diff --git a/bindep.txt b/bindep.txt
index e7e2a01c2..ffff91348 100644
--- a/bindep.txt
+++ b/bindep.txt
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ libffi6 [platform:dpkg !platform:ubuntu-focal !platform:ubuntu-jammy !platform:d
 libffi-devel [compile test platform:rpm]
 libressl-dev [compile test platform:apk]
 libssl-dev [compile test platform:dpkg]
+libyaml-0-2 [platform:dpkg platform:suse]
+libyaml [platform:redhat]
+libyaml-dev [platform:dpkg compile test]
+libyaml-devel [platform:rpm compile test]
 linux-headers [compile test platform:apk]
 make [compile test platform:apk platform:dpkg]
 musl-dev [compile test platform:apk]
diff --git a/nodepool/config.py b/nodepool/config.py
index 3d6ccafe5..c72290058 100644
--- a/nodepool/config.py
+++ b/nodepool/config.py
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ import yaml
 from nodepool.driver import ConfigValue
 from nodepool.driver import Drivers
 
+try:
+    from yaml import CSafeLoader as SafeLoader
+except ImportError:
+    from yaml import SafeLoader
+
 
 class ZooKeeperConnectionConfig(object):
     '''
@@ -407,7 +412,8 @@ def openConfig(path, env):
     while True:
         try:
             with open(path) as f:
-                return yaml.safe_load(substitute_env_vars(f.read(), env))
+                return yaml.load(
+                    substitute_env_vars(f.read(), env), SafeLoader)
         except IOError as e:
             if e.errno == 2:
                 retry = retry - 1