diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index f546ae648..e92a230c9 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -256,6 +256,9 @@
 
 * Fix `permit` + `on` as it did not work correctly. ([#771], [0d43835])
 
+* Fix `shoulda/matchers/independent` so that it can be required
+  independently, without having to require all of the gem. ([#746])
+
 ### Features
 
 * Add `on` qualifier to `permit`. This allows you to make an assertion that
@@ -301,6 +304,7 @@
 [#699]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/699
 [#771]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/771
 [0d43835]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/commit/0d43835b615f379f069c7d2c2264a80332510778
+[#746]: https://github.com/thoughtbot/shoulda-matchers/pull/746
 
 # 2.8.0
 
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/independent/delegate_method_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/independent/delegate_method_matcher.rb
index f4a89fe9b..a79cfc187 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/independent/delegate_method_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/independent/delegate_method_matcher.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+require 'shoulda/matchers/doublespeak'
+require 'shoulda/matchers/matcher_context'
+
 module Shoulda
   module Matchers
     module Independent
diff --git a/spec/acceptance/independent_matchers_spec.rb b/spec/acceptance/independent_matchers_spec.rb
index 5cddfbdf1..0db4aee7f 100644
--- a/spec/acceptance/independent_matchers_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/acceptance/independent_matchers_spec.rb
@@ -1,64 +1,125 @@
 require 'acceptance_spec_helper'
 
-describe 'shoulda-matchers has independent matchers' do
-  context 'specifically delegate_method' do
-    specify 'and integrates with a Ruby application that uses the default test framework' do
-      create_generic_bundler_project
-
-      updating_bundle do
-        add_minitest_to_project
-        add_shoulda_context_to_project(manually: true)
-        add_shoulda_matchers_to_project(
-          test_frameworks: [default_test_framework],
-          manually: true
-        )
+describe 'shoulda-matchers has independent matchers, specifically delegate_method' do
+  specify 'and integrates with a Ruby application that uses the default test framework' do
+    create_generic_bundler_project
+
+    updating_bundle do
+      add_minitest_to_project
+      add_shoulda_context_to_project(manually: true)
+      add_shoulda_matchers_to_project(
+        test_frameworks: [default_test_framework],
+        manually: true
+      )
+    end
+
+    write_file 'lib/post_office.rb', <<-FILE
+      class PostOffice
       end
+    FILE
+
+    write_file 'lib/courier.rb', <<-FILE
+      require 'forwardable'
 
-      write_file 'lib/post_office.rb', <<-FILE
-        class PostOffice
+      class Courier
+        extend Forwardable
+
+        def_delegators :post_office, :deliver
+
+        attr_reader :post_office
+
+        def initialize(post_office)
+          @post_office = post_office
+        end
+      end
+    FILE
+
+    write_n_unit_test 'test/courier_test.rb' do |test_case_superclass|
+      <<-FILE
+        require 'test_helper'
+        require 'courier'
+        require 'post_office'
+
+        class CourierTest < #{test_case_superclass}
+          subject { Courier.new(post_office) }
+
+          should delegate_method(:deliver).to(:post_office)
+
+          def post_office
+            PostOffice.new
+          end
         end
       FILE
+    end
 
-      write_file 'lib/courier.rb', <<-FILE
-        require 'forwardable'
+    result = run_n_unit_tests('test/courier_test.rb')
 
-        class Courier
-          extend Forwardable
+    expect(result).to indicate_number_of_tests_was_run(1)
+    expect(result).to have_output(
+      'Courier should delegate #deliver to #post_office object'
+    )
+  end
 
-          def_delegators :post_office, :deliver
+  specify 'and integrates with a Ruby application that uses RSpec' do
+    create_generic_bundler_project
 
-          attr_reader :post_office
+    updating_bundle do
+      add_rspec_to_project
+      add_shoulda_matchers_to_project(
+        manually: true,
+        with_configuration: false
+      )
+      write_file 'spec/spec_helper.rb', <<-FILE
+        require 'shoulda/matchers/independent'
 
-          def initialize(post_office)
-            @post_office = post_office
-          end
+        RSpec.configure do |config|
+          config.include(Shoulda::Matchers::Independent)
         end
       FILE
+    end
+
+    write_file 'lib/post_office.rb', <<-FILE
+      class PostOffice
+      end
+    FILE
 
