test(acp): require nullable diff fields on wire

internal/acp/translate.go

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package acp
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"net/url"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"unicode"
 	"unicode/utf8"
@@ -238,22 +239,59 @@ func toolCallResult(result agent.ToolResult) ToolCallUpdate {
 }
 
 func toolResultContent(result agent.ToolResult) []ToolCallContent {
+	content := make([]ToolCallContent, 0, 1+len(result.FileDiffs))
 	text := strings.TrimRight(result.Output, "\n")
 	if text == "" {
 		text = result.Display.Summary
 	}
 	if text == "" {
-		return nil
+		return appendToolResultDiffs(content, result.FileDiffs)
 	}
-	return []ToolCallContent{ToolContent(TextBlock(text))}
+	content = append(content, ToolContent(TextBlock(text)))
+	return appendToolResultDiffs(content, result.FileDiffs)
+}
+
+func appendToolResultDiffs(content []ToolCallContent, diffs []tools.FileDiff) []ToolCallContent {
+	for _, diff := range diffs {
+		if !filepath.IsAbs(diff.Path) || (!diff.OldExists && !diff.NewExists) {
+			continue
+		}
+		var oldText *string
+		if diff.OldExists {
+			old := diff.OldText
+			oldText = &old
+		}
+		var newText *string
+		if diff.NewExists {
+			updated := diff.NewText
+			newText = &updated
+		}
+		content = append(content, ToolCallContent{Type: "diff", Path: diff.Path, OldText: oldText, NewText: newText})
+	}
+	return content
 }
 
 func toolResultLocations(result agent.ToolResult) []ToolCallLocation {
-	locs := make([]ToolCallLocation, 0, len(result.ChangedFiles))
-	for _, f := range result.ChangedFiles {
-		if strings.TrimSpace(f) == "" {
+	locs := make([]ToolCallLocation, 0, len(result.FileDiffs)+len(result.ChangedFiles))
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(result.FileDiffs)+len(result.ChangedFiles))
+	for _, diff := range result.FileDiffs {
+		path := diff.Path
+		if path == "" || seen[path] {
 			continue
 		}
+		seen[path] = true
+		locs = append(locs, ToolCallLocation{Path: path})
+	}
+	// FileDiff.Path is canonical absolute path data while ChangedFiles is
+	// normally workspace-relative. Without the trusted workspace root these
+	// coordinate systems cannot be correlated safely: a suffix match would let
+	// /workspace/sub/a.go consume the fallback for a distinct root a.go. The
+	// shared seen set deduplicates only identities already exactly comparable.
+	for _, f := range result.ChangedFiles {
+		if f == "" || seen[f] {
+			continue
+		}
+		seen[f] = true
 		locs = append(locs, ToolCallLocation{Path: f})
 	}
 	return locs

internal/acp/translate_test.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package acp
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"unicode"
@@ -300,21 +301,26 @@ func TestToolCallStart(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestToolCallResult(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.go")
 	ok := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{
 		ToolCallID:   "tc1",
 		Name:         "edit_file",
 		Status:       tools.StatusOK,
 		Output:       "applied\n",
 		ChangedFiles: []string{"a.go", ""},
+		FileDiffs:    []tools.FileDiff{{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before\n", NewText: "after\n"}},
 	})
 	if ok.SessionUpdate != UpdateToolCallUpdate || ok.Status != ToolStatusCompleted {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected ok result: %+v", ok)
 	}
-	if len(ok.Content) != 1 || ok.Content[0].Type != "content" || ok.Content[0].Content.Text != "applied" {
+	if len(ok.Content) != 2 || ok.Content[0].Type != "content" || ok.Content[0].Content.Text != "applied" {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected content: %+v", ok.Content)
 	}
-	if len(ok.Locations) != 1 || ok.Locations[0].Path != "a.go" {
-		t.Fatalf("blank changed files should be dropped, got %+v", ok.Locations)
+	if diff := ok.Content[1]; diff.Type != "diff" || diff.Path != path || diff.OldText == nil || *diff.OldText != "before\n" || diff.NewText == nil || *diff.NewText != "after\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected diff content: %+v", diff)
+	}
+	if len(ok.Locations) != 2 || ok.Locations[0].Path != path || ok.Locations[1].Path != "a.go" {
+		t.Fatalf("unproven absolute/relative aliases must both remain visible, got %+v", ok.Locations)
 	}
 
