diff --git a/build-aux/abi-check-templ.xml b/build-aux/abi-check-templ.xml
index 4cac8266b..87c8a5b8a 100644
--- a/build-aux/abi-check-templ.xml
+++ b/build-aux/abi-check-templ.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 <headers>
 	@PREFIX@/usr/include/qb
 </headers>
+@SKIPLIB_CMT@<skip_libs>
+@SKIPLIB_CMT@	@PREFIX@/usr/lib64/libqb.so
+@SKIPLIB_CMT@</skip_libs>
 <libs>
-	@PREFIX@/usr/lib64/libqb.so
+	@PREFIX@/usr/lib64/libqb.so@LIB_SUFFIX@
 </libs>
 </descriptor>
diff --git a/check b/check
index 79062c570..1f6b9d562 100755
--- a/check
+++ b/check
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ check_clang() {
 }
 
 check_abi() {
+	# XXX abi-compliance-checker >= 2 will likely require equivalent of
+	#     https://github.com/lvc/abi-compliance-checker/pull/70
 	ver1=$1
 	ver2=$2
 	if [ -z "$ver1" ] ; then
@@ -224,26 +226,46 @@ check_abi() {
 
 	TMPL=build-aux/abi-check-templ.xml
 	checker=abi-compliance-checker
+	if abi-compliance-checker -info | grep -Fqe '-cxx-incompatible'; then
+		checker="${checker} -cxx-incompatible"
+	fi
 
 	mkdir -p abi_dumps/libqb
+	# ABICC only: current script always accompanied with current template
+	#for v in $ver1 $ver2; do cp "${TMPL}" "abi_dumps/libqb/${v}.tmpl"; done
+
 	for v in $ver1 $ver2
 	do
-		p=$(pwd)_inst_$v
-		sed -e "s|@PREFIX@|$p|" -e "s|@VERSION@|$v|" $TMPL > abi_dumps/libqb/$v.xml
-	done
-	for v in $ver1 $ver2
-	do
-		p=$(pwd)_inst_$v
-		t=v$v
-		echo "== Version $v =="
-		if [ ! -f abi_dumps/libqb/libqb_$v.abi.tar.gz ]
+		p=$(pwd)_inst_${v}
+		t=v${v}
+		echo "== Version ${v} =="
+		if [ ! -f "abi_dumps/libqb/libqb_${v}.abi.tar.gz" ]
 		then
-			git checkout $t
+			git checkout "${t}"
 			./autogen.sh
-			./configure
+			# XXX still complains about missing -Og (-O0 is used)
+			./configure --enable-debug
 			make
-			make install DESTDIR=$p
-			$checker -l libqb -dump_abi abi_dumps/libqb/$v.xml
+			make install DESTDIR="${p}"
+			lib_suffix=$(cut -c 1-32 "${p}/usr/lib64/libqb.so" \
+			             | sed -n 's/^INPUT(libqb\.so\([^)]*\).*$/\1/p;q')
+			# this is currently recommended way of using abi-dumper
+			# instead of relying on internal processing with ABICC
+			# itself (still kept around for reference below)
+			abi-dumper -loud -debug "${p}/usr/lib64/libqb.so${lib_suffix}" \
+			  -vnum "${v}" -o "abi_dumps/libqb/libqb_${v}.abi.tar.gz"
+
+			# former approach of relying solely on ABICC (XXX -lang C)
+			#skiplib_cmt=
+			#[ -n "${lib_suffix}" ] || skiplib_cmt='#'
+			#sed -e "s|@PREFIX@|${p}|" \
+			#    -e "s|@VERSION@|${v}|" \
+			#    -e "s|@SKIPLIB_CMT@|${skiplib_cmt}|" \
+			#    -e "s|@LIB_SUFFIX@|${lib_suffix}|" \
+			#    "abi_dumps/libqb/${v}.tmpl" > "abi_dumps/libqb/${v}.xml"
+			#rm -f "abi_dumps/libqb/${v}.tmpl"
+			#${checker} -l libqb -dump_abi "abi_dumps/libqb/${v}.xml" \
+			#    -dump-path "abi_dumps/libqb/libqb_${v}.abi.tar.gz"
 		fi
 	done
 