-      write_n_unit_test 'test/courier_test.rb' do |test_case_superclass|
-        <<-FILE
-          require 'test_helper'
-          require 'courier'
-          require 'post_office'
+    write_file 'lib/courier.rb', <<-FILE
+      require 'forwardable'
 
-          class CourierTest < #{test_case_superclass}
-            subject { Courier.new(post_office) }
+      class Courier
+        extend Forwardable
 
-            should delegate_method(:deliver).to(:post_office)
+        def_delegators :post_office, :deliver
 
-            def post_office
-              PostOffice.new
-            end
-          end
-        FILE
+        attr_reader :post_office
+
+        def initialize(post_office)
+          @post_office = post_office
+        end
       end
+    FILE
 
-      result = run_n_unit_tests('test/courier_test.rb')
+    write_file 'spec/courier_spec.rb', <<-FILE
+      require 'spec_helper'
+      require 'courier'
+      require 'post_office'
 
-      expect(result).to indicate_number_of_tests_was_run(1)
-      expect(result).to have_output(
-        'Courier should delegate #deliver to #post_office object'
-      )
-    end
+      describe Courier do
+        subject { Courier.new(post_office) }
+
+        it { should delegate_method(:deliver).to(:post_office) }
+
+        def post_office
+          PostOffice.new
+        end
+      end
+    FILE
+
+    result = run_rspec_tests('spec/courier_spec.rb')
+
+    expect(result).to indicate_number_of_tests_was_run(1)
+    expect(result).to have_output(
+      /Courier\s+should delegate #deliver to #post_office object/
+    )
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/acceptance/adds_shoulda_matchers_to_project.rb b/spec/support/acceptance/adds_shoulda_matchers_to_project.rb
index 6a1663f85..c684e1962 100644
--- a/spec/support/acceptance/adds_shoulda_matchers_to_project.rb
+++ b/spec/support/acceptance/adds_shoulda_matchers_to_project.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,10 @@ def initialize(options)
 
     def call
       add_gem 'shoulda-matchers', gem_options
-      configure_test_helper_files
+
+      unless options[:with_configuration] === false
+        configure_test_helper_files
+      end
     end
 
     protected
@@ -48,8 +51,10 @@ def configure_test_helper_files
     def each_test_helper_file
       options[:test_frameworks].each do |test_framework|
         libraries = options.fetch(:libraries, [])
-        test_helper_file = test_helper_file_for(test_framework, libraries)
-        yield test_helper_file, test_framework, libraries
+
+        test_helper_files_for(test_framework, libraries).each do |test_helper_file|
+          yield test_helper_file, test_framework, libraries
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -85,16 +90,26 @@ def library_config_for(libraries)
       libraries.map { |library| "with.library :#{library}" }.join("\n")
     end
 
-    def test_helper_file_for(test_framework, libraries)
-      if integrates_with_rails?(test_framework, libraries) ||
-        integrates_with_nunit?(test_framework)
-        'test/test_helper.rb'
-      elsif integrates_with_rspec?(test_framework)
-        spec_helper_file_path
+    def test_helper_files_for(test_framework, libraries)
+      files = []
+
+      if integrates_with_nunit_and_rails?(test_framework, libraries) ||
+        integrates_with_nunit_only?(test_framework)
+        files << 'test/test_helper.rb'
       end
+
+      if integrates_with_rspec?(test_framework)
+        if bundle.includes?('rspec-rails')
+          files << 'spec/rails_helper.rb'
+        else
+          files << 'spec/spec_helper.rb'
+        end
+      end
+
+      files
     end
 
-    def integrates_with_nunit?(test_framework)
+    def integrates_with_nunit_only?(test_framework)
       nunit_frameworks = [:test_unit, :minitest, :minitest_4, :minitest_5]
       nunit_frameworks.include?(test_framework)
     end
@@ -103,8 +118,16 @@ def integrates_with_rspec?(test_framework)
       test_framework == :rspec
     end
 