 	failed := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{ToolCallID: "tc2", Status: tools.StatusError, Output: "boom"})
@@ -323,6 +329,190 @@ func TestToolCallResult(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestToolCallDiffJSONDistinguishesEmptyFilesAndDeletion(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "empty.txt")
+	content := appendToolResultDiffs(nil, []tools.FileDiff{
+		{Path: path, OldExists: false, NewExists: true, NewText: ""},
+		{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before", NewText: ""},
+		{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: false, OldText: "before"},
+	})
+	if len(content) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("diff content = %#v", content)
+	}
+	for index, diff := range content {
+		encoded, err := json.Marshal(diff)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		var wire map[string]any
+		if err := json.Unmarshal(encoded, &wire); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if wire["path"] != path {
+			t.Fatalf("wire diff %d = %s", index, encoded)
+		}
+		switch index {
+		case 0:
+			oldText, present := wire["oldText"]
+			if !present || oldText != nil || wire["newText"] != "" {
+				t.Fatalf("create diff = %s, want null oldText and empty newText", encoded)
+			}
+		case 1:
+			if wire["oldText"] != "before" || wire["newText"] != "" {
+				t.Fatalf("empty replacement diff = %s", encoded)
+			}
+		case 2:
+			newText, present := wire["newText"]
+			if wire["oldText"] != "before" || !present || newText != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("deletion diff = %s, want oldText and null newText", encoded)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolResultLocationsPreserveDistinctPathIdentities(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	rootPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	nestedPath := filepath.Join(root, "sub", "a.go")
+	diff := func(path string) tools.FileDiff {
+		return tools.FileDiff{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before", NewText: "after"}
+	}
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name  string
+		diffs []tools.FileDiff
+		want  []string
+	}{
+		{name: "both rich", diffs: []tools.FileDiff{diff(rootPath), diff(nestedPath)}, want: []string{rootPath, nestedPath, "a.go", filepath.Join("sub", "a.go")}},
+		{name: "root rich", diffs: []tools.FileDiff{diff(rootPath)}, want: []string{rootPath, "a.go", filepath.Join("sub", "a.go")}},
+		{name: "nested rich", diffs: []tools.FileDiff{diff(nestedPath)}, want: []string{nestedPath, "a.go", filepath.Join("sub", "a.go")}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			locations := toolResultLocations(agent.ToolResult{
+				ChangedFiles: []string{"a.go", filepath.Join("sub", "a.go")},
+				FileDiffs:    tc.diffs,
+			})
+			if len(locations) != len(tc.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("locations = %#v, want %#v", locations, tc.want)
+			}
+			for index := range tc.want {
+				if locations[index].Path != tc.want[index] {
+					t.Fatalf("locations = %#v, want %#v", locations, tc.want)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolCallResultPreservesWhitespaceInFilePaths(t *testing.T) {
+	relativePath := " report.txt "
+	absolutePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), relativePath)
+	update := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{
+		ChangedFiles: []string{relativePath},
+		FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{{
+			Path: absolutePath, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before", NewText: "after",
+		}},
+	})
+	if len(update.Content) != 1 || update.Content[0].Path != absolutePath {
+		t.Fatalf("diff content path = %#v, want %q", update.Content, absolutePath)
+	}
+	if len(update.Locations) != 2 || update.Locations[0].Path != absolutePath || update.Locations[1].Path != relativePath {
+		t.Fatalf("locations = %#v, want exact paths %q and %q", update.Locations, absolutePath, relativePath)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolResultLocationsDeduplicateOnlyExactPaths(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.go")
+	locations := toolResultLocations(agent.ToolResult{
+		ChangedFiles: []string{path, path},
+		FileDiffs:    []tools.FileDiff{{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before", NewText: "after"}},
+	})
+	if len(locations) != 1 || locations[0].Path != path {
+		t.Fatalf("exact duplicate locations = %#v", locations)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDeletedFileEmitsDiffAndKeepsLocations(t *testing.T) {
+	relativePath := "deleted.go"
+	absolutePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), relativePath)
+	update := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{
+		ChangedFiles: []string{relativePath},
+		FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{{
+			Path: absolutePath, OldExists: true, NewExists: false, OldText: "before",
+		}},
+	})
+	if len(update.Content) != 1 || update.Content[0].OldText == nil || *update.Content[0].OldText != "before" || update.Content[0].NewText != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("deleted file diff = %#v, want oldText with null newText", update.Content)
+	}
+	if len(update.Locations) != 2 || update.Locations[0].Path != absolutePath || update.Locations[1].Path != relativePath {
+		t.Fatalf("deleted file locations = %#v", update.Locations)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolCallResultEmitsOnlyRedactedFileDiffs(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := "sk-proj-abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "secret.txt")
+	scrubbed := tools.ScrubResultSecrets(tools.Result{FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{{
+		Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "token=" + secret, NewText: "safe",
+	}}})
+	update := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{ToolCallID: "call", Status: tools.StatusError, FileDiffs: scrubbed.FileDiffs})
+	if len(update.Content) != 1 || update.Content[0].OldText == nil || strings.Contains(*update.Content[0].OldText, secret) {
+		t.Fatalf("ACP content leaked unredacted diff: %#v", update.Content)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolCallResultOmitsSemanticallyUnchangedRedactedDiff(t *testing.T) {
+	oldSecret := "ghp_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+	newSecret := "ghp_9876543210ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA"
+	scrubbed := tools.ScrubResultSecrets(tools.Result{
+		ChangedFiles: []string{"credentials.txt"},
+		FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{{
+			Path: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "credentials.txt"), OldExists: true, NewExists: true,
+			OldText: "token=" + oldSecret, NewText: "token=" + newSecret,
+		}},
+	})
+	update := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{
+		ToolCallID: "call", Status: tools.StatusOK,
+		ChangedFiles: scrubbed.ChangedFiles, FileDiffs: scrubbed.FileDiffs,
+	})
+	if len(update.Content) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("ACP emitted semantically unchanged redacted diff: %#v", update.Content)
+	}
+	if len(update.Locations) != 1 || update.Locations[0].Path != "credentials.txt" {
+		t.Fatalf("ACP path fallback = %#v", update.Locations)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestToolCallResultOmitsDefaultIgnorableSplitSecretsOnEitherSide(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := "sk-ant-api03-AAAABBBBCCCCDDDDEEEEFFFFGGGG"
+	for name, separator := range map[string]string{
+		"combining grapheme joiner": "\u034f",
+		"variation selector":        "\ufe0f",
+	} {
+		for _, side := range []string{"old", "new"} {
+			t.Run(name+" "+side, func(t *testing.T) {
+				obfuscated := secret[:20] + separator + secret[20:]
+				diff := tools.FileDiff{
+					Path: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "secret.txt"), OldExists: true, NewExists: true,
+					OldText: "safe old", NewText: "safe new",
+				}
+				if side == "old" {
+					diff.OldText = obfuscated
+				} else {
+					diff.NewText = obfuscated
+				}
+				scrubbed := tools.ScrubResultSecrets(tools.Result{FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{diff}})
+				if !scrubbed.Redacted || len(scrubbed.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+					t.Fatalf("registry boundary retained an obfuscated secret: %#v", scrubbed)
+				}
+				update := toolCallResult(agent.ToolResult{ToolCallID: "call", Status: tools.StatusOK, FileDiffs: scrubbed.FileDiffs})
+				if len(update.Content) != 0 {
+					t.Fatalf("ACP content retained an obfuscated secret: %#v", update.Content)
+				}
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPlanUpdateAndStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	upd := planUpdate([]tools.PlanItem{
 		{Content: "step a", Status: "completed"},

