diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d9224f22..fa21388e 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 * Added `PowInvitation` to the `mix pow.extension.phoenix.gen.templates` and `mix pow.extension.phoenix.mailer.gen.templates` tasks
 * Fixed issue in umbrella projects where extensions wasn't found in environment configuration
 * Shell instructions will only be printed if the configuration is missing
+* Now requires that `:ecto` or `:phoenix` are included in the dependency list for the app to run respective mix tasks
 * Deprecated `Mix.Pow.context_app/0`
+* Deprecated `Mix.Pow.ensure_dep!/3`
 
 ## v1.0.3 (2019-03-09)
 
diff --git a/lib/mix/pow.ex b/lib/mix/pow.ex
index 46a09f49..e3cd81de 100644
--- a/lib/mix/pow.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/pow.ex
@@ -16,13 +16,13 @@ defmodule Mix.Pow do
     :ok
   end
 
-  @doc """
-  Raises an exception if the application doesn't have the dependency.
-  """
+  # TODO: Remove by 1.1.0
+  @doc false
+  @deprecated "Use `ensure_ecto!` or `ensure_phoenix!` instead"
   @spec ensure_dep!(binary(), atom(), OptionParser.argv()) :: :ok | no_return
   def ensure_dep!(task, dep, _args) do
     fetch_deps()
-    |> dep_in_deps?(dep)
+    |> top_level_dep_in_deps?(dep)
     |> case do
       true ->
         :ok
@@ -32,6 +32,27 @@ defmodule Mix.Pow do
     end
   end
 
+  @doc """
+  Raises an exception if application doesn't have Ecto as dependency.
+  """
+  @spec ensure_ecto!(binary(), OptionParser.argv()) :: :ok | no_return
+  def ensure_ecto!(task, _args) do
+    deps = fetch_deps()
+
+    cond do
+      top_level_dep_in_deps?(deps, :ecto) -> :ok
+      top_level_dep_in_deps?(deps, :ecto_sql) -> :ok
+      true -> Mix.raise("mix #{task} can only be run inside an application directory that has :ecto or :ecto_sql as dependency")
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp top_level_dep_in_deps?(deps, dep) do
+    Enum.any?(deps, fn
+      %Mix.Dep{app: ^dep, top_level: true} -> true
+      _any -> false
+    end)
+  end
+
   # TODO: Remove by 1.1.0 and only support Elixir 1.7
   defp fetch_deps do
     System.version()
@@ -42,22 +63,16 @@ defmodule Mix.Pow do
     end
   end
 
-  defp dep_in_deps?(deps, dep) do
-    Enum.any?(deps, fn
-      %Mix.Dep{app: ^dep} -> true
-      _any -> false
-    end)
-  end
-
-  @doc """
-  Raises an exception if application doesn't have Ecto as dependency.
-  """
-  def ensure_ecto!(task, args), do: ensure_dep!(task, :ecto, args)
-
   @doc """
   Raises an exception if application doesn't have Phoenix as dependency.
   """
-  def ensure_phoenix!(task, args), do: ensure_dep!(task, :phoenix, args)
+  @spec ensure_phoenix!(binary(), OptionParser.argv()) :: :ok | no_return
+  def ensure_phoenix!(task, _args) do
+    case top_level_dep_in_deps?(fetch_deps(), :phoenix) do
+      true -> :ok
+      false -> Mix.raise("mix #{task} can only be run inside an application directory that has :phoenix as dependency")
+    end
+  end
 
   @doc """
   Parses argument options into a map.
diff --git a/lib/mix/tasks/pow.install.ex b/lib/mix/tasks/pow.install.ex
index 37bcaa64..b9587f37 100644
--- a/lib/mix/tasks/pow.install.ex
+++ b/lib/mix/tasks/pow.install.ex
@@ -48,7 +48,14 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Pow.Install do
 
   defp no_umbrella! do
     if Project.umbrella?() do
-      Mix.raise("mix #{@mix_task} can't be used in umbrella apps. Run mix pow.ecto.install in your ecto app directory, and optionally mix pow.phoenix.install in your phoenix app directory.")
+      Mix.raise(
+        """
+        mix #{@mix_task} has to be used inside an application directory, but this is an umbrella project.
+
+        Run mix pow.ecto.install inside your Ecto application directory to create schema module and migrations.
+
+        Run mix pow.phoenix.install in your Phoenix application directory for configuration instructions.
+        """)
     end
 
