diff --git a/rclpy/rclpy/parameter.py b/rclpy/rclpy/parameter.py
index 1fd7dab76..4b81ff2a8 100644
--- a/rclpy/rclpy/parameter.py
+++ b/rclpy/rclpy/parameter.py
@@ -423,6 +423,27 @@ def parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(
                             raise RuntimeError('YAML file is not a valid ROS parameter '
                                                f'file for namespace {ns} node {node_basename}')
                         param_dict.update(value['ros__parameters'])
+        else:
+            # Except the wildcard key, add all other keys
+            for k, v in param_file.items():
+                if k == '/**' or k == '/*':
+                    continue
+                if isinstance(v, dict):
+                    # k is node_name or /node_name or /namespace/node_name
+                    if 'ros__parameters' in v:
+                        param_dict.update(v['ros__parameters'])
+                        continue
+                    # k is namespace
+                    for node_name, node_value in v.items():
+                        if isinstance(node_value, dict) and 'ros__parameters' in node_value:
+                            param_dict.update(node_value['ros__parameters'])
+                        else:
+                            raise RuntimeError(
+                                f'YAML file is not a valid ROS parameter file for node'
+                                f'{k}/{node_name}')
+                else:
+                    raise RuntimeError(
+                        f'YAML file is not a valid ROS parameter file for node {k}')
 
         if not param_dict:
             raise RuntimeError('Param file does not contain any valid parameters')
diff --git a/rclpy/test/test_parameter.py b/rclpy/test/test_parameter.py
index c0101c9d6..c75f41db0 100644
--- a/rclpy/test/test_parameter.py
+++ b/rclpy/test/test_parameter.py
@@ -268,25 +268,52 @@ def test_parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(self) -> None:
                     base-nodename: true
             /foo/param_test_target:
                 ros__parameters:
-                    abs-ns-nodename: true
+                    abs-foo-ns-nodename: true
             /foo:
                 param_test_target:
                     ros__parameters:
-                        abs-ns-base-nodename: true
+                        abs-foo-ns-base-nodename: true
             /bar/param_test_target:
                 ros__parameters:
-                    abs-ns-nodename: false
+                    abs-bar-ns-nodename: false
             /bar:
                 param_test_target:
                     ros__parameters:
-                        abs-ns-base-nodename: false
+                        abs-bar-ns-base-nodename: false
             /**:
                 ros__parameters:
                     wildcard: true
             """
+        # target nodes arn't specified with wildcard disabled
+        expected_no_target_node_no_wildcard = {
+            'abs-bar-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-bar-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, False).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-bar-ns-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-bar-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, False).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+        }
 
-        # target nodes is specified, so it should only parse wildcard
-        expected_no_target_node = {
+        # target nodes aren't specified with wildcard enabled
+        expected_no_target_node_wildcard = {
+            'abs-bar-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-bar-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, False).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-bar-ns-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-bar-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, False).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
             'wildcard': Parameter('wildcard', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
         }
         # target nodes is specified with wildcard enabled
@@ -308,10 +335,10 @@ def test_parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(self) -> None:
         # target nodes is specified with wildcard and namespace
         expected_target_node_ns = {
             'wildcard': Parameter('wildcard', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
-            'abs-ns-nodename': Parameter(
-                'abs-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
-            'abs-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
-                'abs-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
+            'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename': Parameter(
+                'abs-foo-ns-base-nodename', Parameter.Type.BOOL, True).to_parameter_msg(),
         }
 
         try:
@@ -319,11 +346,13 @@ def test_parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(self) -> None:
                 f.write(yaml_string)
                 f.flush()
                 f.close()
+                parameter_dict = parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(f.name, False)
+                assert parameter_dict == expected_no_target_node_no_wildcard
                 parameter_dict = parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(f.name, True)
-                assert parameter_dict == expected_no_target_node
+                assert parameter_dict == expected_no_target_node_wildcard
                 parameter_dict = parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(
-                    f.name, True, target_nodes=[''])
-                assert parameter_dict == expected_no_target_node
+                    f.name, True, target_nodes=[])
+                assert parameter_dict == expected_no_target_node_wildcard
                 parameter_dict = parameter_dict_from_yaml_file(
                     f.name, True, target_nodes=['param_test_target'])
                 assert parameter_dict == expected_target_node_wildcard