diff --git a/backend/src/cyclone/api.py b/backend/src/cyclone/api.py
index 265d6b3..244cca2 100644
--- a/backend/src/cyclone/api.py
+++ b/backend/src/cyclone/api.py
@@ -143,21 +143,19 @@ def _client_wants_json(request: Request) -> bool:
 
 
 def _wants_ndjson(request: Request) -> bool:
-    """Content negotiation for list endpoints: NDJSON wins ties, NDJSON is the
-    default when no Accept header is set (consistent with parse endpoints).
+    """Content negotiation for list endpoints: NDJSON is an opt-in, JSON is the
+    default (per spec 6.2: "Default JSON response wraps the same data in a
+    {items, total, returned, has_more} envelope so the frontend can paginate
+    uniformly").
 
     Used by the GET list routes (/api/batches, /api/claims, /api/remittances,
-    /api/providers, /api/activity). When both ``application/x-ndjson`` and
-    ``application/json`` appear in Accept, NDJSON wins. When only JSON is
-    asked for, JSON wins. When neither is asked for (e.g. browser default
-    ``*/*`` or an empty Accept), NDJSON wins.
+    /api/providers, /api/activity). NDJSON is returned only when the client
+    explicitly sends ``Accept: application/x-ndjson`` (with or without
+    ``application/json``). Bare ``*/*``, an empty Accept, or an explicit
+    ``Accept: application/json`` all return the JSON envelope.
     """
     accept = request.headers.get("accept", "")
-    if "application/x-ndjson" in accept:
-        return True
-    if "application/json" in accept:
-        return False
-    return True
+    return "application/x-ndjson" in accept
 
 
 def _ndjson_stream_list(
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_api_gets.py b/backend/tests/test_api_gets.py
index 4f07268..5f53df9 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_api_gets.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_api_gets.py
@@ -278,7 +278,12 @@ def test_claims_ndjson_wins_over_json_when_both_accepted(seeded_store):
     assert resp.headers["content-type"].startswith("application/x-ndjson")
 
 
-def test_claims_default_accept_returns_ndjson(seeded_store):
-    """No Accept header → NDJSON (consistent with parse endpoints' default)."""
+def test_claims_default_accept_returns_json(seeded_store):
+    """No Accept header → JSON envelope (per spec 6.2: JSON is the default for
+    list endpoints; NDJSON is the opt-in)."""
     resp = seeded_store.get("/api/claims")
-    assert resp.headers["content-type"].startswith("application/x-ndjson")
+    body = resp.json()
+    assert "items" in body
+    assert "total" in body
+    assert "returned" in body
+    assert "has_more" in body