diff --git a/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeChecker.cpp b/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeChecker.cpp
index 7b2b6864ecc..00d8331df20 100644
--- a/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeChecker.cpp
+++ b/frontends/p4/typeChecking/typeChecker.cpp
@@ -1021,21 +1021,6 @@ TypeInference::checkExternConstructor(const IR::Node* errorPosition,
     if (!functionType->is<IR::Type_Method>())
         BUG("Unexpected type for function %1%", functionType);
 
-    LOG2("Constructor type before specialization " << methodType << " with " << tvs);
-    TypeVariableSubstitutionVisitor substVisitor(tvs);
-    substVisitor.setCalledBy(this);
-    auto specMethodType = methodType->apply(substVisitor);
-    LOG2("Constructor type after specialization " << specMethodType);
-    learn(specMethodType, this);
-    auto canon = getType(specMethodType);
-    if (canon == nullptr)
-        return nullptr;
-
-    auto functionType = specMethodType->to<IR::Type_MethodBase>();
-    BUG_CHECK(functionType != nullptr, "Method type is %1%", specMethodType);
-    if (!functionType->is<IR::Type_Method>())
-        BUG("Unexpected type for function %1%", functionType);
-
     ConstantTypeSubstitution cts(tvs, refMap, typeMap, this);
     // Arguments may need to be cast, e.g., list expression to a
     // header type.
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples/list8.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples/list8.p4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..be3c4616d10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples/list8.p4
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#include <core.p4>
+
+extern E {
+    E(list<list<bit<32>>> data);
+    void run();
+}
+
+control c() {
+    E(
+        (list<list<bit<32>>>)
+        {
+            (list<bit<32>>){10, 6, 3},
+            (list<bit<32>>){5, 2}
+        }) e;
+    apply {
+        e.run();
+    }
+}
+
+control C();
+package top(C _c);
+
+top(c()) main;
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-first.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-first.p4
index ae92b72739c..9165018ce72 100644
--- a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-first.p4
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-first.p4
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ extern E {
 
 control c() {
     E((list<bit<32>>){32w2,32w3,32w4}) e;
+    bit<32> list;
     apply {
         e.run();
     }
@@ -15,4 +16,3 @@ control c() {
 control C();
 package top(C _c);
 top(c()) main;
-
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-frontend.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-frontend.p4
index 5170dadf293..bbccfe14f4e 100644
--- a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-frontend.p4
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-frontend.p4
@@ -15,4 +15,3 @@ control c() {
 control C();
 package top(C _c);
 top(c()) main;
-
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-midend.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-midend.p4
index 6d964575875..e345b466dd5 100644
--- a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-midend.p4
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list-midend.p4
@@ -7,21 +7,20 @@ extern E {
 
 control c() {
     @name("c.e") E((list<bit<32>>){32w2,32w3,32w4}) e_0;
-    @hidden action list11() {
+    @hidden action list12() {
         e_0.run();
     }
-    @hidden table tbl_list11 {
+    @hidden table tbl_list12 {
         actions = {
-            list11();
+            list12();
         }
-        const default_action = list11();
+        const default_action = list12();
     }
     apply {
-        tbl_list11.apply();
+        tbl_list12.apply();
     }
 }
 
 control C();
 package top(C _c);
 top(c()) main;
-
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list.p4
index 41f33553902..3d925770bca 100644
--- a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list.p4
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list.p4
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ extern E {
 
 control c() {
     E((list<bit<32>>){ 2, 3, 4 }) e;
+    bit<32> list;
     apply {
         e.run();
     }
@@ -15,4 +16,3 @@ control c() {
 control C();
 package top(C _c);
 top(c()) main;
-
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-first.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-first.p4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3d2638117c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-first.p4
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include <core.p4>
+
+extern E {
+    E(list<list<bit<32>>> data);
+    void run();
+}
+
+control c() {
+    E((list<list<bit<32>>>){(list<bit<32>>){32w10,32w6,32w3},(list<bit<32>>){32w5,32w2}}) e;
+    apply {
+        e.run();
+    }
+}
+
+control C();
+package top(C _c);
+top(c()) main;
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-frontend.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-frontend.p4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..34cd6249f5e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-frontend.p4
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include <core.p4>
+
+extern E {
+    E(list<list<bit<32>>> data);
+    void run();
+}
+
+control c() {
+    @name("c.e") E((list<list<bit<32>>>){(list<bit<32>>){32w10,32w6,32w3},(list<bit<32>>){32w5,32w2}}) e_0;
+    apply {
+        e_0.run();
+    }
+}
+
+control C();
+package top(C _c);
+top(c()) main;
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-midend.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-midend.p4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c94904a1f7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8-midend.p4
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#include <core.p4>
+
+extern E {
+    E(list<list<bit<32>>> data);
+    void run();
+}
+
+control c() {
+    @name("c.e") E((list<list<bit<32>>>){(list<bit<32>>){32w10,32w6,32w3},(list<bit<32>>){32w5,32w2}}) e_0;
+    @hidden action list8l16() {
+        e_0.run();
+    }
+    @hidden table tbl_list8l16 {
+        actions = {
+            list8l16();
+        }
+        const default_action = list8l16();
+    }
+    apply {
+        tbl_list8l16.apply();
+    }
+}
+
+control C();
+package top(C _c);
+top(c()) main;
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8.p4 b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8.p4
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0dc5716343d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8.p4
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#include <core.p4>
+
+extern E {
+    E(list<list<bit<32>>> data);
+    void run();
+}
+
+control c() {
+    E((list<list<bit<32>>>){ (list<bit<32>>){ 10, 6, 3 }, (list<bit<32>>){ 5, 2 } }) e;
+    apply {
+        e.run();
+    }
+}
+
+control C();
+package top(C _c);
+top(c()) main;
diff --git a/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8.p4-stderr b/testdata/p4_16_samples_outputs/list8.p4-stderr
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d