diff --git a/dev/workflow/rocoto/rocoto.py b/dev/workflow/rocoto/rocoto.py
index c3c62c8ae91..e098f5c4e6a 100644
--- a/dev/workflow/rocoto/rocoto.py
+++ b/dev/workflow/rocoto/rocoto.py
@@ -164,10 +164,14 @@ def _create_innermost_task(task_dict: Dict[str, Any]) -> List[str]:
             strings.append(f'\t{e}\n')
         strings.append('\n')
 
+    # Write dependency block: flatten any nested items and strip leading tabs
     if dependency is not None and len(dependency) > 0:
         strings.append('\t<dependency>\n')
         for d in dependency:
-            strings.append(f'\t\t{d}\n')
+            # Flatten nested lists/tuples and write each element as an XML line
+            for e in _traverse(d):
+                s = str(e).lstrip('\t')  # remove accidental leading tabs from pieces
+                strings.append(f'\t\t{s}\n')
         strings.append('\t</dependency>\n')
         strings.append('\n')
 
@@ -429,12 +433,11 @@ def create_dependency(dep_condition=None, dep=[]) -> List[str]:
         if dep_condition is not None:
             strings.append(f'<{dep_condition}>')
 
+        # Flatten any nested lists/tuples and return plain XML strings
+        # Note: tabbing is handled at task creation by create_innermost_task
         for d in dep:
-            if dep_condition is None:
-                strings.append(f'{d}')
-            else:
-                for e in _traverse(d):
-                    strings.append(f'\t{e}')
+            for e in _traverse(d):
+                strings.append(str(e))
 
         if dep_condition is not None:
             strings.append(f'</{dep_condition}>')