diff --git a/tests/pytest_collection_order.py b/tests/pytest_collection_order.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..27da81e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pytest_collection_order.py
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import tomllib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+def _load_order_map(registry_path: Path) -> dict[str, dict[str, int]]:
+ if not registry_path.exists():
+  return {}
+ with registry_path.open("rb") as f:
+  data = tomllib.load(f)
+ files = data.get("files", {})
+ out: dict[str, dict[str, int]] = {}
+ for fname, entry in files.items():
+  order_list = entry.get("test_order", [])
+  if isinstance(order_list, list):
+   out[fname] = {item["test_id"]: int(item["order"]) for item in order_list}
+  elif isinstance(order_list, dict):
+   out[fname] = {k: int(v) for k, v in order_list.items()}
+ return out
+
+def sort_items_by_order(items: list, registry_path: Path) -> list:
+ order_map = _load_order_map(registry_path)
+ if not order_map:
+  return list(items)
+ by_file: dict[str, list] = {}
+ for it in items:
+  nodeid = getattr(it, "nodeid", "")
+  fname = nodeid.split("::", 1)[0] if "::" in nodeid else ""
+  by_file.setdefault(fname, []).append(it)
+ out: list = []
+ for fname, group in by_file.items():
+  fmap = order_map.get(fname)
+  if not fmap:
+   out.extend(group)
+   continue
+  def _key(it, fmap=fmap, group=group) -> tuple[int, int]:
+   nid = getattr(it, "nodeid", "")
+   idx = fmap.get(nid, 1 << 30)
+   return (idx, group.index(it))
+  out.extend(sorted(group, key=_key))
+ return out
+
+def pytest_collection_modifyitems(config, items) -> None:
+ tests_dir = Path(getattr(config, "rootdir", Path.cwd()))
+ registry_path = tests_dir / "test_categories.toml"
+ new_items = sort_items_by_order(list(items), registry_path=registry_path)
+ items[:] = new_items