diff --git a/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.test.tsx b/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..65e99625c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,188 @@
+import { rest, server } from 'mocks-server/server';
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from 'tests/test-utils';
+
+import ListView from './index';
+
+// Helper to create error response
+const createErrorResponse = (
+	status: number,
+	code: string,
+	message: string,
+): {
+	httpStatusCode: number;
+	error: {
+		code: string;
+		message: string;
+		url: string;
+		errors: unknown[];
+	};
+} => ({
+	httpStatusCode: status,
+	error: {
+		code,
+		message,
+		url: '',
+		errors: [],
+	},
+});
+
+// Helper to create MSW error handler
+const createErrorHandler = (
+	status: number,
+	code: string,
+	message: string,
+): ReturnType<typeof rest.post> =>
+	rest.post(/query-range/, (_req, res, ctx) =>
+		res(ctx.status(status), ctx.json(createErrorResponse(status, code, message))),
+	);
+
+// Helper to render with required props
+const renderListView = (
+	props: Record<string, unknown> = {},
+): ReturnType<typeof render> => {
+	const setWarning = jest.fn();
+	const setIsLoadingQueries = jest.fn();
+	return render(
+		<ListView
+			isFilterApplied={false}
+			setWarning={setWarning}
+			setIsLoadingQueries={setIsLoadingQueries}
+			// eslint-disable-next-line react/jsx-props-no-spreading
+			{...props}
+		/>,
+		undefined,
+		{ initialRoute: '/traces-explorer' },
+	);
+};
+
+// Helper to verify all controls are visible
+const verifyControlsVisibility = (): void => {
+	// Order by controls
+	expect(screen.getByText(/Order by/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+	// Pagination controls
+	expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /previous/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+	expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /next/i })).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+	// Items per page selector (there are multiple comboboxes, so we check for at least 2)
+	const comboboxes = screen.getAllByRole('combobox');
+	expect(comboboxes.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+
+	// Options menu (settings button) - check for translation key or actual text
+	expect(screen.getByText(/options_menu.options|options/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+};
+
+describe('Traces ListView - Error and Empty States', () => {
+	afterEach(() => {
+		jest.clearAllMocks();
+	});
+
+	describe('Empty State', () => {
+		it('shows all controls and empty state when filters are applied but no results', async () => {
+			// MSW default returns empty result
+			renderListView({ isFilterApplied: true });
+
+			// All controls should be visible
+			verifyControlsVisibility();
+
+			// Empty state with filter message should be visible
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/This query had no results/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('Error States', () => {
+		it('shows all controls when API returns 400 error', async () => {
+			server.use(createErrorHandler(400, 'BadRequestError', 'Bad Request'));
+
+			renderListView();
+
+			// All controls should be visible even when there's an error
+			verifyControlsVisibility();
+
+			// Wait for the component to render
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/Order by/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('shows all controls when API returns 500 error', async () => {
+			server.use(
+				createErrorHandler(500, 'InternalServerError', 'Internal Server Error'),
+			);
+
+			renderListView();
+
+			// All controls should be visible even when there's an error
+			verifyControlsVisibility();
+
+			// Wait for the component to render
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/Order by/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+		});
+
+		it('shows all controls when API returns network error', async () => {
+			server.use(
+				rest.post(/query-range/, (_req, res) =>
+					res.networkError('Failed to connect'),
+				),
+			);
+
+			renderListView();
+
+			// All controls should be visible even when there's an error
+			verifyControlsVisibility();
+
+			// Wait for the component to render
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/Order by/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('Controls Functionality', () => {
+		it('allows interaction with controls in error state', async () => {
+			server.use(createErrorHandler(400, 'BadRequestError', 'Bad Request'));
+
+			renderListView();
+
+			// Wait for component to render
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/Order by/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+
+			// Order by controls should be interactive
+			const comboboxes = screen.getAllByRole('combobox');
+			expect(comboboxes.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+
+			// Pagination controls should be present
+			const previousButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /previous/i });
+			const nextButton = screen.getByRole('button', { name: /next/i });
+			expect(previousButton).toBeInTheDocument();
+			expect(nextButton).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+			// Options menu should be clickable
+			const optionsButton = screen.getByText(/options_menu.options|options/i);
+			expect(optionsButton).toBeInTheDocument();
+		});
+
+		it('allows interaction with controls in empty state', async () => {
+			renderListView();
+
+			// Wait for empty state
+			await waitFor(() => {
+				expect(screen.getByText(/No traces yet/i)).toBeInTheDocument();
+			});
+
+			// All controls should be interactive
+			const comboboxes = screen.getAllByRole('combobox');
+			expect(comboboxes.length).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(2);
+
+			// Options menu should be clickable
+			const optionsButton = screen.getByText(/options_menu.options|options/i);
+			expect(optionsButton).toBeInTheDocument();
+		});
+	});
+});
diff --git a/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.tsx b/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.tsx
index d7663c9b21..efc55c4b86 100644
--- a/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/container/TracesExplorer/ListView/index.tsx
@@ -242,28 +242,26 @@ function ListView({
 	}, [isLoading, isFetching, isError, transformedQueryTableData, panelType]);
 	return (
 		<Container>
-			{transformedQueryTableData.length !== 0 && (
-				<div className="trace-explorer-controls">
-					<div className="order-by-container">
-						<div className="order-by-label">
-							Order by <Minus size={14} /> <ArrowUp10 size={14} />
-						</div>
-
-						<ListViewOrderBy
-							value={orderBy}
-							onChange={handleOrderChange}
-							dataSource={DataSource.TRACES}
-						/>
+			<div className="trace-explorer-controls">
+				<div className="order-by-container">
+					<div className="order-by-label">
+						Order by <Minus size={14} /> <ArrowUp10 size={14} />
 					</div>
 
-					<TraceExplorerControls
-						isLoading={isFetching}
-						totalCount={totalCount}
-						config={config}
-						perPageOptions={PER_PAGE_OPTIONS}
+					<ListViewOrderBy
+						value={orderBy}
+						onChange={handleOrderChange}
+						dataSource={DataSource.TRACES}
 					/>
 				</div>
-			)}
+
+				<TraceExplorerControls
+					isLoading={isFetching}
+					totalCount={totalCount}
+					config={config}
+					perPageOptions={PER_PAGE_OPTIONS}
+				/>
+			</div>
 
 			{isError && error && <ErrorInPlace error={error as APIError} />}