diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/calcite/tools/Programs.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/calcite/tools/Programs.java
index 83f6834d2850..4d795d554902 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/calcite/tools/Programs.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/calcite/tools/Programs.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import org.apache.calcite.config.CalciteSystemProperty;
 import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptCostImpl;
 import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptLattice;
+import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptListener;
 import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptMaterialization;
 import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptPlanner;
 import org.apache.calcite.plan.RelOptRule;
@@ -53,6 +54,8 @@
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableSet;
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 
+import org.checkerframework.checker.nullness.qual.Nullable;
+
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
@@ -190,6 +193,41 @@ public static Program of(final HepProgram hepProgram, final boolean noDag,
       return hepPlanner.findBestExp();
     };
   }
+  /** Creates a program that executes a {@link HepProgram}.
+   *
+   * <p>If {@code listener} is not null, it is
+   * {@linkplain HepPlanner#addListener(RelOptListener) attached}
+   * to the planner before execution. */
+  @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+  public static Program of(final HepProgram hepProgram, final boolean noDag,
+      final RelMetadataProvider metadataProvider,
+      final @Nullable RelOptListener listener) {
+    requireNonNull(metadataProvider, "metadataProvider");
+    if (listener == null) {
+      return of(hepProgram, noDag, metadataProvider);
+    }
+    return (planner, rel, requiredOutputTraits, materializations, lattices) -> {
+      final HepPlanner hepPlanner =
+          new HepPlanner(hepProgram, null, noDag, null, RelOptCostImpl.FACTORY);
+
+      hepPlanner.addListener(listener);
+
+      List<RelMetadataProvider> list = Lists.newArrayList(metadataProvider);
+      hepPlanner.registerMetadataProviders(list);
+      for (RelOptMaterialization materialization : materializations) {
+        hepPlanner.addMaterialization(materialization);
+      }
+      for (RelOptLattice lattice : lattices) {
+        hepPlanner.addLattice(lattice);
+      }
+      RelMetadataProvider plannerChain =
+          ChainedRelMetadataProvider.of(list);
+      rel.getCluster().setMetadataProvider(plannerChain);
+
+      hepPlanner.setRoot(rel);
+      return hepPlanner.findBestExp();
+    };
+  }
 
   /** Creates a program that invokes heuristic join-order optimization
    * (via {@link org.apache.calcite.rel.rules.JoinToMultiJoinRule},
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.java b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.java
index 1729817e368d..696364dfa320 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.java
@@ -29,10 +29,14 @@
 import org.apache.calcite.rel.logical.LogicalIntersect;
 import org.apache.calcite.rel.logical.LogicalUnion;
 import org.apache.calcite.rel.logical.LogicalValues;
+import org.apache.calcite.rel.metadata.DefaultRelMetadataProvider;
+import org.apache.calcite.rel.metadata.RelMetadataProvider;
 import org.apache.calcite.rel.rules.CoerceInputsRule;
 import org.apache.calcite.rel.rules.CoreRules;
 import org.apache.calcite.sql.SqlExplainLevel;
 import org.apache.calcite.sql.fun.SqlStdOperatorTable;
+import org.apache.calcite.tools.Program;
+import org.apache.calcite.tools.Programs;
 import org.apache.calcite.tools.RelBuilder;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
@@ -563,4 +567,52 @@ long getApplyTimes() {
     final RelNode result = planner.findBestExp();
     assertThat(result, is(instanceOf(LogicalValues.class)));
   }
+
+  /** Test case for
+   * <a href="https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/CALCITE-7549">[CALCITE-7549]
+   * Add Programs.of overload accepting RelOptListener</a>.
+   *
+   * <p>Verifies that a {@link RelOptListener} passed to
+   * {@link Programs#of(HepProgram, boolean, RelMetadataProvider, RelOptListener)}
+   * receives rule-attempted events during execution. */
+  @Test void testProgramsOfWithListener() {
+    final HepTestListener listener = new HepTestListener(0);
+
+    final HepProgram program = new HepProgramBuilder()
+        .addRuleInstance(CoreRules.FILTER_TO_CALC)
+        .build();
+
+    final Program p =
+        Programs.of(program, true, DefaultRelMetadataProvider.INSTANCE, listener);
+
+    final String sql = "select 1 from dept where abs(-1) = 20";
+    final RelNode rel = sql(sql).toRel();
+
+    final RelNode result =
+        p.run(rel.getCluster().getPlanner(), rel, rel.getTraitSet(),
+        ImmutableList.of(), ImmutableList.of());
+
+    // The listener must have been notified at least once
+    assertThat(listener.getApplyTimes() > 0, is(true));
+  }
+
+  /** Tests that {@link Programs#of(HepProgram, boolean, RelMetadataProvider, RelOptListener)}
+   * with a null listener behaves identically to the overload without a listener. */
+  @Test void testProgramsOfWithNullListener() {
+    final HepProgram program = new HepProgramBuilder()
+        .addRuleInstance(CoreRules.FILTER_TO_CALC)
+        .build();
+
+    final Program p =
+        Programs.of(program, true, DefaultRelMetadataProvider.INSTANCE, null);
+
+    final String sql = "select 1 from dept where abs(-1) = 20";
+    final RelNode rel = sql(sql).toRel();
+
+    // Should not throw; null listener is safely ignored
+    final RelNode result =
+        p.run(rel.getCluster().getPlanner(), rel, rel.getTraitSet(),
+        ImmutableList.of(), ImmutableList.of());
+    assertThat(result, is(notNullValue()));
+  }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/resources/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.xml b/core/src/test/resources/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.xml
index ce092dcedcb2..aa504480f32a 100644
--- a/core/src/test/resources/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.xml
+++ b/core/src/test/resources/org/apache/calcite/test/HepPlannerTest.xml
@@ -147,6 +147,16 @@ LogicalAggregate(group=[{0}])
       <![CDATA[select name from sales.dept]]>
     </Resource>
   </TestCase>
+  <TestCase name="testProgramsOfWithListener">
+    <Resource name="sql">
+      <![CDATA[select 1 from dept where abs(-1) = 20]]>
+    </Resource>
+  </TestCase>
+  <TestCase name="testProgramsOfWithNullListener">
+    <Resource name="sql">
+      <![CDATA[select 1 from dept where abs(-1) = 20]]>
+    </Resource>
+  </TestCase>
   <TestCase name="testRelDigestLength">
     <Resource name="sql">
       <![CDATA[select * from (select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept union all select name from sales.dept)]]>