diff --git a/qiskit_ibm_runtime/runtime_job.py b/qiskit_ibm_runtime/runtime_job.py
index c1ebe86a4..c1ea1cafb 100644
--- a/qiskit_ibm_runtime/runtime_job.py
+++ b/qiskit_ibm_runtime/runtime_job.py
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ def wait_for_final_state(self, timeout: Optional[float] = None) -> None:
         """
         if self._status not in JOB_FINAL_STATES and not self._is_streaming():
             self._ws_client_future = self._executor.submit(self._start_websocket_client)
-        self._ws_client_future.result(timeout)
+        if self._is_streaming():
+            self._ws_client_future.result(timeout)
         self.status()
 
     def stream_results(
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/wait-for-final-state-bug-02ebbe8df7a252d0.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/wait-for-final-state-bug-02ebbe8df7a252d0.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0dc3b888a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/wait-for-final-state-bug-02ebbe8df7a252d0.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixed a bug where :meth:`qiskit_ibm_runtime.RuntimeJob.wait_for_final_state`
+    would result in a NoneType error if the job already completed and
+    :meth:`qiskit_ibm_runtime.RuntimeJob.status` was called beforehand. 
+    
+
diff --git a/test/integration/test_job.py b/test/integration/test_job.py
index 07671e340..715dc5dd4 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_job.py
+++ b/test/integration/test_job.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 import random
 import time
 
-from qiskit.providers.jobstatus import JobStatus
+from qiskit.providers.jobstatus import JOB_FINAL_STATES, JobStatus
 from qiskit.test.decorators import slow_test
 
 from qiskit_ibm_runtime.constants import API_TO_JOB_ERROR_MESSAGE
@@ -220,6 +220,16 @@ def test_wait_for_final_state(self, service):
         job.wait_for_final_state()
         self.assertEqual(JobStatus.DONE, job.status())
 
+    @run_integration_test
+    def test_wait_for_final_state_after_job_status(self, service):
+        """Test wait for final state on a completed job when the status is updated first."""
+        job = self._run_program(service)
+        status = job.status()
+        while status not in JOB_FINAL_STATES:
+            status = job.status()
+        job.wait_for_final_state()
+        self.assertEqual(JobStatus.DONE, job.status())
+
     @run_integration_test
     def test_job_creation_date(self, service):
         """Test job creation date."""