     :ok
diff --git a/test/mix/tasks/ecto/pow.ecto.install_test.exs b/test/mix/tasks/ecto/pow.ecto.install_test.exs
index 0a5fd19e..137706ac 100644
--- a/test/mix/tasks/ecto/pow.ecto.install_test.exs
+++ b/test/mix/tasks/ecto/pow.ecto.install_test.exs
@@ -66,16 +66,36 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Pow.Ecto.InstallTest do
         use Mix.Project
 
         def project do
-          []
+          [
+            deps: [
+              {:ecto_job, ">= 0.0.0"}
+            ]
+          ]
         end
       end
       """)
 
       Mix.Project.in_project(:my_app, ".", fn _ ->
-        assert_raise Mix.Error, "mix pow.ecto.install can only be run inside an application directory that has :ecto as dependency", fn ->
+        Mix.Tasks.Deps.Get.run([])
+
+        # Insurance that we do test for top level ecto inclusion
+        assert Enum.any?(deps(), fn
+          %{app: :phoenix} -> true
+          _ -> false
+        end), "Ecto not loaded by dependency"
+
+        assert_raise Mix.Error, "mix pow.ecto.install can only be run inside an application directory that has :ecto or :ecto_sql as dependency", fn ->
           Install.run([])
         end
       end)
     end)
   end
+
+  # TODO: Refactor to just use Elixir 1.7 or higher by Pow 1.1.0
+  defp deps() do
+    case Kernel.function_exported?(Mix.Dep, :load_on_environment, 1) do
+     true -> apply(Mix.Dep, :load_on_environment, [[]])
+     false -> apply(Mix.Dep, :loaded, [[]])
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/mix/tasks/phoenix/pow.phoenix.install_test.exs b/test/mix/tasks/phoenix/pow.phoenix.install_test.exs
index aeb4a6b0..fe32227c 100644
--- a/test/mix/tasks/phoenix/pow.phoenix.install_test.exs
+++ b/test/mix/tasks/phoenix/pow.phoenix.install_test.exs
@@ -73,19 +73,31 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Pow.Phoenix.InstallTest do
     end)
   end
 
-  test "raises error in app with no phoenix dep" do
+  test "raises error in app with no top level phoenix dep" do
     File.cd!(@tmp_path, fn ->
       File.write!("mix.exs", """
       defmodule MyApp.MixProject do
         use Mix.Project
 
         def project do
-          []
+          [
+            deps: [
+              {:phoenix_live_reload, ">= 0.0.0"}
+            ]
+          ]
         end
       end
       """)
 
       Mix.Project.in_project(:my_app, ".", fn _ ->
+        Mix.Tasks.Deps.Get.run([])
+
+        # Insurance that we do test for top level phoenix inclusion
+        assert Enum.any?(deps(), fn
+          %{app: :phoenix} -> true
+          _ -> false
+        end), "Phoenix not loaded by dependency"
+
         assert_raise Mix.Error, "mix pow.phoenix.install can only be run inside an application directory that has :phoenix as dependency", fn ->
           Install.run([])
         end
@@ -151,4 +163,12 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Pow.Phoenix.InstallTest do
       end)
     end)
   end
+
+  # TODO: Refactor to just use Elixir 1.7 or higher by Pow 1.1.0
+  defp deps() do
+    case Kernel.function_exported?(Mix.Dep, :load_on_environment, 1) do
+     true -> apply(Mix.Dep, :load_on_environment, [[]])
+     false -> apply(Mix.Dep, :loaded, [[]])
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/mix/tasks/pow.install_test.exs b/test/mix/tasks/pow.install_test.exs
index ffdfe9a3..876cc9cc 100644
--- a/test/mix/tasks/pow.install_test.exs
+++ b/test/mix/tasks/pow.install_test.exs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ defmodule Mix.Tasks.Pow.InstallTest do
       """)
 
       Mix.Project.in_project(:umbrella, ".", fn _ ->
-        assert_raise Mix.Error, "mix pow.install can't be used in umbrella apps. Run mix pow.ecto.install in your ecto app directory, and optionally mix pow.phoenix.install in your phoenix app directory.", fn ->
+        assert_raise Mix.Error, ~r/mix pow.install has to be used inside an application directory/, fn ->
           Install.run([])
         end
       end)