diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 45bde6e..72e3930 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@
 - [x] move tasks etc to Plugin.state
 - [ ] allow setting up plugins through config
 - [ ] handlers imply opt
-- [ ] dependencies imply opt for deps
+- [x] dependencies imply opt for deps
 - [x] fix local plugin spec
+- [ ] investigate all opt=true. Simplifies logic (easily switch between opt/start afterwards)
 
 ## 📦 Differences with Packer
 
diff --git a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
index ffdcfd1..a05603d 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/core/plugin.lua
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ M.dirty = false
 ---@field name string display name and name used for plugin config files
 ---@field uri string
 ---@field dir string
+---@field dep? boolean True if this plugin is only in the spec as a dependency
 ---@field enabled? boolean|(fun():boolean)
 ---@field opt? boolean
 ---@field dependencies? string[]
@@ -82,7 +83,8 @@ function Spec.load(modname, modpath)
 end
 
 ---@param plugin LazyPlugin
-function Spec:add(plugin)
+---@param is_dep? boolean
+function Spec:add(plugin, is_dep)
   local pkg = plugin[1]
   if type(pkg) ~= "string" then
     Util.error("Invalid plugin spec " .. vim.inspect(plugin))
@@ -108,27 +110,30 @@ function Spec:add(plugin)
     plugin.name = slash and name:sub(#name - slash + 2) or pkg:gsub("%W+", "_")
   end
 
+  plugin.dep = is_dep
+
   M.process_local(plugin)
   local other = self.plugins[plugin.name]
-  self.plugins[plugin.name] = other and vim.tbl_extend("force", self.plugins[plugin.name], plugin) or plugin
+  self.plugins[plugin.name] = other and M.merge(other, plugin) or plugin
   return self.plugins[plugin.name]
 end
 
 ---@param spec LazySpec
 ---@param results? string[]
-function Spec:normalize(spec, results)
+---@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 }).name)
+    table.insert(results, self:add({ spec }, is_dep).name)
   elseif #spec > 1 or Util.is_list(spec) then
     ---@cast spec LazySpec[]
     for _, s in ipairs(spec) do
-      self:normalize(s, results)
+      self:normalize(s, results, is_dep)
     end
   elseif spec.enabled == nil or spec.enabled == true or (type(spec.enabled) == "function" and spec.enabled()) then
     ---@cast spec LazyPlugin
-    local plugin = self:add(spec)
-    plugin.dependencies = plugin.dependencies and self:normalize(plugin.dependencies, {}) or nil
+    local plugin = self:add(spec, is_dep)
+    plugin.dependencies = plugin.dependencies and self:normalize(plugin.dependencies, {}, true) or nil
     table.insert(results, plugin.name)
   end
   return results
@@ -152,22 +157,55 @@ function Spec.revive(spec)
   return spec
 end
 
-function M.update_state(check_clean)
+---@param old LazyPlugin
+---@param new LazyPlugin
+---@return LazyPlugin
+function M.merge(old, new)
+  local is_dep = old.dep and new.dep
+
+  local Handler = require("lazy.core.handler")
+  ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
+  for k, v in pairs(new) do
+    if k == "dep" then
+    elseif old[k] ~= nil and old[k] ~= v then
+      if Handler.handlers[k] then
+        local values = type(v) == "string" and { v } or v
+        vim.list_extend(values, type(old[k]) == "string" and { old[k] } or old[k])
+        ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
+        old[k] = values
+      else
+        error("Merging plugins is not supported for key `" .. k .. "`")
+      end
+    else
+      ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: no-unknown
+      old[k] = v
+    end
+  end
+  old.dep = is_dep
+  return old
+end
+
+---@param opts? {clean:boolean, installed:boolean, plugins?: LazyPlugin[]}
+function M.update_state(opts)
+  opts = opts or {}
+
   ---@type table<"opt"|"start", table<string,FileType>>
   local installed = { opt = {}, start = {} }
-  for opt, packs in pairs(installed) do
-    Util.ls(Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt, function(_, name, type)
-      if type == "directory" or type == "link" then
-        packs[name] = type
-      end
-    end)
+  if opts.installed ~= false then
+    for opt, packs in pairs(installed) do
+      Util.ls(Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt, function(_, name, type)
+        if type == "directory" or type == "link" then
+          packs[name] = type
+        end
+      end)
+    end
   end
 
-  for _, plugin in pairs(Config.plugins) do
+  for _, plugin in pairs(opts.plugins or Config.plugins) do
     plugin._ = plugin._ or {}
     plugin[1] = plugin["1"] or plugin[1]
     if plugin.opt == nil then
-      plugin.opt = Config.options.opt
+      plugin.opt = plugin.dep or Config.options.opt
     end
     local opt = plugin.opt and "opt" or "start"
     plugin.dir = Config.options.packpath .. "/" .. opt .. "/" .. plugin.name
@@ -179,7 +217,7 @@ function M.update_state(check_clean)
     end
   end
 
-  if check_clean then
+  if opts.clean then
     Config.to_clean = {}
     for opt, packs in pairs(installed) do
       for pack in pairs(packs) do
@@ -244,7 +282,7 @@ function M.load()
   for _, spec in ipairs(specs) do
     for _, plugin in pairs(spec.plugins) do
       local other = Config.plugins[plugin.name]
-      Config.plugins[plugin.name] = other and vim.tbl_extend("force", other, plugin) or plugin
+      Config.plugins[plugin.name] = other and M.merge(other, plugin) or plugin
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lua/lazy/manage/init.lua b/lua/lazy/manage/init.lua
index c478f1c..d77115f 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/manage/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/manage/init.lua
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ end
 