@@ -334,4 +356,3 @@ case $command in
 esac
 cd -
 exit 0
-
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index aa99bf0d5..ccfd74e63 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ if ! ${MAKE-make} --version /cannot/make/this >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 AC_PROG_CXX
+AM_CONDITIONAL(HAVE_GXX, [test "x$GXX" = xyes]) 
 AC_PROG_AWK
 AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_CPP
@@ -682,7 +683,7 @@ if test "x${GCC}" = xyes; then
 			               && my_var == 3  /* for 2.29.1+ */);
 			        return *((int *) __start___verbose); }]]
 			)],
-			[gcc_has_attribute_section=yes; cp "conftest${ac_exeext}" "conftest.so"],
+			[gcc_has_attribute_section=yes; cp "conftest${ac_exeext}" "conftest${shrext_cmds}"],
 			[gcc_has_attribute_section=no]
 		)
 		AX_RESTORE_FLAGS
diff --git a/include/qb/qbarray.h b/include/qb/qbarray.h
index 776db04e6..270b1c29d 100644
--- a/include/qb/qbarray.h
+++ b/include/qb/qbarray.h
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ extern "C" {
  * indexing, this gives a valid index range [0, @c QB_ARRAY_MAX_ELEMENTS),
  * where the notation denotes the beginning of the interval is included and
  * the end is excluded.  In other words, client space shall avoid a pitfall
- * of relying solely on the type of @max_elements parameter to
- * @ref qb_array_create and/or of @idx parameter to @ref qb_array_index
+ * of relying solely on the type of @c max_elements parameter to
+ * @ref qb_array_create and/or of @c idx parameter to @ref qb_array_index
  * (these types conflict, anyway).
  */
 
diff --git a/include/qb/qblist.h b/include/qb/qblist.h
index f8ab0d2df..e3ae3f180 100644
--- a/include/qb/qblist.h
+++ b/include/qb/qblist.h
@@ -109,16 +109,16 @@ static inline void qb_list_del(struct qb_list_head *_remove)
 
 /**
  * Replace old entry by new one
- * @param old: the element to be replaced
- * @param new: the new element to insert
+ * @param old_one: the element to be replaced
+ * @param new_one: the new element to insert
  */
-static inline void qb_list_replace(struct qb_list_head *old,
-		struct qb_list_head *new)
+static inline void qb_list_replace(struct qb_list_head *old_one,
+		struct qb_list_head *new_one)
 {
-	new->next = old->next;
-	new->next->prev = new;
-	new->prev = old->prev;
-	new->prev->next = new;
+	new_one->next = old_one->next;
+	new_one->next->prev = new_one;
+	new_one->prev = old_one->prev;
+	new_one->prev->next = new_one;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/qb/qblog.h b/include/qb/qblog.h
index 1943b948e..cb582a888 100644
--- a/include/qb/qblog.h
+++ b/include/qb/qblog.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * All rights reserved.
  *
diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index dd50a609b..2eac6d15d 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -100,10 +100,9 @@ else
 endif
 endif
 
+# nested sed expression is also escaping meta character for the outer one
 qblog_script.ld: %.ld: %.ld.in
-	$(AM_V_GEN)$(CPP) -C -D_GNU_SOURCE -P \
-	  -I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/include \
-	  -xc $< \
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(CPP) -C -D_GNU_SOURCE -P $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -xc $< \
 	  | sed -n "/$$(sed -n '/^[^#]/{s/[*\/]/\\&/g;p;q;}' $<)/,$$ p" \
 	  > $@
 
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index 5bc4bbb1b..25efa72ab 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -33,23 +33,23 @@ noinst_HEADERS = check_common.h
 format_compare_speed_SOURCES = format_compare_speed.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbutil.h
 format_compare_speed_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
-bmc_SOURCES = bmc.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbipcc.h
+bmc_SOURCES = bmc.c
 bmc_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
-bmcpt_SOURCES = bmcpt.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbipcc.h
+bmcpt_SOURCES = bmcpt.c
 bmcpt_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
-bms_SOURCES = bms.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbipcs.h
-bms_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include $(GLIB_CFLAGS)
+bms_SOURCES = bms.c
+bms_CFLAGS = $(GLIB_CFLAGS)
 bms_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la $(GLIB_LIBS)
 
-rbwriter_SOURCES = rbwriter.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbrb.h
+rbwriter_SOURCES = rbwriter.c
 rbwriter_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
-rbreader_SOURCES = rbreader.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbrb.h
+rbreader_SOURCES = rbreader.c
 rbreader_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
-loop_SOURCES = loop.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbloop.h
+loop_SOURCES = loop.c
 loop_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
 inc_dir = $(top_srcdir)/include/qb
@@ -78,7 +78,17 @@ check: check-headers
 
