diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_config_world.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_config_world.lua
index daa8099c4..97218df9c 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_config_world.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/dlg_config_world.lua
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ local function get_formspec(data)
 		"label[0.5,0;" .. fgettext("World:") .. "]" ..
 		"label[1.75,0;" .. data.worldspec.name .. "]"
 
-	local hard_deps, soft_deps = pkgmgr.get_dependencies(mod.path)
-
 	if mod.is_modpack or mod.type == "game" then
 		local info = minetest.formspec_escape(
 			core.get_content_info(mod.path).description)
@@ -46,15 +44,46 @@ local function get_formspec(data)
 		retval = retval ..
 			"textarea[0.25,0.7;5.75,7.2;;" .. info .. ";]"
 	else
+		local hard_deps, soft_deps = pkgmgr.get_dependencies(mod.path)
+		local hard_deps_str = table.concat(hard_deps, ",")
+		local soft_deps_str = table.concat(soft_deps, ",")
+
 		retval = retval ..
 			"label[0,0.7;" .. fgettext("Mod:") .. "]" ..
-			"label[0.75,0.7;" .. mod.name .. "]" ..
-			"label[0,1.25;" .. fgettext("Dependencies:") .. "]" ..
-			"textlist[0,1.75;5,2.125;world_config_depends;" .. hard_deps ..
-			";0]" ..
-			"label[0,3.875;" .. fgettext("Optional dependencies:") .. "]" ..
-			"textlist[0,4.375;5,1.8;world_config_optdepends;" ..
-			soft_deps .. ";0]"
+			"label[0.75,0.7;" .. mod.name .. "]"
+
+		if hard_deps_str == "" then
+			if soft_deps_str == "" then
+				retval = retval ..
+					"label[0,1.25;" ..
+					fgettext("No (optional) dependencies") .. "]"
+			else
+				retval = retval ..
+					"label[0,1.25;" .. fgettext("No hard dependencies") ..
+					"]" ..
+					"label[0,1.75;" .. fgettext("Optional dependencies:") ..
+					"]" ..
+					"textlist[0,2.25;5,4;world_config_optdepends;" ..
+					soft_deps_str .. ";0]"
+			end
+		else
+			if soft_deps_str == "" then
+				retval = retval ..
+					"label[0,1.25;" .. fgettext("Dependencies:") .. "]" ..
+					"textlist[0,1.75;5,4;world_config_depends;" ..
+					hard_deps_str .. ";0]" ..
+					"label[0,6;" .. fgettext("No optional dependencies") .. "]"
+			else
+				retval = retval ..
+					"label[0,1.25;" .. fgettext("Dependencies:") .. "]" ..
+					"textlist[0,1.75;5,2.125;world_config_depends;" ..
+					hard_deps_str .. ";0]" ..
+					"label[0,3.9;" .. fgettext("Optional dependencies:") ..
+					"]" ..
+					"textlist[0,4.375;5,1.8;world_config_optdepends;" ..
+					soft_deps_str .. ";0]"
+			end
+		end
 	end
 	retval = retval ..
 		"button[3.25,7;2.5,0.5;btn_config_world_save;" ..
diff --git a/builtin/mainmenu/pkgmgr.lua b/builtin/mainmenu/pkgmgr.lua
index 60a496093..dee4dabbb 100644
--- a/builtin/mainmenu/pkgmgr.lua
+++ b/builtin/mainmenu/pkgmgr.lua
@@ -332,11 +332,11 @@ end
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 function pkgmgr.get_dependencies(path)
 	if path == nil then
-		return "", ""
+		return {}, {}
 	end
 
 	local info = core.get_content_info(path)
-	return table.concat(info.depends or {}, ","), table.concat(info.optional_depends or {}, ",")
+	return info.depends or {}, info.optional_depends or {}
 end
 
 ----------- tests whether all of the mods in the modpack are enabled -----------