diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..af4b3791
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider.java
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2025.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.tables;
+
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.permissions.PermissionCheckResult;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.permissions.PermissionsHelper;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.GetAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.tables.QueryAction;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.actions.values.BasicCustomPossibleValueProvider;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.tables.query.QueryInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.data.QRecord;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.possiblevalues.QPossibleValue;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** possible-value source provider for the `QQQ Table` PVS - a list of all tables
+ ** in an application/qInstance (that you have permission to see)
+ *******************************************************************************/
+public class QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider extends BasicCustomPossibleValueProvider<QRecord, Integer>
+{
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   protected QPossibleValue<Integer> makePossibleValue(QRecord sourceObject)
+   {
+      return (new QPossibleValue<>(sourceObject.getValueInteger("id"), sourceObject.getValueString("label")));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   protected QRecord getSourceObject(Serializable id) throws QException
+   {
+      QRecord qqqTableRecord = GetAction.execute(QQQTable.TABLE_NAME, id);
+      if(qqqTableRecord == null)
+      {
+         return (null);
+      }
+
+      QTableMetaData table = QContext.getQInstance().getTable(qqqTableRecord.getValueString("name"));
+      return isTableAllowed(table) ? qqqTableRecord : null;
+   }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   @Override
+   protected List<QRecord> getAllSourceObjects() throws QException
+   {
+      return (QueryAction.execute(QQQTable.TABLE_NAME, null));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /***************************************************************************
+    **
+    ***************************************************************************/
+   private boolean isTableAllowed(QTableMetaData table)
+   {
+      if(table == null)
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      if(table.getIsHidden())
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      PermissionCheckResult permissionCheckResult = PermissionsHelper.getPermissionCheckResult(new QueryInput(table.getName()), table);
+      if(!PermissionCheckResult.ALLOW.equals(permissionCheckResult))
+      {
+         return (false);
+      }
+
+      return (true);
+   }
+
+}
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTablesMetaDataProvider.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTablesMetaDataProvider.java
index e880a230..91712ab9 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTablesMetaDataProvider.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTablesMetaDataProvider.java
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.audits.AuditLevel;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.audits.QAuditRules;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.code.QCodeReference;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.possiblevalues.PVSValueFormatAndFields;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.possiblevalues.QPossibleValueSource;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.possiblevalues.QPossibleValueSourceType;
 import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.Capability;
@@ -125,10 +128,11 @@ public class QQQTablesMetaDataProvider
    public QPossibleValueSource defineQQQTablePossibleValueSource()
    {
       return (new QPossibleValueSource()
-         .withType(QPossibleValueSourceType.TABLE)
          .withName(QQQTable.TABLE_NAME)
-         .withTableName(QQQTable.TABLE_NAME))
-         .withOrderByField("label");
+         .withType(QPossibleValueSourceType.CUSTOM)
+         .withIdType(QFieldType.INTEGER)
+         .withCustomCodeReference(new QCodeReference(QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider.class))
+         .withValueFormatAndFields(PVSValueFormatAndFields.LABEL_ONLY));
    }
 
 }
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProviderTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProviderTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a573b2d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/model/tables/QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProviderTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+/*
+ * QQQ - Low-code Application Framework for Engineers.