 ---@param opts? ManagerOpts
 function M.clean(opts)
-  Plugin.update_state(true)
+  Plugin.update_state({ clean = true })
   M.run({
     pipeline = { "fs.clean" },
     plugins = Config.to_clean,
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ function M.clean(opts)
 end
 
 function M.clear()
-  Plugin.update_state(true)
+  Plugin.update_state({ clean = true })
   for _, plugin in pairs(Config.plugins) do
     plugin._.updated = nil
     plugin._.cloned = nil
diff --git a/lua/lazy/view/init.lua b/lua/lazy/view/init.lua
index c391235..51bb8e0 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/view/init.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/view/init.lua
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ M.modes = {
   { name = "log", key = "L", desc = "Show recent updates for all plugins" },
   { name = "restore", key = "R", desc = "Updates all plugins to the state in the lockfile" },
   { name = "profile", key = "P", desc = "Show detailed profiling", toggle = true },
-  { name = "help", key = "g?", hide = true, desc = "Toggle this help page", toggle = true },
+  { name = "help", key = "?", hide = true, desc = "Toggle this help page", toggle = true },
 
   { plugin = true, name = "update", key = "u", desc = "Update this plugin. This will also update the lockfile" },
   {
diff --git a/lua/lazy/view/render.lua b/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
index 96e39dc..6c528f7 100644
--- a/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
+++ b/lua/lazy/view/render.lua
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ local Config = require("lazy.core.config")
 local Util = require("lazy.util")
 local Sections = require("lazy.view.sections")
 local Handler = require("lazy.core.handler")
-local Plugin = require("lazy.core.plugin")
 local Git = require("lazy.manage.git")
 
 local Text = require("lazy.view.text")
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ end
 
 function M:title()
   self:append(" lazy.nvim ", "LazyH1"):center():nl()
-  self:append("press "):append("g?", "LazySpecial"):append(" for help"):center():nl()
+  self:append("press "):append("<?>", "LazySpecial"):append(" for help"):center():nl()
   self:append("https://github.com/folke/lazy.nvim", "LazyMuted"):center():nl()
 
   local View = require("lazy.view")
diff --git a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
index e474d7f..4792860 100644
--- a/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
+++ b/tests/core/plugin_spec.lua
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ local assert = require("luassert")
 
 Config.setup()
 
-describe("plugin spec", function()
+describe("plugin spec uri/name", function()
   local tests = {
     { { "~/foo" }, { [1] = "~/foo", name = "foo", uri = vim.fn.fnamemodify("~/foo", ":p") } },
     { { "/tmp/foo" }, { [1] = "/tmp/foo", name = "foo", uri = "/tmp/foo" } },
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ describe("plugin spec", function()
   }
 
   for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
-    it("parses uri " .. vim.inspect(test[1]):gsub("%s+", " "), function()
+    it("parses " .. vim.inspect(test[1]):gsub("%s+", " "), function()
       local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test[1])
       local plugins = vim.tbl_values(spec.plugins)
       assert.equal(1, #plugins)
@@ -27,3 +27,67 @@ describe("plugin spec", function()
     end)
   end
 end)
+
+describe("plugin spec opt", function()
+  it("handles dependencies", function()
+    local tests = {
+      { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } },
+      { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "foo/dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } },
+      { { { "foo/bar", dependencies = { { "foo/dep1" }, "foo/dep2" } } } },
+    }
+    Config.options.opt = false
+    for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+      Plugin.update_state({ plugins = spec.plugins })
+      assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 3)
+      assert(#spec.plugins.bar.dependencies == 2)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.dep ~= true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == false)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep1.dep == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep1.opt == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep2.dep == true)
+      assert(spec.plugins.dep2.opt == true)
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("handles opt from dep", function()
+    Config.options.opt = false
+    local spec = Plugin.Spec.new({ "foo/dep1", { "foo/bar", dependencies = { "foo/dep1", "foo/dep2" } } })
+    Plugin.update_state({ plugins = spec.plugins })
+    assert.same(3, vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins))
+    assert(spec.plugins.bar.dep ~= true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.bar.opt == false)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep2.dep == true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep2.opt == true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep1.dep ~= true)
+    assert(spec.plugins.dep1.opt == false)
+  end)
+
+  it("merges lazy loaders", function()
+    local tests = {
+      { { "foo/bar", module = "mod1" }, { "foo/bar", module = "mod2" } },
+      { { "foo/bar", module = { "mod1" } }, { "foo/bar", module = { "mod2" } } },
+      { { "foo/bar", module = "mod1" }, { "foo/bar", module = { "mod2" } } },
+    }
+    for _, test in ipairs(tests) do
+      local spec = Plugin.Spec.new(test)
+      assert(vim.tbl_count(spec.plugins) == 1)
+      assert(type(spec.plugins.bar.module) == "table")
+      assert(#spec.plugins.bar.module == 2)
+      assert(vim.tbl_contains(spec.plugins.bar.module, "mod1"))
+      assert(vim.tbl_contains(spec.plugins.bar.module, "mod2"))
+    end
+  end)
+
+  it("refuses to merge", function()
+    assert.has.errors(function()
+      Plugin.Spec.new({
+        { "foo/dep1", config = 1 },
+        {
+          "foo/bar",
+          dependencies = { { "foo/dep1", config = 2 }, "foo/dep2" },
+        },
+      })
+    end)
+  end)
+end)