 # rely on implicit automake rule to include right (local) includes
 .PHONY: check-headers
-check-headers: $(auto_c_files:.c=.o)
+check-headers: $(auto_c_files:.c=.o) $(auto_c_files:.c=.opp)
+
+# this is to check basic sanity of using libqb from C++ code, if possible
+%.opp: %.c
+if HAVE_GXX
+	$(AM_V_GEN)$(CXX) $(AM_CPPFLAGS) -c $(CPPFLAGS) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $<
+else
+	@echo "C++ compatibility tests not run"
+endif
+
+CLEANFILES += ${auto_c_files:.c=.opp}
 
 distclean-local:
 	rm -rf auto_*.c
@@ -99,20 +109,21 @@ $(builddir)/auto_write_logs.c: make-log-test.sh
 endif
 endif
 
-bench_log_SOURCES = bench-log.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qblog.h
-bench_log_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+bench_log_SOURCES = bench-log.c
 bench_log_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la
 
 if HAVE_CHECK
 EXTRA_DIST += start.test resources.test
 EXTRA_DIST += blackbox-segfault.sh
 
-TESTS = start.test array.test map.test rb.test log.test blackbox-segfault.sh loop.test ipc.test resources.test
+TESTS = start.test array.test map.test rb.test list.test log.test blackbox-segfault.sh loop.test ipc.test resources.test
 
 resources.log: rb.log log.log ipc.log
 
 check_LTLIBRARIES =
-check_PROGRAMS = array.test map.test rb.test log.test loop.test ipc.test util.test crash_test_dummy file_change_bytes
+check_PROGRAMS = array.test ipc.test list.test log.test loop.test \
+		 map.test rb.test util.test \
+		 crash_test_dummy file_change_bytes
 dist_check_SCRIPTS = start.test resources.test blackbox-segfault.sh
 
 if HAVE_SLOW_TESTS
@@ -122,28 +133,28 @@ endif
 
 file_change_bytes_SOURCES = file_change_bytes.c
 
-crash_test_dummy_SOURCES = crash_test_dummy.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qblog.h
-crash_test_dummy_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+crash_test_dummy_SOURCES = crash_test_dummy.c
+crash_test_dummy_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 crash_test_dummy_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
-array_test_SOURCES = check_array.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbarray.h
-array_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+array_test_SOURCES = check_array.c
+array_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 array_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
-map_test_SOURCES = check_map.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbmap.h
-map_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+map_test_SOURCES = check_map.c
+map_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 map_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
-rb_test_SOURCES = check_rb.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbrb.h
-rb_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+rb_test_SOURCES = check_rb.c
+rb_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 rb_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
-loop_test_SOURCES = check_loop.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbloop.h
-loop_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+loop_test_SOURCES = check_loop.c
+loop_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 loop_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
-ipc_test_SOURCES = check_ipc.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbipcc.h $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbipcs.h
-ipc_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+ipc_test_SOURCES = check_ipc.c
+ipc_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 ipc_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 if HAVE_FAILURE_INJECTION
 ipc_test_LDADD += _failure_injection.la
@@ -158,15 +169,19 @@ check_LTLIBRARIES += _syslog_override.la
 _syslog_override_la_SOURCES = _syslog_override.c _syslog_override.h
 _syslog_override_la_LDFLAGS = -module
 
-log_test_SOURCES = check_log.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qblog.h
-log_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+log_test_SOURCES = check_log.c
+log_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 log_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 log_test_LDADD += _syslog_override.la
 
-util_test_SOURCES = check_util.c $(top_builddir)/include/qb/qbutil.h
-util_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@ -I$(top_srcdir)/include
+util_test_SOURCES = check_util.c
+util_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
 util_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
 
+list_test_SOURCES = check_list.c
+list_test_CFLAGS = @CHECK_CFLAGS@
+list_test_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/lib/libqb.la @CHECK_LIBS@
+
 endif
 
