diff --git a/avocado/plugins/list.py b/avocado/plugins/list.py
index e542c38d87b0b04f0492d1a38b0dda2330e6603f..84d3ae58d9acb90237f7422e400155f69d877fea 100644
--- a/avocado/plugins/list.py
+++ b/avocado/plugins/list.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from avocado.core import test
 from avocado.core import tags
 from avocado.core import parser_common_args
 from avocado.core.output import LOG_UI
+from avocado.core.future.settings import settings
 from avocado.core.plugin_interfaces import CLICmd
 from avocado.utils import astring
 
@@ -122,7 +123,7 @@ class TestLister:
 
     def _list(self):
         self._extra_listing()
-        test_suite = self._get_test_suite(self.args.get('references', []))
+        test_suite = self._get_test_suite(self.args.get('list.references'))
         if self.args.get('filter_by_tags', False):
             test_suite = tags.filter_test_tags(
                 test_suite,
@@ -157,15 +158,20 @@ class List(CLICmd):
         :type parser: :class:`avocado.core.parser.ArgumentParser`
         """
         parser = super(List, self).configure(parser)
-        parser.add_argument('references', type=str, default=[], nargs='*',
-                            help="List of test references (aliases or paths). "
-                            "If empty, avocado will list tests on "
-                            "the configured test source, "
-                            "(see 'avocado config --datadir') Also, "
-                            "if there are other test loader plugins "
-                            "active, tests from those plugins might "
-                            "also show up (behavior may vary among "
-                            "plugins)")
+        help_msg = ('List of test references (aliases or paths). If empty, '
+                    'Avocado will list tests on the configured test source, '
+                    '(see "avocado config --datadir") Also, if there are '
+                    'other test loader plugins active, tests from those '
+                    'plugins might also show up (behavior may vary among '
+                    'plugins)')
+        settings.register_option(section='list',
+                                 key='references',
+                                 default=[],
+                                 nargs='*',
+                                 key_type=list,
+                                 help_msg=help_msg,
+                                 parser=parser,
+                                 positional_arg=True)
         loader.add_loader_options(parser)
         parser_common_args.add_tag_filter_args(parser)