diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/install.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/install.py
index 08dc080e8ed230fdebe9bc09d7f8174d99161ffd..fb01fc2d5e1acfcf50d5e8c06d78daa525c0c589 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/install.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/install.py
@@ -72,9 +72,6 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
     subparser.add_argument(
         '--fake', action='store_true', dest='fake',
         help="fake install. just remove prefix and create a fake file")
-    subparser.add_argument(
-        '--force', action='store_true', dest='force',
-        help='Install again even if package is already installed.')
 
     cd_group = subparser.add_mutually_exclusive_group()
     arguments.add_common_arguments(cd_group, ['clean', 'dirty'])
@@ -322,12 +319,6 @@ def install(parser, args, **kwargs):
         tty.error('The `spack install` command requires a spec to install.')
 
     for spec in specs:
-        if args.force:
-            for s in spec.traverse():
-                if s.package.installed:
-                    tty.msg("Clearing %s for new installation" % s.name)
-                    s.package.do_uninstall(force=True)
-
         # Check if we were asked to produce some log for dashboards
         if args.log_format is not None:
             # Compute the filename for logging
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py b/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
index e220a2d430c39ac46109987f350d65de34417307..9d098754848ff113f581f1398b47f907687ac34d 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/directory_layout.py
@@ -239,17 +239,6 @@ def build_packages_path(self, spec):
         return join_path(self.path_for_spec(spec), self.metadata_dir,
                          self.packages_dir)
 
-    def _completion_marker_file(self, spec):
-        return join_path(self.path_for_spec(spec), self.metadata_dir,
-                         'complete')
-
-    def mark_complete(self, spec):
-        with open(self._completion_marker_file(spec), 'w'):
-            pass
-
-    def completed_install(self, spec):
-        return os.path.exists(self._completion_marker_file(spec))
-
     def create_install_directory(self, spec):
         _check_concrete(spec)
 
@@ -263,34 +252,26 @@ def create_install_directory(self, spec):
     def check_installed(self, spec):
         _check_concrete(spec)
         path = self.path_for_spec(spec)
+        spec_file_path = self.spec_file_path(spec)
 
         if not os.path.isdir(path):
             return None
-        elif not self.completed_install(spec):
-            raise InconsistentInstallDirectoryError(
-                'The prefix %s contains a partial install' % path)
-
-        self.check_metadata_consistency(spec)
-        return path
-
-    def check_metadata_consistency(self, spec):
-        spec_file_path = self.spec_file_path(spec)
 
         if not os.path.isfile(spec_file_path):
             raise InconsistentInstallDirectoryError(
                 'Install prefix exists but contains no spec.yaml:',
-                "  " + spec.prefix)
+                "  " + path)
 
         installed_spec = self.read_spec(spec_file_path)
         if installed_spec == spec:
-            return
+            return path
 
         # DAG hashes currently do not include build dependencies.
         #
         # TODO: remove this when we do better concretization and don't
         # ignore build-only deps in hashes.
         elif installed_spec == spec.copy(deps=('link', 'run')):
-            return
+            return path
 
         if spec.dag_hash() == installed_spec.dag_hash():
             raise SpecHashCollisionError(spec, installed_spec)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index e6eea35a80bf5a8ca76f382ad6dfa890c67ce4dd..108ddeff07f539193671a25f2bc26b89210d81f7 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ def provides(self, vpkg_name):
 
     @property
     def installed(self):
-        return spack.store.layout.completed_install(self.spec)
+        return os.path.isdir(self.prefix)
 
     @property
     def prefix_lock(self):
@@ -1174,16 +1174,10 @@ def do_install(self,
                     (self.name, self.spec.external))
             return
 
-        self.repair_partial(keep_prefix)
-
         # Ensure package is not already installed
         layout = spack.store.layout
         with self._prefix_read_lock():
-            if (keep_prefix and os.path.isdir(self.prefix) and 
-                    (not self.installed)):
-                tty.msg(
-                    "Continuing from partial install of %s" % self.name)
-            elif layout.check_installed(self.spec):
+            if layout.check_installed(self.spec):
                 tty.msg(
                     "%s is already installed in %s" % (self.name, self.prefix))
                 rec = spack.store.db.get_record(self.spec)
@@ -1311,11 +1305,9 @@ def build_process(input_stream):
 
