diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index f3b92ad..5212ed5 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -12,55 +12,15 @@ const MsgV4 = require('ppppp-db/msg-v4')
  * @typedef {`${string}@${GoalDSL}`} Rule
  * @typedef {[Array<Rule>, Array<Rule>]} Rules
  * @typedef {{
- *   db: PPPPPDB | null,
- *   goals: PPPPPGoal | null,
- *   set: PPPPPSet | null,
- *   dict: PPPPPDict | null,
- *   sync: PPPPPSync | null,
- *   gc: PPPPPGC | null,
- * }} UnknownPeer
+ *   db: PPPPPDB,
+ *   goals: PPPPPGoal,
+ *   set: PPPPPSet,
+ *   dict: PPPPPDict,
+ *   sync: PPPPPSync,
+ *   gc: PPPPPGC,
+ * }} Peer
  */
 
-/**
- * @param {{ db: PPPPPDB | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { db: PPPPPDB }}
- */
-function assertDBPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.db) throw new Error('"conductor" plugin requires "db" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ goals: PPPPPGoal | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { goals: PPPPPGoal }}
- */
-function assertGoalsPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.goals) throw new Error('"conductor" plugin requires "goals" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ set: PPPPPSet | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { set: PPPPPSet }}
- */
-function assertSetPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.set) throw new Error('"conductor" plugin requires "set" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ gc: PPPPPGC | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { gc: PPPPPGC }}
- */
-function assertGCPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.gc) throw new Error('"conductor" plugin requires "gc" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ sync: PPPPPSync | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { sync: PPPPPSync }}
- */
-function assertSyncPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.sync) throw new Error('"conductor" plugin requires "sync" plugin')
-}
-
 /**
  * @param {any} rule
  * @returns {[string, GoalDSL]}
@@ -76,16 +36,10 @@ function parseRule(rule) {
 }
 
 /**
- * @param {UnknownPeer} peer
+ * @param {Peer} peer
  * @param {unknown} config
  */
 function initConductor(peer, config) {
-  assertDBPlugin(peer)
-  assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
-  assertSetPlugin(peer)
-  assertGCPlugin(peer)
-  assertSyncPlugin(peer)
-
   /**
    * How many bytes does a single msg ID take up
    */
@@ -140,7 +94,6 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
    * @param {Rule} rule
    */
   function getRealisticCount(rule) {
-    assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
     const [, goalDSL] = parseRule(rule)
     const { count } = peer.goals.parse(goalDSL)
     const realisticCount = isFinite(count)
@@ -159,8 +112,6 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
    * @returns {[Array<Rule>, Array<Rule>]}
    */
   function validateRules(rules, numFollowed, maxBytes) {
-    assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
-
     const [myRules, theirRules] = rules
 
     let estimateMsgCount =
@@ -198,10 +149,6 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
    * @param {Array<Rule>} rules list of feed domains of interest
    */
   function setupAccountGoals(accountID, rules) {
-    assertDBPlugin(peer)
-    assertSetPlugin(peer)
-    assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
-
     peer.goals.set(accountID, 'all')
 
     const followDomain = peer.set.getDomain('follow')
@@ -227,10 +174,6 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
    * @param {Array<string>} rules
    */
   function teardownAccountGoals(accountID, rules) {
-    assertDBPlugin(peer)
-    assertSetPlugin(peer)
-    assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
-
     peer.goals.set(accountID, 'none')
 
     const followDomain = peer.set.getDomain('follow')
@@ -260,18 +203,15 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
    * @param {number} maxBytes
    */
   function start(myID, rules, maxBytes) {
-    assertDBPlugin(peer)
-    assertSetPlugin(peer)
-    assertGoalsPlugin(peer)
-    assertGCPlugin(peer)
-    assertSyncPlugin(peer)
-
     if (maxBytes < MIN_MAXBYTES) {
       // prettier-ignore
       throw new Error(`ppppp-conductor maxBytes must be at least ${MIN_MAXBYTES} bytes, got ${maxBytes}`)
     }
     if (maxBytes > MAX_RECOMMENDED_MAXBYTES) {
-      debug('WARNING. maxBytes is too big, we recommend at most %s bytes', MAX_RECOMMENDED_MAXBYTES)
+      debug(
+        'WARNING. maxBytes is too big, we recommend at most %s bytes',
+        MAX_RECOMMENDED_MAXBYTES
+      )
     }
 
     const followedAccounts = peer.set.values('follow')
@@ -317,4 +257,5 @@ function initConductor(peer, config) {
 }
 
 exports.name = 'conductor'
+exports.needs = ['db', 'goals', 'set', 'gc', 'sync']
 exports.init = initConductor
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index de14042..45d31a1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
     "pretty-quick": "^3.1.3",
     "rimraf": "^4.4.0",
     "secret-handshake-ext": "~0.0.11",
-    "secret-stack": "~8.0.0",
+    "secret-stack": "~8.1.0",
     "ssb-box": "^1.0.1"
   },
   "scripts": {