diff --git a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/lint.py b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/lint.py
index f85e92d2e20a..cf2d8d47cb06 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/tool_util/lint.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/tool_util/lint.py
@@ -101,6 +101,13 @@ def name(cls) -> str:
         """
         return cls.__name__
 
+    @classmethod
+    def list_listers(cls) -> List[str]:
+        """
+        list the names of all linter derived from Linter
+        """
+        return [s.__name__ for s in cls.__subclasses__()]
+
 
 class LintMessage:
     """
@@ -375,17 +382,3 @@ def lint_xml_with(lint_context, tool_xml, extra_modules=None) -> LintContext:
     extra_modules = extra_modules or []
     tool_source = get_tool_source(xml_tree=tool_xml)
     return lint_tool_source_with(lint_context, tool_source, extra_modules=extra_modules)
-
-
-def list_linters(extra_modules: Optional[List[str]] = None) -> List[str]:
-    extra_modules = extra_modules or []
-    linter_modules = submodules.import_submodules(galaxy.tool_util.linters)
-    linter_modules.extend(extra_modules)
-    linters = list()
-    for module in linter_modules:
-        for name, value in inspect.getmembers(module):
-            if callable(value) and name.startswith("lint_"):
-                linters.append(name[5:])
-            elif inspect.isclass(value) and issubclass(value, Linter) and not inspect.isabstract(value):
-                linters.append(name)
-    return linters
diff --git a/test/unit/tool_util/test_tool_linters.py b/test/unit/tool_util/test_tool_linters.py
index a6d1ca395db0..0600ae32c4f2 100644
--- a/test/unit/tool_util/test_tool_linters.py
+++ b/test/unit/tool_util/test_tool_linters.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     lint_tool_source_with_modules,
     lint_xml_with,
     LintContext,
-    list_linters,
+    Linter,
     XMLLintMessageLine,
     XMLLintMessageXPath,
 )
@@ -2074,8 +2074,10 @@ def test_xml_comments_are_ignored(lint_ctx: LintContext):
 
 
 def test_list_linters():
-    linters = list_linters()
-    assert len(linters) >= 129
+    linter_names = Linter.list_listers()
+    # make sure to add/remove a test for new/removed linters if this number changes
+    assert len(linter_names) == 129
+    assert "Linter" not in linter_names
     # make sure that linters from all modules are available
     for prefix in [
         "Citations",
@@ -2090,4 +2092,4 @@ def test_list_linters():
         "XMLOrder",
         "XSD",
     ]:
-        assert len([x for x in linters if x.startswith(prefix)])
+        assert len([x for x in linter_names if x.startswith(prefix)])