diff --git a/t/Makefile.am b/t/Makefile.am
index b66652ba36f9..04f2bf01ce73 100644
--- a/t/Makefile.am
+++ b/t/Makefile.am
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ TESTSCRIPTS = \
 	t2250-job-archive.t \
 	t2260-job-list.t \
 	t2261-job-list-update.t \
+	t2262-job-list-db.t \
 	t2270-job-dependencies.t \
 	t2271-job-dependency-after.t \
 	t2272-job-begin-time.t \
diff --git a/t/t2262-job-list-db.t b/t/t2262-job-list-db.t
new file mode 100755
index 000000000000..2c8b0345ade8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t2262-job-list-db.t
@@ -0,0 +1,439 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+test_description='Test flux job list db'
+
+. $(dirname $0)/job-list/job-list-helper.sh
+
+. $(dirname $0)/sharness.sh
+
+export FLUX_CONF_DIR=$(pwd)
+if test -z "${TEST_UNDER_FLUX_ACTIVE}"; then
+    STATEDIR=$(mktemp -d)
+fi
+test_under_flux 4 job -o,-Sstatedir=${STATEDIR}
+
+RPC=${FLUX_BUILD_DIR}/t/request/rpc
+
+QUERYCMD="flux python ${FLUX_SOURCE_DIR}/t/scripts/sqlite-query.py"
+
+fj_wait_event() {
+  flux job wait-event --timeout=20 "$@"
+}
+
+get_statedir_dbpath() {
+    statedir=`flux getattr statedir` &&
+    echo ${statedir}/job-db.sqlite
+}
+
+# count number of entries in database
+# arg1 - database path
+db_count_entries() {
+        local dbpath=$1
+        query="select id from jobs;"
+        count=`${QUERYCMD} -t 10000 ${dbpath} "${query}" | grep "^id =" | wc -l`
+        echo $count
+}
+
+# verify entries stored in database
+# arg1 - jobid
+# arg2 - database path
+db_check_entries() {
+        local id=$(flux job id $1)
+        local dbpath=$2
+        query="select * from jobs where id=$id;"
+        ${QUERYCMD} -t 10000 ${dbpath} "${query}" > query.out
+        if grep -q "^id = " query.out \
+            && grep -q "t_inactive = " query.out \
+            && grep -q "jobdata = " query.out \
+            && grep -q "eventlog = " query.out \
+            && grep -q "jobspec = " query.out \
+            && grep -q "R = " query.out
+        then
+            return 0
+        fi
+        return 1
+}
+
+# get job values via job list
+# arg1 - jobid
+# arg2 - database path
+get_job_list_values() {
+        local id=$(flux job id $1)
+        jobdata=`flux job list-ids ${id}`
+        list_userid=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".userid"`
+        list_urgency=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".urgency"`
+        list_priority=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".priority"`
+        list_state=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".state"`
+        list_ranks=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".ranks"`
+        list_nnodes=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".nnodes"`
+        list_nodelist=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".nodelist"`
+        list_ntasks=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".ntasks"`
+        list_name=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".name"`
+        list_waitstatus=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".waitstatus"`
+        list_success=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".success"`
+        list_result=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".result"`
+        list_expiration=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".expiration"`
+        list_annotations=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".annotations"`
+        list_dependencies=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".dependencies"`
+        list_exception_occurred=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".exception_occurred"`
+        list_exception_type=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".exception_type"`
+        list_exception_severity=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".exception_severity"`
+        list_exception_note=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".exception_note"`
+        list_t_submit=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_submit"`
+        list_t_run=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_run"`
+        list_t_cleanup=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_cleanup"`
+        list_t_inactive=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_inactive"`
+}
+
+# get job values from database
+# arg1 - jobid
+# arg2 - database path
+get_db_values() {
+        local id=$(flux job id $1)
+        local dbpath=$2
+        query="select * from jobs where id=$id;"
+        ${QUERYCMD} -t 10000 ${dbpath} "${query}" > query.out
+        db_jobdata=`grep "jobdata = " query.out | cut -f3- -d' '`
+        db_eventlog=`grep "eventlog = " query.out | awk '{print \$3}'`
+        db_jobspec=`grep "jobspec = " query.out | awk '{print \$3}'`
+        db_R=`grep "R = " query.out | awk '{print \$3}'`
+        db_userid=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".userid"`
+        db_urgency=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".urgency"`
+        db_priority=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".priority"`
+        db_state=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".state"`
+        db_ranks=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".ranks"`
+        db_nnodes=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".nnodes"`
+        db_nodelist=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".nodelist"`
+        db_ntasks=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".ntasks"`
+        db_name=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".name"`
+        db_waitstatus=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".waitstatus"`
+        db_success=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".success"`
+        db_result=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".result"`
+        db_expiration=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".expiration"`
+        db_annotations=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".annotations"`
+        db_dependencies=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".dependencies"`
+        db_exception_occurred=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".exception_occurred"`
+        db_exception_type=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".exception_type"`
+        db_exception_severity=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".exception_severity"`
+        db_exception_note=`echo ${jobdata} | jq -r ".exception_note"`