internal/acp/types.go

@@ -235,9 +235,30 @@ type ToolCallContent struct {
 	// type == "content"
 	Content *ContentBlock `json:"content,omitempty"`
 	// type == "diff"
-	Path    string `json:"path,omitempty"`
-	OldText string `json:"oldText,omitempty"`
-	NewText string `json:"newText,omitempty"`
+	Path    string  `json:"path,omitempty"`
+	OldText *string `json:"oldText,omitempty"`
+	NewText *string `json:"newText,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// MarshalJSON preserves ACP's discriminated content union. A diff always has
+// path, while nullable oldText/newText distinguish creation, deletion, and an
+// existing file replaced with empty content. Other content variants omit all
+// diff fields rather than serializing irrelevant nulls.
+func (content ToolCallContent) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+	if content.Type == "diff" {
+		return json.Marshal(struct {
+			Type    string  `json:"type"`
+			Path    string  `json:"path"`
+			OldText *string `json:"oldText"`
+			NewText *string `json:"newText"`
+		}{
+			Type: content.Type, Path: content.Path, OldText: content.OldText, NewText: content.NewText,
+		})
+	}
+	return json.Marshal(struct {
+		Type    string        `json:"type"`
+		Content *ContentBlock `json:"content,omitempty"`
+	}{Type: content.Type, Content: content.Content})
 }
 
 func ToolContent(block ContentBlock) ToolCallContent {

internal/agent/loop.go

@@ -1527,6 +1527,7 @@ func executeToolCall(ctx context.Context, registry *tools.Registry, call ToolCal
 		Images:          result.Images,
 		Redacted:        result.Redacted,
 		ChangedFiles:    result.ChangedFiles,
+		FileDiffs:       result.FileDiffs,
 		ChangeSummaries: result.ChangeSummaries,
 		Display:         result.HumanDisplay(),
 		Outcome:         result.Outcome,
@@ -1833,6 +1834,10 @@ func runToolForUnsandboxedRetry(ctx context.Context, registry *tools.Registry, n
 }
 
