diff --git a/selftest/resource_test.ok b/selftest/resource_test.ok
index d366cf9..416e477 100644
--- a/selftest/resource_test.ok
+++ b/selftest/resource_test.ok
@@ -243,3 +243,9 @@
 
 ~~~ end: currently reserved
 
+- item_matches:
+1st subset matches correctly, pass
+2nd subset matches correctly, pass
+3rd subset should not match, pass
+3rd subset should not match, pass
+4th subset should not match, pass
diff --git a/selftest/resource_test.py b/selftest/resource_test.py
index d72eb72..ca723af 100755
--- a/selftest/resource_test.py
+++ b/selftest/resource_test.py
@@ -94,4 +94,27 @@
     print(f.read())
 print('~~~ end: currently reserved\n')
 
+print('- item_matches:')
+superset = { 'hello': 'world', 'foo': 'bar', 'ordered_list': [{'xkey': 'xvalue'},{'ykey': 'yvalue'}], 'unordered_list_set': [1, 2, 3]}
+
+subset =  { 'foo': 'bar', 'ordered_list': [{'xkey': 'xvalue'},{'ykey': 'yvalue'}], 'unordered_list_set': [2, 1] }
+if resource.item_matches(superset, subset):
+    print('1st subset matches correctly, pass')
+
+subset =  { 'ordered_list': [{},{'ykey': 'yvalue'}], 'unordered_list_set': [] }
+if resource.item_matches(superset, subset):
+    print('2nd subset matches correctly, pass')
+
+subset =  { 'ordered_list': [{'ykey': 'yvalue'}, {'xkey': 'xvalue'}] }
+if not resource.item_matches(superset, subset):
+    print('3rd subset should not match, pass')
+
+subset =  { 'ordered_list': [{'xkey': 'xvalue'}, {'ykey': 'yvalue'}, {'zkey': 'zvalue'}] }
+if not resource.item_matches(superset, subset):
+    print('3rd subset should not match, pass')
+
+subset =  { 'unordered_list_set': [4] }
+if not resource.item_matches(superset, subset):
+    print('4th subset should not match, pass')
+
 # vim: expandtab tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4
diff --git a/selftest/suite_test.ok b/selftest/suite_test.ok
index 365fcaa..9c73588 100644
--- a/selftest/suite_test.ok
+++ b/selftest/suite_test.ok
@@ -240,24 +240,27 @@
 tst {combining_scenarios='resources'}: DBG: {definition_conf={bts=[{}, {}, {}], ip_address=[{}], modem=[{}, {}]}}  [test_suite↪{combining_scenarios='resources'}]  [suite.py:[LINENR]]
 tst {combining_scenarios='resources', scenario='foo'}: [RESOURCE_DICT]
 tst test_suite: Reserving 3 x bts (candidates: 6)  [resource.py:[LINENR]]
-tst test_suite: DBG: Picked - _hash: f1cab48db5b9004986e2030cb71730a5c55e823e
+tst test_suite: DBG: Picked - _hash: 89e45aaea42027162cc33f4389f055077338c82b
   addr: 10.42.42.52
   band: GSM-1800
   ipa_unit_id: '6'
   label: Ettus B200
   launch_trx: 'True'
   trx_list:
-  - nominal_power: '10'
+  - max_power_red: '2'
+    nominal_power: '10'
   - nominal_power: '12'
   type: osmo-bts-trx
-- _hash: 1d00bd0d6643db5590cdbefff3152e70500abefc
+- _hash: 076ff06a4b719e61779492d3fb99f42a6635bb72
   addr: 10.42.42.53
   band: GSM-1800
   ipa_unit_id: '7'
   label: sysmoCell 5000
   trx_list:
-  - nominal_power: '10'
-  - nominal_power: '12'
+  - max_power_red: '3'
+    nominal_power: '10'
+  - max_power_red: '0'
+    nominal_power: '12'
   trx_remote_ip: 10.42.42.112
   type: osmo-bts-trx
 - _hash: 07d9c8aaa940b674efcbbabdd69f58a6ce4e94f9
diff --git a/selftest/suite_test/resources.conf b/selftest/suite_test/resources.conf
index 001d286..440e55c 100644
--- a/selftest/suite_test/resources.conf
+++ b/selftest/suite_test/resources.conf
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
   launch_trx: true
   trx_list:
   - nominal_power: 10
+    max_power_red: 2
   - nominal_power: 12
 
 - label: sysmoCell 5000
@@ -46,7 +47,9 @@
   trx_remote_ip: 10.42.42.112
   trx_list:
   - nominal_power: 10
+    max_power_red: 3
   - nominal_power: 12
+    max_power_red: 0
 
 - label: sysmoCell 5000
   type: osmo-bts-trx
@@ -57,6 +60,7 @@
   trx_list:
   - nominal_power: 10
   - nominal_power: 12
+    max_power_red: 1
 
 arfcn:
   - arfcn: 512
diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
index 8206767..150e28b 100644
--- a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/resource.py
@@ -431,10 +431,22 @@
     if is_list(wanted_item):
         if not is_list(item):
             return False
-        # multiple possible values
-        for val in wanted_item:
-            if val not in item:
-                return False
+        # Validate that all elements in both lists are of the same type:
+        t = util.list_validate_same_elem_type(wanted_item + item)
+        if t is None:
+            return True # both lists are empty, return
+        # For lists of complex objects, we expect them to be sorted lists:
+        if t in (dict, list, tuple):
+            for i in range(max(len(wanted_item), len(item))):
+                log.ctx(idx=i)
+                subitem = item[i] if i < len(item) else util.empty_instance_type(t)
+                wanted_subitem = wanted_item[i] if i < len(wanted_item) else util.empty_instance_type(t)
+                if not item_matches(subitem, wanted_subitem, ignore_keys=ignore_keys):
+                    return False
+        else: # for lists of basic elements, we handle them as unsorted sets:
+            for val in wanted_item:
+                if val not in item:
+                    return False
         return True
 
     return item == wanted_item