Nicola Sturgeon has said she is "open to having a discussion" with the Scottish Greens over how they can cooperate at Holyrood but has played down the prospect a formal coalition.
The SNP have 64 MSPs following last week's election - meaning they will require at least one vote from another party to pass legislation in the next parliament.
The Nationalists have twice before chosen to operate as a minority government, in which they ask opposition parties to work with them on an issue-by-issue basis.
The pro-independence Greens now have eight MSPs and had a record in the last parliament of siding with the SNP on key issues.
Speaking today, Sturgeon said: "I think on the numbers (of MSPs), governing as a minority - just short of a majority - is not something that phases me."
She added: "I'm open to having a discussion with the Greens on the basis of how we cooperate - we have cooperated with the Greens in the last parliament.
"We both want to see that independence referendum when the time is right, so I'm sure we'll have discussions and we'll see what the outcome is."
Earlier, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he has offered to work with the SNP Government on helping the country recover from covid.
Sarwar, whose party came a distant third in the Holyrood election, said disagreements over independence should not prevent rival parties working together.
He also accused the Scottish Tories of fuelling divisions in the country by focusing on the constitution.
