diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
index 1a6d439..fbd676d 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ local M = {}
 
 ---@class LazySpecLoader
 ---@field plugins table<string, LazyPlugin>
+---@field errors string[]
 local Spec = {}
 M.Spec = Spec
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ M.Spec = Spec
 function Spec.new(spec)
   local self = setmetatable({}, { __index = Spec })
   self.plugins = {}
+  self.errors = {}
   if spec then
     self:normalize(spec)
   end
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ function Spec:add(plugin, is_dep)
       plugin.dir = Config.options.root .. "/" .. plugin.name
     end
   else
-    Util.error("Invalid plugin spec " .. vim.inspect(plugin))
+    self:error("Invalid plugin spec " .. vim.inspect(plugin))
   end
 
   plugin.event = type(plugin.event) == "string" and { plugin.event } or plugin.event
@@ -116,13 +118,23 @@ function Spec:add(plugin, is_dep)
   return self.plugins[plugin.name]
 end
 
+function Spec:error(error)
+  self.errors[#self.errors + 1] = error
+  Util.error(error)
+end
+
 ---@param spec LazySpec
 ---@param results? string[]
 ---@param is_dep? boolean
 function Spec:normalize(spec, results, is_dep)
   results = results or {}
   if type(spec) == "string" then
-    table.insert(results, self:add({ spec }, is_dep).name)
+    if is_dep and not spec:find("/", 1, true) then
+      -- spec is a plugin name
+      table.insert(results, spec)
+    else
+      table.insert(results, self:add({ spec }, is_dep).name)
+    end
   elseif #spec > 1 or Util.is_list(spec) then
     ---@cast spec LazySpec[]
     for _, s in ipairs(spec) do
@@ -160,7 +172,7 @@ function Spec:merge(old, new)
         ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
         old[k] = values
       else
-        Util.error("Merging plugins is not supported for key `" .. k .. "`\n" .. vim.inspect({ old = old, new = new }))
+        self:error("Merging plugins is not supported for key `" .. k .. "`\n" .. vim.inspect({ old = old, new = new }))
       end
     else
       ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
diff --git a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
index 7973414..132d096 100644
--- a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ describe("plugin spec url/name", function()
       end
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test[1])
       local plugins = vim.tbl_values(spec.plugins)
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
       assert.equal(1, #plugins)
       assert.same(test[2], plugins[1])
     end)
@@ -41,7 +42,8 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
       { { { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "foo/dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } } } },
     }
     for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
-      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(vim.deepcopy(test))
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
       Config.plugins = spec.plugins
       Plugin.update_state()
       assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 3)
@@ -52,12 +54,168 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
       assert(spec.plugins.dep1.lazy == true)
       assert(spec.plugins.dep2._.dep == true)
       assert(spec.plugins.dep2.lazy == true)
+      spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+      for _, plugin in pairs(spec.plugins) do
+        plugin.dir = nil
+      end
+      assert.same(spec.plugins, {
+        bar = {
+          "foo/bar",
+          _ = {},
+          dependencies = { "dep1", "dep2" },
+          name = "bar",
+          url = "https://github.com/foo/bar.git",
+        },
+        dep1 = {
+          "foo/dep1",
+          _ = {
+            dep = true,
+          },
+          name = "dep1",
+          url = "https://github.com/foo/dep1.git",
+        },
+        dep2 = {
+          "foo/dep2",
+          _ = {
+            dep = true,
+          },
+          name = "dep2",
+          url = "https://github.com/foo/dep2.git",
+        },
+      })
     end
   end)
 
