diff --git a/hypha/apps.py b/hypha/apps.py
index 78aaa892..d1eb11ad 100644
--- a/hypha/apps.py
+++ b/hypha/apps.py
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ async def setup_applications_collection(self, overwrite=True, context=None):
                 "config",
                 "services",
             ],
-            "collection": [],
         }
         await self.artifact_manager.create(
             "applications", manifest, overwrite=overwrite, stage=False, context=context
@@ -520,12 +519,15 @@ async def list_running(self, context: Optional[dict] = None) -> List[str]:
     async def list_apps(self, context: Optional[dict] = None):
         """List applications in the workspace."""
         try:
-            apps = await self.artifact_manager.read(
+            apps = await self.artifact_manager.list_children(
                 prefix="applications", context=context
             )
-            return apps["collection"]
+            return apps
         except KeyError:
             return []
+        except Exception as exp:
+            logger.exception("Failed to list apps: %s", exp)
+            return []
 
     async def close(self) -> None:
         """Close the app controller."""
diff --git a/hypha/core/workspace.py b/hypha/core/workspace.py
index bcf852cb..0a980c17 100644
--- a/hypha/core/workspace.py
+++ b/hypha/core/workspace.py
@@ -1248,12 +1248,12 @@ async def _launch_application_for_service(
             "built-in",
         ], f"Invalid service id: {service_id}"
 
-        app_collection = await self._artifact_manager.read(
+        applications = await self._artifact_manager.list_children(
             "applications", context={"ws": workspace, "user": user_info.model_dump()}
         )
         applications = {
             item["id"]: ApplicationArtifact.model_validate(item)
-            for item in app_collection["collection"]
+            for item in applications
         }
         if app_id not in applications:
             raise KeyError(