diff --git a/test/yaml-parser.cpp b/test/yaml-parser.cpp
index 8c5826f4885b..0bbda3af8ea9 100644
--- a/test/yaml-parser.cpp
+++ b/test/yaml-parser.cpp
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <libcamera/base/file.h>
-#include <libcamera/base/utils.h>
 
 #include <libcamera/geometry.h>
 
@@ -24,24 +23,12 @@ using namespace libcamera;
 using namespace std;
 
 static const string testYaml =
-	"string: libcamera\n"
-	"double: 3.14159\n"
-	"int8_t: -100\n"
-	"uint8_t: 100\n"
-	"int16_t: -1000\n"
-	"uint16_t: 1000\n"
-	"int32_t: -100000\n"
-	"uint32_t: 100000\n"
-	"size: [1920, 1080]\n"
+	"empty:\n"
+	"value: 42\n"
 	"list:\n"
-	"  - James\n"
-	"  - Mary\n"
+	"  - libcamera\n"
+	"  - linux\n"
 	"  - \n"
-	"dictionary:\n"
-	"  a: 1\n"
-	"  c: 3\n"
-	"  b: 2\n"
-	"  empty:\n"
 	"level1:\n"
 	"  level2:\n"
 	"    - [1, 2]\n"
@@ -80,212 +67,9 @@ protected:
 		return TestPass;
 	}
 
-	enum class Type {
-		String,
-		Int8,
-		UInt8,
-		Int16,
-		UInt16,
-		Int32,
-		UInt32,
-		Double,
-		Size,
-		List,
-		Dictionary,
-	};
-
-	int testObjectType(const ValueNode &obj, const char *name, Type type)
-	{
-		bool isList = type == Type::List || type == Type::Size;
-		bool isScalar = !isList && type != Type::Dictionary;
-		bool isInteger8 = type == Type::Int8 || type == Type::UInt8;
-		bool isInteger16 = type == Type::Int16 || type == Type::UInt16;
-		bool isInteger32 = type == Type::Int32 || type == Type::UInt32;
-		bool isIntegerUpTo16 = isInteger8 || isInteger16;
-		bool isIntegerUpTo32 = isIntegerUpTo16 || isInteger32;
-		bool isSigned = type == Type::Int8 || type == Type::Int16 ||
-			        type == Type::Int32;
-
-		if ((isScalar && !obj.isValue()) || (!isScalar && obj.isValue())) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " type mismatch when compared to "
-				<< "value" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if ((isList && !obj.isList()) || (!isList && obj.isList())) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " type mismatch when compared to "
-				<< "list" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if ((type == Type::Dictionary && !obj.isDictionary()) ||
-		    (type != Type::Dictionary && obj.isDictionary())) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " type mismatch when compared to "
-				<< "dictionary" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isScalar && obj.get<std::string>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "string" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isInteger8 && obj.get<int8_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "int8_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if ((!isInteger8 || isSigned) && obj.get<uint8_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "uint8_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isIntegerUpTo16 && obj.get<int16_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "int16_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if ((!isIntegerUpTo16 || isSigned) && obj.get<uint16_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "uint16_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isIntegerUpTo32 && obj.get<int32_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "int32_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if ((!isIntegerUpTo32 || isSigned) && obj.get<uint32_t>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "uint32_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isIntegerUpTo32 && type != Type::Double && obj.get<double>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "double" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (type != Type::Size && obj.get<Size>()) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " didn't fail to parse as "
-				<< "Size" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		return TestPass;
-	}
-
-	int testIntegerObject(const ValueNode &obj, const char *name, Type type,
-			      int64_t value)
-	{
-		uint64_t unsignedValue = static_cast<uint64_t>(value);
-		std::string strValue = std::to_string(value);
-		bool isInteger8 = type == Type::Int8 || type == Type::UInt8;
-		bool isInteger16 = type == Type::Int16 || type == Type::UInt16;
-		bool isSigned = type == Type::Int8 || type == Type::Int16 ||
-				type == Type::Int32;
-
-		/* All integers can be parsed as strings or double. */
-
-		if (obj.get<string>().value_or("") != strValue ||
-		    obj.get<string>("") != strValue) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-				<< "string" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (obj.get<double>().value_or(0.0) != value ||
-		    obj.get<double>(0.0) != value) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-				<< "double" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (isInteger8) {
-			if (obj.get<int8_t>().value_or(0) != value ||
-			    obj.get<int8_t>(0) != value) {
-				std::cerr
-					<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-					<< "int8_t" << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (isInteger8 && !isSigned) {
-			if (obj.get<uint8_t>().value_or(0) != unsignedValue ||
-			    obj.get<uint8_t>(0) != unsignedValue) {
-				std::cerr
-					<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-					<< "uint8_t" << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (isInteger8 || isInteger16) {
-			if (obj.get<int16_t>().value_or(0) != value ||
-			    obj.get<int16_t>(0) != value) {
-				std::cerr
-					<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-					<< "int16_t" << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if ((isInteger8 || isInteger16) && !isSigned) {
-			if (obj.get<uint16_t>().value_or(0) != unsignedValue ||
-			    obj.get<uint16_t>(0) != unsignedValue) {
-				std::cerr
-					<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-					<< "uint16_t" << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if (obj.get<int32_t>().value_or(0) != value ||
-		    obj.get<int32_t>(0) != value) {
-			std::cerr
-				<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-				<< "int32_t" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		if (!isSigned) {
-			if (obj.get<uint32_t>().value_or(0) != unsignedValue ||
-			    obj.get<uint32_t>(0) != unsignedValue) {
-				std::cerr
-					<< "Object " << name << " failed to parse as "
-					<< "uint32_t" << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-		}
-
-		return TestPass;
-	}
-
 	int run()
 	{
-		/* Test invalid YAML file */
+		/* Test parsing invalid YAML file. */
 		File file{ invalidYamlFile_ };
 		if (!file.open(File::OpenModeFlag::ReadOnly)) {
 			cerr << "Fail to open invalid YAML file" << std::endl;
@@ -298,7 +82,7 @@ protected:
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		/* Test YAML file */
+		/* Test parsing valid YAML file. */
 		file.close();
 		file.setFileName(testYamlFile_);
 		if (!file.open(File::OpenModeFlag::ReadOnly)) {
@@ -313,130 +97,66 @@ protected:
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
+		/* Test that the root dictionary node has been parsed correctly. */
 		if (!root->isDictionary()) {
-			cerr << "YAML root is not dictionary" << std::endl;
+			cerr << "Dictionary node has wrong type" << std::endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		std::vector<const char *> rootElemNames = {
-			"string", "double", "int8_t", "uint8_t", "int16_t",
-			"uint16_t", "int32_t", "uint32_t", "size", "list",
-			"dictionary", "level1",
-		};
+		using NodeFunc = bool (ValueNode::*)() const;
 
