diff --git a/extension/src/vault/vault-list.ts b/extension/src/vault/vault-list.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7e6b39c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extension/src/vault/vault-list.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// Vault-tab list column: renders the middle list pane (row markup, empty
+// state, and the row-click → drawer selection). Receives the VaultController
+// (`ctx`) and reaches sibling concerns through it; pure helpers come from
+// vault-context. Imports only from shared/ and vault-context.
+
+import type { ItemId, ManifestEntry, ItemType } from '../shared/types';
+import { relativeTime } from '../shared/relative-time';
+import {
+  type VaultController, escapeHtml, typeIcon, getFilteredEntries,
+} from './vault-context';
+
+export function renderListPane(ctx: VaultController): void {
+  const pane = document.getElementById('vault-list-pane');
+  if (!pane) return;
+
+  const group = ctx.state.activeGroup as ItemType | null;
+  let items = getFilteredEntries(ctx.state);
+  if (group) items = items.filter(([, e]) => e.type === group);
+
+  if (items.length === 0) {
+    pane.innerHTML = `
+      <div class="empty-state">
+        <span class="empty-state__icon" aria-hidden="true">${ctx.state.searchQuery ? '⊘' : '◈'}</span>
+        <div class="empty-state__title">${ctx.state.searchQuery ? `No results for "${escapeHtml(ctx.state.searchQuery)}"` : 'No items yet'}</div>
+        <div class="empty-state__hint">${ctx.state.searchQuery ? 'Try a shorter search term.' : 'Click + new item to get started.'}</div>
+      </div>
+    `;
+    return;
+  }
+
+  pane.innerHTML = items.map(([id, e]: [ItemId, ManifestEntry]) => {
+    const sel = id === ctx.state.selectedId ? ' vault-list-row--selected' : '';
+    const subtitle = (e as any).icon_hint ?? (e.tags?.length > 0 ? e.tags.join(', ') : '');
+    const modifiedAgo = e.modified ? relativeTime(e.modified) : '';
+    return `
+      <div class="vault-list-row${sel}" data-id="${escapeHtml(id)}">
+        <div class="vault-list-row__icon" aria-hidden="true">${typeIcon(e.type)}</div>
+        <div class="vault-list-row__text">
+          <div class="vault-list-row__title">${escapeHtml(e.title)}</div>
+          ${subtitle ? `<div class="vault-list-row__subtitle">${escapeHtml(subtitle)}</div>` : ''}
+        </div>
+        ${modifiedAgo ? `<div class="vault-list-row__age">${escapeHtml(modifiedAgo)}</div>` : ''}
+      </div>
+    `;
+  }).join('');
+
+  pane.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.vault-list-row').forEach((row) => {
+    row.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+      await ctx.selectItemForDrawer(row.dataset.id!);
+    });
+  });
+}
diff --git a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
index 1521dec..825ef9d 100644
--- a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
+++ b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import type {
 } from '../shared/types';
 import { registerHost } from '../shared/state';
 import { type ErrorCta } from '../shared/error-copy';
-import { relativeTime } from '../shared/relative-time';
 import { renderItemDetail } from '../popup/components/item-detail';
 import { renderItemForm } from '../popup/components/item-form';
 import { renderTrash, teardown as teardownTrash } from '../popup/components/trash';
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ import { renderBackupPanel, teardown as teardownBackup } from './components/back
 import { renderImportPanel, teardown as teardownImport } from './components/import-panel';
 import {
   type VaultController, type VaultState, type VaultView, type HashRoute,
-  escapeHtml, typeIcon, getFilteredEntries,
+  escapeHtml,
 } from './vault-context';
 import {
   render, applyShellViewClass,
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ import {
   wireSessionExpiredListener,
 } from './vault-shell';
 import { wireSidebar, renderSidebarCategories } from './vault-sidebar';
+import { renderListPane } from './vault-list';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Helpers
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ const ctx: VaultController = {
   sendMessage,
   render: () => render(ctx),
   renderPane: () => renderPane(),
-  renderListPane: () => renderListPane(),
+  renderListPane: () => renderListPane(ctx),
   renderSidebarCategories: () => renderSidebarCategories(ctx),
   renderDrawer: (item) => renderDrawer(item),
   applyShellViewClass: () => applyShellViewClass(ctx),
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ registerHost({
     setHash(view as VaultView);
     applyShellViewClass(ctx);
     renderSidebarCategories(ctx);
-    if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane();
+    if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane(ctx);
     renderPane();
   },
   sendMessage,
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ function renderDrawer(item: Item): void {
 
