diff --git a/kasa/protocols/smartprotocol.py b/kasa/protocols/smartprotocol.py
@@ -389,14 +389,12 @@ async def _handle_response_lists(
             return
 
         response_list_name = next(
-            iter(
-                [
-                    key
-                    for key in response_result
-                    if isinstance(response_result[key], list)
-                ]
-            )
+            (key for key, val in response_result.items() if isinstance(val, list)),
+            None,
         )
+        # Hubs without children may omit the list altogether
+        if response_list_name is None:
+            return
         while (list_length := len(response_result[response_list_name])) < list_sum:
             request = self._get_list_request(method, params, list_length)
             response = await self._execute_query(

diff --git a/kasa/smart/smartdevice.py b/kasa/smart/smartdevice.py
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ async def _create_delete_children(
         changed = False
         smart_children_components = {
             child["device_id"]: child
-            for child in child_device_components_resp["child_component_list"]
+            for child in child_device_components_resp.get("child_component_list", [])
         }
         children = self._children
         child_ids: set[str] = set()
         existing_child_ids = set(self._children.keys())
 
-        for info in child_device_resp["child_device_list"]:
+        for info in child_device_resp.get("child_device_list", []):
             if (child_id := info.get("device_id")) and (
                 child_components := smart_children_components.get(child_id)
             ):
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ async def _update_children_info(self) -> bool:
                 child_info, self._last_update["get_child_device_component_list"]
             )
 
-            for info in child_info["child_device_list"]:
+            for info in child_info.get("child_device_list", []):
                 child_id = info.get("device_id")
                 if child_id not in self._children:
                     # _create_delete_children has already logged a message

diff --git a/kasa/smartcam/smartcamdevice.py b/kasa/smartcam/smartcamdevice.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ async def _update_children_info(self) -> bool:
                 child_info, self._last_update["getChildDeviceComponentList"]
             )
 
-            for info in child_info["child_device_list"]:
+            for info in child_info.get("child_device_list", []):
                 child_id = info.get("device_id")
                 if child_id not in self._children:
                     # _create_delete_children has already logged a message

diff --git a/tests/protocols/test_smartprotocol.py b/tests/protocols/test_smartprotocol.py
@@ -429,6 +429,24 @@ async def test_childdevicewrapper_multiplerequest_error(
     assert res["invalid_command"] == SmartErrorCode(-1001)
 
 
+async def test_smart_protocol_list_response_without_list(
+    dummy_protocol: SmartProtocol, mocker: MockerFixture
+) -> None:
+    """Test a paginated response that carries no list.
+
+    A hub without paired children answers with only start_index and sum.
+    """
+    result = {"start_index": 0, "sum": 0}
+    send_mock = mocker.patch.object(
+        dummy_protocol._transport,
+        "send",
+        return_value={"result": result, "error_code": 0},
+    )
+    resp = await dummy_protocol.query({"get_child_device_list": None})
+    assert resp == {"get_child_device_list": result}
+    assert send_mock.call_count == 1
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("list_sum", [5, 10, 30])
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("batch_size", [1, 2, 3, 50])
 async def test_smart_protocol_lists_single_request(

diff --git a/tests/smart/test_smartdevice.py b/tests/smart/test_smartdevice.py
@@ -890,6 +890,19 @@ def mock_get_child_device_queries(method, params):
 
     assert len(dev.children) == 0
 
+    # Test a hub that omits the lists when it has no child devices
+    del mock_child_device_info["child_device_list"]
+    del mock_child_device_components["child_component_list"]
+
+    caplog.clear()
+    with patch.object(
+        transport, "get_child_device_queries", side_effect=mock_get_child_device_queries
+    ):
+        await dev.update()
+
+    assert len(dev.children) == 0
+    assert "Error" not in caplog.text
+
     # Logging tests are only for smartcam hubs as smart hubs do not test categories
     if not isinstance(dev, SmartCamDevice):
         return