-    def integrates_with_rails?(test_framework, libraries)
+    def integrates_with_rspec_rails_3_x?(test_framework, libraries)
+      integrates_with_rails?(libraries) && rspec_rails_version >= 3
+    end
+
+    def integrates_with_nunit_and_rails?(test_framework, libraries)
       test_framework.nil? && libraries.include?(:rails)
     end
+
+    def integrates_with_rails?(libraries)
+      libraries.include?(:rails)
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/rspec_helpers.rb b/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/rspec_helpers.rb
index 6a0fdc8d9..875a91152 100644
--- a/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/rspec_helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/rspec_helpers.rb
@@ -4,25 +4,21 @@ module AcceptanceTests
   module RspecHelpers
     include GemHelpers
 
-    def rspec_rails_version
-      bundle_version_of('rspec-rails')
+    def rspec_core_version
+      bundle_version_of('rspec-core')
     end
 
-    def add_rspec_file(path, content)
-      content = "require '#{spec_helper_require_path}'\n#{content}"
-      write_file path, content
+    def rspec_expectations_version
+      bundle_version_of('rspec-expectations')
     end
 
-    def spec_helper_require_path
-      if rspec_rails_version >= 3
-        'rails_helper'
-      else
-        'spec_helper'
-      end
+    def rspec_rails_version
+      bundle_version_of('rspec-rails')
     end
 
-    def spec_helper_file_path
-      "spec/#{spec_helper_require_path}.rb"
+    def add_rspec_file(path, content)
+      content = "require 'rails_helper'\n#{content}"
+      write_file path, content
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/step_helpers.rb b/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/step_helpers.rb
index 7fc3fb613..b0cd60da5 100644
--- a/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/step_helpers.rb
+++ b/spec/support/acceptance/helpers/step_helpers.rb
@@ -90,12 +90,25 @@ def configure_routes_with_single_wildcard_route
       FILE
     end
 
+    def add_rspec_to_project
+      add_gem 'rspec-core', rspec_core_version
+      add_gem 'rspec-expectations', rspec_expectations_version
+      append_to_file 'spec/spec_helper.rb', <<-FILE
+        require 'rspec/core'
+        require 'rspec/expectations'
+      FILE
+    end
+
     def add_rspec_rails_to_project!
       add_gem 'rspec-rails', rspec_rails_version
       run_command_within_bundle!('rails g rspec:install')
       remove_from_file '.rspec', '--warnings'
     end
 
+    def run_rspec_tests(*paths)
+      run_command_within_bundle 'rspec --format documentation --backtrace', *paths
+    end
+
     def run_rspec_suite
       run_rake_tasks('spec', env: { SPEC_OPTS: '-fd' })
     end
diff --git a/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/have_output.rb b/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/have_output.rb
index ec0ec4bb2..4f8e60e00 100644
--- a/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/have_output.rb
+++ b/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/have_output.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def failure_message
         "Expected command to have output, but did not.\n\n" +
           "Command: #{runner.formatted_command}\n\n" +
           "Expected output:\n" +
-          output + "\n\n" +
+          output.inspect + "\n\n" +
           "Actual output:\n" +
           runner.output
       end
diff --git a/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/indicate_number_of_tests_was_run_matcher.rb b/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/indicate_number_of_tests_was_run_matcher.rb
index bb47e07e4..7ca88c8ff 100644
--- a/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/indicate_number_of_tests_was_run_matcher.rb
+++ b/spec/support/acceptance/matchers/indicate_number_of_tests_was_run_matcher.rb
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def failure_message
       private
 
       def expected_output
-        /#{number} (tests|runs), #{number} assertions, 0 failures, 0 errors(, 0 skips)?/
+        /#{number} (?:tests?|runs?|examples?)(?:, #{number} assertions)?, 0 failures(?:, 0 errors(?:, 0 skips)?)?/
       end
 
       def actual_output
diff --git a/spec/support/tests/command_runner.rb b/spec/support/tests/command_runner.rb
index 29e58a7f0..45798d4ab 100644
--- a/spec/support/tests/command_runner.rb
+++ b/spec/support/tests/command_runner.rb
@@ -117,7 +117,11 @@ def fail!
     end
 
     def has_output?(expected_output)
-      output.include?(expected_output)
+      if expected_output.is_a?(Regexp)
+        output =~ expected_output
+      else
+        output.include?(expected_output)
+      end
     end
 
     protected