diff --git a/platformio/package/manifest/parser.py b/platformio/package/manifest/parser.py
index 35a00386..87d81f03 100644
--- a/platformio/package/manifest/parser.py
+++ b/platformio/package/manifest/parser.py
@@ -363,13 +363,15 @@ class LibraryJsonManifestParser(BaseManifestParser):
             return [dict(name=name, version=version) for name, version in raw.items()]
         if isinstance(raw, list):
             for i, dependency in enumerate(raw):
-                assert isinstance(dependency, dict)
-                for k, v in dependency.items():
-                    if k not in ("platforms", "frameworks", "authors"):
-                        continue
-                    if "*" in v:
-                        del raw[i][k]
-                    raw[i][k] = util.items_to_list(v)
+                if isinstance(dependency, dict):
+                    for k, v in dependency.items():
+                        if k not in ("platforms", "frameworks", "authors"):
+                            continue
+                        if "*" in v:
+                            del raw[i][k]
+                        raw[i][k] = util.items_to_list(v)
+                else:
+                    raw[i] = {"name": dependency}
             return raw
         raise ManifestParserError(
             "Invalid dependencies format, should be list or dictionary"
diff --git a/tests/package/test_manifest.py b/tests/package/test_manifest.py
index 22f9691d..80de5e75 100644
--- a/tests/package/test_manifest.py
+++ b/tests/package/test_manifest.py
@@ -112,6 +112,21 @@ def test_library_json_parser():
         },
     )
 
+    raw_data = parser.LibraryJsonManifestParser(
+        '{"dependencies": ["dep1", "dep2", "@owner/dep3"]}'
+    ).as_dict()
+    raw_data["dependencies"] = sorted(raw_data["dependencies"], key=lambda a: a["name"])
+    assert not jsondiff.diff(
+        raw_data,
+        {
+            "dependencies": [
+                {"name": "@owner/dep3"},
+                {"name": "dep1"},
+                {"name": "dep2"},
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+
     # broken dependencies
     with pytest.raises(parser.ManifestParserError):
         parser.LibraryJsonManifestParser({"dependencies": ["deps1", "deps2"]})