diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/questdb.rs b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/questdb.rs
index 672290b2b..420084570 100644
--- a/crates/dbx-core/src/db/questdb.rs
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/src/db/questdb.rs
@@ -23,12 +23,23 @@ pub async fn list_objects(pool: &Pool, schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<ObjectInfo>,
         .collect())
 }
 
-/// try query `table`, `view` and `materialized view` using statement supported by the newer version.
-/// if there is an error, rollback to the previous version of the statement
-pub async fn list_tables(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableInfo>, String> {
-    match list_tables_new_version(pool, _schema).await {
-        Ok(ddl) => Ok(ddl),
-        Err(_) => list_tables_older_version(pool, _schema).await,
+/// Query the richest table metadata supported by the connected QuestDB version.
+pub async fn list_tables(pool: &Pool, schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableInfo>, String> {
+    match list_tables_new_version(pool, schema).await {
+        Ok(tables) => Ok(tables),
+        Err(new_version_error) => match list_tables_mat_view_version(pool, schema).await {
+            Ok(tables) => Ok(tables),
+            Err(mat_view_version_error) => {
+                // QuestDB 8.2.x predates both `matView` and `table_type`, but
+                // still exposes `table_name`; retain basic table browsing.
+                list_tables_basic(pool, schema).await.map_err(|basic_error| {
+                    format!(
+                        "QuestDB table metadata queries failed: table_type={new_version_error}; \
+                         matView={mat_view_version_error}; table_name={basic_error}"
+                    )
+                })
+            }
+        },
     }
 }
 
@@ -59,13 +70,13 @@ async fn list_tables_new_version(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<Table
 }
 
 fn questdb_tables_sql_new_version() -> &'static str {
-    "SELECT table_name, table_type FROM tables"
+    "SELECT table_name, table_type FROM tables()"
 }
 
-async fn list_tables_older_version(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableInfo>, String> {
+async fn list_tables_mat_view_version(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableInfo>, String> {
     let client = pool.get().await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
-    let stmt = client.prepare_cached(questdb_tables_sql_older_version()).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let stmt = client.prepare_cached(questdb_tables_sql_mat_view_version()).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
     let rows = client.query(&stmt, &[]).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
 
     Ok(rows
@@ -84,8 +95,29 @@ async fn list_tables_older_version(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<Tab
         .collect())
 }
 
-fn questdb_tables_sql_older_version() -> &'static str {
-    "SELECT table_name, matView FROM tables"
+fn questdb_tables_sql_mat_view_version() -> &'static str {
+    "SELECT table_name, matView FROM tables()"
+}
+
+async fn list_tables_basic(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str) -> Result<Vec<TableInfo>, String> {
+    let client = pool.get().await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let stmt = client.prepare_cached(questdb_tables_sql_basic()).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+    let rows = client.query(&stmt, &[]).await.map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+
+    Ok(rows
+        .iter()
+        .map(|row| TableInfo {
+            name: row.get::<_, String>(0),
+            table_type: "TABLE".to_string(),
+            comment: None,
+            parent_schema: None,
+            parent_name: None,
+        })
+        .collect())
+}
+
+fn questdb_tables_sql_basic() -> &'static str {
+    "SELECT table_name FROM tables()"
 }
 
 pub async fn get_columns(pool: &Pool, _schema: &str, table: &str) -> Result<Vec<ColumnInfo>, String> {
@@ -178,6 +210,18 @@ async fn questdb_normal_view_ddl(pool: &Pool, view: &str) -> Result<String, Stri
     first_string_cell(db::postgres::execute_query(pool, &sql).await?)
 }
 
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn table_metadata_queries_cover_questdb_schema_generations() {
+        assert_eq!(questdb_tables_sql_new_version(), "SELECT table_name, table_type FROM tables()");
+        assert_eq!(questdb_tables_sql_mat_view_version(), "SELECT table_name, matView FROM tables()");
+        assert_eq!(questdb_tables_sql_basic(), "SELECT table_name FROM tables()");
+    }
+}
+
 fn first_string_cell(result: QueryResult) -> Result<String, String> {
     result
         .rows
diff --git a/crates/dbx-core/tests/live_questdb.rs b/crates/dbx-core/tests/live_questdb.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f2fc6ab7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/dbx-core/tests/live_questdb.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use dbx_core::db;
+
+#[tokio::test]
+#[ignore = "requires DBX_TEST_QUESTDB_URL pointing at a writable QuestDB database"]
+async fn questdb_lists_tables_across_metadata_generations() {
+    let url = std::env::var("DBX_TEST_QUESTDB_URL").expect("DBX_TEST_QUESTDB_URL");
+    let pool = db::postgres::connect(&url, Duration::from_secs(10)).await.expect("connect QuestDB");
+    let table = format!("dbx_questdb_82_{}", uuid::Uuid::new_v4().simple());
+
+    db::postgres::execute_query(
+        &pool,
+        &format!("CREATE TABLE {table} (ts TIMESTAMP, value DOUBLE) TIMESTAMP(ts) PARTITION BY DAY WAL"),
+    )
+    .await
+    .expect("create QuestDB fixture");
+
+    let exercise = async {
+        let tables = db::questdb::list_tables(&pool, "public").await?;
+        let listed = tables.iter().find(|candidate| candidate.name == table).ok_or("fixture table was not listed")?;
+        assert_eq!(listed.table_type, "TABLE");
+
+        let columns = db::questdb::get_columns(&pool, "public", &table).await?;
+        assert_eq!(columns.iter().map(|column| column.name.as_str()).collect::<Vec<_>>(), vec!["ts", "value"]);
+        Ok::<_, String>(())
+    }
+    .await;
+
+    db::postgres::execute_query(&pool, &format!("DROP TABLE {table}")).await.expect("drop QuestDB fixture");
+    exercise.expect("list QuestDB table metadata");
+}