+        db_t_submit=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_submit"`
+        db_t_run=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_run"`
+        db_t_cleanup=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_cleanup"`
+        db_t_inactive=`echo ${jobdata} | jq ".t_inactive"`
+}
+
+# compare data from job list and job db
+# arg1 - job id
+# arg2 - dbpath
+db_compare_data() {
+        local id=$(flux job id $1)
+        local dbpath=$2
+        get_job_list_values ${id}
+        get_db_values ${id} ${dbpath}
+        if [ "${list_userid}" != "${db_userid}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_urgency}" != "${db_urgency}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_priority}" != "${db_priority}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_state}" != "${db_state}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_ranks}" != "${db_ranks}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_nnodes}" != "${db_nnodes}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_nodelist}" != "${db_nodelist}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_ntasks}" != "${db_ntasks}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_name}" != "${db_name}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_waitstatus}" != "${db_waitstatus}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_success}" != "${db_success}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_result}" != "${db_result}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_expiration}" != "${db_expiration}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_annotations}" != "${db_annotations}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_dependencies}" != "${db_dependencies}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_exception_occurred}" != "${db_exception_occurred}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_exception_type}" != "${db_exception_type}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_exception_severity}" != "${db_exception_severity}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_exception_note}" != "${db_exception_note}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_t_submit}" != "${db_t_submit}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_t_run}" != "${db_t_run}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_t_cleanup}" != "${db_t_cleanup}" ] \
+            || [ "${list_t_inactive}" != "${db_t_inactive}" ]
+        then
+            return 1
+        fi
+        return 0
+}
+
+# wait for inactive job list to reach expected count
+# arg1 - expected final count
+# Usage: wait_inactive_count method target tries
+# where method is job-manager, job-list, or job-list-stats (jq required)
+wait_inactive_list_count() {
+    local target=$1
+    local tries=50
+    local count
+    while test $tries -gt 0; do
+        count=$(flux module stats -p jobs.inactive job-list)
+        test $count -eq $target && return 0
+        sleep 0.25
+        tries=$(($tries-1))
+    done
+    return 1
+}
+
+# submit jobs for job list & job-list db testing
+
+test_expect_success 'submit jobs for job list testing' '
+        #  Create `hostname` jobspec
+        #  N.B. Used w/ `flux job submit` for serial job submission
+        #  for efficiency (vs serial `flux submit`.
+        #
+        flux submit --dry-run hostname >hostname.json &&
+        #
+        # submit jobs that will complete
+        #
+        for i in $(seq 0 3); do
+                flux job submit hostname.json >> inactiveids
+                fj_wait_event `tail -n 1 inactiveids` clean
+        done &&
+        #
+        #  Currently all inactive ids are "completed"
+        #
+        tac inactiveids | flux job id > completed.ids &&
+        #
+        #  Run a job that will fail, copy its JOBID to both inactive and
+        #   failed lists.
+        #
+        ! jobid=`flux submit --wait nosuchcommand` &&
+        echo $jobid >> inactiveids &&
+        flux job id $jobid > failed.ids &&
+        touch pending.ids &&
+        touch running.ids &&
+        tac inactiveids | flux job id > inactive.ids &&
+        cat inactive.ids > all.ids &&
+        #
+        #  Synchronize all expected states
+        #
+        job_list_wait_states
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs (pre purge)' '
+        flux job list -s inactive | jq .id > listI.out &&
+        test_cmp listI.out inactive.ids
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs w/ count (pre purge)' '
+        count=$(job_list_state_count inactive) &&
+        count=$((count - 2)) &&
+        flux job list -s inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > listI_count.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids > listI_count.exp &&
+        test_cmp listI_count.out listI_count.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs (pre purge)' '
+        flux job list-inactive | jq .id > list_inactive.out &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive.out inactive.ids
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ count (pre purge)' '
+        count=$(job_list_state_count inactive) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        flux job list-inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > list_inactive_count.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids > list_inactive_count.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_count.out list_inactive_count.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 1 (pre purge)' '
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | head -n 2 | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since1.out &&
+        head -n 1 inactive.ids > list_inactive_since1.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since1.out list_inactive_since1.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 2 (pre purge)' '
+        count=$(job_list_state_count inactive) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since2.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids > list_inactive_since2.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since2.out list_inactive_since2.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-ids jobs (pre purge)' '
+        for id in `cat inactive.ids`
+        do
+            flux job list-ids ${id} | jq -e ".id == ${id}"
+        done
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list has all inactive jobs cached' '
+        cached=`flux module stats -p jobs.inactive job-list` &&