 func toolResultFromPrePermissionReject(call ToolCall, result tools.Result) ToolResult {
+	// PrePermissionRejecter runs before Registry.RunWithOptions, so it must
+	// explicitly cross the same transcript/redaction boundary before its result
+	// can be forwarded through ACP.
+	result = tools.ScrubResultSecrets(result)
 	output, outputRedacted := scrubInterceptedOutput(result.Output)
 	display := result.Display
 	summary, summaryRedacted := scrubInterceptedOutput(display.Summary)
@@ -1860,6 +1865,7 @@ func toolResultFromPrePermissionReject(call ToolCall, result tools.Result) ToolR
 		Meta:            meta,
 		Redacted:        result.Redacted || outputRedacted || summaryRedacted || metaRedacted,
 		ChangedFiles:    result.ChangedFiles,
+		FileDiffs:       result.FileDiffs,
 		ChangeSummaries: result.ChangeSummaries,
 		Display:         display,
 		LoadedTools:     loadedToolsFromResult(meta),
@@ -2153,6 +2159,7 @@ func askUserFallbackResult(ctx context.Context, registry *tools.Registry, call T
 			Meta:            result.Meta,
 			Redacted:        result.Redacted,
 			ChangedFiles:    result.ChangedFiles,
+			FileDiffs:       result.FileDiffs,
 			ChangeSummaries: result.ChangeSummaries,
 			Display:         result.HumanDisplay(),
 			Outcome:         result.Outcome,

internal/agent/loop_test.go

@@ -27,6 +27,23 @@ type mockProvider struct {
 	requests []zeroruntime.CompletionRequest
 }
 
+func TestPrePermissionRejectScrubsFileDiffs(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := "sk-proj-abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+	result := toolResultFromPrePermissionReject(ToolCall{ID: "call", Name: "test"}, tools.Result{
+		Status: tools.StatusError,
+		FileDiffs: []tools.FileDiff{{
+			Path:      filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "secret.txt"),
+			OldExists: true,
+			NewExists: true,
+			OldText:   "token=" + secret,
+			NewText:   "safe",
+		}},
+	})
+	if len(result.FileDiffs) != 1 || strings.Contains(result.FileDiffs[0].OldText, secret) || !result.Redacted {
+		t.Fatalf("pre-permission FileDiff = %#v, redacted = %t", result.FileDiffs, result.Redacted)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestTypedExecutionOutcomeOverridesLegacySandboxHeuristics(t *testing.T) {
 	engine := sandbox.NewEngine(sandbox.EngineOptions{WorkspaceRoot: t.TempDir(), Policy: sandbox.DefaultPolicy()})
 	call := ToolCall{Name: tools.ExecCommandToolName}

internal/agent/types.go

@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ type ToolResult struct {
 	Images       []zeroruntime.ImageBlock
 	Redacted     bool
 	ChangedFiles []string
+	FileDiffs    []tools.FileDiff
 	// ChangeSummaries are non-selectable generated-tree summaries emitted by
 	// command execution; callers must not schedule per-file work from them.
 	ChangeSummaries []execution.Change

