diff --git a/src/jinjaturtle/erb.py b/src/jinjaturtle/erb.py
index 8e16694..2c5788e 100644
--- a/src/jinjaturtle/erb.py
+++ b/src/jinjaturtle/erb.py
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ class ErbTranslator:
         return self.ruby_value(expr)
 
     def statement_to_erb(self, stmt: str) -> str:
+        if stmt.endswith("-"):
+            stmt = stmt[:-1].rstrip()
+
         if stmt.startswith("for "):
             m = re.match(
                 r"^for\s+([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)\s+in\s+([A-Za-z_][A-Za-z0-9_]*)$",
@@ -172,7 +175,7 @@ class ErbTranslator:
         if stmt == "endfor":
             if self.loop_stack:
                 self.loop_stack.pop()
-            return "<% end -%>"
+            return "<% end %>"
 
         if stmt.startswith("if "):
             cond = stmt[3:].strip()
diff --git a/src/jinjaturtle/handlers/yaml.py b/src/jinjaturtle/handlers/yaml.py
index f402600..19013f8 100644
--- a/src/jinjaturtle/handlers/yaml.py
+++ b/src/jinjaturtle/handlers/yaml.py
@@ -246,8 +246,18 @@ class YamlHandler(DictLikeHandler):
                     return None, None
             return None, None
 
+        def next_significant_line(index: int) -> tuple[int, str] | None:
+            for future_line in lines[index + 1 :]:
+                future_stripped = future_line.lstrip()
+                if not future_stripped.strip() or future_stripped.startswith("#"):
+                    continue
+                return len(future_line) - len(future_stripped), future_stripped
+            return None
+
         for line_index, raw_line in enumerate(lines):
             stripped = raw_line.lstrip()
+            is_blank = not stripped.strip()
+            is_comment = stripped.startswith("#")
             indent = len(raw_line) - len(stripped)
 
             # If we're skipping lines inside a collection replaced by a loop,
@@ -261,7 +271,22 @@ class YamlHandler(DictLikeHandler):
             # Stop only when a non-list item at the parent indentation appears,
             # or when indentation moves above the parent collection.
             if skip_until_indent is not None:
-                if not stripped or stripped.startswith("#"):
+                if is_blank:
+                    next_line = next_significant_line(line_index)
+                    if next_line is None:
+                        skip_until_indent = None
+                        out_lines.append(raw_line)
+                    else:
+                        next_indent, next_stripped = next_line
+                        still_in_collection = next_indent > skip_until_indent or (
+                            next_indent == skip_until_indent
+                            and next_stripped.startswith("- ")
+                        )
+                        if not still_in_collection:
+                            skip_until_indent = None
+                            out_lines.append(raw_line)
+                    continue
+                if is_comment:
                     if indent <= skip_until_indent:
                         skip_until_indent = None
                         out_lines.append(raw_line)
@@ -277,7 +302,7 @@ class YamlHandler(DictLikeHandler):
                     continue  # Skip this line
 
             # Blank or comment lines
-            if not stripped or stripped.startswith("#"):
+            if is_blank or is_comment:
                 out_lines.append(raw_line)
                 continue
 
@@ -490,7 +515,7 @@ class YamlHandler(DictLikeHandler):
             lines.append(j2.for_start(item_var, collection_var))
             lines.append(j2.for_end())
 
-        return "\n".join(lines) + "\n"
+        return "\n".join(lines)
 
     def _dict_to_yaml_lines(
         self,
diff --git a/src/jinjaturtle/j2.py b/src/jinjaturtle/j2.py
index 800de44..498a39e 100644
--- a/src/jinjaturtle/j2.py
+++ b/src/jinjaturtle/j2.py
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ def to_json(
     return filtered(value, f"to_json({', '.join(args)})")
 
 
-def statement(value: str) -> str:
+def statement(value: str, *, trim_right: bool = False) -> str:
     """Return a Jinja2 statement tag for an already-built statement body."""
+    if trim_right:
+        return f"{{% {value} -%}}"
     return f"{{% {value} %}}"
 
 
@@ -64,8 +66,8 @@ def for_start(item_var: str, collection_var: str) -> str:
     return statement(f"for {item_var} in {collection_var}")
 
 
-def for_end() -> str:
-    return statement("endfor")
+def for_end(*, trim_right: bool = False) -> str:
+    return statement("endfor", trim_right=trim_right)
 
 
 def yaml_scalar_expression(var_name: str, raw_value: str | None = None) -> str:
diff --git a/tests/test_yaml_handler.py b/tests/test_yaml_handler.py
index 4ccd77b..5c70e27 100644
--- a/tests/test_yaml_handler.py
+++ b/tests/test_yaml_handler.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from jinjaturtle.core import (
     analyze_loops,
     flatten_config,
     generate_ansible_yaml,
+    generate_erb_template,
     generate_jinja2_template,
 )
 from jinjaturtle.handlers.yaml import YamlHandler
@@ -169,6 +170,52 @@ def test_yaml_indentless_sequence_loop_roundtrips_semantically(tmp_path: Path):
     assert "  vagrant:" not in template
 
 
+def test_yaml_loop_preserves_blank_separator_after_list(tmp_path: Path):
+    from jinja2 import Template
+
+    cases = [
+        (
+            "blank",
+            "require:\n  - rubocop-performance\n  - rubocop-rspec\n\nAllCops:\n  NewCops: enable\n",
+            "\n  - rubocop-rspec\n\nAllCops:",
+            "<% end %>\nAllCops:",
+        ),
+        (
+            "no_blank",
+            "require:\n  - rubocop-performance\n  - rubocop-rspec\nAllCops:\n  NewCops: enable\n",
+            "\n  - rubocop-rspec\nAllCops:",
+            "<% end %>AllCops:",
+        ),
+    ]
+
+    for label, text, rendered_expected, erb_expected in cases:
+        path = tmp_path / f"{label}.yml"
+        path.write_text(text, encoding="utf-8")
+
+        fmt, parsed = parse_config(path)
+        loop_candidates = analyze_loops(fmt, parsed)
+        flat_items = flatten_config(fmt, parsed, loop_candidates)
+        defaults = yaml.safe_load(
+            generate_ansible_yaml("role", flat_items, loop_candidates)
+        )
+
+        template = generate_jinja2_template(
+            fmt, parsed, "role", original_text=text, loop_candidates=loop_candidates
+        )
+        rendered = Template(template).render(**defaults)
+        assert rendered_expected in rendered
+
+        erb_template = generate_erb_template(
+            fmt,
+            parsed,
+            "role",
+            original_text=text,
+            loop_candidates=loop_candidates,
+            flat_items=flat_items,
+        )
+        assert erb_expected in erb_template
+
+
 def test_yaml_loop_preserves_following_top_level_comments(tmp_path: Path):
     from jinja2 import Template