diff --git a/appmgr/src/config/mod.rs b/appmgr/src/config/mod.rs
index d824b0675..c3b11acb7 100644
--- a/appmgr/src/config/mod.rs
+++ b/appmgr/src/config/mod.rs
@@ -21,8 +21,9 @@ use crate::db::util::WithRevision;
 use crate::dependencies::{
     update_current_dependents, BreakageRes, DependencyError, TaggedDependencyError,
 };
+use crate::install::cleanup::update_dependents;
 use crate::s9pk::manifest::{Manifest, ManifestModel, PackageId};
-use crate::status::handle_broken_dependents;
+use crate::status::{handle_broken_dependents, DependencyErrors};
 use crate::util::{
     display_none, display_serializable, parse_duration, parse_stdin_deserializable, IoFormat,
 };
@@ -339,6 +340,7 @@ pub fn configure<'a, Db: DbHandle>(
             .await
             .with_kind(crate::ErrorKind::NotFound)?;
 
+        spec.validate(&*manifest)?;
         spec.matches(&config)?; // check that new config matches spec
         spec.update(ctx, db, &*manifest, &*overrides, &mut config)
             .await?; // dereference pointers in the new config
@@ -401,6 +403,17 @@ pub fn configure<'a, Db: DbHandle>(
             }
 
             // track dependency health checks
+            current_dependencies = current_dependencies
+                .into_iter()
+                .filter(|(dep_id, _)| {
+                    if dep_id != id && !manifest.dependencies.0.contains_key(dep_id) {
+                        log::warn!("Illegal dependency specified: {}", dep_id);
+                        false
+                    } else {
+                        true
+                    }
+                })
+                .collect();
             let mut deps = pkg_model.clone().current_dependencies().get_mut(db).await?;
             *deps = current_dependencies.clone();
             deps.save(db).await?;
@@ -411,6 +424,14 @@ pub fn configure<'a, Db: DbHandle>(
 
         // update dependencies
         update_current_dependents(db, id, &current_dependencies).await?;
+        let mut errs = pkg_model
+            .clone()
+            .status()
+            .dependency_errors()
+            .get_mut(db)
+            .await?;
+        *errs = DependencyErrors::init(ctx, db, &*manifest, &current_dependencies).await?;
+        errs.save(db).await;
 
         // cache current config for dependents
         overrides.insert(id.clone(), config.clone());
diff --git a/appmgr/src/dependencies.rs b/appmgr/src/dependencies.rs
index 87574027d..8e9d2edb7 100644
--- a/appmgr/src/dependencies.rs
+++ b/appmgr/src/dependencies.rs
@@ -283,7 +283,10 @@ pub async fn update_current_dependents<
     dependent_id: &PackageId,
     current_dependencies: I,
 ) -> Result<(), Error> {
-    for (dependency, dep_info) in current_dependencies {
+    for (dependency, dep_info) in current_dependencies
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter(|(dependency, _)| dependency != &dependent_id)
+    {
         if let Some(dependency_model) = crate::db::DatabaseModel::new()
             .package_data()
             .idx_model(&dependency)
diff --git a/appmgr/src/install/cleanup.rs b/appmgr/src/install/cleanup.rs
index 416123f68..cef926498 100644
--- a/appmgr/src/install/cleanup.rs
+++ b/appmgr/src/install/cleanup.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-use std::collections::{BTreeMap, HashMap};
-use std::path::Path;
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 
-use anyhow::anyhow;
 use bollard::image::ListImagesOptions;
 use patch_db::{DbHandle, PatchDbHandle};
 
@@ -30,19 +28,12 @@ pub async fn update_dependents<'a, Db: DbHandle, I: IntoIterator<Item = &'a Pack
             .manifest()
             .get(db, true)
             .await?;
-        if let Err(e) = man
-            .dependencies
-            .0
-            .get(id)
-            .ok_or_else(|| {
-                Error::new(
-                    anyhow!("missing dependency info"),
-                    crate::ErrorKind::Database,
-                )
-            })?
-            .satisfied(ctx, db, id, None, dep, &man.version, &man.volumes)
-            .await?
-        {
+        if let Err(e) = if let Some(info) = man.dependencies.0.get(id) {
+            info.satisfied(ctx, db, id, None, dep, &man.version, &man.volumes)
+                .await?
+        } else {
+            Ok(())
+        } {
             let mut errs = crate::db::DatabaseModel::new()
                 .package_data()
                 .idx_model(&dep)
diff --git a/appmgr/src/status/mod.rs b/appmgr/src/status/mod.rs
index 614c61e63..fd9e86708 100644
--- a/appmgr/src/status/mod.rs
+++ b/appmgr/src/status/mod.rs
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ pub async fn check_all(ctx: &RpcContext) -> Result<(), Error> {
         current_deps: Arc<BTreeMap<PackageId, CurrentDependencyInfo>>,
         mut db: Db,
     ) -> Result<(), Error> {
-        for (dep_id, dep_info) in &*current_deps {
+        for (dep_id, dep_info) in current_deps.iter().filter(|(dep_id, _)| dep_id != &id) {
             if let Some(err) = match statuses.get(dep_id) {
                 Some(MainStatus::Running { ref health, .. })
                 | Some(MainStatus::BackingUp {
@@ -412,17 +412,14 @@ impl DependencyErrors {
         current_dependencies: &BTreeMap<PackageId, CurrentDependencyInfo>,
     ) -> Result<DependencyErrors, Error> {
         let mut res = BTreeMap::new();
-        for dep_id in current_dependencies.keys() {
-            if let Err(e) = manifest
+        for (dep_id, info) in current_dependencies.keys().filter_map(|dep_id| {
+            manifest
                 .dependencies
                 .0
                 .get(dep_id)
-                .ok_or_else(|| {
-                    Error::new(
-                        anyhow!("current dependency not in manifest"),
-                        crate::ErrorKind::Dependency,
-                    )
-                })?
+                .map(|info| (dep_id, info))
+        }) {
+            if let Err(e) = info
                 .satisfied(
                     ctx,
                     db,