diff --git a/doc/DESIGN.md b/doc/DESIGN.md
index c1a35c85..88b85fc4 100644
--- a/doc/DESIGN.md
+++ b/doc/DESIGN.md
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ described later in this document.
 So for example to create a `velocity` type we have to do:
 
 ```cpp
-struct velocity : derived_dimension<velocity, exp<base_dim_length, 1>, exp<base_dim_time, -1>> {};
+struct velocity : derived_dimension<velocity, exp<length, 1>, exp<time, -1>> {};
 ```
 
 In order to make `derived_dimension` work as expected it has to provide unique ordering for
@@ -182,8 +182,11 @@ contained base dimensions. Beside providing ordering to base dimensions it also
 - eliminate two arguments of the same base dimension and with opposite equal exponents
 
 `derived_dimension` is also able to form a dimension type based not only on base dimensions but
-it can take other derived dimensions as well. So for some more complex dimensions user can
-type either:
+it can take other derived dimensions as well. In such a case units defined with a
+`deduced_derived_unit` helper will get symbols of units for those derived dimension rather
+than system base units.
+
+For example to form `pressure` user can provide the following two definitions:
 
 ```cpp
 struct pressure : derived_dimension<pressure, exp<base_dim_mass, 1>, exp<base_dim_length, -1>, exp<base_dim_time, -2>> {};
@@ -196,8 +199,9 @@ struct pressure : derived_dimension<pressure, exp<force, 1>, exp<area, -1>> {};
 ```
 
 In the second case `derived_dimension` will extract all derived dimensions into the list of
-exponents of base dimensions. Thanks to that both cases will result with exactly the same base
-class formed only from the exponents of base units.
+exponents of base dimensions. Thanks to this both cases will result with exactly the same base
+class formed only from the exponents of base units but in the second case the recipe to form
+a derived dimension will be remembered and used for `deduced_derived_unit` usage.
 
 #### `merge_dimension`
 
@@ -361,13 +365,27 @@ struct deduced_derived_unit : downcast_child<Child, /* magic to get the correct
 ```
 
 This will deduce the ratio based on the ingredient units and their relation defined in the
-dimension and in case the symbol name is not explicitly provided it with create one based
-on the provided ingredients:
+dimension. For example to create a deduced velocity unit a user can do:
 