internal/tools/apply_patch_tolerance_test.go

@@ -2,8 +2,10 @@ package tools
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"slices"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
@@ -363,7 +365,7 @@ func TestUnifiedPatchCopyOperation(t *testing.T) {
 	if content, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, "dst.txt")); string(content) != "hello\nnew\n" {
 		t.Fatalf("copy destination = %q", string(content))
 	}
-	if len(result.ChangedFiles) != 2 || result.ChangedFiles[0] != "src.txt" || result.ChangedFiles[1] != "dst.txt" {
+	if len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || result.ChangedFiles[0] != "dst.txt" {
 		t.Fatalf("changed files = %v", result.ChangedFiles)
 	}
 	destination, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(filepath.Join(root, "dst.txt"))
@@ -571,9 +573,9 @@ func TestApplyStructuredPatchChangeRefusesSourceChangedAfterPlanning(t *testing.
 		"copy":   {kind: structuredPatchCopy, from: target, to: destination, before: "planned\n", after: "planned\n", mode: 0o644},
 	} {
 		writeTestFile(t, path, "changed after planning\n")
-		committed, err := applyStructuredPatchChange(workspace, change)
-		if err == nil || committed || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "changed on disk between planning and commit") {
-			t.Fatalf("%s: expected a refusal, got committed=%v err=%v", name, committed, err)
+		outcome, err := applyStructuredPatchChange(workspace, change)
+		if err == nil || len(outcome.completed) != 0 || len(outcome.incompletePaths) != 0 || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "changed on disk between planning and commit") {
+			t.Fatalf("%s: expected a refusal, got outcome=%#v err=%v", name, outcome, err)
 		}
 		if content, _ := os.ReadFile(path); string(content) != "changed after planning\n" {
 			t.Fatalf("%s: file must be untouched, got %q", name, string(content))
@@ -709,4 +711,158 @@ func TestApplyPatchOperationsReportsCommittedPrefixOnFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	if content, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(root, "third.txt")); string(content) != "three\n" {
 		t.Fatalf("third.txt must be untouched, got %q", string(content))
 	}
+	if got := result.ChangedFiles; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "first.txt" {
+		t.Fatalf("partial patch ChangedFiles = %#v, want committed prefix only", got)
+	}
+	resolvedFirst, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(filepath.Join(root, "first.txt"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := result.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != (FileDiff{Path: resolvedFirst, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "one\n", NewText: "ONE\n"}) {
+		t.Fatalf("partial patch FileDiffs = %#v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestApplyPatchOperationsReportsWorkspaceRelativeCommittedPrefixUnderCwd(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	applyRoot := filepath.Join(root, "sub", "dir")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(applyRoot, 0o755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(applyRoot, "first.txt"), "one\n")
+	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(applyRoot, "second.txt"), "two\n")
+	structuredPatchBeforeCommit = func(change structuredPatchChange) {
+		if change.to.relative == "second.txt" {
+			writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(applyRoot, "second.txt"), "changed\n")
+		}
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { structuredPatchBeforeCommit = nil })
+	patch := strings.Join([]string{
+		"*** Begin Patch",
+		"*** Update File: first.txt", "@@", "-one", "+ONE",
+		"*** Update File: second.txt", "@@", "-two", "+TWO",
+		"*** End Patch", "",
+	}, "\n")
+
+	result := NewScopedApplyPatchTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"cwd": "sub/dir", "patch": patch,
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusError || !strings.Contains(result.Output, "already committed: sub/dir/first.txt") {
+		t.Fatalf("nested partial failure = status=%s output=%q", result.Status, result.Output)
+	}
+	if got := result.ChangedFiles; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != "sub/dir/first.txt" {
+		t.Fatalf("nested partial ChangedFiles = %#v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestApplyPatchSeparatesVerifiedAndUnverifiedPartialPublications(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	priorPublish := structuredPatchPublishNoReplace
+	structuredPatchPublishNoReplace = func(workspace *os.Root, source, target string, mode os.FileMode) (bool, error) {
+		if target != "uncertain.txt" {
+			return priorPublish(workspace, source, target, mode)
+		}
+		file, err := workspace.OpenFile(target, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL, mode.Perm())
+		if err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+		if _, err := file.WriteString("partial"); err != nil {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return true, err
+		}
+		if err := file.Close(); err != nil {
+			return true, err
+		}
+		return true, errors.New("injected failure after partial publication")
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { structuredPatchPublishNoReplace = priorPublish })
+
+	patch := strings.Join([]string{
+		"*** Begin Patch",
+		"*** Add File: verified.txt", "+verified",
+		"*** Add File: uncertain.txt", "+intended complete content",
+		"*** Add File: untouched.txt", "+untouched",
+		"*** End Patch", "",
+	}, "\n")
+	result := NewScopedApplyPatchTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{"patch": patch})
+
+	if result.Status != StatusError {
+		t.Fatalf("partial publication status = %s, want error", result.Status)
+	}
+	for _, want := range []string{"already committed: verified.txt", "published but unverified: uncertain.txt"} {
+		if !strings.Contains(result.Output, want) {
+			t.Fatalf("partial publication error must contain %q: %s", want, result.Output)
+		}
+	}
+	committedFragment := strings.SplitN(result.Output, "; published but unverified:", 2)[0]
+	if strings.Contains(committedFragment, "uncertain.txt") {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified path appears in committed fragment: %s", result.Output)
+	}
+	if got, want := result.ChangedFiles, []string{"verified.txt"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("ChangedFiles = %#v, want verified publications only %#v", got, want)
+	}
+	resolvedVerified, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(filepath.Join(root, "verified.txt"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := result.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0].Path != resolvedVerified {
+		t.Fatalf("FileDiffs = %#v, want verified.txt only", got)
+	}
+	if got := mustReadTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "verified.txt")); got != "verified\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("verified publication = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := mustReadTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "uncertain.txt")); got != "partial" {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified publication = %q", got)
+	}
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(root, "untouched.txt")); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatalf("later publication must remain untouched: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestApplyPatchMoveReportsPublishedDestinationWhenSourceRemovalFails(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "source.txt"), "before\n")
+	priorRemove := structuredPatchRemove
+	structuredPatchRemove = func(workspace *os.Root, name string) error {
+		if name == "source.txt" {
+			return os.ErrPermission
+		}
+		return priorRemove(workspace, name)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { structuredPatchRemove = priorRemove })
+
+	patch := strings.Join([]string{
+		"*** Begin Patch",
+		"*** Update File: source.txt",
+		"*** Move to: destination.txt",
+		"@@",
+		"-before",
+		"+after",
+		"*** End Patch",
+		"",
+	}, "\n")
+	result := NewScopedApplyPatchTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{"patch": patch})
+	if result.Status != StatusError {
+		t.Fatalf("move status = %s, want error", result.Status)
+	}
+	if got := mustReadTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "source.txt")); got != "before\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("source content = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got := mustReadTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "destination.txt")); got != "after\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("destination content = %q", got)
+	}
+	if got, want := result.ChangedFiles, []string{"destination.txt"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("ChangedFiles = %#v, want %#v", got, want)
+	}
+	resolvedDestination, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(filepath.Join(root, "destination.txt"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	wantDiff := FileDiff{Path: resolvedDestination, OldExists: false, NewExists: true, NewText: "after\n"}
+	if got := result.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0] != wantDiff {
+		t.Fatalf("FileDiffs = %#v, want %#v", got, []FileDiff{wantDiff})
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(result.Display.Preview, "destination.txt") || strings.Contains(result.Display.Preview, "source.txt") {
+		t.Fatalf("preview must show only destination creation: %q", result.Display.Preview)
+	}
 }

internal/tools/diff_preview.go

@@ -1,19 +1,122 @@
 package tools
 
-import udiff "github.com/aymanbagabas/go-udiff"
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"unicode"
+	"unicode/utf8"
+
+	"github.com/Gitlawb/zero/internal/redaction"
+	udiff "github.com/aymanbagabas/go-udiff"
+)
 
