diff --git a/launch_testing/package.xml b/launch_testing/package.xml
index bb071f2e6..c95faf1f9 100644
--- a/launch_testing/package.xml
+++ b/launch_testing/package.xml
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 
   <exec_depend>ament_index_python</exec_depend>
   <exec_depend>launch</exec_depend>
+  <!-- explicitly depend on the main launch frontends -->
+  <exec_depend>launch_xml</depend>
+  <exec_depend>launch_yaml</depend>
   <exec_depend>osrf_pycommon</exec_depend>
 
   <test_depend>ament_copyright</test_depend>