diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_provider.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_provider.py
index 9edf4ace6750..1f0ce1334b9d 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_provider.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_provider.py
@@ -304,6 +304,9 @@ def expand(self, pcolls):
       elif isinstance(pcolls, dict):
         pipeline_arg = {}
         pcolls = tuple(pcolls.values())
+      elif isinstance(pcolls, (tuple, list)):
+        pipeline_arg = {}
+        pcolls = tuple(pcolls)
       else:
         pipeline_arg = {'pipeline': pcolls.pipeline}
         pcolls = ()
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform.py
index 19dabbe73a80..418adbe65967 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform.py
@@ -123,6 +123,18 @@ def compute_all(self):
     for transform_id in self._transforms_by_uuid.keys():
       self.compute_outputs(transform_id)
 
+  def get_input(self, inputs, transform_label, key):
+    if isinstance(inputs, str):
+      return self.get_pcollection(inputs)
+    else:
+      pipeline = (
+          self.root
+          if isinstance(self.root, beam.Pipeline) else self.root.pipeline)
+      label = f'{transform_label}-FlattenInputs[{key}]'
+      return (
+          tuple(self.get_pcollection(x) for x in inputs)
+          | label >> beam.Flatten(pipeline=pipeline))
+
   def get_pcollection(self, name):
     if name in self._inputs:
       return self._inputs[name]
@@ -250,29 +262,34 @@ def expand_transform(spec, scope):
 
 
 def expand_leaf_transform(spec, scope):
+  _LOGGER.info("Expanding %s ", identify_object(spec))
   spec = normalize_inputs_outputs(spec)
-  inputs_dict = {
-      key: scope.get_pcollection(value)
-      for (key, value) in spec['input'].items()
-  }
-  input_type = spec.get('input_type', 'default')
-  if input_type == 'list':
-    inputs = tuple(inputs_dict.values())
-  elif input_type == 'map':
-    inputs = inputs_dict
+  ptransform = scope.create_ptransform(spec)
+  transform_label = scope.unique_name(spec, ptransform)
+
+  if spec['type'] == 'Flatten':
+    # Avoid flattening before the flatten, just to make a nicer graph.
+    inputs = tuple(
+        scope.get_pcollection(input) for (key, value) in spec['input'].items()
+        for input in ([value] if isinstance(value, str) else value))
+
   else:
+    inputs_dict = {
+        key: scope.get_input(value, transform_label, key)
+        for (key, value) in spec['input'].items()
+    }
+
     if len(inputs_dict) == 0:
       inputs = scope.root
     elif len(inputs_dict) == 1:
       inputs = next(iter(inputs_dict.values()))
     else:
       inputs = inputs_dict
-  _LOGGER.info("Expanding %s ", identify_object(spec))
-  ptransform = scope.create_ptransform(spec)
+
   try:
     # TODO: Move validation to construction?
     with FullyQualifiedNamedTransform.with_filter('*'):
-      outputs = inputs | scope.unique_name(spec, ptransform) >> ptransform
+      outputs = inputs | transform_label >> ptransform
   except Exception as exn:
     raise ValueError(
         f"Error apply transform {identify_object(spec)}: {exn}") from exn
@@ -291,12 +308,15 @@ def expand_leaf_transform(spec, scope):
 
 def expand_composite_transform(spec, scope):
   spec = normalize_inputs_outputs(normalize_source_sink(spec))
+  if 'name' not in spec:
+    spec['name'] = 'Composite'
+  transform_label = scope.unique_name(spec, None)
 
   inner_scope = Scope(
-      scope.root, {
-          key: scope.get_pcollection(value)
-          for key,
-          value in spec['input'].items()
+      scope.root,
+      {
+          key: scope.get_input(value, transform_label, key)
+          for (key, value) in spec['input'].items()
       },
       spec['transforms'],
       yaml_provider.merge_providers(
@@ -312,17 +332,14 @@ def expand(inputs):
           for (key, value) in spec['output'].items()
       }
 
-  if 'name' not in spec:
-    spec['name'] = 'Composite'
   if spec['name'] is None:  # top-level pipeline, don't nest
     return CompositePTransform.expand(None)
   else:
     _LOGGER.info("Expanding %s ", identify_object(spec))
     return ({
-        key: scope.get_pcollection(value)
-        for key,
-        value in spec['input'].items()
-    } or scope.root) | scope.unique_name(spec, None) >> CompositePTransform()
+        key: scope.get_input(value, transform_label, key)
+        for (key, value) in spec['input'].items()
+    } or scope.root) | transform_label >> CompositePTransform()
 
 
 def expand_chain_transform(spec, scope):
@@ -395,10 +412,8 @@ def normalize_inputs_outputs(spec):
 
   def normalize_io(tag):
     io = spec.get(tag, {})
-    if isinstance(io, str):
+    if isinstance(io, (str, list)):
       return {tag: io}
-    elif isinstance(io, list):
-      return {f'{tag}{ix}': value for ix, value in enumerate(io)}
     else:
       return SafeLineLoader.strip_metadata(io, tagged_str=False)
 
diff --git a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform_test.py b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform_test.py
index 926d570fa250..052d89280d40 100644
--- a/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform_test.py
+++ b/sdks/python/apache_beam/yaml/yaml_transform_test.py
@@ -105,6 +105,26 @@ def test_chain_with_root(self):
           ''')
       assert_that(result, equal_to([41, 43, 47, 53, 61, 71, 83, 97, 113, 131]))
 
+  def test_implicit_flatten(self):
+    with beam.Pipeline(options=beam.options.pipeline_options.PipelineOptions(
+        pickle_library='cloudpickle')) as p:
+      result = p | YamlTransform(
+          '''
+          type: composite
+          transforms:
+            - type: Create
+              name: CreateSmall
+              elements: [1, 2, 3]
+            - type: Create
+              name: CreateBig
+              elements: [100, 200]
+            - type: PyMap
+              input: [CreateBig, CreateSmall]
+              fn: "lambda x: x * x"
+          output: PyMap
+          ''')
+      assert_that(result, equal_to([1, 4, 9, 10000, 40000]))
+
   def test_csv_to_json(self):
     try:
       import pandas as pd