diff --git a/ledger-service/db-backend/BUILD.bazel b/ledger-service/db-backend/BUILD.bazel
index 25262cb70a..175f1fb139 100644
--- a/ledger-service/db-backend/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/ledger-service/db-backend/BUILD.bazel
@@ -34,6 +34,9 @@ da_scala_library(
     runtime_deps = [
         "@maven//:ch_qos_logback_logback_classic",
     ],
+    deps = [
+        "//libs-scala/scala-utils",
+    ],
 )
 
 da_scala_test(
@@ -44,10 +47,12 @@ da_scala_test(
         "@maven//:org_scalacheck_scalacheck",
         "@maven//:org_scalatest_scalatest",
         "@maven//:org_scalatestplus_scalacheck_1_14",
+        "@maven//:org_scalaz_scalaz_core",
     ],
     scalacopts = lf_scalacopts,
     # data = ["//docs:quickstart-model.dar"],
     deps = [
         ":db-backend",
+        "//libs-scala/scala-utils",
     ],
 )
diff --git a/ledger-service/db-backend/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/Queries.scala b/ledger-service/db-backend/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/Queries.scala
index c755374a80..e4d40b63ac 100644
--- a/ledger-service/db-backend/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/Queries.scala
+++ b/ledger-service/db-backend/src/main/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/Queries.scala
@@ -3,13 +3,17 @@
 
 package com.daml.http.dbbackend
 
+import com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+import nonempty.{NonEmpty, +-:}
+import nonempty.NonEmptyReturningOps._
+
 import doobie._
 import doobie.implicits._
+import scala.collection.immutable.{Iterable, Seq => ISeq}
 import scalaz.{@@, Foldable, Functor, OneAnd, Tag}
 import scalaz.Id.Id
 import scalaz.syntax.foldable._
 import scalaz.syntax.functor._
-import scalaz.syntax.std.boolean._
 import scalaz.syntax.std.option._
 import scalaz.std.stream.unfold
 import scalaz.std.AllInstances._
@@ -231,7 +235,7 @@ sealed abstract class Queries {
       gvs: Get[Vector[String]],
       pvs: Put[Vector[String]],
   ): Query0[DBContract[Unit, JsValue, JsValue, Vector[String]]] =
-    selectContractsMultiTemplate(parties, Seq((tpid, predicate)), MatchedQueryMarker.Unused)
+    selectContractsMultiTemplate(parties, ISeq((tpid, predicate)), MatchedQueryMarker.Unused)
       .map(_ copy (templateId = ()))
 
   /** Make the smallest number of queries from `queries` that still indicates
@@ -244,7 +248,7 @@ sealed abstract class Queries {
     */
   private[http] def selectContractsMultiTemplate[T[_], Mark](
       parties: OneAnd[Set, String],
-      queries: Seq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
+      queries: ISeq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
       trackMatchIndices: MatchedQueryMarker[T, Mark],
   )(implicit
       log: LogHandler,
@@ -354,18 +358,22 @@ object Queries {
     oaa.copy(tail = oaa.tail.flatMap(Vector(a, _)))
 
   // Like groupBy but split into n maps where n is the longest list under groupBy.
-  // Invariant: every element of the result is non-empty
-  private[dbbackend] def uniqueSets[A, B](iter: Iterable[(A, B)]): Seq[Map[A, B]] =
-    unfold(iter.groupBy(_._1).transform((_, i) => i.toList): Map[A, List[(_, B)]]) { m =>
-      // invariant: every value of m is non-empty
-      m.nonEmpty option {
-        val hd = m transform { (_, abs) =>
-          val (_, b) +: _ = abs
-          b
+  private[dbbackend] def uniqueSets[A, B](iter: Iterable[(A, B)]): Seq[NonEmpty[Map[A, B]]] =
+    unfold(
+      iter
+        .groupBy1(_._1)
+        .transform((_, i) => i.toList): Map[A, NonEmpty[List[(_, B)]]]
+    ) {
+      case NonEmpty(m) =>
+        Some {
+          val hd = m transform { (_, abs) =>
+            val (_, b) +-: _ = abs
+            b
+          }
+          val tl = m collect { case (a, _ +-: NonEmpty(tl)) => (a, tl) }
+          (hd, tl)
         }
-        val tl = m collect { case (a, _ +: (tl @ (_ +: _))) => (a, tl) }
-        (hd, tl)
-      }
+      case _ => None
     }
 
