diff --git a/src/aleph/sdk/client/authenticated_http.py b/src/aleph/sdk/client/authenticated_http.py
index 78b006fd..6b5b2ea8 100644
--- a/src/aleph/sdk/client/authenticated_http.py
+++ b/src/aleph/sdk/client/authenticated_http.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 from ..conf import settings
 from ..exceptions import BroadcastError, InsufficientFundsError, InvalidMessageError
 from ..types import Account, StorageEnum
-from ..utils import extended_json_encoder
+from ..utils import extended_json_encoder, parse_volume
 from .abstract import AuthenticatedAlephClient
 from .http import AlephHttpClient
 
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ async def create_program(
             triggers = {"http": True, "persistent": persistent}
 
         volumes: List[MachineVolume] = [
-            MachineVolume.parse_obj(volume) for volume in volumes
+            parse_volume(volume) for volume in volumes
         ]
 
         content = ProgramContent(
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ async def create_program(
                 if runtime == settings.DEFAULT_RUNTIME_ID
                 else "",
             ),
-            volumes=[MachineVolume.parse_obj(volume) for volume in volumes],
+            volumes=[parse_volume(volume) for volume in volumes],
             time=time.time(),
             metadata=metadata,
         )
@@ -555,7 +555,7 @@ async def create_instance(
                 if rootfs == settings.DEFAULT_RUNTIME_ID
                 else "",
             ),
-            volumes=[MachineVolume.parse_obj(volume) for volume in volumes],
+            volumes=[parse_volume(volume) for volume in volumes],
             time=time.time(),
             authorized_keys=ssh_keys,
             metadata=metadata,
diff --git a/src/aleph/sdk/utils.py b/src/aleph/sdk/utils.py
index 5b338f88..63fc121e 100644
--- a/src/aleph/sdk/utils.py
+++ b/src/aleph/sdk/utils.py
@@ -5,11 +5,12 @@
 from enum import Enum
 from pathlib import Path
 from shutil import make_archive
-from typing import Any, Iterable, Optional, Protocol, Tuple, Type, TypeVar, Union
+from typing import Any, Iterable, Optional, Protocol, Tuple, Type, TypeVar, Union, get_args, Mapping
 from zipfile import BadZipFile, ZipFile
 
 from aleph_message.models import MessageType
 from aleph_message.models.execution.program import Encoding
+from aleph_message.models.execution.volume import MachineVolume, ImmutableVolume, PersistentVolume, EphemeralVolume
 from pydantic.json import pydantic_encoder
 
 from aleph.sdk.conf import settings
@@ -150,3 +151,15 @@ def extended_json_encoder(obj: Any) -> Any:
         return obj.hour * 3600 + obj.minute * 60 + obj.second + obj.microsecond / 1e6
     else:
         return pydantic_encoder(obj)
+
+
+def parse_volume(volume_dict: Union[Mapping, MachineVolume]) -> MachineVolume:
+    if isinstance(volume_dict, MachineVolume):
+        return volume_dict
+    for volume_type in get_args(MachineVolume):
+        try:
+            return volume_type.parse_obj(volume_dict)
+        except ValueError:
+            continue
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"Could not parse volume: {volume_dict}")