diff --git a/src/psygnal/_evented_model.py b/src/psygnal/_evented_model.py
index 684c9308..c3369401 100644
--- a/src/psygnal/_evented_model.py
+++ b/src/psygnal/_evented_model.py
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class Config:
                     f"{prop!r} is not."
                 )
             for field in fields:
-                if not hasattr(cls, field):
+                if field not in model_fields and not hasattr(cls, field):
                     warnings.warn(
                         f"property {prop!r} cannot depend on unrecognized attribute "
                         f"name: {field!r}",
diff --git a/tests/test_evented_model.py b/tests/test_evented_model.py
index c4fcae45..dedcd0fa 100644
--- a/tests/test_evented_model.py
+++ b/tests/test_evented_model.py
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ class Config:
 
 
 def test_unrecognized_property_dependencies():
-    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="Unrecognized field dependency: 'b'"):
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="cannot depend on unrecognized attribute"):
 
         class M(EventedModel):
             x: int