   private[http] val Postgres: Queries = PostgresQueries
@@ -415,7 +423,7 @@ private object PostgresQueries extends Queries {
 
   private[http] override def selectContractsMultiTemplate[T[_], Mark](
       parties: OneAnd[Set, String],
-      queries: Seq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
+      queries: ISeq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
       trackMatchIndices: MatchedQueryMarker[T, Mark],
   )(implicit
       log: LogHandler,
@@ -450,8 +458,8 @@ private object PostgresQueries extends Queries {
       case MatchedQueryMarker.ByInt =>
         type Ix = Int
         uniqueSets(queries.zipWithIndex map { case ((tpid, pred), ix) => (tpid, (pred, ix)) }).map {
-          preds: Map[SurrogateTpId, (Fragment, Ix)] =>
-            val predHd +: predTl = preds.toVector
+          preds: NonEmpty[Map[SurrogateTpId, (Fragment, Ix)]] =>
+            val predHd +-: predTl = preds.toVector
             val predsList = OneAnd(predHd, predTl).map { case (tpid, (predicate, _)) =>
               (tpid, predicate)
             }
@@ -561,7 +569,7 @@ private object OracleQueries extends Queries {
 
   private[http] override def selectContractsMultiTemplate[T[_], Mark](
       parties: OneAnd[Set, String],
-      queries: Seq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
+      queries: ISeq[(SurrogateTpId, Fragment)],
       trackMatchIndices: MatchedQueryMarker[T, Mark],
   )(implicit
       log: LogHandler,
diff --git a/ledger-service/db-backend/src/test/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/QueriesSpec.scala b/ledger-service/db-backend/src/test/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/QueriesSpec.scala
index 6e48d27d62..f00e132242 100644
--- a/ledger-service/db-backend/src/test/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/QueriesSpec.scala
+++ b/ledger-service/db-backend/src/test/scala/com/digitalasset/http/dbbackend/QueriesSpec.scala
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ package com.daml.http.dbbackend
 import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
 import org.scalatest.wordspec.AnyWordSpec
 import org.scalatestplus.scalacheck.ScalaCheckDrivenPropertyChecks
+import scala.collection.immutable.Seq
 
 class QueriesSpec extends AnyWordSpec with Matchers with ScalaCheckDrivenPropertyChecks {
   "uniqueSets" should {
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/BUILD.bazel b/libs-scala/scala-utils/BUILD.bazel
index f48573d35a..16ad0321b7 100644
--- a/libs-scala/scala-utils/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/BUILD.bazel
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ load(
     "da_scala_test",
     "lf_scalacopts",
 )
+load("@scala_version//:index.bzl", "scala_major_version", "scala_version_suffix")
 
 scalacopts = lf_scalacopts + [
     "-P:wartremover:traverser:org.wartremover.warts.NonUnitStatements",
@@ -14,7 +15,15 @@ scalacopts = lf_scalacopts + [
 
