diff --git a/recipe/meta.json b/recipe/meta.json
index c37b5486b..faa658d13 100644
--- a/recipe/meta.json
+++ b/recipe/meta.json
@@ -33,5 +33,5 @@
       "pyyaml =6.0.*"
     ]
   },
-  "version": "2.4.1"
+  "version": "2.4.2"
 }
diff --git a/src/uwtools/api/config.py b/src/uwtools/api/config.py
index 2d402b1be..6cb54e6fd 100644
--- a/src/uwtools/api/config.py
+++ b/src/uwtools/api/config.py
@@ -125,10 +125,12 @@ def realize(
     """
     NB: This docstring is dynamically replaced: See realize.__doc__ definition below.
     """
+    if update_config is None and update_format is not None:  # i.e. updates will be read from stdin
+        update_config = _ensure_data_source(update_config, stdin_ok)
     return _realize(
         input_config=_ensure_data_source(_str2path(input_config), stdin_ok),
         input_format=input_format,
-        update_config=_ensure_data_source(_str2path(update_config), stdin_ok),
+        update_config=_str2path(update_config),
         update_format=update_format,
         output_file=_str2path(output_file),
         output_format=output_format,
diff --git a/src/uwtools/resources/info.json b/src/uwtools/resources/info.json
index 3fc5690e5..ecb08defa 100644
--- a/src/uwtools/resources/info.json
+++ b/src/uwtools/resources/info.json
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 {
-  "version": "2.4.1",
+  "version": "2.4.2",
   "buildnum": "0"
 }
diff --git a/src/uwtools/rocoto.py b/src/uwtools/rocoto.py
index a04cda373..5c29fdafe 100644
--- a/src/uwtools/rocoto.py
+++ b/src/uwtools/rocoto.py
@@ -218,6 +218,8 @@ def _add_task_dependency_child(self, e: _Element, config: dict, tag: str) -> Non
             self._add_task_dependency_datadep(e, config)
         elif tag == STR.taskdep:
             self._add_task_dependency_taskdep(e, config)
+        elif tag == STR.metataskdep:
+            self._add_task_dependency_metataskdep(e, config)
         elif tag == STR.taskvalid:
             self._add_task_dependency_taskvalid(e, config)
         elif tag == STR.timedep:
@@ -235,6 +237,15 @@ def _add_task_dependency_datadep(self, e: _Element, config: dict) -> None:
         e = self._add_compound_time_string(e, config[STR.value], STR.datadep)
         self._set_attrs(e, config)
 
+    def _add_task_dependency_metataskdep(self, e: _Element, config: dict) -> None:
+        """
+        Add a <metataskdep> element to the <dependency>.
+
+        :param e: The parent element to add the new element to.
+        :param config: Configuration data for this element.
+        """
+        self._set_attrs(SubElement(e, STR.metataskdep), config)
+
     def _add_task_dependency_sh(
         self, e: _Element, config: dict, name_attr: Optional[str] = None
     ) -> None:
@@ -437,6 +448,7 @@ class STR:
     log: str = "log"
     memory: str = "memory"
     metatask: str = "metatask"
+    metataskdep: str = "metataskdep"
     name: str = "name"
     nand: str = "nand"
     native: str = "native"
diff --git a/src/uwtools/tests/api/test_config.py b/src/uwtools/tests/api/test_config.py
index c2cd84e64..5506785c7 100644
--- a/src/uwtools/tests/api/test_config.py
+++ b/src/uwtools/tests/api/test_config.py
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 import yaml
-from pytest import mark
+from pytest import mark, raises
 
 from uwtools.api import config
 from uwtools.config.formats.yaml import YAMLConfig
-from uwtools.exceptions import UWConfigError
+from uwtools.exceptions import UWConfigError, UWError
 from uwtools.utils.file import FORMAT
 
 
@@ -92,6 +92,31 @@ def test_realize_to_dict():
     )
 
 
+def test_realize_update_config_from_stdin():
+    with raises(UWError) as e:
+        config.realize(input_config={}, output_file="output.yaml", update_format="yaml")
+    assert str(e.value) == "Set stdin_ok=True to permit read from stdin"
+
+
+def test_realize_update_config_none():
+    input_config = {"n": 88}
+    output_file = Path("output.yaml")
+    with patch.object(config, "_realize") as _realize:
+        config.realize(input_config=input_config, output_file=output_file)
+    _realize.assert_called_once_with(
+        input_config=input_config,
+        input_format=None,
+        update_config=None,
+        update_format=None,
+        output_file=output_file,
+        output_format=None,
+        key_path=None,
+        values_needed=False,
+        total=False,
+        dry_run=False,
+    )
+
+
 @mark.parametrize("cfg", [{"foo": "bar"}, YAMLConfig(config={})])
 def test_validate(cfg):
     kwargs: dict = {"schema_file": "schema-file", "config": cfg}
diff --git a/src/uwtools/tests/test_rocoto.py b/src/uwtools/tests/test_rocoto.py
index 66032dc64..2c8b3fb67 100644
--- a/src/uwtools/tests/test_rocoto.py
+++ b/src/uwtools/tests/test_rocoto.py
@@ -206,6 +206,15 @@ def test__add_task_dependency_fail_bad_operand(self, instance, root):
         with raises(UWConfigError):
             instance._add_task_dependency(e=root, config=config)
 
+    def test__add_task_dependency_metataskdep(self, instance, root):
+        config = {"metataskdep": {"attrs": {"metatask": "foo"}}}
+        instance._add_task_dependency(e=root, config=config)
+        dependency = root[0]
+        assert dependency.tag == "dependency"
+        child = dependency[0]
+        assert child.tag == "metataskdep"
+        assert child.get("metatask") == "foo"
+
     @mark.parametrize(
         "tag_config",
         [("and", {"strneq": {"attrs": {"left": "&RUN_GSI;", "right": "YES"}}})],