diff --git a/meta/lib/oe/spdx_common.py b/meta/lib/oe/spdx_common.py
index 72c24180d5..3aaf2a9c8b 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oe/spdx_common.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oe/spdx_common.py
@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@ def collect_direct_deps(d, dep_task):
 
     taskdepdata = d.getVar("BB_TASKDEPDATA", False)
 
+    # Check that the task is listed one of the task dependency flags of the
+    # current task
+    depflags = (
+        set((d.getVarFlag(current_task, "deptask") or "").split())
+        | set((d.getVarFlag(current_task, "rdeptask") or "").split())
+        | set((d.getVarFlag(current_task, "recrdeptask") or "").split())
+    )
+
+    if not dep_task in depflags:
+        bb.fatal(f"Task {dep_task} was not found in any dependency flag of {pn}:{current_task}")
+
     for this_dep in taskdepdata.values():
         if this_dep[0] == pn and this_dep[1] == current_task:
             break