-		for (const char *name : rootElemNames) {
-			if (!root->contains(name)) {
-				cerr << "Missing " << name << " object in YAML root"
-				     << std::endl;
+		std::map<std::string, NodeFunc> topLevelNodes = { {
+			{ "empty", &ValueNode::isValue },
+			{ "value", &ValueNode::isValue },
+			{ "list", &ValueNode::isList },
+			{ "level1", &ValueNode::isDictionary },
+		} };
+
+		if (root->size() != topLevelNodes.size()) {
+			std::cerr << "Dictionary node has wrong size" << std::endl;
+			return TestFail;
+		}
+
+		for (const auto &[key, value] : root->asDict()) {
+			const auto iter = topLevelNodes.find(key);
+			if (iter == topLevelNodes.end()) {
+				std::cerr << "Dictionary key '" << key << "' unknown"
+					  << std::endl;
 				return TestFail;
 			}
+
+			const auto &func = iter->second;
+			if (!(value.*func)()) {
+				std::cerr << "Node '" << key << "' has wrong type"
+					  << std::endl;
+				return TestFail;
+			}
+
+			topLevelNodes.erase(iter);
 		}
 
-		/* Test string object */
-		auto &strObj = (*root)["string"];
+		/* Test empty node. */
+		auto &emptyNode = (*root)["empty"];
 
-		if (testObjectType(strObj, "string", Type::String) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (strObj.get<string>().value_or("") != "libcamera" ||
-		    strObj.get<string>("") != "libcamera") {
-			cerr << "String object parse as wrong content" << std::endl;
+		if (emptyNode.get<string>("-") != "") {
+			std::cerr << "Empty node has incorrect content" << std::endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		/* Test int8_t object */
-		auto &int8Obj = (*root)["int8_t"];
+		/* Test value node. */
+		auto &valueNode = (*root)["value"];
 
