diff --git a/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer.cc b/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer.cc
index bb78254..28f28c7 100644
--- a/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer.cc
+++ b/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer.cc
@@ -72,9 +72,7 @@
     }
     out_ << std::endl;
     if (target_->action_values().has_depfile()) {
-      out_ << "  depfile = ";
       WriteDepfile(SourceFile());
-      out_ << std::endl;
     }
     if (target_->action_values().pool().ptr) {
       out_ << "  pool = ";
@@ -203,9 +201,7 @@
         args_escape_options, out_);
 
     if (target_->action_values().has_depfile()) {
-      out_ << "  depfile = ";
       WriteDepfile(sources[i]);
-      out_ << std::endl;
     }
     if (target_->action_values().pool().ptr) {
       out_ << "  pool = ";
@@ -232,8 +228,18 @@
 }
 
 void NinjaActionTargetWriter::WriteDepfile(const SourceFile& source) {
+  out_ << "  depfile = ";
   path_output_.WriteFile(
       out_,
       SubstitutionWriter::ApplyPatternToSourceAsOutputFile(
           target_, settings_, target_->action_values().depfile(), source));
+  out_ << std::endl;
+  // Using "deps = gcc" allows Ninja to read and store the depfile content in
+  // its internal database which improves performance, especially for large
+  // depfiles. The use of this feature with depfiles that contain multiple
+  // outputs require Ninja version 1.9.0 or newer.
+  if (settings_->build_settings()->ninja_required_version() >=
+      Version{1, 9, 0}) {
+    out_ << "  deps = gcc" << std::endl;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer_unittest.cc b/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer_unittest.cc
index d217ab2..eb03df1 100644
--- a/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer_unittest.cc
+++ b/src/gn/ninja_action_target_writer_unittest.cc
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@
 
   setup.build_settings()->set_python_path(
       base::FilePath(FILE_PATH_LITERAL("/usr/bin/python")));
+  setup.build_settings()->set_ninja_required_version(Version{1, 9, 0});
 
   std::ostringstream out;
   NinjaActionTargetWriter writer(&target, out);
@@ -286,10 +287,12 @@
       " | obj/foo/bar.inputdeps.stamp\n"
       "  source_name_part = input1\n"
       "  depfile = gen/input1.d\n"
+      "  deps = gcc\n"
       "build input2.out: __foo_bar___rule ../../foo/input2.txt"
       " | obj/foo/bar.inputdeps.stamp\n"
       "  source_name_part = input2\n"
       "  depfile = gen/input2.d\n"
+      "  deps = gcc\n"
       "\n"
       "build obj/foo/bar.stamp: stamp input1.out input2.out\n";
   EXPECT_EQ(expected_linux, out.str());