diff --git a/mcserver/views.py b/mcserver/views.py
index cacadcd..4a224c2 100644
--- a/mcserver/views.py
+++ b/mcserver/views.py
@@ -2001,7 +2001,19 @@ def get_queryset(self):
         return Subject.objects.filter(user=user).prefetch_related('subjecttags_set')
 
     def list(self, request):
+        """
+        Default to the user's own subjects. 
+        
+        admin/backend can pass ?all_subjects=true to list across all users;
+        no-op for other users.
+        """
         queryset = self.get_queryset()
+        all_subjects = request.query_params.get('all_subjects', 'false') == 'true'
+        if not all_subjects:
+            queryset = queryset.filter(user=request.user)
+        # snapshot before search/trashed/paging narrow queryset below (see total)
+        base_queryset = queryset
+
         # Get quantity from post request. If it does exist, use it. If not, set -1 as default (e.g., return all)
         # print(request.query_params)
         is_simple = request.query_params.get('simple', 'false') == 'true'
@@ -2036,7 +2048,7 @@ def list(self, request):
             queryset = queryset[:quantity]
 
         serializer = (SimpleSubjectSerializer if is_simple else SubjectSerializer)(queryset, many=True)
-        return Response({'subjects': serializer.data, 'total': self.get_queryset().count()})
+        return Response({'subjects': serializer.data, 'total': base_queryset.count()})
 
     def get_serializer_class(self):
         if self.action in ['create', 'update', 'partial_update']:
diff --git a/tests/test_permissions.py b/tests/test_permissions.py
index 3ebfc63..7bf1a48 100644
--- a/tests/test_permissions.py
+++ b/tests/test_permissions.py
@@ -916,21 +916,58 @@ def _setup_subject(self):
         self.subject = Subject.objects.create(name='test_subject', user=self.owner)
         self.detail_url = f'/subjects/{self.subject.pk}/'
 
+    def _returned_ids(self, resp):
+        # Ids come back as UUIDs; compare as strings to avoid type mismatches.
+        return {str(s['id']) for s in resp.data['subjects']}
+
     def test_get_list(self):
-        # Test GET /subjects/ (list)
+        # Test GET /subjects/ (list) - by default every user, including admin
+        # and backend, only sees their own subjects.
         self._setup_subject()
+        other_subject = Subject.objects.create(name='other_subject', user=self.other_user)
+
+        # Exact subjects each role should see by default (their own only).
+        expected_ids = {
+            'owner': {str(self.subject.pk)},
+            'admin': set(),
+            'backend': set(),
+            'other': {str(other_subject.pk)},
+        }
         for role in self.users:
             with self.subTest(role=role):
                 self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.users[role])
                 resp = self.client.get(self.list_url)
 
-                if role in ['owner', 'admin', 'backend', 'other']:
+                if role in expected_ids:
                     self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 200)
+                    self.assertEqual(self._returned_ids(resp), expected_ids[role])
+                    self.assertEqual(resp.data['total'], len(expected_ids[role]))
+                else:
+                    self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 403)
 
-                    if role in ['owner', 'admin', 'backend']:
-                        self.assertEqual(len(resp.data['subjects']), 1)
-                    else:
-                        self.assertEqual(len(resp.data['subjects']), 0)
+    def test_get_list_all_subjects_flag(self):
+        # Test GET /subjects/?all_subjects=true - admin/backend can list every
+        # user's subjects; the flag is ignored for everyone else.
+        self._setup_subject()
+        other_subject = Subject.objects.create(name='other_subject', user=self.other_user)
+        all_ids = {str(self.subject.pk), str(other_subject.pk)}
+
+        # Elevated roles see every subject; everyone else still only their own.
+        expected_ids = {
+            'admin': all_ids,
+            'backend': all_ids,
+            'owner': {str(self.subject.pk)},
+            'other': {str(other_subject.pk)},
+        }
+        for role in self.users:
+            with self.subTest(role=role):
+                self.client.force_authenticate(user=self.users[role])
+                resp = self.client.get(self.list_url, {'all_subjects': 'true'})
+
+                if role in expected_ids:
+                    self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 200)
+                    self.assertEqual(self._returned_ids(resp), expected_ids[role])
+                    self.assertEqual(resp.data['total'], len(expected_ids[role]))
                 else:
                     self.assertEqual(resp.status_code, 403)