diff --git a/mesonbuild/_typing.py b/mesonbuild/_typing.py
index a01be33de..31a6e18b6 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/_typing.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/_typing.py
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ T = typing.TypeVar('T')
 class StringProtocol(Protocol):
     def __str__(self) -> str: ...
 
+class SizedStringProtocol(Protocol, StringProtocol, typing.Sized):
+    pass
+
 class ImmutableListProtocol(Protocol[T]):
 
     """A protocol used in cases where a list is returned, but should not be
diff --git a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
index 45aec758e..870d164a7 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/dependencies/base.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class Dependency(HoldableObject):
             return mlog.red('NO')
         if not self.version:
             return mlog.green('YES')
-        return mlog.AnsiText([mlog.green('YES'), ' ', mlog.cyan(self.version)])
+        return mlog.AnsiText(mlog.green('YES'), ' ', mlog.cyan(self.version))
 
     def get_compile_args(self) -> T.List[str]:
         if self.include_type == 'system':
diff --git a/mesonbuild/mlog.py b/mesonbuild/mlog.py
index 314e1b7d9..06d8a0b49 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mlog.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mlog.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from contextlib import contextmanager
 from pathlib import Path
 
 if T.TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from ._typing import StringProtocol
+    from ._typing import StringProtocol, SizedStringProtocol
 
 """This is (mostly) a standalone module used to write logging
 information about Meson runs. Some output goes to screen,
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ TV_Loggable = T.Union[str, AnsiDecorator, 'StringProtocol']
 TV_LoggableList = T.List[TV_Loggable]
 
 class AnsiText:
-    def __init__(self, *args: TV_LoggableList):
+    def __init__(self, *args: 'SizedStringProtocol'):
         self.args = args
 
     def __len__(self) -> int: