diff --git a/packages/lexical-list/src/__tests__/unit/formatList.test.ts b/packages/lexical-list/src/__tests__/unit/formatList.test.ts
index 4f5915d98ab..37753354521 100644
--- a/packages/lexical-list/src/__tests__/unit/formatList.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lexical-list/src/__tests__/unit/formatList.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import {
   TableNode,
   TableRowNode,
 } from '@lexical/table';
-import {$getRoot} from 'lexical';
+import {$createParagraphNode, $createTextNode, $getRoot} from 'lexical';
 import {initializeUnitTest} from 'lexical/src/__tests__/utils';
 
 import {insertList} from '../../formatList';
@@ -42,6 +42,29 @@ describe('insertList', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    test('inserting in root selection with existing child', async () => {
+      const {editor} = testEnv;
+
+      await editor.update(() => {
+        $getRoot().select();
+        $getRoot().append(
+          $createParagraphNode().append($createTextNode('hello')),
+        );
+      });
+
+      insertList(editor, 'number');
+
+      editor.read(() => {
+        const root = $getRoot();
+
+        expect(root.getChildrenSize()).toBe(1);
+
+        const firstChild = root.getFirstChildOrThrow();
+
+        expect($isListNode(firstChild)).toBe(true);
+      });
+    });
+
     test('inserting with empty shadow root selection', async () => {
       const {editor} = testEnv;
 
diff --git a/packages/lexical-list/src/formatList.ts b/packages/lexical-list/src/formatList.ts
index 7bd1096a5d1..e4e574a1b93 100644
--- a/packages/lexical-list/src/formatList.ts
+++ b/packages/lexical-list/src/formatList.ts
@@ -83,9 +83,7 @@ export function $insertList(listType: ListType): void {
           anchorNode.append(paragraph);
           nodes = paragraph.select().getNodes();
         }
-      }
-
-      if ($isSelectingEmptyListItem(anchorNode, nodes)) {
+      } else if ($isSelectingEmptyListItem(anchorNode, nodes)) {
         const list = $createListNode(listType);
 
         if ($isRootOrShadowRoot(anchorNodeParent)) {