   document.getElementById('drawer-close-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
     closeDrawer();
-    renderListPane();
+    renderListPane(ctx);
   });
 
   document.getElementById('drawer-edit-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => {
@@ -304,57 +304,11 @@ async function selectItemForDrawer(id: string): Promise<void> {
   state.selectedItem = data.item;
   state.drawerOpen = true;
   renderSidebarCategories(ctx);
-  renderListPane();
+  renderListPane(ctx);
   renderDrawer(data.item);
   openDrawer();
 }
 
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// List pane
-// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-function renderListPane(): void {
-  const pane = document.getElementById('vault-list-pane');
-  if (!pane) return;
-
-  const group = state.activeGroup as ItemType | null;
-  let items = getFilteredEntries(state);
-  if (group) items = items.filter(([, e]) => e.type === group);
-
-  if (items.length === 0) {
-    pane.innerHTML = `
-      <div class="empty-state">
-        <span class="empty-state__icon" aria-hidden="true">${state.searchQuery ? '⊘' : '◈'}</span>
-        <div class="empty-state__title">${state.searchQuery ? `No results for "${escapeHtml(state.searchQuery)}"` : 'No items yet'}</div>
-        <div class="empty-state__hint">${state.searchQuery ? 'Try a shorter search term.' : 'Click + new item to get started.'}</div>
-      </div>
-    `;
-    return;
-  }
-
-  pane.innerHTML = items.map(([id, e]) => {
-    const sel = id === state.selectedId ? ' vault-list-row--selected' : '';
-    const subtitle = (e as any).icon_hint ?? (e.tags?.length > 0 ? e.tags.join(', ') : '');
-    const modifiedAgo = e.modified ? relativeTime(e.modified) : '';
-    return `
-      <div class="vault-list-row${sel}" data-id="${escapeHtml(id)}">
-        <div class="vault-list-row__icon" aria-hidden="true">${typeIcon(e.type)}</div>
-        <div class="vault-list-row__text">
-          <div class="vault-list-row__title">${escapeHtml(e.title)}</div>
-          ${subtitle ? `<div class="vault-list-row__subtitle">${escapeHtml(subtitle)}</div>` : ''}
-        </div>
-        ${modifiedAgo ? `<div class="vault-list-row__age">${escapeHtml(modifiedAgo)}</div>` : ''}
-      </div>
-    `;
-  }).join('');
-
-  pane.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('.vault-list-row').forEach((row) => {
-    row.addEventListener('click', async () => {
-      await selectItemForDrawer(row.dataset.id!);
-    });
-  });
-}
-
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Platform-aware save hint
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -589,7 +543,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
       if (state.selectedId === route.id && state.selectedItem) {
         renderPane();
         renderSidebarCategories(ctx);
-        if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane();
+        if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane(ctx);
         return;
       }
       // Need to fetch the item
@@ -601,7 +555,7 @@ document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', async () => {
     state.selectedId = null;
     state.selectedItem = null;
     renderSidebarCategories(ctx);
-    if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane();
+    if (state.view === 'list') renderListPane(ctx);
     renderPane();
   });
 });
@@ -620,7 +574,7 @@ async function selectItem(id: ItemId): Promise<void> {
     state.loading = false;
     setHash('detail', id);
     renderSidebarCategories(ctx);
-    renderListPane();
+    renderListPane(ctx);
     renderPane();
   } else {
     state.loading = false;