diff --git a/R/aaa-shared_params.R b/R/aaa-shared_params.R
index a3c0675..7befacc 100644
--- a/R/aaa-shared_params.R
+++ b/R/aaa-shared_params.R
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #' @param endpoint (`character(1)`) The operation endpoint.
 #' @param endpoints (`character`) Endpoint paths paired with operations.
 #' @param filter_in (`character(1)`) The parameter location to keep.
-#' @param include_stbl (`logical(1)`) Whether to add `stbl` to Imports.
 #' @param methods (`character`) HTTP methods paired with endpoints.
 #' @param operation (`character(1)`) The HTTP method.
 #' @param operation_description (`character(1)`) The operation description.
diff --git a/R/generate_pkg-setup.R b/R/generate_pkg-setup.R
index f52873f..b960aad 100644
--- a/R/generate_pkg-setup.R
+++ b/R/generate_pkg-setup.R
@@ -33,16 +33,47 @@
 #' @inheritParams .shared-params
 #' @returns (`NULL`, invisibly) Called for setup side effects.
 #' @keywords internal
-.setup_r <- function(pkg_dir, include_stbl = FALSE) {
-  if (as.character(pkg_dir) != ".") {
-    usethis::local_project(pkg_dir, quiet = TRUE) # nocov
-  }
-  usethis::use_directory("R")
-  usethis::use_testthat()
-  purrr::quietly(httptest2::use_httptest2)()
-  usethis::use_package("nectar")
-  if (include_stbl) {
-    usethis::use_package("stbl")
+.setup_r <- function(pkg_dir) {
+  usethis::with_project(
+    pkg_dir,
+    {
+      usethis::use_directory("R")
+      withr::with_options(list(usethis.quiet = TRUE), usethis::use_testthat())
+      purrr::quietly(httptest2::use_httptest2)()
+    },
+    quiet = TRUE
+  )
+  .use_package("nectar", "Imports", pkg_dir)
+  .use_package("beekeeper", "Suggests", pkg_dir)
+}
+
+#' Add a package dependency to the DESCRIPTION file
+#'
+#' @param pkg (`character(1)`) The package name.
+#' @param type (`character(1)`) The dependency type, one of "Imports",
+#'   "Suggests", or "Depends".
+#' @inheritParams .shared-params
+#' @returns (`character(1)`, invisibly) The package name.
+#' @keywords internal
+.use_package <- function(pkg, type = "Imports", pkg_dir = ".") {
+  usethis::with_project(
+    pkg_dir,
+    {
+      usethis::use_package(pkg, type = type)
+    },
+    quiet = TRUE
+  )
+  invisible(pkg)
+}
+
+#' Add stbl to dependencies if needed
+#'
+#' @inheritParams .shared-params
+#' @returns (`character(1)` or `NULL`, invisibly) "stbl" if stbl is used, `NULL`
+#'   otherwise.
+#' @keywords internal
+.maybe_use_stbl <- function(pkg_dir, paths, security_arg_names) {
+  if (.paths_need_stbl(paths, security_arg_names)) {
+    .use_package("stbl", "Imports", pkg_dir)
   }
-  usethis::use_package("beekeeper", type = "Suggests")
 }
diff --git a/R/generate_pkg.R b/R/generate_pkg.R
index 42ffb63..3e50785 100644
--- a/R/generate_pkg.R
+++ b/R/generate_pkg.R
@@ -32,10 +32,8 @@ generate_pkg <- function(
     api_definition@components@security_schemes
   )
   security_arg_names <- security_data$security_arg_names %|0|% character()
-  .setup_r(
-    pkg_dir,
-    include_stbl = .paths_need_stbl(api_definition@paths, security_arg_names)
-  )
+  .setup_r(pkg_dir)
+  .maybe_use_stbl(pkg_dir, api_definition@paths, security_arg_names)
   touched_files <- .generate_pkg_impl(config, api_definition, security_data)
   return(invisible(touched_files))
 }
diff --git a/man/dot-maybe_use_stbl.Rd b/man/dot-maybe_use_stbl.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8f679ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/dot-maybe_use_stbl.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/generate_pkg-setup.R
+\name{.maybe_use_stbl}
+\alias{.maybe_use_stbl}
+\title{Add stbl to dependencies if needed}
+\usage{
+.maybe_use_stbl(pkg_dir, paths, security_arg_names)
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{pkg_dir}{(\code{character(1)} or \code{fs_path}) The directory containing package
+files.}
+
+\item{paths}{(\code{rapid::class_paths}) API path definitions.}
+
+\item{security_arg_names}{(\code{character}) Security argument names to exclude
+from generated operation signatures (because they are defined once,
+separately).}
+}
+\value{
+(\code{character(1)} or \code{NULL}, invisibly) "stbl" if stbl is used, \code{NULL}
+otherwise.
+}
+\description{
+Add stbl to dependencies if needed
+}
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/man/dot-setup_r.Rd b/man/dot-setup_r.Rd
index 2aba67e..413ab74 100644
--- a/man/dot-setup_r.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-setup_r.Rd
@@ -4,13 +4,11 @@
 \alias{.setup_r}
 \title{Set up package directories and dependencies}
 \usage{
-.setup_r(pkg_dir, include_stbl = FALSE)
+.setup_r(pkg_dir)
 }
 \arguments{
 \item{pkg_dir}{(\code{character(1)} or \code{fs_path}) The directory containing package
 files.}
-
-\item{include_stbl}{(\code{logical(1)}) Whether to add \code{stbl} to Imports.}
 }
 \value{
 (\code{NULL}, invisibly) Called for setup side effects.
diff --git a/man/dot-shared-params.Rd b/man/dot-shared-params.Rd
index 3193049..7ff0906 100644
--- a/man/dot-shared-params.Rd
+++ b/man/dot-shared-params.Rd
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@ written.}
 
