diff --git a/qiskit_ibm/api/clients/runtime.py b/qiskit_ibm/api/clients/runtime.py
index 4156c4999..3de726fac 100644
--- a/qiskit_ibm/api/clients/runtime.py
+++ b/qiskit_ibm/api/clients/runtime.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 """Client for accessing IBM Quantum runtime service."""
 
 import logging
-from typing import List, Dict, Union, Optional
+from typing import Any, List, Dict, Union, Optional
 
 from qiskit_ibm.credentials import Credentials
 from qiskit_ibm.api.session import RetrySession
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def __init__(
                                      **credentials.connection_parameters())
         self.api = Runtime(self._session)
 
-    def list_programs(self) -> List[Dict]:
+    def list_programs(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Return a list of runtime programs.
 
         Returns:
diff --git a/qiskit_ibm/api/rest/runtime.py b/qiskit_ibm/api/rest/runtime.py
index e8252ee0b..0904fa6ac 100644
--- a/qiskit_ibm/api/rest/runtime.py
+++ b/qiskit_ibm/api/rest/runtime.py
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def program_job(self, job_id: str) -> 'ProgramJob':
         """
         return ProgramJob(self.session, job_id)
 
-    def list_programs(self) -> List[Dict]:
+    def list_programs(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         """Return a list of runtime programs.
 
         Returns:
diff --git a/qiskit_ibm/runtime/ibm_runtime_service.py b/qiskit_ibm/runtime/ibm_runtime_service.py
index 5d10f1d0e..b32398419 100644
--- a/qiskit_ibm/runtime/ibm_runtime_service.py
+++ b/qiskit_ibm/runtime/ibm_runtime_service.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def programs(self, refresh: bool = False) -> List[RuntimeProgram]:
         if not self._programs or refresh:
             self._programs = {}
             response = self._api_client.list_programs()
-            for prog_dict in response:
+            for prog_dict in response.get("programs", []):
                 program = self._to_program(prog_dict)
                 self._programs[program.program_id] = program
         return list(self._programs.values())
diff --git a/test/ibm/runtime/fake_runtime_client.py b/test/ibm/runtime/fake_runtime_client.py
index 6711d5ee7..6e58fef92 100644
--- a/test/ibm/runtime/fake_runtime_client.py
+++ b/test/ibm/runtime/fake_runtime_client.py
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ def list_programs(self):
         programs = []
         for prog in self._programs.values():
             programs.append(prog.to_dict())
-        return programs
+        return {"programs": programs}
 
     def program_create(self, program_data, name, description, max_execution_time, version="1.0",
                        backend_requirements=None, parameters=None, return_values=None,