 ```cpp
 struct kilometre_per_hour : deduced_derived_unit<kilometre_per_hour, velocity, kilometre, hour> {};
 ```
 
+`deduced_derived_unit` has also one more important feature. It is able to synthesize a unit
+symbol:
+- in case all units on the list are the units of base dimension (i.e. above we have a `kilometre`
+  that is a unit of a base dimension `length`, and `hour` a unit of base dimension `time`),
+  the resulting unit symbol will be created using base dimensions (`km/h`).
+- if at least one non-base dimension unit exists in a list than the recipe provided in the
+  `derived_dimension` will be used to create a unit. For example:
+
+  ```cpp
+  struct surface_tension : derived_dimension<surface_tension, exp<force, 1>, exp<length, -1>> {};
+  struct newton_per_centimetre : deduced_derived_unit<newton_per_centimetre, surface_tension, newton, centimetre> {};
+  ```
+
+  will result with a symbol `N/cm` for `newton_per_centimetre`.
+
 
 ### `Quantities`
 
diff --git a/src/include/units/dimension.h b/src/include/units/dimension.h
index 2ff0ca49..2e795d14 100644
--- a/src/include/units/dimension.h
+++ b/src/include/units/dimension.h
@@ -223,7 +223,9 @@ namespace units {
 
   // derived_dimension
   template<typename Child, Exponent... Es>
-  struct derived_dimension : downcast_child<Child, typename detail::make_dimension<Es...>> {};
+  struct derived_dimension : downcast_child<Child, typename detail::make_dimension<Es...>> {
+    using recipe = dimension<Es...>;
+  };
 
   // merge_dimension
   template<Dimension D1, Dimension D2>
diff --git a/src/include/units/dimensions/volume.h b/src/include/units/dimensions/volume.h
index bdd549d4..9cf72b53 100644
--- a/src/include/units/dimensions/volume.h
+++ b/src/include/units/dimensions/volume.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ namespace units {
   struct cubic_metre : coherent_derived_unit<cubic_metre, volume> {};
   struct cubic_millimetre : deduced_derived_unit<cubic_millimetre, volume, millimetre> {};
   struct cubic_centimetre : deduced_derived_unit<cubic_centimetre, volume, centimetre> {};
-  struct cubic_kilometre : deduced_derived_unit<cubic_kilometre, volume, kilometre, metre> {};
+  struct cubic_kilometre : deduced_derived_unit<cubic_kilometre, volume, kilometre> {};
   struct cubic_foot : deduced_derived_unit<cubic_foot, volume, foot> {};
 
   inline namespace literals {
diff --git a/src/include/units/unit.h b/src/include/units/unit.h
index 62aa9f75..53696969 100644
--- a/src/include/units/unit.h
+++ b/src/include/units/unit.h
@@ -66,18 +66,6 @@ namespace units {
       using dimension = E::dimension;
     };
 
-    template<BaseDimension BD, typename... Us>
-    struct get_ratio {
-      using ratio = ::units::ratio<1>;
-    };
-
-    template<BaseDimension BD, typename U, typename... Rest>
-    struct get_ratio<BD, U, Rest...> {
-      using unit_base_dim = get_unit_base_dim<typename U::dimension::base_type>::dimension;
-      using ratio = conditional<std::is_same_v<unit_base_dim, BD>, typename U::ratio,
-                                typename get_ratio<BD, Rest...>::ratio>;
-    };
-
     template<typename Result, int UnitExpNum, int UnitExpDen, typename UnitRatio>
     struct ratio_op;
 
@@ -102,19 +90,30 @@ namespace units {
       using ratio = ::units::ratio<1>;
     };
 
-    template<typename E, typename... Rest, typename... Us>
-    struct derived_ratio<dimension<E, Rest...>, Us...> {
-      using rest_ratio = derived_ratio<dimension<Rest...>, Us...>::ratio;
-      using e_ratio = get_ratio<typename E::dimension, Us...>::ratio;
-      using ratio = ratio_op<rest_ratio, E::num, E::den, e_ratio>::ratio;
+    template<typename E, typename... ERest, typename U, typename... URest>
+    struct derived_ratio<dimension<E, ERest...>, U, URest...> {
+      static_assert(same_dim<typename E::dimension, typename U::dimension>, "The order and number of units in `deduced_derived_unit<Us...>` should match dimensions provided in a `derived_dimension<>`");
+      static_assert(sizeof...(ERest) == sizeof...(URest), "The number of `deduced_derived_unit<Us...>` units should match the number of exponents provided to `derived_dimension<>`");
+      using rest_ratio = derived_ratio<dimension<ERest...>, URest...>::ratio;
+      using ratio = ratio_op<rest_ratio, E::num, E::den, typename U::ratio>::ratio;
     };
 
+    template<typename... Es>
+    constexpr auto exp_count(dimension<Es...>)
+    {
+      return sizeof...(Es);
+    }
+
+    template<typename U>
+    inline constexpr bool is_unit_of_base_dimension = (exp_count(typename U::dimension::base_type()) == 1);
+
+    template<Unit... Us>
+    inline constexpr bool are_units_of_base_dimension = (is_unit_of_base_dimension<Us> && ...);
+
     template<Dimension D, Unit... Us>
-    using deduced_derived_unit = unit<D, typename detail::derived_ratio<typename D::base_type, Us...>::ratio>;
-
-  }
-
-  namespace detail {
+    using deduced_derived_unit =
+      unit<D, typename detail::derived_ratio<std::conditional_t<are_units_of_base_dimension<Us...>,
+                                                                typename D::base_type, typename D::recipe>, Us...>::ratio>;
 
     template<int Value>
       requires (0 <= Value) && (Value < 10)
@@ -247,7 +246,7 @@ namespace units {
     template<typename E, typename U, std::size_t Idx>
     constexpr auto exp_validate_and_text()
     {
-      static_assert(same_dim<typename E::dimension, typename U::dimension>);
+      static_assert(same_dim<typename E::dimension, typename U::dimension>, "The order and number of units in `deduced_derived_unit<Us...>` should match dimensions provided in a `derived_dimension<>`");
       return exp_text<E, U::symbol, Idx>();
     }
 
@@ -260,10 +259,19 @@ namespace units {
     template<typename... Us, typename... Es>
     constexpr auto deduced_symbol_text(dimension<Es...> d)
     {
-      static_assert(sizeof...(Us) == sizeof...(Es), "`deduced_derived_unit<Us...>` should get the same number of exponents as provided to `derived_dimension<>`");
+      static_assert(sizeof...(Es) == sizeof...(Us), "The number of `deduced_derived_unit<Us...>` units should match the number of exponents provided to `derived_dimension<>`");
       return deduced_symbol_text_impl<Us...>(d, std::index_sequence_for<Es...>());
     }
 
+    template<typename Dim, typename... Us>
+    constexpr auto deduced_symbol_text()
+    {
+      if constexpr(are_units_of_base_dimension<Us...>)
+        return deduced_symbol_text<Us...>(typename Dim::base_type());
+      else
+        return deduced_symbol_text<Us...>(typename Dim::recipe());
+    }
+
     template<typename Unit>
     constexpr auto unit_text()
     {
@@ -319,7 +327,7 @@ namespace units {
 
   template<typename Child, Dimension Dim, Unit U, Unit... Us>
   struct deduced_derived_unit : downcast_child<Child, detail::deduced_derived_unit<Dim, U, Us...>> {
-    static constexpr auto symbol = detail::deduced_symbol_text<U, Us...>(Dim());
+    static constexpr auto symbol = detail::deduced_symbol_text<Dim, U, Us...>();
     using prefix_type = no_prefix;
   };
 
diff --git a/test/unit_test/runtime/text_test.cpp b/test/unit_test/runtime/text_test.cpp
index 8a5dfa1c..8c324915 100644
--- a/test/unit_test/runtime/text_test.cpp
+++ b/test/unit_test/runtime/text_test.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "units/dimensions/power.h"
 #include "units/dimensions/velocity.h"
 #include "units/dimensions/volume.h"
+#include "units/dimensions/surface_tension.h"
 #include "units/format.h"
 #include "units/math.h"
 #include <catch2/catch.hpp>
@@ -220,12 +221,13 @@ TEST_CASE("operator<< on a quantity", "[text][ostream][fmt]")
 
       SECTION("surface tension")
       {
-        const auto q = 20.N / 2m;
+        struct newton_per_centimetre : deduced_derived_unit<newton_per_centimetre, surface_tension, newton, centimetre> {};
+        const quantity<newton_per_centimetre> q(123);
         stream << q;
 
         SECTION("iostream")
         {
-          REQUIRE(stream.str() == "10 N/m");
+          REQUIRE(stream.str() == "123 N/cm");
         }
 
         SECTION("fmt with default format {} on a quantity")