 // maxToolPreviewBytes caps the inline diff a write tool appends to its result, so
 // a large generated file can't flood the transcript or balloon the persisted
 // session events. Past this the tool falls back to its summary line alone.
 const maxToolPreviewBytes = 48 * 1024
 
+// A structured replacement contains two complete file sides, so its transport
+// budget is intentionally separate from the single rendered-preview budget.
+// Each side may be as large as a normal preview; aggregate producers apply the
+// two-sided result cap in file order.
+const maxToolResultFileDiffBytes = 2 * maxToolPreviewBytes
+
+// FileDiff is a human-facing before/after file change. Registry-boundary
+// redaction applies to both sides before any caller receives it.
+type FileDiff struct {
+	// Path is the canonical absolute path required by ACP diff content. The
+	// separate ChangedFiles result remains workspace-relative for local UI use.
+	Path string
+	// OldExists and NewExists distinguish an empty file from a missing side of a
+	// create/delete/move. Empty strings alone cannot encode that difference.
+	OldExists bool
+	NewExists bool
+	OldText   string
+	NewText   string
+}
+
+// boundedFileDiff declines rather than truncating: a truncated side would look
+// like an exact file replacement. Callers keep ChangedFiles as the safe
+// fallback for large, unsafe, or unchanged content. Each complete side gets the
+// same bound as a rendered preview; aggregate result producers apply their own
+// cap. Control bytes are rejected. Ordinary Unicode format/space characters are
+// retained unless removing them reveals a credential shape that the normal
+// redactor could not see in the original text.
+func boundedFileDiff(path, oldText, newText string, oldExists, newExists bool) (FileDiff, bool) {
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(path) || (!oldExists && !newExists) ||
+		(oldExists == newExists && oldText == newText) ||
+		!utf8.ValidString(oldText) || !utf8.ValidString(newText) ||
+		unsafeDiffText(oldText) || unsafeDiffText(newText) ||
+		len(oldText) > maxToolPreviewBytes || len(newText) > maxToolPreviewBytes {
+		return FileDiff{}, false
+	}
+	return FileDiff{Path: path, OldExists: oldExists, NewExists: newExists, OldText: oldText, NewText: newText}, true
+}
+
+func unsafeDiffText(text string) bool {
+	if !utf8.ValidString(text) {
+		return true
+	}
+	hasCanonicalizableSeparator := false
+	for _, r := range text {
+		switch r {
+		case '\n', '\r', '\t', ' ':
+			continue
+		}
+		if unicode.IsControl(r) {
+			return true
+		}
+		if isDiffCredentialIgnorable(r) {
+			hasCanonicalizableSeparator = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !hasCanonicalizableSeparator {
+		return false
+	}
+	return diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(text)
+}
+
+func diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(text string) bool {
+	if !utf8.ValidString(text) {
+		return false
+	}
+	canonical := strings.Map(func(r rune) rune {
+		switch r {
+		case '\n', '\r', '\t', ' ':
+			return r
+		}
+		if isDiffCredentialIgnorable(r) {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return r
+	}, text)
+	return canonical != text && redaction.RedactString(canonical, redaction.Options{}) != canonical
+}
+
+// isDiffCredentialIgnorable mirrors Unicode's Default_Ignorable_Code_Point
+// derived property using the tables exposed by the Go standard library. Cf
+// catches format controls, while the other two tables cover non-Cf default
+// ignorables such as U+034F COMBINING GRAPHEME JOINER and variation selectors.
+// Unicode whitespace is also removable because it can split a credential that
+// the boundary redactor would otherwise recognize. The caller preserves normal
+// ASCII layout whitespace before consulting this helper.
+func isDiffCredentialIgnorable(r rune) bool {
+	return unicode.Is(unicode.Cf, r) ||
+		unicode.Is(unicode.Other_Default_Ignorable_Code_Point, r) ||
+		unicode.Is(unicode.Variation_Selector, r) ||
+		unicode.IsSpace(r)
+}
+
 // boundedUnifiedDiff returns a unified diff of oldContent -> newContent labelled
 // with path, suitable for the TUI's diff card renderer. A create (oldContent "")
 // yields an all-additions (green) preview; an overwrite/edit yields red/green.
-// Returns "" when there is no change or the diff exceeds maxToolPreviewBytes.
+// Returns "" when there is no change, the rendered diff is unsafe text, or the
+// diff exceeds maxToolPreviewBytes. This applies the same unsafe-text gate as
+// FileDiff to what reaches Display.Preview, without discarding a safe hunk only
+// because an unrelated part of the source file contains an unsafe byte.
 func boundedUnifiedDiff(path, oldContent, newContent string) string {
 	diff := udiff.Unified(path, path, oldContent, newContent)
-	if diff == "" || len(diff) > maxToolPreviewBytes {
+	if diff == "" || !utf8.ValidString(diff) || unsafeDiffText(diff) || len(diff) > maxToolPreviewBytes {
 		return ""
 	}
 	return diff