 da_scala_library(
     name = "scala-utils",
-    srcs = glob(["src/main/scala/**/*.scala"]),
+    srcs = glob(["src/main/scala/**/*.scala"]) + glob([
+        "src/main/{}/**/*.scala".format(scala_major_version),
+    ]),
+    plugins = [
+        "@maven//:org_typelevel_kind_projector_{}".format(scala_version_suffix),
+    ],
+    scala_deps = [
+        "@maven//:org_scalaz_scalaz_core",
+    ],
     scalacopts = scalacopts,
     tags = ["maven_coordinates=com.daml:scala-utils:__VERSION__"],
     visibility = [
@@ -27,7 +36,11 @@ da_scala_library(
 da_scala_test(
     name = "test",
     srcs = glob(["src/test/scala/**/*.scala"]),
+    plugins = [
+        "@maven//:org_typelevel_kind_projector_{}".format(scala_version_suffix),
+    ],
     scala_deps = [
+        "@maven//:com_chuusai_shapeless",
         "@maven//:org_scalaz_scalaz_core",
     ],
     scalacopts = scalacopts,
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.12/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.12/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..132536411c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.12/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import scala.collection.{IterableLike, SeqLike}
+
+private[nonempty] object NonEmptyCollCompat {
+  type IterableOps[A, +CC[_], +C] = IterableLike[A, CC[A] with C]
+  type SeqOps[A, +CC[_], +C] = SeqLike[A, CC[A] with C]
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.13/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.13/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..52d0bbec13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/2.13/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyCollCompat.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import scala.{collection => sc}
+
+private[nonempty] object NonEmptyCollCompat {
+  type IterableOps[+A, +CC[_], +C] = sc.IterableOps[A, CC, C]
+  type SeqOps[+A, +CC[_], +C] = sc.SeqOps[A, CC, C]
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmpty.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmpty.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bb0210999c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmpty.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import scala.collection.{immutable => imm}, imm.Map, imm.Set
+import scalaz.Id.Id
+import scalaz.{Foldable, Traverse}
+import scalaz.Leibniz, Leibniz.===
+import scalaz.Liskov, Liskov.<~<
+import NonEmptyCollCompat._
+
+/** The visible interface of [[NonEmpty]]; use that value to access
+  * these members.
+  */
+sealed abstract class NonEmptyColl {
+
+  /** Use its alias [[com.daml.scalautil.nonempty.NonEmpty]]. */
+  type NonEmpty[+A]
+
+  /** Use its alias [[com.daml.scalautil.nonempty.NonEmptyF]]. */
+  type NonEmptyF[F[_], A] <: NonEmpty[F[A]]
+
+  private[nonempty] def substF[T[_[_]], F[_]](tf: T[F]): T[NonEmptyF[F, *]]
+  private[nonempty] def subst[F[_[_]]](tf: F[Id]): F[NonEmpty]
+  private[nonempty] def unsafeNarrow[Self](self: Self with imm.Iterable[_]): NonEmpty[Self]
+
+  /** Usable proof that [[NonEmpty]] is a subtype of its argument.  (We cannot put
+    * this in an upper-bound, because that would prevent us from adding implicit
+    * methods that replace the stdlib ones.)
+    */
+  def subtype[A]: NonEmpty[A] <~< A
+
+  /** Usable proof that [[NonEmptyF]] is actually equivalent to its [[NonEmpty]]
+    * parent type, not a strict subtype.  (We want Scala to treat it as a strict
+    * subtype, usually, so that the type will be deconstructed by
+    * partial-unification correctly.)
+    */
+  def equiv[F[_], A]: NonEmpty[F[A]] === NonEmptyF[F, A]
+
+  /** Check whether `self` is non-empty; if so, return it as the non-empty subtype. */
+  def apply[Self](self: Self with imm.Iterable[_]): Option[NonEmpty[Self]]
+
+  /** In pattern matching, think of [[NonEmpty]] as a sub-case-class of every
+    * [[imm.Iterable]]; matching `case NonEmpty(ne)` ''adds'' the non-empty type
+    * to `ne` if the pattern matches.
+    *
+    * You will get an unchecked warning if the selector is not statically of an
+    * immutable type.  So [[scala.collection.Seq]] will not work.
+    *
+    * The type-checker will not permit you to apply this to a value that already
