diff --git a/cabana/list_schema_test.go b/cabana/list_schema_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8d48f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cabana/list_schema_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,290 @@
+package cabana
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"testing/fstest"
+
+	"git.golem15.com/golem15/summercms/pact"
+)
+
+const allColumnsConfig = `title: demo.lang.widgets
+modelClass: Widget
+list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/widget/columns.yaml
+recordUrl: acme/demo/widgets/update/:id
+noRecordsMessage: backend::lang.list.no_records
+recordsPerPage: 20
+perPageOptions:
+    - 20
+    - 50
+    - 100
+showSetup: true
+showCheckboxes: true
+showSorting: true
+defaultSort:
+    column: name
+    direction: asc
+toolbar:
+    buttons: list_toolbar
+    search:
+        prompt: backend::lang.list.search_prompt
+`
+
+const allColumnsJSON = `{"title":"demo.lang.widgets","modelClass":"Widget","recordUrl":"acme/demo/widgets/update/:id","noRecordsMessage":"backend::lang.list.no_records","recordsPerPage":20,"perPageOptions":[20,50,100],"showSearch":true,"showSetup":true,"showCheckboxes":true,"showSorting":true,"searchTerm":"search","searchPrompt":"backend::lang.list.search_prompt","defaultSort":{"column":"name","direction":"asc"},"toolbarButtons":["create"],"columns":[{"key":"name","label":"demo.lang.name","searchable":true,"sortable":true,"type":"text"},{"key":"created_at","label":"demo.lang.created","searchable":false,"sortable":true,"type":"datetime"},{"key":"active","label":"demo.lang.active","searchable":false,"sortable":false,"type":"switch"},{"key":"genre","label":"demo.lang.genre","searchable":true,"sortable":false,"relation":"genre","select":"name"}],"filters":[],"rowActions":[{"name":"update","label":"backend::lang.form.update","url":"acme/demo/widgets/update/:id"}],"bulkActions":[{"name":"delete","label":"backend::lang.list.delete_selected"}]}`
+
+func TestListSchemaCompile(t *testing.T) {
+	columns := readListFixture(t, "testdata/list/all_columns.yaml")
+	got := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, allColumnsConfig, columns)
+	if got != allColumnsJSON {
+		t.Fatalf("compiled list =\n%s\nwant\n%s", got, allColumnsJSON)
+	}
+	again := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, allColumnsConfig, columns)
+	if again != got {
+		t.Fatalf("recompilation changed JSON:\n%s\n%s", got, again)
+	}
+	for _, want := range []string{
+		`"searchable":false`, `"sortable":false`, `"type":"datetime"`, `"type":"switch"`,
+		`"relation":"genre"`, `"select":"name"`, `"searchTerm":"search"`, `"showSetup":true`,
+		`"perPageOptions":[20,50,100]`, `"toolbarButtons":["create"]`, `"filters":[]`,
+	} {
+		if !strings.Contains(got, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("compiled list missing %s:\n%s", want, got)
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Run("winter genre list still compiles", func(t *testing.T) {
+		const config = `list: ~/plugins/golem15/fonoteka/models/genre/columns.yaml
+modelClass: Golem15\Fonoteka\Models\Genre
+title: golem15.fonoteka::lang.genre.label_plural
+recordUrl: golem15/fonoteka/genres/update/:id
+noRecordsMessage: backend::lang.list.no_records
+recordsPerPage: 20
+showCheckboxes: true
+toolbar:
+    buttons: list_toolbar
+    search:
+        prompt: backend::lang.list.search_prompt
+`
+		const cols = `columns:
+    name:
+        label: golem15.fonoteka::lang.genre.name
+        searchable: true
+    slug:
+        label: golem15.fonoteka::lang.genre.slug
+        searchable: true
+`
+		ctl := schemaController{model: `Golem15\Fonoteka\Models\Genre`}
+		fsys := fstest.MapFS{
+			"controllers/genres/config_list.yaml": &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(config)},
+			"models/genre/columns.yaml":           &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(cols)},
+		}
+		genre := genreConfigController{schemaController: ctl}
+		if _, err := CompileList("golem15.fonoteka", genre, fsys); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("genre list: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestListSchemaEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	const config = `list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/widget/columns.yaml
+modelClass: Widget
+recordsPerPage: 20
+`
+	got := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, config, "columns: {}\n")
+	want := `{"modelClass":"Widget","recordsPerPage":20,"perPageOptions":[20],"showSearch":false,"showSetup":false,"showCheckboxes":false,"showSorting":true,"searchTerm":"search","toolbarButtons":[],"columns":[],"filters":[],"rowActions":[],"bulkActions":[]}`
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("empty list =\n%s\nwant\n%s", got, want)
+	}
+	for _, nullKey := range []string{`"columns":null`, `"filters":null`, `"rowActions":null`, `"bulkActions":null`, `"perPageOptions":null`, `"toolbarButtons":null`} {
+		if strings.Contains(got, nullKey) {
+			t.Fatalf("empty collection serialized as null: %s", nullKey)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListSchemaSingle(t *testing.T) {
+	const config = `list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/widget/columns.yaml
+modelClass: Widget
+recordsPerPage: 20
+`
+	got := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, config, "columns:\n    name:\n        label: Name\n        searchable: true\n")
+	want := `{"modelClass":"Widget","recordsPerPage":20,"perPageOptions":[20],"showSearch":false,"showSetup":false,"showCheckboxes":false,"showSorting":true,"searchTerm":"search","toolbarButtons":[],"columns":[{"key":"name","label":"Name","searchable":true,"sortable":true}],"filters":[],"rowActions":[],"bulkActions":[]}`
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("single list =\n%s\nwant\n%s", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListSchemaOrdering(t *testing.T) {
+	const config = `list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/widget/columns.yaml
+modelClass: Widget
+recordsPerPage: 20
+perPageOptions:
+    - 100
+    - 20
+    - 50
+`
+	const columns = `columns:
+    zeta:
+        label: Z
+        type: text
+    alpha:
+        label: A
+        type: datetime
+    mid:
+        label: M
+        type: switch
+`
