diff --git a/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/record.py b/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/record.py
index 021cd5ab9a..26bf94f1a6 100644
--- a/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/record.py
+++ b/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/record.py
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class RecordVerb(VerbExtension):
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser, cli_name):  # noqa: D102
         writer_choices = get_registered_writers()
-        default_writer = 'sqlite3' if 'sqlite3' in writer_choices else writer_choices[0]
+        default_writer = 'sqlite3' if 'sqlite3' in writer_choices else \
+            next(iter(writer_choices))
 
         compression_format_choices = get_registered_compressors()
         serialization_choices = get_registered_serializers()
diff --git a/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/reindex.py b/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/reindex.py
index 83ccca4c59..7a1ca6fc72 100644
--- a/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/reindex.py
+++ b/ros2bag/ros2bag/verb/reindex.py
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ class ReindexVerb(VerbExtension):
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser, cli_name):
         storage_choices = get_registered_readers()
-        default_storage = 'sqlite3' if 'sqlite3' in storage_choices else storage_choices[0]
+        default_storage = 'sqlite3' if 'sqlite3' in storage_choices else \
+            next(iter(storage_choices))
+
         parser.add_argument(
             'bag_directory', type=check_path_exists, help='bag to reindex')
         parser.add_argument(