 clean-local:
diff --git a/tests/check_list.c b/tests/check_list.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b82766820
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/check_list.c
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2018 Red Hat, Inc.
+ *
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Author: Jan Pokorny <jpokorny@redhat.com>
+ *
+ * This file is part of libqb.
+ *
+ * libqb is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 2.1 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * libqb is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
+ * along with libqb.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "os_base.h"
+
+#include "check_common.h"
+
+#include <qb/qblist.h>
+#include <qb/qblog.h>
+
+typedef struct {
+	struct qb_list_head list;
+	size_t i;
+} enlistable_num_t;
+
+#define DIMOF(_a) sizeof(_a)/sizeof(*(_a))
+
+START_TEST(test_list_iter)
+{
+	QB_LIST_DECLARE(mylist);
+	enlistable_num_t reference_head[] = { {.i=0}, {.i=1}, {.i=2}, {.i=3} };
+	enlistable_num_t reference_tail[] = { {.i=4}, {.i=5}, {.i=6}, {.i=7} };
+	enlistable_num_t *iter, replacement = {.i=8};
+	size_t iter_i;
+
+	for (iter_i = DIMOF(reference_head); iter_i > 0; iter_i--) {
+		/* prepends in reverse order */
+		qb_list_add(&reference_head[iter_i-1].list, &mylist);
+	}
+	for (iter_i = 0; iter_i < DIMOF(reference_tail); iter_i++) {
+		/* appends in natural order */
+		qb_list_add_tail(&reference_tail[iter_i].list, &mylist);
+	}
+
+	/* assert the constructed list corresponds to ordered sequence... */
+
+	/* ... increasing when iterating forward */
+	iter_i = 0;
+	qb_list_for_each_entry(iter, &mylist, list) {
+		ck_assert_int_eq(iter->i, iter_i);
+		iter_i++;
+	}
+
+	/* ... and decreasing when iterating backward */
+	qb_list_for_each_entry_reverse(iter, &mylist, list) {
+		ck_assert_int_gt(iter_i, 0);
+		ck_assert_int_eq(iter->i, iter_i-1);
+		iter_i--;
+	}
+	ck_assert_int_eq(iter_i, 0);
+
+	/* also check qb_list_replace and qb_list_first_entry */
+	qb_list_replace(mylist.next, &replacement.list);
+	ck_assert_int_eq(qb_list_first_entry(&mylist, enlistable_num_t, list)->i,
+	                  replacement.i);
+}
+END_TEST
+
+static Suite *array_suite(void)
+{
+	TCase *tc;
+	Suite *s = suite_create("qb_list");
+
+	add_tcase(s, tc, test_list_iter);
+
+	return s;
+}
+
+int32_t main(void)
+{
+	int32_t number_failed;
+
+	Suite *s = array_suite();
+	SRunner *sr = srunner_create(s);
+
+	qb_log_init("check", LOG_USER, LOG_EMERG);
+	atexit(qb_log_fini);
+	qb_log_ctl(QB_LOG_SYSLOG, QB_LOG_CONF_ENABLED, QB_FALSE);
+	qb_log_filter_ctl(QB_LOG_STDERR, QB_LOG_FILTER_ADD,
+			  QB_LOG_FILTER_FILE, "*", LOG_INFO);
+	qb_log_ctl(QB_LOG_STDERR, QB_LOG_CONF_ENABLED, QB_TRUE);
+
+	srunner_run_all(sr, CK_VERBOSE);
+	number_failed = srunner_ntests_failed(sr);
+	srunner_free(sr);
+	return (number_failed == 0) ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE;
+}
diff --git a/tests/functional/log_client.c b/tests/functional/log_client.c
index d5d80890f..9d202dc98 100644
--- a/tests/functional/log_client.c
+++ b/tests/functional/log_client.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * All rights reserved.
  *
diff --git a/tests/functional/log_interlib.c b/tests/functional/log_interlib.c
index 228a339d8..80c19276a 100644
--- a/tests/functional/log_interlib.c
+++ b/tests/functional/log_interlib.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * All rights reserved.
  *
diff --git a/tests/functional/log_interlib_client.c b/tests/functional/log_interlib_client.c
index 820df67ce..b064a7553 100644
--- a/tests/functional/log_interlib_client.c
+++ b/tests/functional/log_interlib_client.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2017 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * All rights reserved.
  *
diff --git a/tests/print_ver.c b/tests/print_ver.c
index 752aeb02d..6b96ae45e 100644
--- a/tests/print_ver.c
+++ b/tests/print_ver.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2016 Red Hat, Inc.
+ * Copyright (c) 2016-2018 Red Hat, Inc.
  *
  * All rights reserved.
  *
@@ -38,5 +38,5 @@ main(void)
    semicolon intentionally omitted so as to avoid unnecessary message
    source diagnostics (bug or feature?) with some GCC versions (5.3.1) */
 #define MSG QB_PP_STRINGIFY( \
-	GCC warning QB_PP_STRINGIFY(VERSION parsed as: QB_VER_STR))
-_Pragma(MSG)
+	message (QB_PP_STRINGIFY(VERSION parsed as: QB_VER_STR)))
+_Pragma(MSG);