+    * has the [[NonEmpty]] type, so don't worry about redundant checks here.
+    */
+  def unapply[Self](self: Self with imm.Iterable[_]): Option[NonEmpty[Self]] = apply(self)
+}
+
+/** If you ever have to import [[NonEmptyColl]] or anything from it, your Scala
+  * settings are probably wrong.
+  */
+object NonEmptyColl extends NonEmptyCollInstances {
+  private[nonempty] object Instance extends NonEmptyColl {
+    type NonEmpty[+A] = A
+    type NonEmptyF[F[_], A] = F[A]
+    private[nonempty] override def substF[T[_[_]], F[_]](tf: T[F]) = tf
+    private[nonempty] override def subst[F[_[_]]](tf: F[Id]) = tf
+    override def subtype[A] = Liskov.refl[A]
+    override def equiv[F[_], A] = Leibniz.refl
+
+    override def apply[Self](self: Self with imm.Iterable[_]) =
+      if (self.nonEmpty) Some(self) else None
+    private[nonempty] override def unsafeNarrow[Self](self: Self with imm.Iterable[_]) = self
+  }
+
+  implicit final class ReshapeOps[F[_], A](private val nfa: NonEmpty[F[A]]) extends AnyVal {
+    def toF: NonEmptyF[F, A] = NonEmpty.equiv[F, A](nfa)
+  }
+
+  // many of these Map and Set operations can return more specific map and set types;
+  // however, the way to do that is incompatible between Scala 2.12 and 2.13.
+  // So we won't do it at least until 2.12 support is removed
+
+  /** Operations that can ''return'' new maps.  There is no reason to include any other
+    * kind of operation here, because they are covered by `#widen`.
+    */
+  implicit final class MapOps[K, V](private val self: NonEmpty[Map[K, V]]) extends AnyVal {
+    private type ESelf = Map[K, V]
+    import NonEmpty.{unsafeNarrow => un}
+    // You can't have + because of the dumb string-converting thing in stdlib
+    def updated(key: K, value: V): NonEmpty[Map[K, V]] = un((self: ESelf).updated(key, value))
+    def ++(xs: Iterable[(K, V)]): NonEmpty[Map[K, V]] = un((self: ESelf) ++ xs)
+    def keySet: NonEmpty[Set[K]] = un((self: ESelf).keySet)
+    def transform[W](f: (K, V) => W): NonEmpty[Map[K, W]] = un((self: ESelf) transform f)
+  }
+
+  /** Operations that can ''return'' new sets.  There is no reason to include any other
+    * kind of operation here, because they are covered by `#widen`.
+    */
+  implicit final class SetOps[A](private val self: NonEmpty[Set[A]]) extends AnyVal {
+    private type ESelf = Set[A]
+    import NonEmpty.{unsafeNarrow => un}
+    // You can't have + because of the dumb string-converting thing in stdlib
+    def incl(elem: A): NonEmpty[Set[A]] = un((self: ESelf) + elem)
+    def ++(that: Iterable[A]): NonEmpty[Set[A]] = un((self: ESelf) ++ that)
+  }
+
+  implicit final class NEPreservingOps[A, C](
+      private val self: NonEmpty[IterableOps[A, imm.Iterable, C with imm.Iterable[A]]]
+  ) {
+    import NonEmpty.{unsafeNarrow => un}
+    private type ESelf = IterableOps[A, imm.Iterable, C with imm.Iterable[A]]
+    def toList: NonEmpty[List[A]] = un((self: ESelf).toList)
+    def toVector: NonEmpty[Vector[A]] = un((self: ESelf).toVector)
+    // ideas for extension: safe head/tail (not valuable unless also using
+    // wartremover to disable partial Seq ops)
+  }
+
+  // Why not `map`?  Because it's a little tricky to do portably.  I suggest
+  // importing the appropriate Scalaz instances and using `.toF.map` if you need
+  // it; we can add collection-like `map` later if it seems to be really
+  // important.
+
+  implicit def traverse[F[_]](implicit F: Traverse[F]): Traverse[NonEmptyF[F, *]] =
+    NonEmpty.substF(F)
+}
+
+sealed abstract class NonEmptyCollInstances {
+  implicit def foldable[F[_]](implicit F: Foldable[F]): Foldable[NonEmptyF[F, *]] =
+    NonEmpty.substF(F)
+
+  import scala.language.implicitConversions
+
+  /** This adds the rest of the `A` API to `na`.  However, because it is in the
+    * most distant parent class from `object NonEmptyColl`, it is tried last
+    * during method resolution.  That's why our custom `+`, `transform`,
+    * `toList`, and other such methods win; their implicit conversions are
+    * defined '''in a subclass''' of this one.
+    */
+  implicit def widen[A](na: NonEmpty[A]): A = NonEmpty.subtype[A](na)
+  implicit def widenF[F[+_], A](na: F[NonEmpty[A]]): F[A] =
+    Liskov.co[F, NonEmpty[A], A](NonEmpty.subtype)(na)