internal/tools/diff_preview_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestBoundedFileDiffRefusesPartialOrBinaryContent(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.txt")
+	if diff, ok := boundedFileDiff(path, "old", "new", true, true); !ok || diff.Path != path || !diff.OldExists || !diff.NewExists || diff.OldText != "old" || diff.NewText != "new" {
+		t.Fatalf("small text diff = %#v, %t", diff, ok)
+	}
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name string
+		old  string
+		new  string
+	}{
+		{"unchanged", "same", "same"},
+		{"binary old", string([]byte{0xff}), "text"},
+		{"binary new", "text", string([]byte{0xff})},
+		{"nul old", "token=sk-proj-abc\x00def", "text"},
+		{"escape new", "text", "token=sk-proj-abc\x1bdef"},
+		{"c1 old", "token=sk-proj-abc\u0085def", "text"},
+		{"zero width space", "token=sk-proj-abc\u200bdef", "text"},
+		{"zero width joiner", "token=sk-proj-abc\u200ddef", "text"},
+		{"byte order mark", "token=sk-proj-abc\ufeffdef", "text"},
+		{"soft hyphen", "token=sk-proj-abc\u00addef", "text"},
+		{"non breaking space", "token=sk-proj-abc\u00a0def", "text"},
+		{"too large", strings.Repeat("a", maxToolPreviewBytes+1), "b"},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if diff, ok := boundedFileDiff(path, tc.old, tc.new, true, true); ok || diff != (FileDiff{}) {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected diff = %#v, %t", diff, ok)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBoundedFileDiffPreservesEmptyFileOperations(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "empty.txt")
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name                 string
+		oldExists, newExists bool
+	}{
+		{name: "create", newExists: true},
+		{name: "delete", oldExists: true},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			diff, ok := boundedFileDiff(path, "", "", tc.oldExists, tc.newExists)
+			if !ok || diff.OldExists != tc.oldExists || diff.NewExists != tc.newExists {
+				t.Fatalf("empty %s = %#v, %t", tc.name, diff, ok)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBoundedUnifiedDiffRejectsUnsafeRichText(t *testing.T) {
+	if got := boundedUnifiedDiff("safe.txt", "before\n", "after\n"); got == "" {
+		t.Fatal("safe unified diff was unexpectedly omitted")
+	}
+	for _, content := range []string{
+		"token=sk-proj-abc\x00def",
+		"token=sk-proj-abc\x1bdef",
+		"token=sk-proj-abc\u200bdef",
+		string([]byte{0xff}),
+	} {
+		if got := boundedUnifiedDiff("secret.txt", content, "safe\n"); got != "" {
+			t.Fatalf("unsafe rich diff = %q", got)
+		}
+	}
+
+	old := strings.Repeat("unchanged\n", 12) + "form\ffeed\n" + strings.Repeat("unchanged\n", 12)
+	updated := strings.Replace(old, "unchanged\n", "changed\n", 1)
+	if got := boundedUnifiedDiff("safe-hunk.txt", old, updated); got == "" || strings.Contains(got, "\f") {
+		t.Fatalf("safe hunk near unrelated unsafe text = %q", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStructuredPatchFileDiffsPreserveEmptyOperationsAndResultBudget(t *testing.T) {
+	root, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	changes := []structuredPatchChange{
+		{kind: structuredPatchAdd, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "created"), relative: "created"}},
+		{kind: structuredPatchDelete, from: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "deleted"), relative: "deleted"}},
+		{kind: structuredPatchUpdate, from: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "from"), relative: "from"}, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "to"), relative: "to"}},
+	}
+	diffs := fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(".", changes)
+	if len(diffs) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("empty create/delete/move diffs = %#v", diffs)
+	}
+	for _, diff := range diffs {
+		if diff.Path == "" || (!diff.OldExists && !diff.NewExists) {
+			t.Fatalf("invalid diff = %#v", diff)
+		}
+	}
+
+	large := strings.Repeat("x", maxToolResultFileDiffBytes/3+1)
+	budgeted := fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(".", []structuredPatchChange{
+		{kind: structuredPatchAdd, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "one")}, after: large},
+		{kind: structuredPatchAdd, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "two")}, after: "tiny"},
+		{kind: structuredPatchAdd, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "three")}, after: large},
+		{kind: structuredPatchAdd, to: structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "four")}, after: large},
+	})
+	if len(budgeted) != 3 || filepath.Base(budgeted[0].Path) != "one" || filepath.Base(budgeted[1].Path) != "two" || filepath.Base(budgeted[2].Path) != "three" {
+		t.Fatalf("ordered aggregate file-diff budget = %#v", budgeted)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStructuredPatchFileDiffsKeepEligibleSameBasenameSibling(t *testing.T) {
+	root, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(t.TempDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	diffs := fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(".", []structuredPatchChange{
+		{
+			kind:  structuredPatchAdd,
+			to:    structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "a.go"), relative: "a.go"},
+			after: strings.Repeat("x", maxToolPreviewBytes+1),
+		},
+		{
+			kind:  structuredPatchAdd,
+			to:    structuredPatchTarget{absolute: filepath.Join(root, "sub", "a.go"), relative: filepath.Join("sub", "a.go")},
+			after: "package sub\n",
+		},
+	})
+	if len(diffs) != 1 || diffs[0].Path != filepath.Join(root, "sub", "a.go") {
+		t.Fatalf("same-basename rich diffs = %#v", diffs)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBoundedDiffPreservesOrdinaryUnicodeButRejectsObfuscatedSecrets(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "unicode.txt")
+	for name, content := range map[string]string{
+		"family emoji":              "family: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦\n",
+		"emoji variation selector":  "heart: ❤️\n",
+		"combining grapheme joiner": "ordinary\u034fprose\n",
+		"nonbreaking space":         "ordinary\u00a0prose\n",
+		"byte order mark":           "\ufeffdocument\n",
+		"soft hyphen":               "co\u00adoperate\n",
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			if _, ok := boundedFileDiff(path, "before\n", content, true, true); !ok {
+				t.Fatalf("ordinary Unicode content was rejected: %q", content)
+			}
+			if preview := boundedUnifiedDiff("unicode.txt", "before\n", content); preview == "" {
+				t.Fatal("ordinary Unicode preview was omitted")
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	secret := "sk-ant-api03-AAAABBBBCCCCDDDDEEEEFFFFGGGG"
+	for name, separator := range map[string]string{
+		"zero width space":          "\u200b",
+		"zero width joiner":         "\u200d",
+		"byte order mark":           "\ufeff",
+		"soft hyphen":               "\u00ad",
+		"nonbreaking space":         "\u00a0",
+		"combining grapheme joiner": "\u034f",
+		"variation selector":        "\ufe0f",
+	} {
+		t.Run("split "+name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			obfuscated := secret[:20] + separator + secret[20:]
+			if _, ok := boundedFileDiff(path, "before\n", obfuscated, true, true); ok {
+				t.Fatalf("obfuscated credential produced a rich diff: %q", obfuscated)
+			}
+			if preview := boundedUnifiedDiff("secret.txt", "before\n", obfuscated); preview != "" {
+				t.Fatalf("obfuscated credential produced preview: %q", preview)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileMarksSuppressedObfuscatedSecretAsRedacted(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	secret := "sk-ant-api03-AAAABBBBCCCCDDDDEEEEFFFFGGGG"
+	obfuscated := secret[:20] + "\u200b" + secret[20:]
+	result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(t.Context(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "secret.txt", "content": obfuscated,
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 || !result.Redacted {
+		t.Fatalf("obfuscated-secret result = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v redacted=%t", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs, result.Redacted)
+	}
+}