-		if (testObjectType(int8Obj, "int8_t", Type::Int8) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(int8Obj, "int8_t", Type::Int8, -100) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test uint8_t object */
-		auto &uint8Obj = (*root)["uint8_t"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(uint8Obj, "uint8_t", Type::UInt8) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(uint8Obj, "uint8_t", Type::UInt8, 100) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test int16_t object */
-		auto &int16Obj = (*root)["int16_t"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(int16Obj, "int16_t", Type::Int16) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(int16Obj, "int16_t", Type::Int16, -1000) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test uint16_t object */
-		auto &uint16Obj = (*root)["uint16_t"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(uint16Obj, "uint16_t", Type::UInt16) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(uint16Obj, "uint16_t", Type::UInt16, 1000) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test int32_t object */
-		auto &int32Obj = (*root)["int32_t"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(int32Obj, "int32_t", Type::Int32) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(int32Obj, "int32_t", Type::Int32, -100000) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test uint32_t object */
-		auto &uint32Obj = (*root)["uint32_t"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(uint32Obj, "uint32_t", Type::UInt32) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (testIntegerObject(uint32Obj, "uint32_t", Type::UInt32, 100000) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		/* Test double value */
-		auto &doubleObj = (*root)["double"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(doubleObj, "double", Type::Double) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (doubleObj.get<string>().value_or("") != "3.14159" ||
-		    doubleObj.get<string>("") != "3.14159") {
-			cerr << "Double object fail to parse as string" << std::endl;
+		if (valueNode.get<string>("") != "42") {
+			std::cerr << "Value node has incorrect content" << std::endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		if (doubleObj.get<double>().value_or(0.0) != 3.14159 ||
-		    doubleObj.get<double>(0.0) != 3.14159) {
-			cerr << "Double object parse as wrong value" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test Size value */
-		auto &sizeObj = (*root)["size"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(sizeObj, "size", Type::Size) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		if (sizeObj.get<Size>().value_or(Size(0, 0)) != Size(1920, 1080) ||
-		    sizeObj.get<Size>(Size(0, 0)) != Size(1920, 1080)) {
-			cerr << "Size object parse as wrong value" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test list object */
+		/* Test list node. */
 		auto &listObj = (*root)["list"];
 
-		if (testObjectType(listObj, "list", Type::List) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
 		static constexpr std::array<const char *, 3> listValues{
-			"James",
-			"Mary",
+			"libcamera",
+			"linux",
 			"",
 		};
 
@@ -470,102 +190,13 @@ protected:
 			i++;
 		}
 
-		/* Ensure that empty objects get parsed as empty strings. */
+		/* Ensure that empty list elements get parsed as empty strings. */
 		if (!listObj[2].isValue()) {
-			cerr << "Empty object is not a value" << std::endl;
+			cerr << "Empty list element is not a value" << std::endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		/* Test dictionary object */
-		auto &dictObj = (*root)["dictionary"];
-
-		if (testObjectType(dictObj, "dictionary", Type::Dictionary) != TestPass)
-			return TestFail;
-
-		static constexpr std::array<std::pair<const char *, int>, 4> dictValues{ {
-			{ "a", 1 },
-			{ "c", 3 },
-			{ "b", 2 },
-			{ "empty", -100 },
-		} };
-
-		size_t dictSize = dictValues.size();
-
-		if (dictObj.size() != dictSize) {
-			cerr << "Dictionary object has wrong size" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		i = 0;
-		for (const auto &[key, elem] : dictObj.asDict()) {
-			if (i >= dictSize) {
-				std::cerr << "Too many elements in dictionary during iteration"
-					  << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-
-			const auto &item = dictValues[i];
-			if (item.first != key) {
-				std::cerr << "Dictionary key " << i << " has wrong value"
-					  << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-
-			if (&elem != &dictObj[key]) {
-				std::cerr << "Dictionary element " << i << " has wrong address"
-					  << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-
-			if (elem.get<int32_t>(-100) != item.second) {
-				std::cerr << "Dictionary element " << i << " has wrong value"
-					  << std::endl;
-				return TestFail;
-			}
-
-			i++;
-		}
-
-		/* Ensure that empty objects get parsed as empty strings. */
-		if (!dictObj["empty"].isValue()) {
-			cerr << "Empty object is not of type value" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Ensure that keys without values are added to a dict. */
-		if (!dictObj.contains("empty")) {
-			cerr << "Empty element is missing in dict" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test access to nonexistent member. */
-		if (dictObj["nonexistent"].get<std::string>("default") != "default") {
-			cerr << "Accessing nonexistent dict entry fails to return default" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test nonexistent object has value type empty. */
-		if (!dictObj["nonexistent"].isEmpty()) {
-			cerr << "Accessing nonexistent object returns non-empty object" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test explicit cast to bool on an empty object returns true. */
-		if (!!dictObj["empty"] != true) {
-			cerr << "Casting empty entry to bool returns false" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Test explicit cast to bool on nonexistent object returns false. */
-		if (!!dictObj["nonexistent"] != false) {
-			cerr << "Casting nonexistent dict entry to bool returns true" << std::endl;
-			return TestFail;
-		}
-
-		/* Make sure utils::map_keys() works on the adapter. */
-		(void)utils::map_keys(dictObj.asDict());
-
-		/* Test leveled objects */
+		/* Test nested nodes. */
 		auto &level1Obj = (*root)["level1"];
 
 		if (!level1Obj.isDictionary()) {
@@ -576,7 +207,7 @@ protected:
 		auto &level2Obj = level1Obj["level2"];
 
 		if (!level2Obj.isList() || level2Obj.size() != 2) {
-			cerr << "level2 object should be 2 element list" << std::endl;
+			cerr << "level2 object should be a 2 elements list" << std::endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