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyReturningOps.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyReturningOps.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1cd4595fd0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptyReturningOps.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import scala.collection.{immutable => imm}, imm.Map
+import NonEmptyCollCompat._
+
+/** Functions where ''the receiver'' is non-empty can be found implicitly with
+  * no further imports; they "just work".  However, if we wish to refine a
+  * method on a built-in type that merely ''returns'' a nonempty-annotated type, we
+  * must import the contents of this object.
+  */
+object NonEmptyReturningOps {
+  implicit final class `NE Iterable Ops`[A, CC[_], C](
+      private val self: IterableOps[A, CC, C with imm.Iterable[A]]
+  ) {
+    def groupBy1[K](f: A => K): Map[K, NonEmpty[C]] =
+      NonEmpty.subst[Lambda[f[_] => Map[K, f[C]]]](self groupBy f)
+
+    // ideas for extension: +-: and :-+ operators
+  }
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/Patterns.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/Patterns.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ce834a6c4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/Patterns.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import NonEmptyCollCompat._
+
+/** Total version of [[+:]]. */
+object +-: {
+  def unapply[A, CC[_], C](t: NonEmpty[SeqOps[A, CC, C]]): Some[(A, C)] =
+    Some((t.head, t.tail))
+}
+
+/** Total version of [[:+]]. */
+object :-+ {
+  def unapply[A, CC[_], C](t: NonEmpty[SeqOps[A, CC, C]]): Some[(C, A)] =
+    Some((t.init, t.last))
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/package.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/package.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..87849158fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/main/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/package.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil
+package object nonempty {
+  val NonEmpty: NonEmptyColl = NonEmptyColl.Instance
+
+  /** A non-empty `A`.  Implicitly converts to `A` in relevant contexts.
+    *
+    * Why use this instead of [[scalaz.OneAnd]?
+    *
+    * `OneAnd` is ''constructively'' non-empty; there is no way to "cheat".
+    * However, its focus on functorial use cases means that it is well-suited
+    * for uninterpreted sequences like List and Vector, but less so those where
+    * parts of the elements have some semantics, such as with Map and Set.  For
+    * cases like Set you also have to do some extra work to make sure the `head`
+    * doesn't break the invariant of the underlying structure.
+    *
+    * By contrast, `NonEmpty` is ''nominally'' non-empty.  We take care to
+    * define only those primitives that will preserve non-emptiness, but it is
+    * possible to make a mistake (for example, if you added flatMap but wrote
+    * the wrong signature).  The benefits are that you get to treat them more
+    * like the underlying structure, because there is no structural difference,
+    * and operations on existing code will more transparently continue to work
+    * (and preserve the non-empty property where reasonable) than the equivalent
+    * port to use `OneAnd`.
+    *
+    * Using this library sensibly with Scala 2.12 requires `-Xsource:2.13` and
+    * `-Ypartial-unification`.
+    */
+  type NonEmpty[+A] = NonEmpty.NonEmpty[A]
+
+  /** A subtype of `NonEmpty[F[A]]` where `A` is in position to be inferred
+    * properly.  When attempting to fit a type to the type params `C[T]`, scalac
+    * will infer the following:
+    *
+    * type shape      | C              | T
+    * ----------------+----------------+-----
+    * NonEmpty[F[A]]  | NonEmpty       | F[A]
+    * NonEmptyF[F, A] | NonEmpty[F, *] | A
+    *
+    * If you want to `traverse` or `foldLeft` or `map` on A, the latter is far
+    * more convenient.  So any value whose type is the former can be converted
+    * to the latter via the `toF` method.
+    *
+    * In fact, given any `NonEmpty[Foo]` where `Foo` can be matched to type
+    * parameters `C[T]`, `toF` will infer a `NonEmptyF[C, T]` for whatever
