diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/interface.py b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/interface.py
index f4c65c13dd0c..0572b8b57960 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/interface.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/interface.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 class AssertionDict(TypedDict):
     tag: str
     attributes: Dict[str, Any]
-    children: Optional[List[Dict[str, Any]]]
+    children: "AssertionList"
 
 
 AssertionList = Optional[List[AssertionDict]]
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/yaml.py b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/yaml.py
index c39599849744..3270b49dead3 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/yaml.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/parser/yaml.py
@@ -287,10 +287,11 @@ def expand_dict_form(item):
                 new_assertion["that"] = assertion_key
                 new_assertion.update(assertion_value)
             assertion = new_assertion
-        children = []
-        if "children" in assertion:
-            children = assertion["children"]
-            del assertion["children"]
+        children = assertion.pop("asserts", assertion.pop("children", []))
+        # if there are no nested assertions then children should be []
+        # but to_test_assert_list would return None
+        if children:
+            children = to_test_assert_list(children)
         assert_dict: AssertionDict = dict(
             tag=assertion["that"],
             attributes=assertion,
diff --git a/test/unit/tool_util/test_test_parsing.py b/test/unit/tool_util/test_test_parsing.py
index c489d9658cae..ca6765d598cd 100644
--- a/test/unit/tool_util/test_test_parsing.py
+++ b/test/unit/tool_util/test_test_parsing.py
@@ -38,3 +38,26 @@ def test_simple_assert_to_test_assert_list():
 
 def test_assert_legacy_same_as_new_list_style():
     assert to_test_assert_list(ASSERT_THAT_LIST) == to_test_assert_list(ASSERT_THAT_LIST)
+
+
+NESTED_ASSERT_LIST = yaml.safe_load(
+    """
+- has_archive_member:
+    path: ".*"
+    asserts:
+      - has_text:
+          text: "a text"
+      - has_text:
+          text: "another text"
+"""
+)
+
+
+def test_nested_asserts():
+    asserts = to_test_assert_list(NESTED_ASSERT_LIST)
+    assert asserts and len(asserts) == 1
+    assert asserts and asserts[0]["children"] and len(asserts[0]["children"]) == 2
+    assert asserts and asserts[0]["children"] and asserts[0]["children"][0]["tag"] == "has_text"
+    assert asserts and asserts[0]["children"] and asserts[0]["children"][0]["attributes"]["text"] == "a text"
+    assert asserts and asserts[0]["children"] and asserts[0]["children"][1]["tag"] == "has_text"
+    assert asserts and asserts[0]["children"] and asserts[0]["children"][1]["attributes"]["text"] == "another text"