diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 6a06bae..cb256dc 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -48,30 +48,6 @@ const Obz = require('obz')
  * } PurposeWithDetails
  */
 
-/**
- * @param {{ db: PPPPPDB | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { db: PPPPPDB }}
- */
-function assertDBPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.db) throw new Error('"goals" plugin requires "db" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ dict: PPPPPDict | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { dict: PPPPPDict }}
- */
-function assertDictPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.dict) throw new Error('"goals" plugin requires "dict" plugin')
-}
-
-/**
- * @param {{ set: PPPPPSet | null }} peer
- * @returns {asserts peer is { set: PPPPPSet }}
- */
-function assertSetPlugin(peer) {
-  if (!peer.set) throw new Error('"goals" plugin requires "set" plugin')
-}
-
 /**
  * @implements {Goal}
  */
@@ -141,11 +117,10 @@ class GoalImpl {
 }
 
 /**
- * @param {{ db: PPPPPDB | null, dict: PPPPPDict | null, set: PPPPPSet | null }} peer
+ * @param {{ db: PPPPPDB, dict: PPPPPDict, set: PPPPPSet }} peer
  * @param {unknown} config
  */
 function initGoals(peer, config) {
-  assertDBPlugin(peer)
   // Constants:
   const EMPTY_RANGE = /** @type {Range} */ ([1, 0])
 
@@ -170,12 +145,10 @@ function initGoals(peer, config) {
         return [0, maxDepth]
 
       case 'set':
-        assertSetPlugin(peer)
         const minSetDepth = peer.set.minRequiredDepth(goal.id)
         return [minSetDepth, maxDepth]
 
       case 'dict':
-        assertDictPlugin(peer)
         const minDictDepth = peer.dict.minRequiredDepth(goal.id)
         return [minDictDepth, maxDepth]
 
@@ -245,7 +218,6 @@ function initGoals(peer, config) {
    * @returns {PurposeWithDetails}
    */
   function getMsgPurpose(msgID, msg) {
-    assertDBPlugin(peer)
     let servesAsTrail = false
 
     // Check whether this msg is a goalful root of some tangle:
@@ -295,14 +267,12 @@ function initGoals(peer, config) {
     // Check whether this msg is a ghost affix of some tangle:
     for (const [tangle, , , , goalType] of validTangles) {
       if (goalType === 'dict') {
-        assertDictPlugin(peer)
         const span = peer.dict.getGhostSpan()
         if (peer.dict.isGhostable(msgID, tangle.id)) {
           return ['ghost', { tangleID: tangle.id, span }]
         }
       }
       if (goalType === 'set') {
-        assertSetPlugin(peer)
         const span = peer.set.getGhostSpan()
         if (peer.set.isGhostable(msgID, tangle.id)) {
           return ['ghost', { tangleID: tangle.id, span }]
@@ -333,4 +303,5 @@ function initGoals(peer, config) {
 }
 
 exports.name = 'goals'
+exports.needs = ['db', 'dict', 'set']
 exports.init = initGoals
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 31987b9..a658556 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
     "prettier": "^2.6.2",
     "pretty-quick": "^3.1.3",
     "rimraf": "^4.4.0",
-    "secret-stack": "~8.0.0",
+    "secret-stack": "~8.1.0",
     "secret-handshake-ext": "0.0.10",
     "ssb-box": "^1.0.1",
     "typescript": "^5.1.3"
diff --git a/test/util.js b/test/util.js
index c3cfac6..a6ca52a 100644
--- a/test/util.js
+++ b/test/util.js
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ function createPeer(config) {
     .use(require('secret-handshake-ext/secret-stack'))
     .use(require('ppppp-db'))
     .use(require('ppppp-dict'))
+    .use(require('ppppp-set'))
     .use(require('ssb-box'))
     .use(require('../lib'))
     .call(null, {