+	first := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, config, columns)
+	second := compileListJSON(t, schemaController{model: "Widget"}, config, columns)
+	if first != second {
+		t.Fatalf("order changed between compiles:\n%s\n%s", first, second)
+	}
+	zeta := strings.Index(first, `"key":"zeta"`)
+	alpha := strings.Index(first, `"key":"alpha"`)
+	mid := strings.Index(first, `"key":"mid"`)
+	if zeta < 0 || alpha < 0 || mid < 0 || !(zeta < alpha && alpha < mid) {
+		t.Fatalf("source order lost: %s", first)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(first, `"perPageOptions":[100,20,50]`) {
+		t.Fatalf("perPageOptions were reordered: %s", first)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListSchemaRejects(t *testing.T) {
+	columns := readListFixture(t, "testdata/list/all_columns.yaml")
+	cases := []struct {
+		name    string
+		model   string
+		config  string
+		columns string
+		want    []string
+	}{
+		{
+			name:    "duplicate column",
+			config:  allColumnsConfig,
+			columns: "columns:\n    name:\n        label: A\n    name:\n        label: B\n",
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "models/widget/columns.yaml", "duplicate"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "unknown key",
+			config:  allColumnsConfig,
+			columns: "columns:\n    name:\n        label: Name\n        cssClass: bad\n",
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "models/widget/columns.yaml", "cssClass"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "unsupported type",
+			config:  allColumnsConfig,
+			columns: "columns:\n    name:\n        label: Name\n        type: partial\n",
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "models/widget/columns.yaml", "partial"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "sql select",
+			config:  allColumnsConfig,
+			columns: "columns:\n    genre:\n        label: Genre\n        relation: genre\n        select: \"@.name\"\n",
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "models/widget/columns.yaml", "select"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "invalid default column",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "column: name", "column: missing", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "missing"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "invalid default direction",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "direction: asc", "direction: ASC", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "ASC"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "path escape",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "list: ~/plugins/acme/demo/models/widget/columns.yaml", "list: ../../etc/passwd", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "escape"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "mismatched modelClass",
+			model:   "Widget",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "modelClass: Widget", "modelClass: widget", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "modelClass"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "unsupported action",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "buttons: list_toolbar", "buttons: drop_database", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "drop_database"},
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "invalid page size",
+			config:  strings.Replace(allColumnsConfig, "    - 100\n", "    - 0\n", 1),
+			columns: columns,
+			want:    []string{"acme.demo", "acme.demo.widgets", "config_list.yaml", "perPageOptions"},
+		},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			model := tc.model
+			if model == "" {
+				model = "Widget"
+			}
+			_, err := CompileList("acme.demo", schemaController{model: model}, listFS(tc.config, tc.columns))
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatal("expected boot error")
+			}
+			msg := err.Error()
+			for _, want := range tc.want {
+				if want == "duplicate" {
+					if strings.Contains(msg, "duplicate") || strings.Contains(msg, "already defined") {
+						continue
+					}
+					t.Fatalf("error %q missing duplicate", msg)
+				}
+				if want == "escape" {
+					if strings.Contains(msg, "escape") || strings.Contains(msg, "..") {
+						continue
+					}
+					t.Fatalf("error %q missing escape", msg)
+				}
+				if !strings.Contains(msg, want) {
+					t.Fatalf("error %q missing %q", msg, want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+type genreConfigController struct{ schemaController }
+
+func (c genreConfigController) ConfigDir() string { return "controllers/genres" }
+func (c genreConfigController) ID() string        { return "golem15.fonoteka.genres" }
+
+func listFS(config, columns string) fstest.MapFS {
+	return fstest.MapFS{
+		"controllers/widgets/config_list.yaml": &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(config)},
+		"models/widget/columns.yaml":           &fstest.MapFile{Data: []byte(columns)},
+	}
+}
+
+func compileListJSON(t *testing.T, ctl pact.AdminController, config, columns string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	schema, err := CompileList("acme.demo", ctl, listFS(config, columns))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("compile: %v", err)
+	}
+	raw, err := json.Marshal(schema)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("json: %v", err)
+	}
+	return string(raw)
+}
+
+func readListFixture(t *testing.T, name string) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	raw, err := os.ReadFile(name)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("fixture %s: %v", name, err)
+	}
+	return string(raw)
+}
diff --git a/cabana/testdata/list/all_columns.yaml b/cabana/testdata/list/all_columns.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9144236
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cabana/testdata/list/all_columns.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+columns:
+    name:
+        label: demo.lang.name
+        type: text
+        searchable: true
+        sortable: true
+    created_at:
+        label: demo.lang.created
+        type: datetime
+        sortable: true
+    active:
+        label: demo.lang.active
+        type: switch
+        sortable: false
+    genre:
+        label: demo.lang.genre
+        relation: genre
+        select: name
+        searchable: true
+        sortable: false