diff --git a/scripts/validate_issue_785_list_objects.sh b/scripts/validate_issue_785_list_objects.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..a3e8a333f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/validate_issue_785_list_objects.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# Acceptance runner for rustfs/backlog#785 and PR #4072
+PROJECT_ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/.." && pwd)"
+OUT_DIR="${OUT_DIR:-${PROJECT_ROOT}/target/issue-785-acceptance-$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)}"
+SKIP_LIVE="${SKIP_LIVE:-true}"
+ENDPOINT="${ENDPOINT:-http://127.0.0.1:9000}"
+
+log_info() { printf '[INFO] %s\n' "$*"; }
+log_warn() { printf '[WARN] %s\n' "$*"; }
+log_error() { printf '[ERROR] %s\n' "$*" >&2; }
+
+usage() {
+  cat <<'USAGE'
+Usage:
+  scripts/validate_issue_785_list_objects.sh [--full] [--no-skip-live]
+
+Environment:
+  OUT_DIR      output directory (default: target/issue-785-acceptance-<ts>)
+  SKIP_LIVE    skip live S3 endpoint checks when true (default: true)
+  ENDPOINT     rustfs endpoint used by optional live checks (default: http://127.0.0.1:9000)
+USAGE
+}
+
+require_cmd() {
+  if ! command -v "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    log_error "command not found: $1"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+run_unit_checks() {
+  log_info "Running focused rustfs-ecstore tests for list_objects hot path"
+  mkdir -p "$OUT_DIR"
+
+  local test_log="$OUT_DIR/issue-785-ecstore-tests.log"
+  (cd "$PROJECT_ROOT" && cargo test -p rustfs-ecstore \
+    list_path_gather_results_returns_after_limit_without_waiting_for_input_close \
+    list_path_gather_results_keeps_marker_entry_for_version_marker_listing \
+    list_path_gather_results_skips_marker_entry_by_default \
+    normalize_list_quorum_falls_back_to_strict \
+    list_objects_quorum_from_env_defaults_to_optimal \
+    -- --nocapture | tee "$test_log")
+
+  log_info "Unit test log: $test_log"
+}
+
+run_static_checks() {
+  log_info "Running acceptance-focused static checks"
+  local static_log="$OUT_DIR/static-checks.log"
+
+  : > "$static_log"
+
+  if rg -n "store_list_objects_list_path|store_list_objects_list_merged|sets_list_objects_list_path|sets_list_objects_list_merged|set_disks_list_objects_list_path|store_list_objects_gather" \
+    "$PROJECT_ROOT/crates/ecstore/src/store/list_objects.rs" | tee -a "$static_log"; then
+    log_info "Metric and stage names exist in list_objects.rs"
+  else
+    log_error "Required metric symbols not found in list_objects.rs"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+
+  log_info "Static check log: $static_log"
+}
+
+run_live_smoke() {
+  if [[ "$SKIP_LIVE" == "true" ]]; then
+    log_warn "SKIP_LIVE=true, skipping live endpoint checks"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  log_info "Running optional live readiness check: $ENDPOINT"
+  if ! curl -fsS "${ENDPOINT}/health/ready" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    log_error "Health ready endpoint check failed: ${ENDPOINT}/health/ready"
+    return 1
+  fi
+  log_info "Live endpoint reachable"
+
+  log_warn "Optional live S3 pagination/candidates check is intentionally not enforced in this runner."
+  log_warn "Please run your preferred client workload (mc/warp/rclone) and verify page continuity + duplicates manually."
+}
+
+run_metrics_context() {
+  log_info "Collecting local metric symbol index for review"
+  local metric_log="$OUT_DIR/issue-785-metrics-context.log"
+  rg -n "record_stage_duration\(\"store_list_objects_|record_stage_duration\(\"sets_list_objects_|record_stage_duration\(\"set_disks_list_objects_" "$PROJECT_ROOT/crates/ecstore/src/store/list_objects.rs" > "$metric_log"
+  log_info "Metric context saved: $metric_log"
+}
+
+parse_args() {
+  while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --full)
+        SKIP_LIVE="false"
+        shift
+        ;;
+      --no-skip-live)
+        SKIP_LIVE="false"
+        shift
+        ;;
+      -h|--help)
+        usage
+        exit 0
+        ;;
+      *)
+        log_error "unknown arg: $1"
+        usage
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  :
+}
+
+main() {
+  parse_args "$@"
+  require_cmd cargo
+  require_cmd rg
+  require_cmd tee
+  require_cmd curl
+
+  mkdir -p "$OUT_DIR"
+
+  run_unit_checks
+  run_static_checks
+  run_metrics_context
+
+  if [[ "$SKIP_LIVE" != "true" ]]; then
+    run_live_smoke
+  fi
+
+  log_info "Validation summary:"
+  log_info "  - logs: $OUT_DIR"
+  log_info "  - status: pass"
+}
+
+main "$@"