diff --git a/astrapy/idiomatic/cursors.py b/astrapy/idiomatic/cursors.py
index 0c0843a6..106efbe5 100644
--- a/astrapy/idiomatic/cursors.py
+++ b/astrapy/idiomatic/cursors.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Dict,
+    Generic,
     List,
     Optional,
     TypeVar,
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@
 
 
 BC = TypeVar("BC", bound="BaseCursor")
+T = TypeVar("T")
 
 FIND_PREFETCH = 20
 
@@ -403,3 +405,87 @@ async def distinct(self, key: str) -> List[Any]:
                 if key in document
             }
         )
+
+
+class CommandCursor(Generic[T]):
+    def __init__(self, address: str, items: List[T]) -> None:
+        self._address = address
+        self.items = items
+        self.iterable = items.__iter__()
+        self._alive = True
+
+    def __iter__(self) -> CommandCursor[T]:
+        self._ensure_alive()
+        return self
+
+    def __next__(self) -> T:
+        try:
+            item = self.iterable.__next__()
+            return item
+        except StopIteration:
+            self._alive = False
+            raise
+
+    @property
+    def address(self) -> str:
+        return self._address
+
+    @property
+    def alive(self) -> bool:
+        return self._alive
+
+    @property
+    def cursor_id(self) -> int:
+        return id(self)
+
+    def _ensure_alive(self) -> None:
+        if not self._alive:
+            raise ValueError("Cursor is closed.")
+
+    def try_next(self) -> T:
+        return self.__next__()
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        self._alive = False
+
+
+class AsyncCommandCursor(Generic[T]):
+    def __init__(self, address: str, items: List[T]) -> None:
+        self._address = address
+        self.items = items
+        self.iterable = items.__iter__()
+        self._alive = True
+
+    def __aiter__(self) -> AsyncCommandCursor[T]:
+        self._ensure_alive()
+        return self
+
+    async def __anext__(self) -> T:
+        try:
+            item = self.iterable.__next__()
+            return item
+        except StopIteration:
+            self._alive = False
+            raise StopAsyncIteration
+
+    @property
+    def address(self) -> str:
+        return self._address
+
+    @property
+    def alive(self) -> bool:
+        return self._alive
+
+    @property
+    def cursor_id(self) -> int:
+        return id(self)
+
+    def _ensure_alive(self) -> None:
+        if not self._alive:
+            raise ValueError("Cursor is closed.")
+
+    async def try_next(self) -> T:
+        return await self.__anext__()
+
+    def close(self) -> None:
+        self._alive = False
diff --git a/astrapy/idiomatic/database.py b/astrapy/idiomatic/database.py
index 8eab8849..e5ada2d6 100644
--- a/astrapy/idiomatic/database.py
+++ b/astrapy/idiomatic/database.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Type, Union, TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from astrapy.db import AstraDB, AsyncAstraDB
+from astrapy.idiomatic.cursors import AsyncCommandCursor, CommandCursor
 
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
@@ -258,7 +259,7 @@ def list_collections(
         self,
         *,
         namespace: Optional[str] = None,
-    ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    ) -> CommandCursor[Dict[str, Any]]:
         if namespace:
             _client = self._astra_db.copy(namespace=namespace)
         else:
@@ -271,10 +272,13 @@ def list_collections(
             )
         else:
             # we know this is a list of dicts which need a little adjusting
-            return [
-                _recast_api_collection_dict(col_dict)
-                for col_dict in gc_response["status"]["collections"]
-            ]
+            return CommandCursor(
+                address=self._astra_db.base_url,
+                items=[
+                    _recast_api_collection_dict(col_dict)
+                    for col_dict in gc_response["status"]["collections"]
+                ],
+            )
 
     def list_collection_names(
         self,
@@ -510,17 +514,17 @@ async def drop_collection(
             dc_response = await self._astra_db.delete_collection(name_or_collection)
             return dc_response.get("status", {})  # type: ignore[no-any-return]
 
-    async def list_collections(
+    def list_collections(
         self,
         *,
         namespace: Optional[str] = None,
-    ) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    ) -> AsyncCommandCursor[Dict[str, Any]]:
         _client: AsyncAstraDB
         if namespace:
             _client = self._astra_db.copy(namespace=namespace)
         else:
             _client = self._astra_db
-        gc_response = await _client.get_collections(options={"explain": True})
+        gc_response = _client.to_sync().get_collections(options={"explain": True})
         if "collections" not in gc_response.get("status", {}):
             raise ValueError(
                 "Could not complete a get_collections operation. "
@@ -528,10 +532,13 @@ async def list_collections(
             )
         else:
             # we know this is a list of dicts which need a little adjusting
-            return [
-                _recast_api_collection_dict(col_dict)
-                for col_dict in gc_response["status"]["collections"]
-            ]
+            return AsyncCommandCursor(
+                address=self._astra_db.base_url,
+                items=[
+                    _recast_api_collection_dict(col_dict)
+                    for col_dict in gc_response["status"]["collections"]
+                ],
+            )
 
     async def list_collection_names(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_async.py b/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_async.py
index cfff6bf0..20927c62 100644
--- a/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_async.py
+++ b/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_async.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ async def test_collection_lifecycle_async(
             TEST_LOCAL_COLLECTION_NAME_B,
             indexing={"allow": ["z"]},
         )
-        lc_response = await async_database.list_collections()
+        lc_response = [col async for col in async_database.list_collections()]
         #
         expected_coll_dict = {
             "name": TEST_LOCAL_COLLECTION_NAME,
diff --git a/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_sync.py b/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_sync.py
index ea611ae8..5a05b31d 100644
--- a/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_sync.py
+++ b/tests/idiomatic/integration/test_ddl_sync.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def test_collection_lifecycle_sync(
             TEST_LOCAL_COLLECTION_NAME_B,
             indexing={"allow": ["z"]},
         )
-        lc_response = sync_database.list_collections()
+        lc_response = list(sync_database.list_collections())
         #
         expected_coll_dict = {
             "name": TEST_LOCAL_COLLECTION_NAME,