+    * values of C and T scalac chooses.  For example, if `bar: NonEmpty[Map[K,
+    * V]]`, then `bar.toF: NonEmptyF[Map[K, *], V]`, because that's how scalac
+    * destructures that type.
+    */
+  type NonEmptyF[F[_], A] = NonEmpty.NonEmptyF[F, A]
+
+  // aliases for Samir
+  val ±: : +-:.type = +-:
+  val :∓ : :-+.type = :-+
+}
diff --git a/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptySpec.scala b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptySpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7619e8c9fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs-scala/scala-utils/src/test/scala/com/daml/scalautil/nonempty/NonEmptySpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Digital Asset (Switzerland) GmbH and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package com.daml.scalautil.nonempty
+
+import org.scalatest.wordspec.AnyWordSpec
+import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
+
+import shapeless.test.illTyped
+
+class NonEmptySpec extends AnyWordSpec with Matchers {
+  import scala.{collection => col}, col.{mutable => mut}, col.{immutable => imm}
+
+  "unapply" should {
+    "compile on immutable maps" in {
+      val NonEmpty(m) = imm.Map(1 -> 2)
+      (m: NonEmpty[imm.Map[Int, Int]]) should ===(imm.Map(1 -> 2))
+    }
+
+    "compile on immutable seqs and maps" in {
+      val NonEmpty(s) = imm.Seq(3)
+      (s: NonEmpty[imm.Seq[Int]]) should ===(imm.Seq(3))
+    }
+
+    "reject empty maps" in {
+      imm.Map.empty[Int, Int] match {
+        case NonEmpty(_) => fail("empty")
+        case _ => succeed
+      }
+    }
+
+    "reject empty seqs" in {
+      imm.Seq.empty[Int] match {
+        case NonEmpty(_) => fail("empty")
+        case _ => succeed
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  "groupBy1" should {
+    import NonEmptyReturningOps._
+
+    // wrapping with Set in a variable is a nice trick to disable subtyping and
+    // implicit conversion (strong and weak conformance, SLS §3.5.2-3), so you
+    // only see what an expression really infers as exactly
+
+    "produce Lists for Lists" in {
+      val g = Set(List(1) groupBy1 identity)
+      g: Set[imm.Map[Int, NonEmpty[List[Int]]]]
+    }
+
+    "produce Vectors for Vectors" in {
+      val g = Set(Vector(1) groupBy1 identity)
+      g: Set[imm.Map[Int, NonEmpty[Vector[Int]]]]
+    }
+
+    "produce Sets for Sets" in {
+      val g = Set(imm.Set(1) groupBy1 identity)
+      g: Set[imm.Map[Int, NonEmpty[imm.Set[Int]]]]
+    }
+
+    "produce Seqs for Seqs" in {
+      val g = Set(imm.Seq(1) groupBy1 identity)
+      g: Set[imm.Map[Int, NonEmpty[imm.Seq[Int]]]]
+    }
+
+    "reject maybe-mutable structures" in {
+      illTyped(
+        "col.Seq(1) groupBy1 identity",
+        "(?s).*?groupBy1 is not a member of (scala.collection.)?Seq.*",
+      )
+    }
+  }
+
+  "toF" should {
+    "destructure the Set type" in {
+      val NonEmpty(s) = imm.Set(1)
+      val g = Set(s.toF)
+      g: Set[NonEmptyF[imm.Set, Int]]
+    }
+
+    "destructure the Map type" in {
+      val NonEmpty(m) = Map(1 -> 2)
+      val g = Set(m.toF)
+      g: Set[NonEmptyF[Map[Int, *], Int]]
+    }
+
+    "allow underlying NonEmpty operations" in {
+      val NonEmpty(s) = imm.Set(1)
+      ((s.toF incl 2): NonEmpty[imm.Set[Int]]) should ===(imm.Set(1, 2))
+    }
+
+    "allow access to Scalaz methods" in {
+      import scalaz.syntax.functor._, scalaz.std.map._
+      val NonEmpty(m) = imm.Map(1 -> 2)
+      (m.toF.map((3, _)): NonEmptyF[imm.Map[Int, *], (Int, Int)]) should ===(imm.Map(1 -> ((3, 2))))
+    }
+  }
+
+  "+-:" should {
+    val NonEmpty(s) = Vector(1, 2)
+
+    "preserve its tail type" in {
+      val h +-: t = s
+      ((h, t): (Int, Vector[Int])) should ===((1, Vector(2)))
+    }
+
+    "have ±: alias" in {
+      val h ±: t = s
+      ((h, t): (Int, Vector[Int])) should ===((1, Vector(2)))
+    }
+  }
+
+  // why we don't allow `scala.collection` types
+  "scala.collection.Seq" must {
+    "accept that its non-emptiness is ephemeral" in {
+      val ms = mut.Buffer(1)
+      val cs: col.Seq[Int] = ms
+      val csIsNonEmpty = cs.nonEmpty
+      ms.clear()
+      (csIsNonEmpty, cs) should ===((true, col.Seq.empty))
+    }
+  }
+}