diff --git a/changelogs/fragments/1083-docker_compose_v2-images.yml b/changelogs/fragments/1083-docker_compose_v2-images.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d4e6a6d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelogs/fragments/1083-docker_compose_v2-images.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+bugfixes:
+  - "docker_compose_v2 - handle a (potentially unintentional) breaking change in Docker Compose 2.37.0
+     (https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.docker/issues/1082, https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.docker/pull/1083)."
diff --git a/plugins/module_utils/compose_v2.py b/plugins/module_utils/compose_v2.py
index eeece9d1..33975fd1 100644
--- a/plugins/module_utils/compose_v2.py
+++ b/plugins/module_utils/compose_v2.py
@@ -818,6 +818,11 @@ class BaseComposeManager(DockerBaseClass):
         rc, images, stderr = self.client.call_cli_json(*args, **kwargs)
         if self.use_json_events and rc != 0:
             self._handle_failed_cli_call(args, rc, images, stderr)
+        if isinstance(images, dict):
+            # Handle breaking change in Docker Compose 2.37.0; see
+            # https://github.com/ansible-collections/community.docker/issues/1082
+            # and https://github.com/docker/compose/issues/12916 for details
+            images = list(images.values())
         return images
 
     def parse_events(self, stderr, dry_run=False, nonzero_rc=False):