         try:
             # Create the install prefix and fork the build process.
-            if (not keep_prefix) or (not os.path.isdir(self.prefix)):
-                spack.store.layout.create_install_directory(self.spec)
+            spack.store.layout.create_install_directory(self.spec)
             # Fork a child to do the actual installation
             spack.build_environment.fork(self, build_process, dirty=dirty)
-            spack.store.layout.mark_complete(self.spec)
             # If we installed then we should keep the prefix
             keep_prefix = True if self.last_phase is None else keep_prefix
             # note: PARENT of the build process adds the new package to
@@ -1340,43 +1332,6 @@ def build_process(input_stream):
             if not keep_prefix:
                 self.remove_prefix()
 
-    def repair_partial(self, continue_with_partial=False):
-        """If continue_with_partial is not set, this ensures that the package
-           is either fully-installed or that the prefix is removed. If the
-           package is installed but there is no DB entry then this adds a
-           record. If continue_with_partial is not set this also clears the
-           stage directory to start an installation from scratch.
-        """
-        layout = spack.store.layout
-        with self._prefix_read_lock():
-            if (os.path.isdir(self.prefix) and not self.installed and
-                    not continue_with_partial):
-                spack.hooks.pre_uninstall(self)
-                self.remove_prefix()
-                try:
-                    spack.store.db.remove(self.spec)
-                except KeyError:
-                    pass
-                spack.hooks.post_uninstall(self)
-                tty.msg("Removed partial install for %s" %
-                        self.spec.short_spec)
-            elif self.installed and layout.check_installed(self.spec):
-                try:
-                    spack.store.db.get_record(self.spec)
-                except KeyError:
-                    tty.msg("Repairing db for %s" % self.name)
-                    spack.store.db.add(self.spec)
-
-            if continue_with_partial and not self.installed:
-                try:
-                    layout.check_metadata_consistency(self.spec)
-                except directory_layout.DirectoryLayoutError:
-                    self.remove_prefix()
-
-        if not continue_with_partial:
-            self.stage.destroy()
-            self.stage.create()
-
     def _do_install_pop_kwargs(self, kwargs):
         """Pops kwargs from do_install before starting the installation
 
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/test/install.py b/lib/spack/spack/test/install.py
index 08694f7ee8a84334a821cd8770a616e6ae5b1696..f10c3a37e99a045dcd94b1bddb25d6a52fd2727c 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/test/install.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/test/install.py
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@
 from spack.fetch_strategy import URLFetchStrategy, FetchStrategyComposite
 from spack.spec import Spec
 
-import os
-
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def install_mockery(tmpdir, config, builtin_mock):
@@ -79,123 +77,6 @@ def test_install_and_uninstall(mock_archive):
         raise
 
