diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/AbstractSqmPredicate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/AbstractSqmPredicate.java
index 1685d8d430..16ba1a5ff3 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/AbstractSqmPredicate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/AbstractSqmPredicate.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.predicate;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.NodeBuilder;
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractSqmPredicate extends AbstractSqmExpression<Boolean
 	@Override
 	public List<Expression<Boolean>> getExpressions() {
 		/// most predicates do not have sub-predicates
-		return Collections.emptyList();
+		return new ArrayList<>(0);
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmBooleanExpressionPredicate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmBooleanExpressionPredicate.java
index 2038322ab7..f860b896f5 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmBooleanExpressionPredicate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmBooleanExpressionPredicate.java
@@ -6,14 +6,13 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.predicate;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.NodeBuilder;
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.SemanticQueryWalker;
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.SqmCopyContext;
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.expression.SqmExpression;
-import org.hibernate.sql.ast.tree.predicate.NegatedPredicate;
 
 import jakarta.persistence.criteria.Expression;
 
@@ -73,7 +72,9 @@ public class SqmBooleanExpressionPredicate extends AbstractNegatableSqmPredicate
 
 	@Override
 	public List<Expression<Boolean>> getExpressions() {
-		return Collections.singletonList( booleanExpression );
+		final List<Expression<Boolean>> expressions = new ArrayList<>( 1 );
+		expressions.add( booleanExpression );
+		return expressions;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmGroupedPredicate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmGroupedPredicate.java
index af4706e88c..0ae9a64ef6 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmGroupedPredicate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmGroupedPredicate.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.predicate;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.NodeBuilder;
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ public class SqmGroupedPredicate extends AbstractSqmPredicate {
 
 	@Override
 	public List<Expression<Boolean>> getExpressions() {
-		return Collections.singletonList( subPredicate );
+		final List<Expression<Boolean>> expressions = new ArrayList<>( 1 );
+		expressions.add( subPredicate );
+		return expressions;
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmJunctionPredicate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmJunctionPredicate.java
index 31525c1b69..343f07a65c 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmJunctionPredicate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmJunctionPredicate.java
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.NodeBuilder;
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.SemanticQueryWalker;
-import org.hibernate.query.sqm.SqmExpressible;
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.SqmCopyContext;
-import org.hibernate.sql.ast.tree.predicate.Junction;
 
 import jakarta.persistence.criteria.Expression;
 
@@ -88,8 +86,7 @@ public class SqmJunctionPredicate extends AbstractSqmPredicate {
 
 	@Override
 	public List<Expression<Boolean>> getExpressions() {
-		//noinspection unchecked
-		return (List<Expression<Boolean>>) (List<?>) predicates;
+		return new ArrayList<>( predicates );
 	}
 
 	@Override
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmNegatedPredicate.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmNegatedPredicate.java
index e2bc15e51c..92e3e500b4 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmNegatedPredicate.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/predicate/SqmNegatedPredicate.java
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  */
 package org.hibernate.query.sqm.tree.predicate;
 
-import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.hibernate.query.sqm.NodeBuilder;
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ public class SqmNegatedPredicate extends AbstractNegatableSqmPredicate {
 
 	@Override
 	public List<Expression<Boolean>> getExpressions() {
-		return Collections.singletonList( wrappedPredicate );
+		final List<Expression<Boolean>> expressions = new ArrayList<>( 1 );
+		expressions.add( wrappedPredicate );
+		return expressions;
 	}
 
 	@Override