+        test ${cached} -eq $(job_list_state_count inactive)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: db stored in statedir' '
+        dbpath=$(get_statedir_dbpath) &&
+        ls ${dbpath}
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: has correct number of entries' '
+        dbpath=$(get_statedir_dbpath) &&
+        entries=$(db_count_entries ${dbpath}) &&
+        test ${entries} -eq $(job_list_state_count inactive)
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: make sure job data looks ok' '
+        dbpath=$(get_statedir_dbpath) &&
+        for id in `cat list_inactive.out`
+        do
+            db_check_entries ${id} ${dbpath}
+        done
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: make sure job data correct' '
+        dbpath=$(get_statedir_dbpath) &&
+        for id in `cat list_inactive.out`
+        do
+            db_compare_data ${id} ${dbpath}
+        done
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: purge 2 jobs' '
+        len=$(job_list_state_count inactive) &&
+        len=$((len - 2)) &&
+        flux job purge --force --num-limit=${len} &&
+        mv inactive.ids inactive.ids.orig &&
+        head -n ${len} inactive.ids.orig > inactive.ids &&
+        wait_inactive_list_count ${len}
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs (post purge)' '
+        flux job list -s inactive | jq .id > listIPP.out &&
+        test_cmp listIPP.out inactive.ids.orig
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs w/ count (post purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 2)) &&
+        flux job list -s inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > listI_countPP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > listI_countPP.exp &&
+        test_cmp listI_countPP.out listI_countPP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs (post purge)' '
+        flux job list-inactive | jq .id > list_inactivePP.out &&
+        test_cmp list_inactivePP.out inactive.ids.orig
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ count (post purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        flux job list-inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > list_inactive_countPP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_countPP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_countPP.out list_inactive_countPP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 1 (post purge)' '
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | head -n 2 | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since1PP.out &&
+        head -n 1 inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_since1PP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since1PP.out list_inactive_since1PP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 2 (post purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since2PP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_since2PP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since2PP.out list_inactive_since2PP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-ids jobs (post purge)' '
+        for id in `cat inactive.ids.orig`
+        do
+            flux job list-ids ${id} | jq -e ".id == ${id}"
+        done
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'job-list db: purge all jobs' '
+        len=$(job_list_state_count inactive) &&
+        flux job purge --force --num-limit=0 &&
+        : > inactive.ids &&
+        wait_inactive_list_count 0
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs (all purge)' '
+        flux job list -s inactive | jq .id > listI3.out &&
+        test_cmp listI3.out inactive.ids.orig
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs w/ count (all purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 2)) &&
+        flux job list -s inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > listI_countAP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > listI_countAP.exp &&
+        test_cmp listI_countAP.out listI_countAP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs (all purge)' '
+        flux job list-inactive | jq .id > list_inactiveAP.out &&
+        test_cmp list_inactiveAP.out inactive.ids.orig
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ count (all purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        flux job list-inactive -c ${count} | jq .id > list_inactive_countAP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_countAP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_countAP.out list_inactive_countAP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 1 (all purge)' '
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | head -n 2 | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since1AP.out &&
+        head -n 1 inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_since1AP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since1AP.out list_inactive_since1AP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs w/ since 2 (all purge)' '
+        count=$(cat inactive.ids.orig | wc -l) &&
+        count=$((count - 1)) &&
+        timestamp=`flux job list -s inactive | tail -n 1 | jq .t_inactive` &&
+        flux job list-inactive --since=${timestamp} | jq .id > list_inactive_since2AP.out &&
+        head -n ${count} inactive.ids.orig > list_inactive_since2AP.exp &&
+        test_cmp list_inactive_since2AP.out list_inactive_since2AP.exp
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-ids jobs (all purge)' '
+        for id in `cat inactive.ids.orig`
+        do
+            flux job list-ids ${id} | jq -e ".id == ${id}"
+        done
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job db stats works' '
+        ${RPC} job-list.db-stats 0 < /dev/null
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'reload the job-list module with alternate config' '
+        statedir=`flux getattr statedir` &&
+        cat >job-list.toml <<EOF &&
+[job-list]
+dbpath = "${statedir}/testdb.sqlite"
+busytimeout = "0.1s"
+EOF
+        flux config reload &&
+        flux module reload job-list
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'configured db is there' '
+        ls ${statedir}/testdb.sqlite
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list inactive jobs (new db)' '
+        count=$(flux job list -s inactive | wc -l) &&
+        test ${count} -eq 0
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'flux job list-inactive jobs (new db)' '
+        count=$(flux job list-inactive | wc -l) &&
+        test ${count} -eq 0
+'
+
+test_done