 
-def mock_remove_prefix(*args):
-    raise MockInstallError(
-        "Intentional error",
-        "Mock remove_prefix method intentionally fails")
-
-
-@pytest.mark.usefixtures('install_mockery')
-def test_partial_install(mock_archive):
-    spec = Spec('canfail')
-    spec.concretize()
-    pkg = spack.repo.get(spec)
-    fake_fetchify(mock_archive.url, pkg)
-    remove_prefix = spack.package.Package.remove_prefix
-    try:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = mock_remove_prefix
-        try:
-            pkg.do_install()
-        except MockInstallError:
-            pass
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        setattr(pkg, 'succeed', True)
-        pkg.do_install()
-        assert pkg.installed
-    finally:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        try:
-            delattr(pkg, 'succeed')
-        except AttributeError:
-            pass
-
-
-@pytest.mark.usefixtures('install_mockery')
-def test_partial_install_keep_prefix(mock_archive):
-    spec = Spec('canfail')
-    spec.concretize()
-    pkg = spack.repo.get(spec)
-    fake_fetchify(mock_archive.url, pkg)
-    remove_prefix = spack.package.Package.remove_prefix
-    try:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = mock_remove_prefix
-        try:
-            pkg.do_install()
-        except MockInstallError:
-            pass
-        # Don't repair remove_prefix at this point, set keep_prefix so that
-        # Spack continues with a partial install
-        setattr(pkg, 'succeed', True)
-        pkg.do_install(keep_prefix=True)
-        assert pkg.installed
-    finally:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        try:
-            delattr(pkg, 'succeed')
-        except AttributeError:
-            pass
-
-
-@pytest.mark.usefixtures('install_mockery')
-def test_partial_install_keep_prefix_check_metadata(mock_archive):
-    spec = Spec('canfail')
-    spec.concretize()
-    pkg = spack.repo.get(spec)
-    fake_fetchify(mock_archive.url, pkg)
-    remove_prefix = spack.package.Package.remove_prefix
-    try:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = mock_remove_prefix
-        try:
-            pkg.do_install()
-        except MockInstallError:
-            pass
-        os.remove(spack.store.layout.spec_file_path(spec))
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        setattr(pkg, 'succeed', True)
-        pkg.do_install(keep_prefix=True)
-        assert pkg.installed
-        spack.store.layout.check_metadata_consistency(spec)
-    finally:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        try:
-            delattr(pkg, 'succeed')
-        except AttributeError:
-            pass
-
-
-@pytest.mark.usefixtures('install_mockery')
-def test_install_succeeds_but_db_add_fails(mock_archive):
-    """If an installation succeeds but the database is not updated, make sure
-       that the database is updated for a future install."""
-    spec = Spec('cmake')
-    spec.concretize()
-    pkg = spack.repo.get(spec)
-    fake_fetchify(mock_archive.url, pkg)
-    remove_prefix = spack.package.Package.remove_prefix
-    db_add = spack.store.db.add
-
-    def mock_db_add(*args, **kwargs):
-        raise MockInstallError(
-            "Intentional error", "Mock db add method intentionally fails")
-
-    try:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = mock_remove_prefix
-        spack.store.db.add = mock_db_add
-        try:
-            pkg.do_install()
-        except MockInstallError:
-            pass
-        assert pkg.installed
-
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        spack.store.db.add = db_add
-        pkg.do_install()
-        assert spack.store.db.get_record(spec)
-    except:
-        spack.package.Package.remove_prefix = remove_prefix
-        raise
-
-
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures('install_mockery')
 def test_store(mock_archive):
     spec = Spec('cmake-client').concretized()
@@ -221,7 +102,3 @@ def test_failing_build(mock_archive):
     pkg = spec.package
     with pytest.raises(spack.build_environment.ChildError):
         pkg.do_install()
-
-
-class MockInstallError(spack.error.SpackError):
-    pass
diff --git a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
index 1167690fa272f53145955f1c530ef1a68f89e4a1..819dcc06ab1ba12bc78652d36c1ac7834b0b19f8 100755
--- a/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
+++ b/share/spack/spack-completion.bash
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ function _spack_install {
     then
         compgen -W "-h --help --only -j --jobs --keep-prefix --keep-stage
                     -n --no-checksum -v --verbose --fake --clean --dirty
-                    --run-tests --log-format --log-file --force" -- "$cur"
+                    --run-tests --log-format --log-file" -- "$cur"
     else
         compgen -W "$(_all_packages)" -- "$cur"
     fi
diff --git a/var/spack/repos/builtin.mock/packages/canfail/package.py b/var/spack/repos/builtin.mock/packages/canfail/package.py
deleted file mode 100644
index bef4f6e8385387b925f8e9ba80e55c77ca1781ac..0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--- a/var/spack/repos/builtin.mock/packages/canfail/package.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,41 +0,0 @@
-##############################################################################
-# Copyright (c) 2013-2016, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC.
-# Produced at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
-#
-# This file is part of Spack.
-# Created by Todd Gamblin, tgamblin@llnl.gov, All rights reserved.
-# LLNL-CODE-647188
-#
-# For details, see https://github.com/llnl/spack
-# Please also see the LICENSE file for our notice and the LGPL.
-#
-# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
-# it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License (as
-# published by the Free Software Foundation) version 2.1, February 1999.
-#
-# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
-# WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
-# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the terms and
-# conditions of the GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
-#
-# You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
-# License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
-# Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
-##############################################################################
-from spack import *
-
-
-class Canfail(Package):
-    """Package which fails install unless a special attribute is set"""
-
-    homepage = "http://www.example.com"
-    url      = "http://www.example.com/a-1.0.tar.gz"
-
-    version('1.0', '0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef')
-
-    def install(self, spec, prefix):
-        try:
-            getattr(self, 'succeed')
-            touch(join_path(prefix, 'an_installation_file'))
-        except AttributeError:
-            raise InstallError()