diff --git a/test/framework/easyblock.py b/test/framework/easyblock.py
index e7218b2273..33ab2501bb 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyblock.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyblock.py
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ def test_make_module_dep(self):
             "   ('FFTW', '3.3.7'),",
             "   ('OpenBLAS', '0.2.20', '', ('GCC', '6.4.0-2.28')),",
             ']',
+            'module_depends_on = False',
         ])
         self.writeEC()
         eb = EasyBlock(EasyConfig(self.eb_file))
@@ -873,10 +874,10 @@ def test_make_module_dep_hmns(self):
         with self.mocked_stdout_stderr():
             mod_dep_txt = eb.make_module_dep()
         for mod in ['GCC/6.4.0-2.28', 'OpenMPI/2.1.2']:
-            regex = re.compile('load.*%s' % mod)
+            regex = re.compile('(load|depends[-_]on).*%s' % mod)
             self.assertFalse(regex.search(mod_dep_txt), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, mod_dep_txt))
 
-        regex = re.compile('load.*FFTW/3.3.7')
+        regex = re.compile('(load|depends[-_]on).*FFTW/3.3.7')
         self.assertTrue(regex.search(mod_dep_txt), "Pattern '%s' found in: %s" % (regex.pattern, mod_dep_txt))
 
     def test_make_module_dep_of_dep_hmns(self):
@@ -1361,27 +1362,27 @@ def test_make_module_step(self):
 
         for (name, ver) in [('GCC', '6.4.0-2.28')]:
             if get_module_syntax() == 'Tcl':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*module load %s\s*$' % os.path.join(name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(module load|depends-on) %s\s*$' % os.path.join(name, ver), re.M)
             elif get_module_syntax() == 'Lua':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*load\("%s"\)$' % os.path.join(name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(load|depends_on)\("%s"\)$' % os.path.join(name, ver), re.M)
             else:
                 self.fail("Unknown module syntax: %s" % get_module_syntax())
             self.assertTrue(regex.search(txt), "Pattern %s found in %s" % (regex.pattern, txt))
 
         for (name, ver) in [('test', '1.2.3')]:
             if get_module_syntax() == 'Tcl':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*module load %s/.%s\s*$' % (name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(module load|depends-on) %s/.%s\s*$' % (name, ver), re.M)
             elif get_module_syntax() == 'Lua':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*load\("%s/.%s"\)$' % (name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(load|depends_on)\("%s/.%s"\)$' % (name, ver), re.M)
             else:
                 self.fail("Unknown module syntax: %s" % get_module_syntax())
             self.assertTrue(regex.search(txt), "Pattern %s found in %s" % (regex.pattern, txt))
 
         for (name, ver) in [('OpenMPI', '2.1.2-GCC-6.4.0-2.28')]:
             if get_module_syntax() == 'Tcl':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*module load %s/.?%s\s*$' % (name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(module load|depends-on) %s/.?%s\s*$' % (name, ver), re.M)
             elif get_module_syntax() == 'Lua':
-                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*load\("%s/.?%s"\)$' % (name, ver), re.M)
+                regex = re.compile(r'^\s*(load|depends_on)\("%s/.?%s"\)$' % (name, ver), re.M)
             else:
                 self.fail("Unknown module syntax: %s" % get_module_syntax())
             self.assertFalse(regex.search(txt), "Pattern '%s' *not* found in %s" % (regex.pattern, txt))
diff --git a/test/framework/easyconfig.py b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
index 827e01f1e0..afe1520c30 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyconfig.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
@@ -4785,6 +4785,8 @@ def test_recursive_module_unload(self):
         toy_ec = os.path.join(test_ecs_dir, 'f', 'foss', 'foss-2018a.eb')
         test_ec = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test.eb')
         test_ec_txt = read_file(toy_ec)
+        # this test only makes sense if depends_on is not used
+        test_ec_txt += '\nmodule_depends_on = False'
         write_file(test_ec, test_ec_txt)
 
         test_module = os.path.join(self.test_installpath, 'modules', 'all', 'foss', '2018a')
@@ -4827,6 +4829,8 @@ def test_recursive_module_unload(self):
         # recursive_module_unload easyconfig parameter is honored
         test_ec_bis = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test_bis.eb')
         test_ec_bis_txt = read_file(toy_ec) + '\nrecursive_module_unload = True'
+        # this test only makes sense if depends_on is not used
+        test_ec_bis_txt += '\nmodule_depends_on = False'
         write_file(test_ec_bis, test_ec_bis_txt)
 
         ec_bis = EasyConfig(test_ec_bis)
@@ -4871,6 +4875,8 @@ def test_recursive_module_unload(self):
         self.assertTrue(build_option('recursive_mod_unload'))
         test_ec_bis = os.path.join(self.test_prefix, 'test_bis.eb')
         test_ec_bis_txt = read_file(toy_ec) + '\nrecursive_module_unload = False'
+        # this test only makes sense if depends_on is not used
+        test_ec_bis_txt += '\nmodule_depends_on = False'
         write_file(test_ec_bis, test_ec_bis_txt)
         ec_bis = EasyConfig(test_ec_bis)
         self.assertEqual(ec_bis['recursive_module_unload'], False)