diff --git a/dandi/dandiset.py b/dandi/dandiset.py
index 97a33a563..c6c5a5e1d 100644
--- a/dandi/dandiset.py
+++ b/dandi/dandiset.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from .consts import dandiset_metadata_file
-from .utils import find_parent_directory_containing
+from .utils import find_parent_directory_containing, yaml_dump
 
 from . import get_logger
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def get_dandiset_record(cls, meta):
 # It can be edied online and obtained from the dandiarchive.
 # It also gets updated using dandi organize
 """
-        yaml_rec = yaml.dump(meta)
+        yaml_rec = yaml_dump(meta)
         return header + yaml_rec
 
     def update_metadata(self, meta):
diff --git a/dandi/download.py b/dandi/download.py
index 0771a344a..396c09f77 100644
--- a/dandi/download.py
+++ b/dandi/download.py
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ def download(
             dandiset_path = op.join(output_dir, e["path"])
             dandiset_yaml = op.join(dandiset_path, dandiset_metadata_file)
             lgr.info(
-                f"Updating f{dandiset_metadata_file} from obtained dandiset metadata"
+                f"Updating {dandiset_metadata_file} from obtained dandiset metadata"
             )
             if op.lexists(dandiset_yaml):
                 if existing != "overwrite":
diff --git a/dandi/utils.py b/dandi/utils.py
index a437d3adf..ba2a72781 100644
--- a/dandi/utils.py
+++ b/dandi/utils.py
@@ -333,6 +333,20 @@ def find_parent_directory_containing(filename, path=None):
         path = path.parent  # go up
 
 
+def yaml_dump(rec):
+    """Consistent dump into yaml
+
+    Of primary importance is default_flow_style=False
+    to assure proper formatting on versions of pyyaml before
+    5.1: https://github.com/yaml/pyyaml/pull/256
+    """
+    import yaml
+    return yaml.safe_dump(
+        rec,
+        default_flow_style=False
+    )
+
+
 #
 # Borrowed from DataLad (MIT license)
 #