+ * Copyright (C) 2021-2025.  Kingsrook, LLC
+ * 651 N Broad St Ste 205 # 6917 | Middletown DE 19709 | United States
+ * contact@kingsrook.com
+ * https://github.com/Kingsrook/
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the
+ * License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+package com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.tables;
+
+
+import java.util.List;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.BaseTest;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.context.QContext;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.exceptions.QException;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.actions.values.SearchPossibleValueSourceInput;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.QInstance;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.fields.QFieldType;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.PermissionLevel;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.permissions.QPermissionRules;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.possiblevalues.QPossibleValue;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.QTableMetaData;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.TablesCustomPossibleValueProvider;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.model.metadata.tables.TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider;
+import com.kingsrook.qqq.backend.core.utils.TestUtils;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNotNull;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertNull;
+
+
+/*******************************************************************************
+ ** Unit test for QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider 
+ *******************************************************************************/
+class QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProviderTest extends BaseTest
+{
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @BeforeEach
+   void beforeEach() throws QException
+   {
+      QInstance qInstance = TestUtils.defineInstance();
+
+      qInstance.addTable(new QTableMetaData()
+         .withName("hidden")
+         .withIsHidden(true)
+         .withBackendName(TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME)
+         .withPrimaryKeyField("id")
+         .withField(new QFieldMetaData("id", QFieldType.INTEGER)));
+
+      qInstance.addTable(new QTableMetaData()
+         .withName("restricted")
+         .withPermissionRules(new QPermissionRules().withLevel(PermissionLevel.HAS_ACCESS_PERMISSION))
+         .withBackendName(TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME)
+         .withPrimaryKeyField("id")
+         .withField(new QFieldMetaData("id", QFieldType.INTEGER)));
+
+      new QQQTablesMetaDataProvider().defineAll(qInstance, TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME, TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME, null);
+
+      QContext.init(qInstance, newSession());
+
+      for(String tableName : qInstance.getTables().keySet())
+      {
+         QQQTableTableManager.getQQQTableId(qInstance, tableName);
+      }
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   void testGetPossibleValue() throws QException
+   {
+      Integer personTableId = QQQTableTableManager.getQQQTableId(QContext.getQInstance(), TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON);
+
+      QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider provider = new QQQTableCustomPossibleValueProvider();
+
+      QPossibleValue<Integer> possibleValue = provider.getPossibleValue(personTableId);
+      assertEquals(personTableId, possibleValue.getId());
+      assertEquals("Person", possibleValue.getLabel());
+
+      assertNull(provider.getPossibleValue(-1));
+
+      Integer hiddenTableId = QQQTableTableManager.getQQQTableId(QContext.getQInstance(), "hidden");
+      assertNull(provider.getPossibleValue(hiddenTableId));
+
+      Integer restrictedTableId = QQQTableTableManager.getQQQTableId(QContext.getQInstance(), "restricted");
+      assertNull(provider.getPossibleValue(restrictedTableId));
+
+      QContext.getQSession().withPermission("restricted.hasAccess");
+      assertNotNull(provider.getPossibleValue(restrictedTableId));
+   }
+
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   void testSearchPossibleValue() throws QException
+   {
+      TablesCustomPossibleValueProvider provider = new TablesCustomPossibleValueProvider();
+
+      List<QPossibleValue<String>> list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME));
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON));
+      assertThat(list).noneMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("no-such-table"));
+      assertThat(list).noneMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("hidden"));
+      assertThat(list).noneMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("restricted"));
+      assertNull(provider.getPossibleValue("restricted"));
+
+      list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME)
+         .withIdList(List.of(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON, TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_SHAPE, "hidden")));
+      assertEquals(2, list.size());
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON));
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_SHAPE));
+      assertThat(list).noneMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("hidden"));
+
+      list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME)
+         .withLabelList(List.of("Person", "Shape", "Restricted")));
+      assertEquals(2, list.size());
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON));
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_SHAPE));
+      assertThat(list).noneMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("restricted"));
+
+      list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME)
+         .withSearchTerm("restricted"));
+      assertEquals(0, list.size());
+
+      /////////////////////////////////////////
+      // add permission for restricted table //
+      /////////////////////////////////////////
+      QContext.getQSession().withPermission("restricted.hasAccess");
+      list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME)
+         .withSearchTerm("restricted"));
+      assertEquals(1, list.size());
+
+      list = provider.search(new SearchPossibleValueSourceInput()
+         .withPossibleValueSourceName(TablesPossibleValueSourceMetaDataProvider.NAME)
+         .withLabelList(List.of("Person", "Shape", "Restricted")));
+      assertEquals(3, list.size());
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_PERSON));
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals(TestUtils.TABLE_NAME_SHAPE));
+      assertThat(list).anyMatch(p -> p.getId().equals("restricted"));
+
+   }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file