diff --git a/trade_list.lua b/trade_list.lua
index 565ab82..58ae5ae 100644
--- a/trade_list.lua
+++ b/trade_list.lua
@@ -76,15 +76,6 @@ yl_speak_up.get_fs_trade_list = function(player, show_dialog_option_trades)
 		                "button_exit[2,1.5;1,0.9;exit;Exit]"
 	end
 
-
-	-- make sure the NPC has that table defined
-	if(not(dialog.trades)) then
-		dialog.trades = {}
-	end
-
-	yl_speak_up.load_npc_inventory(n_id)
-	local npc_inv = minetest.get_inventory({type="detached", name="yl_speak_up_npc_"..tostring(n_id)})
-
 	if(not(yl_speak_up.may_edit_npc(player, n_id))) then
 		-- do not show trades attached to dialog options for players who cannot edit the NPC
 		show_dialog_option_trades = false
@@ -106,12 +97,18 @@ yl_speak_up.get_fs_trade_list = function(player, show_dialog_option_trades)
 	local col = 0
 	local anz_trades = 0
 
+	-- make sure all fields (especially the buy and trade limits) are initialized properly
+	yl_speak_up.setup_trade_limits(dialog)
+
 	-- the order in which the trades appear shall not change each time;
 	-- but lua cannot sort the keys of a table by itself...
 	-- this function can be found in fs_trade_via_button.lua
 	local sorted_trades = yl_speak_up.get_sorted_trade_id_list(dialog, show_dialog_option_trades)
 	yl_speak_up.speak_to[pname].trade_id_list = sorted_trades
 
+	-- how much stock does the NPC have?
+	local counted_npc_inv = yl_speak_up.count_npc_inv(n_id)
+
 	for i, k in ipairs(sorted_trades) do
 		local v = dialog.trades[ k ]
 		  -- needs both to be negated because show_dialog_option_trades will most of the time be nil
@@ -120,20 +117,32 @@ yl_speak_up.get_fs_trade_list = function(player, show_dialog_option_trades)
 		  and v.pay and v.pay[1] and v.pay[1] ~= "" and v.buy and v.buy[1] and v.buy[1] ~= "") then
 			local pay_stack = ItemStack(v.pay[1])
 			local buy_stack = ItemStack(v.buy[1])
+			local pay_stack_name = pay_stack:get_name()
+			local buy_stack_name = buy_stack:get_name()
 			-- do not show trades with nonexistant items
-			if(  not(minetest.registered_items[ pay_stack:get_name() ])
-			  or not(minetest.registered_items[ buy_stack:get_name() ])) then
+			if(  not(minetest.registered_items[ pay_stack_name ])
+			  or not(minetest.registered_items[ buy_stack_name ])) then
 				break
 			end
 
 			anz_trades = anz_trades + 1
 			local kstr = tostring(minetest.formspec_escape(k))
-			local sold_out = not(npc_inv:contains_item("npc_main", buy_stack))
+			-- how many times can the NPC do this particular trade?
+			local amount_available = yl_speak_up.get_trade_amount_available(
+				(counted_npc_inv[ buy_stack_name ] or 0),
+				(counted_npc_inv[ pay_stack_name ] or 0),
+				buy_stack, pay_stack,
+				dialog.trades.limits.sell_if_more[ buy_stack_name ],
+				dialog.trades.limits.buy_if_less[  pay_stack_name ])
+
+			local sold_out = false
 			local color = "#a37e45" --"#777777"
-			if(sold_out) then
+			if(amount_available < 1) then
+				sold_out = true
 				color = "#663333"
-				-- still needs to contain kstr so that each button has a diffrent text
---				kstr = "sold out "..kstr
+--			else -- if admin shop
+--				-- indicate that the shop will never run out of stock with a special color
+--				color = "#999999"
 			end
 			table.insert(formspec,
 				"container["..tostring(0.5+(col*4.5))..","..
@@ -152,10 +161,12 @@ yl_speak_up.get_fs_trade_list = function(player, show_dialog_option_trades)
 				table.insert(formspec, "button[0,1.0;4.3,1.0;"..kstr.."__;Sold out]"..
 							"\ncontainer_end[]")
 			else
+				-- how often can this trade be done?
+				table.insert(formspec, "label[0,0.8;Stock: "..tostring(amount_available).."x]")
 				-- show the price label only when the offer is in stock
 				table.insert(formspec, "label[0,1.9;->]"..
-							"label[0,4.4;Price:]\ncontainer_end[]")
-
+							"label[0,4.4;Price:]"..
+							"\ncontainer_end[]")
 			end
 			col = col + 1
 			if(col >= yl_speak_up.trade_max_cols) then