 \item{filter_in}{(\code{character(1)}) The parameter location to keep.}
 
-\item{include_stbl}{(\code{logical(1)}) Whether to add \code{stbl} to Imports.}
-
 \item{methods}{(\code{character}) HTTP methods paired with endpoints.}
 
 \item{operation}{(\code{character(1)}) The HTTP method.}
diff --git a/man/dot-use_package.Rd b/man/dot-use_package.Rd
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ceb7314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/dot-use_package.Rd
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+% Generated by roxygen2: do not edit by hand
+% Please edit documentation in R/generate_pkg-setup.R
+\name{.use_package}
+\alias{.use_package}
+\title{Add a package dependency to the DESCRIPTION file}
+\usage{
+.use_package(pkg, type = "Imports", pkg_dir = ".")
+}
+\arguments{
+\item{pkg}{(\code{character(1)}) The package name.}
+
+\item{type}{(\code{character(1)}) The dependency type, one of "Imports",
+"Suggests", or "Depends".}
+
+\item{pkg_dir}{(\code{character(1)} or \code{fs_path}) The directory containing package
+files.}
+}
+\value{
+(\code{character(1)}, invisibly) The package name.
+}
+\description{
+Add a package dependency to the DESCRIPTION file
+}
+\keyword{internal}
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-generate_pkg-setup.R b/tests/testthat/test-generate_pkg-setup.R
index cdd213a..8861ad2 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-generate_pkg-setup.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-generate_pkg-setup.R
@@ -38,14 +38,25 @@ test_that(".setup_r() sets up dependencies (#16)", {
   )
 })
 
-test_that(".setup_r() can include stbl in imports (#69)", {
-  skip_on_cran()
-
-  create_local_package()
-  .setup_r(".", include_stbl = TRUE)
-
-  dependencies <- desc::desc()$get_deps()
-  imports <- dependencies$package[dependencies$type == "Imports"]
-  expect_contains(imports, "nectar")
-  expect_contains(imports, "stbl")
+test_that(".maybe_use_stbl() can add stbl to imports (#69)", {
+  local_mocked_bindings(
+    .use_package = function(pkg, type, pkg_dir) {
+      if (pkg == "stbl") {
+        expect_equal(type, "Imports")
+        expect_equal(pkg_dir, "DIR")
+      }
+      return(pkg)
+    },
+    .paths_need_stbl = function(paths, security_arg_names) {
+      expect_equal(security_arg_names, "SECURITY_ARG_NAMES")
+      return(paths == "INSTALL")
+    }
+  )
+  expect_equal(
+    .maybe_use_stbl("DIR", "INSTALL", "SECURITY_ARG_NAMES"),
+    "stbl"
+  )
+  expect_null(
+    .maybe_use_stbl("DIR", "DONOTINSTALL", "SECURITY_ARG_NAMES")
+  )
 })