(compiler, flags, extra_flags):
                 flags = flags or []
diff --git a/build/moz.configure/headers.configure b/build/moz.configure/headers.configure
index 52ffa2f89e30..5bc2056b7dd8 100644
--- a/build/moz.configure/headers.configure
+++ b/build/moz.configure/headers.configure
@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ js_option('--with-linux-headers',
 
 passed_linux_header_flags = depends_if('--with-linux-headers')(lambda v: ['-I%s' % v[0]])
 
-@depends_when(try_compile(includes=['asm/unistd.h'],
-                          body='return sizeof(__NR_perf_event_open);',
-                          flags=passed_linux_header_flags,
-                          check_msg='for perf_event_open system call'),
-              when=have_perf_event_h)
+@depends(try_compile(includes=['asm/unistd.h'],
+                     body='return sizeof(__NR_perf_event_open);',
+                     flags=passed_linux_header_flags,
+                     check_msg='for perf_event_open system call'),
+         when=have_perf_event_h)
 def have_perf_event_open(have_perf_event_open):
     if have_perf_event_open:
         return True
diff --git a/build/moz.configure/pkg.configure b/build/moz.configure/pkg.configure
index 991f401ae053..258afd602861 100644
--- a/build/moz.configure/pkg.configure
+++ b/build/moz.configure/pkg.configure
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ def pkg_check_modules(var, package_desc, when=always,
     def when_and_compile_environment(when, compile_environment):
         return when and compile_environment
 
-    @depends_when(pkg_config, pkg_config_version,
-                  when=when_and_compile_environment)
+    @depends(pkg_config, pkg_config_version,
+             when=when_and_compile_environment)
     def check_pkg_config(pkg_config, version):
         min_version = '0.9.0'
         if pkg_config is None:
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def pkg_check_modules(var, package_desc, when=always,
             die("*** Your version of pkg-config is too old. You need version %s or newer.",
                 min_version)
 
-    @depends_when(pkg_config, package_desc, when=when_and_compile_environment)
+    @depends(pkg_config, package_desc, when=when_and_compile_environment)
     @imports('subprocess')
     @imports('sys')
     @imports(_from='mozbuild.configure.util', _import='LineIO')
@@ -74,20 +74,20 @@ def pkg_check_modules(var, package_desc, when=always,
                 if not allow_missing:
                     sys.exit(1)
 
-    @depends_when(pkg_config, package_desc, when=package)
+    @depends(pkg_config, package_desc, when=package)
     @checking('%s_CFLAGS' % var, callback=lambda t: ' '.join(t))
     def pkg_cflags(pkg_config, package_desc):
         flags = check_cmd_output(pkg_config, '--cflags', package_desc)
         return tuple(flags.split())
 
-    @depends_when(pkg_config, package_desc, when=package)
+    @depends(pkg_config, package_desc, when=package)
     @checking('%s_LIBS' % var, callback=lambda t: ' '.join(t))
     def pkg_libs(pkg_config, package_desc):
         libs = check_cmd_output(pkg_config, '--libs', package_desc)
         # Remove evil flags like -Wl,--export-dynamic
         return tuple(libs.replace('-Wl,--export-dynamic', '').split())
 
-    @depends_when(pkg_cflags, pkg_libs, when=package)
+    @depends(pkg_cflags, pkg_libs, when=package)
     def pkg_info(cflags, libs):
         return namespace(cflags=cflags, libs=libs)
 
diff --git a/build/moz.configure/util.configure b/build/moz.configure/util.configure
index 852e6541916d..896d1aad2fcc 100644
--- a/build/moz.configure/util.configure
+++ b/build/moz.configure/util.configure
@@ -399,26 +399,6 @@ def depends_if(*args):
         return wrapper
     return decorator
 
-# Like @depends_if, but a distinguished value passed as a keyword argument
-# "when" is truth tested instead of every argument. This value is not passed
-# to the function if it is called.
-@template
-def depends_when(*args, **kwargs):
-    if not len(kwargs) == 1 and kwargs.get('when'):
-        die('depends_when requires a single keyword argument, "when"')
-    when = kwargs['when']
-    if not when:
-        return depends(*args)
-
-    def decorator(fn):
-        @depends(when, *args)
-        def wrapper(val, *args):
-            if val:
-                return fn(*args)
-        return wrapper
-    return decorator
-
-
 # Hacks related to old-configure
 # ==============================
 
diff --git a/js/ffi.configure b/js/ffi.configure
index 3945529da294..d926c1b1651a 100644
--- a/js/ffi.configure
+++ b/js/ffi.configure
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ set_config('MOZ_SYSTEM_FFI', depends_if(system_ffi)(lambda _: True))
 add_old_configure_assignment('MOZ_SYSTEM_FFI', depends_if(system_ffi)(lambda _: True))
 
 # Target selection, based on ffi/configure.ac.
-@depends_when(target, when=building_ffi)
+@depends(target, when=building_ffi)
 def ffi_target(target):
     if target.cpu not in ('x86', 'x86_64', 'arm', 'aarch64'):
         die('Building libffi from the tree is not supported on this platform. '