diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 4f4b8f5..197449b 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -43,7 +43,15 @@ export default async function stylusLoader(source) {
         : `${options.additionalData}\n${data}`;
   }
 
-  const stylusOptions = getStylusOptions(this, options);
+  let stylusOptions;
+
+  try {
+    stylusOptions = getStylusOptions(this, options);
+  } catch (err) {
+    callback(err);
+    return;
+  }
+
   const styl = implementation(data, stylusOptions);
 
   // include regular CSS on @import
@@ -79,34 +87,6 @@ export default async function stylusLoader(source) {
     );
   }
 
-  if (
-    typeof stylusOptions.use !== "undefined" &&
-    stylusOptions.use.length > 0
-  ) {
-    let { length } = stylusOptions.use;
-
-    // eslint-disable-next-line no-plusplus
-    while (length--) {
-      let [item] = stylusOptions.use.splice(length, 1);
-      if (typeof item === "string") {
-        try {
-          const resolved = require.resolve(item);
-
-          // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-dynamic-require, global-require
-          item = require(resolved)(stylusOptions);
-        } catch (error) {
-          callback(
-            `Failed to load "${item}" Stylus plugin. Are you sure it's installed?\n${error}`,
-          );
-
-          return;
-        }
-      }
-
-      styl.use(item);
-    }
-  }
-
   if (typeof stylusOptions.import !== "undefined") {
     for (const imported of stylusOptions.import) {
       styl.import(imported);
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index 510c733..6a09c23 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -36,6 +36,29 @@ function getStylusOptions(loaderContext, loaderOptions) {
     _imports: [],
   };
 
+  if (typeof stylusOptions.use !== "undefined") {
+    stylusOptions.use = (
+      Array.isArray(stylusOptions.use) ? stylusOptions.use : [stylusOptions.use]
+    ).map((item) => {
+      if (typeof item === "string") {
+        try {
+          const resolved = require.resolve(item);
+
+          loaderContext.addBuildDependency(resolved);
+
+          // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-dynamic-require, global-require
+          return require(resolved)(stylusOptions);
+        } catch (error) {
+          throw new Error(
+            `Failed to load "${item}" Stylus plugin. Are you sure it's installed?\n${error}`,
+          );
+        }
+      }
+
+      return item;
+    });
+  }
+
   // https://github.com/stylus/stylus/issues/2119
   stylusOptions.resolveURL =
     typeof stylusOptions.resolveURL === "boolean" && !stylusOptions.resolveURL
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/loader.test.js.snap b/test/__snapshots__/loader.test.js.snap
index 897db54..1e74071 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/loader.test.js.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/loader.test.js.snap
@@ -708,7 +708,7 @@ exports[`loader should emit error when unresolved import: warnings 1`] = `[]`;
 exports[`loader should emit warning when use unresolved plugin: errors 1`] = `
 [
   "ModuleBuildError: Module build failed (from \`replaced original path\`):
-NonErrorEmittedError: (Emitted value instead of an instance of Error) Failed to load "unresolved" Stylus plugin. Are you sure it's installed?",
+Error: Failed to load "unresolved" Stylus plugin. Are you sure it's installed?",
 ]
 `;
 
@@ -927,6 +927,17 @@ exports[`loader should work "prefix" option: errors 1`] = `[]`;
 
 exports[`loader should work "prefix" option: warnings 1`] = `[]`;
 
+exports[`loader should work "use" option #1: css 1`] = `
+"body {
+  width: 100%;
+}
+"
+`;
+
+exports[`loader should work "use" option #1: errors 1`] = `[]`;
+
+exports[`loader should work "use" option #1: warnings 1`] = `[]`;
+
 exports[`loader should work "use" option as Array<string>: css 1`] = `
 "body {
   font: 12px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
@@ -943,6 +954,22 @@ exports[`loader should work "use" option as Array<string>: errors 1`] = `[]`;
 
 exports[`loader should work "use" option as Array<string>: warnings 1`] = `[]`;
 
+exports[`loader should work "use" option as string: css 1`] = `
+"body {
+  font: 12px Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
+}
+a.button {
+  -webkit-border-radius: 5px;
+  -moz-border-radius: 5px;
+  border-radius: 5px;
+}
+"
+`;
+
+exports[`loader should work "use" option as string: errors 1`] = `[]`;
+
+exports[`loader should work "use" option as string: warnings 1`] = `[]`;
+
 exports[`loader should work "use" option: css 1`] = `
 "body {
   width: 100%;
diff --git a/test/loader.test.js b/test/loader.test.js
index 4f9805b..bfd9833 100644
--- a/test/loader.test.js
+++ b/test/loader.test.js
@@ -570,6 +570,55 @@ describe("loader", () => {
     expect(getErrors(stats)).toMatchSnapshot("errors");
   });
 
+  it('should work "use" option #1', async () => {
+    function plugin() {
+      return (style) => {
+        style.define("add", (a, b) => a.operate("+", b));
+      };
+    }
+
+    const testId = "./webpack.config-plugin.styl";
+    const compiler = getCompiler(testId, {
+      stylusOptions: {
+        use: plugin(),
+      },
+    });
+    const stats = await compile(compiler);
+    const codeFromBundle = getCodeFromBundle(stats, compiler);
+    const codeFromStylus = await getCodeFromStylus(testId, {
+      stylusOptions: {
+        use: plugin(),
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(codeFromBundle.css).toBe(codeFromStylus.css);
+    expect(codeFromBundle.css).toMatchSnapshot("css");
+    expect(getWarnings(stats)).toMatchSnapshot("warnings");
+    expect(getErrors(stats)).toMatchSnapshot("errors");
+  });
+
+  it('should work "use" option as string', async () => {
+    const testId = "./basic.styl";
+    const compiler = getCompiler(testId, {
+      stylusOptions: {
+        use: "nib",
+      },
+    });
+    const stats = await compile(compiler);
+    const codeFromBundle = getCodeFromBundle(stats, compiler);
+    const codeFromStylus = await getCodeFromStylus(testId, {
+      stylusOptions: {
+        // eslint-disable-next-line global-require
+        use: require("nib")(),
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(codeFromBundle.css).toBe(codeFromStylus.css);
+    expect(codeFromBundle.css).toMatchSnapshot("css");
+    expect(getWarnings(stats)).toMatchSnapshot("warnings");
+    expect(getErrors(stats)).toMatchSnapshot("errors");
+  });
+
   it('should work "use" option as Array<string>', async () => {
     const testId = "./basic.styl";
     const compiler = getCompiler(testId, {