diff --git a/loader/loader.go b/loader/loader.go
index 25d2d0c6..db415a3d 100644
--- a/loader/loader.go
+++ b/loader/loader.go
@@ -675,6 +675,7 @@ func NormalizeProjectName(s string) string {
 
 var userDefinedKeys = []tree.Path{
 	"services",
+	"services.*.depends_on",
 	"volumes",
 	"networks",
 	"secrets",
@@ -687,7 +688,7 @@ func processExtensions(dict map[string]any, p tree.Path, extensions map[string]a
 	for key, value := range dict {
 		skip := false
 		for _, uk := range userDefinedKeys {
-			if uk.Matches(p) {
+			if p.Matches(uk) {
 				skip = true
 				break
 			}
@@ -770,14 +771,14 @@ func secretConfigDecoderHook(from, to reflect.Type, data interface{}) (interface
 	// Check if the input is a map and we're decoding into a SecretConfig
 	if from.Kind() == reflect.Map && to == reflect.TypeOf(types.SecretConfig{}) {
 		if v, ok := data.(map[string]interface{}); ok {
-			if ext, ok := v["#extensions"].(map[string]interface{}); ok {
+			if ext, ok := v[consts.Extensions].(map[string]interface{}); ok {
 				if val, ok := ext[types.SecretConfigXValue].(string); ok {
 					// Return a map with the Content field populated
 					v["Content"] = val
 					delete(ext, types.SecretConfigXValue)
 
 					if len(ext) == 0 {
-						delete(v, "#extensions")
+						delete(v, consts.Extensions)
 					}
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/loader/loader_test.go b/loader/loader_test.go
index cba477f6..7b9e1677 100644
--- a/loader/loader_test.go
+++ b/loader/loader_test.go
@@ -3409,3 +3409,24 @@ services:
 		"myhost": []string{"0.0.0.1", "0.0.0.2"},
 	})
 }
+
+func TestLoadDependsOnX(t *testing.T) {
+	p, err := loadYAML(`
+name: load-depends-on-x
+services:
+  test:
+    image: test
+    depends_on:
+      - x-foo
+  x-foo:
+    image: foo
+`)
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+	test := p.Services["test"]
+	assert.DeepEqual(t, test.DependsOn, types.DependsOnConfig{
+		"x-foo": types.ServiceDependency{
+			Condition: types.ServiceConditionStarted,
+			Required:  true,
+		},
+	})
+}
diff --git a/schema/schema_test.go b/schema/schema_test.go
index 902805b9..766f4dd1 100644
--- a/schema/schema_test.go
+++ b/schema/schema_test.go
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ func TestValidateAllowsXFields(t *testing.T) {
 			"bar": dict{
 				"x-extra-stuff": dict{},
 			},
+			"foo": dict{
+				"depends_on": dict{
+					"x-dependency": dict{
+						"condition": "service_started",
+					},
+				},
+			},
 		},
 		"volumes": dict{
 			"bar": dict{