diff --git a/compiler/src/test/pascal/cp.test.e2e.tlist.pas b/compiler/src/test/pascal/cp.test.e2e.tlist.pas
index f480d95..b049b49 100644
--- a/compiler/src/test/pascal/cp.test.e2e.tlist.pas
+++ b/compiler/src/test/pascal/cp.test.e2e.tlist.pas
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ type
     procedure TestRun_TListInteger_AddGetCount;
     procedure TestRun_TListInteger_IndexOf;
     procedure TestRun_TListString_IndexOf_NotFound;
+
+    { Class elements are RETAINED on store: an object whose only other
+      reference was a local in an exited routine must survive in the list
+      (decision recorded in language-rationale: collection ownership). }
+    procedure TestRun_TList_ClassElements_RetainedAcrossScope;
   end;
 
 implementation
@@ -158,6 +163,50 @@ begin
   AssertTrue('IndexOf(gamma)=-1',        Pos('-1', Output) >= 0);
 end;
 
+const
+  SrcTListClassRetain = '''
+    program P;
+    uses generics.collections;
+    type
+      TC = class
+        N: Integer;
+      end;
+    procedure Fill(L: TList<TC>; S: TStack<TC>);
+    var C: TC;
+    begin
+      C := TC.Create();
+      C.N := 77;
+      L.Add(C);
+      C := TC.Create();
+      C.N := 88;
+      S.Push(C);
+    end;
+    var
+      L: TList<TC>;
+      S: TStack<TC>;
+    begin
+      L := TList<TC>.Create();
+      S := TStack<TC>.Create();
+      Fill(L, S);
+      writeln(L.Get(0).N);
+      writeln(S.Peek().N);
+    end.
+    ''';
+
+procedure TE2ETListTests.TestRun_TList_ClassElements_RetainedAcrossScope;
+var Output: string; RCode: Integer;
+begin
+  if not ToolchainAvailable() then begin Ignore('toolchain unavailable'); Exit; end;
+  AssertTrue('compile+link+run (qbe)',
+    CompileAndRunWithRTLDebugOn(beQBE, SrcTListClassRetain, Output, RCode, False));
+  AssertEquals('exit code (qbe)', 0, RCode);
+  AssertEquals('retained elements readable (qbe)', '77' + #10 + '88' + #10, Output);
+  AssertTrue('compile+link+run (native)',
+    CompileAndRunWithRTLDebugOn(beNative, SrcTListClassRetain, Output, RCode, False));
+  AssertEquals('exit code (native)', 0, RCode);
+  AssertEquals('retained elements readable (native)', '77' + #10 + '88' + #10, Output);
+end;
+
 initialization
   RegisterTest(TE2ETListTests);
 
diff --git a/docs/language-rationale.adoc b/docs/language-rationale.adoc
index 4dd387f..84bf604 100644
--- a/docs/language-rationale.adoc
+++ b/docs/language-rationale.adoc
@@ -3566,3 +3566,40 @@ publishing the interface as the API surface.
   through chained expressions is not yet wired.
 * Indexed and default array properties in interfaces are not yet
   supported.
+
+== Collection Ownership — ARC Conventions
+
+=== Decision
+
+The collection types follow three explicit ownership conventions:
+
+* `TObjectList` — ownership is opt-in: `Create(True)` retains on add and
+  releases (destroying at refcount zero) on remove/clear/destroy;
+  `Create(False)` stores borrowed references.
+* `TList<T>`, `TStack<T>`, `TQueue<T>` and the other generic collections —
+  managed elements (`string`, class, dynamic array) ARE retained on store
+  and released when an element slot is overwritten (stores lower to
+  ARC-aware pointer writes).  An object whose only other reference was a
+  local in an exited routine therefore survives in the collection.
+* `TStringList.Objects[]` — NON-OWNING raw pointer slots, by design.
+  The API type is `Pointer`, and storing integer payloads cast to
+  pointers (`TObject(PtrUInt(N))`) is an accepted idiom (the compiler
+  itself uses it); blind retention would corrupt such entries.  Callers
+  storing real objects must hold a strong reference elsewhere for the
+  entry's lifetime.
+
+=== Rationale
+
+Retention for typed generic elements is safe because `T` is statically
+known — only genuinely managed types get ARC operations.  `Objects[]`
+cannot distinguish a pointer-encoded integer from an object reference at
+runtime, so it keeps FPC/Delphi's borrowed-pointer contract.
+
+=== Known limitation (leak backlog)
+
+`Clear`/`Destroy` on the generic collections do not yet release the
+retained references of remaining managed elements (releasing requires a
+`Default(T)`-style generic zero-store that the language does not provide
+yet).  Until then, collections of managed elements leak their contents
+when destroyed non-empty; element overwrite and `Delete` shifting are
+ARC-balanced.
diff --git a/stdlib/src/main/pascal/classes.pas b/stdlib/src/main/pascal/classes.pas
index f1fc43b..a7a8a9c 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/main/pascal/classes.pas
+++ b/stdlib/src/main/pascal/classes.pas
@@ -187,6 +187,13 @@ type
     constructor Create;
     procedure   Destroy;
     function    Add(S: string): Integer;
+    { Objects[] is NON-OWNING by design: slots hold raw, untyped pointers
+      with no ARC retain/release.  Callers commonly store integer payloads
+      cast to pointers (TObject(PtrUInt(N))), which makes blind retention
+      impossible.  When storing real objects, the caller must keep a strong
+      reference alive for the lifetime of the entry (e.g. an owning
+      TObjectList keep-alive) — see docs/language-rationale.adoc,
+      "Collection Ownership". }
     procedure   AddObject(S: string; AObject: Pointer);
     function    Find(const S: string; var Index: Integer): Boolean;
     function    IndexOf(const S: string): Integer;