diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/Patcher.kt b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/Patcher.kt
index 00c1b14..8db51c5 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/Patcher.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/Patcher.kt
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import app.revanced.patcher.patch.Patch
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.PatchResult
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.PatchResultError
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.PatchResultSuccess
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.DependencyType
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.impl.BytecodePatch
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.impl.ResourcePatch
 import app.revanced.patcher.util.ListBackedSet
@@ -261,15 +262,19 @@ class Patcher(private val options: PatcherOptions) {
         }
 
         // recursively apply all dependency patches
-        patch.dependencies?.forEach {
-            val patchDependency = it.java
-
-            val result = applyPatch(patchDependency, appliedPatches)
+        patch.dependencies.forEach {
+            val dependency = it.patch.java
+            if ( // soft dependencies must be included manually.
+                it.type == DependencyType.SOFT && !data.patches.any { p ->
+                    p.patchName == dependency.patchName
+                }
+            ) return@forEach
 
+            val result = applyPatch(dependency, appliedPatches)
             if (result.isSuccess()) return@forEach
 
             val errorMessage = result.error()!!.cause
-            return PatchResultError("'$patchName' depends on '${patchDependency.patchName}' but the following error was raised: $errorMessage")
+            return PatchResultError("'$patchName' depends on '${dependency.patchName}' but the following error was raised: $errorMessage")
         }
 
         val patchInstance = patch.getDeclaredConstructor().newInstance()
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/extensions/AnnotationExtensions.kt b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/extensions/AnnotationExtensions.kt
index d5dc5c6..e5cf5de 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/extensions/AnnotationExtensions.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/extensions/AnnotationExtensions.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ import app.revanced.patcher.annotation.Version
 import app.revanced.patcher.data.Data
 import app.revanced.patcher.fingerprint.method.impl.MethodFingerprint
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.Patch
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.Dependencies
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.DependencyType
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.DependsOn
 import kotlin.reflect.KClass
 
 /**
@@ -35,19 +38,26 @@ private fun <T : Annotation> Class<*>.findAnnotationRecursively(
     return null
 }
 
+private typealias PatchClass = Class<out Patch<Data>>
+
 object PatchExtensions {
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.patchName: String get() = recursiveAnnotation(Name::class)?.name ?: this.javaClass.simpleName
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.version get() = recursiveAnnotation(Version::class)?.version
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.include get() = recursiveAnnotation(app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.Patch::class)!!.include
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.description get() = recursiveAnnotation(Description::class)?.description
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.dependencies get() = recursiveAnnotation(app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.Dependencies::class)?.dependencies
-    val Class<out Patch<Data>>.compatiblePackages get() = recursiveAnnotation(Compatibility::class)?.compatiblePackages
+    val PatchClass.patchName: String get() = recursiveAnnotation(Name::class)?.name ?: this.javaClass.simpleName
+    val PatchClass.version get() = recursiveAnnotation(Version::class)?.version
+    val PatchClass.include get() = recursiveAnnotation(app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.Patch::class)!!.include
+    val PatchClass.description get() = recursiveAnnotation(Description::class)?.description
+    val PatchClass.dependencies get() = buildList {
+        recursiveAnnotation(DependsOn::class)?.let { add(PatchDependency(it.value, it.type)) }
+        recursiveAnnotation(Dependencies::class)?.dependencies?.forEach { add(PatchDependency(it, DependencyType.HARD)) }
+    }.toTypedArray()
+    val PatchClass.compatiblePackages get() = recursiveAnnotation(Compatibility::class)?.compatiblePackages
 
     @JvmStatic
-    fun Class<out Patch<Data>>.dependsOn(patch: Class<out Patch<Data>>): Boolean {
+    fun PatchClass.dependsOn(patch: PatchClass): Boolean {
         if (this.patchName == patch.patchName) throw IllegalArgumentException("thisval and patch may not be the same")
-        return this.dependencies?.any { it.java.patchName == this@dependsOn.patchName } == true
+        return this.dependencies.any { it.patch.java.patchName == this@dependsOn.patchName }
     }
+
+    class PatchDependency internal constructor(val patch: KClass<out Patch<Data>>, val type: DependencyType = DependencyType.HARD)
 }
 
 object MethodFingerprintExtensions {
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/patch/annotations/PatchAnnotation.kt b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/patch/annotations/PatchAnnotation.kt
index ebfe5c8..b859fc6 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/patch/annotations/PatchAnnotation.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/patch/annotations/PatchAnnotation.kt
@@ -19,6 +19,24 @@ annotation class Patch(val include: Boolean = true)
 @Target(AnnotationTarget.CLASS)
 @Retention(AnnotationRetention.RUNTIME)
 @MustBeDocumented
+@Deprecated(
+    "Does not support new parameter 'type'",
+    ReplaceWith("DependsOn")
+)
 annotation class Dependencies(
     val dependencies: Array<KClass<out Patch<Data>>> = []
-)
\ No newline at end of file
+)
+
+/**
+ * Annotation for dependencies of [Patch]es .
+ */
+@Target(AnnotationTarget.CLASS)
+@Retention(AnnotationRetention.RUNTIME)
+@MustBeDocumented
+@Repeatable
+annotation class DependsOn(
+    val value: KClass<out Patch<Data>>,
+    val type: DependencyType = DependencyType.HARD
+)
+
+enum class DependencyType { HARD, SOFT }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/usage/bytecode/ExampleBytecodePatch.kt b/src/test/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/usage/bytecode/ExampleBytecodePatch.kt
index b0ea493..9b6bf0f 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/usage/bytecode/ExampleBytecodePatch.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/app/revanced/patcher/usage/bytecode/ExampleBytecodePatch.kt
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ import app.revanced.patcher.extensions.or
 import app.revanced.patcher.extensions.replaceInstruction
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.PatchResult
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.PatchResultSuccess
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.DependencyType
+import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.DependsOn
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.annotations.Patch
 import app.revanced.patcher.patch.impl.BytecodePatch
 import app.revanced.patcher.usage.resource.annotation.ExampleResourceCompatibility
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ import org.jf.dexlib2.util.Preconditions
 @Description("Example demonstration of a bytecode patch.")
 @ExampleResourceCompatibility
 @Version("0.0.1")
+@DependsOn(ExampleBytecodePatch::class, DependencyType.SOFT)
 class ExampleBytecodePatch : BytecodePatch(listOf(ExampleFingerprint)) {
     // This function will be executed by the patcher.
     // You can treat it as a constructor