+  describe("deps", function()
+    it("handles dep names", function()
+      Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
+      local tests = {
+        { { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } }, "foo/dep1" },
+        { "foo/dep1", { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } } },
+      }
+      for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
+        local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(vim.deepcopy(test))
+        assert(#spec.errors == 0)
+        Config.plugins = spec.plugins
+        Plugin.update_state()
+        spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+        for _, plugin in pairs(spec.plugins) do
+          plugin.dir = nil
+        end
+        assert.same(spec.plugins, {
+          bar = {
+            "foo/bar",
+            _ = {},
+            dependencies = { "dep1", "dep2" },
+            name = "bar",
+            url = "https://github.com/foo/bar.git",
+          },
+          dep1 = {
+            "foo/dep1",
+            _ = {},
+            name = "dep1",
+            url = "https://github.com/foo/dep1.git",
+          },
+          dep2 = {
+            "foo/dep2",
+            _ = {
+              dep = true,
+            },
+            name = "dep2",
+            url = "https://github.com/foo/dep2.git",
+          },
+        })
+      end
+    end)
+
+    it("handles opt from dep", function()
+      Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/dep1", { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } } })
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
+      Config.plugins = spec.plugins
+      Plugin.update_state()
+      assert.same(3, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar._.dep ~= true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == false)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep2._.dep == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep2.lazy == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep1._.dep ~= true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep1.lazy == false)
+    end)
+
+    it("handles defaults opt", function()
+      do
+        Config.options.defaults.lazy = true
+        local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar" })
+        assert(#spec.errors == 0)
+        Config.plugins = spec.plugins
+        Plugin.update_state()
+        assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == true)
+      end
+      do
+        Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
+        local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar" })
+        Config.plugins = spec.plugins
+        Plugin.update_state()
+        assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == false)
+      end
+    end)
+
+    it("handles opt from dep", function()
+      Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar", event = "foo" })
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
+      Config.plugins = spec.plugins
+      Plugin.update_state()
+      assert.same(1, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar._.dep ~= true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == true)
+    end)
+
+    it("merges lazy loaders", function()
+      local tests = {
+        { { "foo/bar", event = "mod1" }, { "foo/bar", event = "mod2" } },
+        { { "foo/bar", event = { "mod1" } }, { "foo/bar", event = { "mod2" } } },
+        { { "foo/bar", event = "mod1" }, { "foo/bar", event = { "mod2" } } },
+      }
+      for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
+        local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+        assert(#spec.errors == 0)
+        assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 1)
+        assert(type(spec.plugins.bar.event) == "table")
+        assert(#spec.plugins.bar.event == 2)
+        assert(vim.tbl_contains(spec.plugins.bar.event, "mod1"))
+        assert(vim.tbl_contains(spec.plugins.bar.event, "mod2"))
+      end
+    end)
+
+    it("refuses to merge", function()
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({
+        { "foo/dep1", config = 1 },
+        {
+          "foo/bar",
+          dependencies = { { "foo/dep1", config = 2 }, "foo/dep2" },
+        },
+      })
+      assert(#spec.errors > 0)
+    end)
+
+    -- it("recursive deps", function()
+    --   local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({
+    --     "nvim-telescope/telescope.nvim",
+    --     dependencies = {
+    --       "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
+    --       { "nvim-telescope/telescope-fzf-native.nvim", build = "make" },
+    --       { "nvim-telescope/telescope-frecency.nvim", dependencies = "kkharji/sqlite.lua" },
+    --     },
+    --   })
+    -- end)
+  end)
+
   it("handles opt from dep", function()
     Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
     local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/dep1", { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } } })
+    assert(#spec.errors == 0)
     Config.plugins = spec.plugins
     Plugin.update_state()
     assert.same(3, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
@@ -73,6 +231,7 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
     do
       Config.options.defaults.lazy = true
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar" })
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
       Config.plugins = spec.plugins
       Plugin.update_state()
       assert(spec.plugins.bar.lazy == true)
@@ -89,6 +248,7 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
   it("handles opt from dep", function()
     Config.options.defaults.lazy = false
     local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/bar", event = "foo" })
+    assert(#spec.errors == 0)
     Config.plugins = spec.plugins
     Plugin.update_state()
     assert.same(1, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
@@ -104,6 +264,7 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
     }
     for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+      assert(#spec.errors == 0)
       assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 1)
       assert(type(spec.plugins.bar.event) == "table")
       assert(#spec.plugins.bar.event == 2)
@@ -113,13 +274,14 @@ describe("plugin spec opt", function()
   end)
 
   it("refuses to merge", function()
-    Plugin.Spec.new({
+    local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({
       { "foo/dep1", config = 1 },
       {
         "foo/bar",
         dependencies = { { "foo/dep1", config = 2 }, "foo/dep2" },
       },
     })
+    assert(#spec.errors > 0)
   end)
 
   -- it("recursive deps", function()