internal/tools/edit_file.go

@@ -80,6 +80,10 @@ func (tool editFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any
 		}
 	}
 	content := string(contentBytes)
+	priorInfo, err := os.Stat(absolutePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errorResult("Error reading " + relativePath + ": " + err.Error())
+	}
 	occurrences := strings.Count(content, oldString)
 
 	// CRLF fallback: read_file normalizes \r\n → \n before presenting content to
@@ -153,19 +157,25 @@ func (tool editFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any
 	if err := recheckScopedWriteTarget(tool.workspaceRoot, tool.scope, requestedPath); err != nil {
 		return errorResult("Error writing " + relativePath + ": " + err.Error())
 	}
-	if err := os.WriteFile(absolutePath, []byte(updated), 0o644); err != nil {
+	if err := commitFileContents(absolutePath, priorInfo, &content, updated); err != nil {
 		return errorResult("Error writing " + relativePath + ": " + err.Error())
 	}
 	modelKnownContent := updated
 	// Optional format-on-write (ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE). Must run BEFORE the
 	// FileTracker re-baseline: recording pre-format content would make the very
 	// next edit look like an external modification and trip the conflict guard.
-	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, updated)
+	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped(ctx, tool.workspaceRoot, tool.scope, absolutePath, updated, priorInfo.Mode().Perm())
 	updated = formatting.Content
+	finalContentKnown := formatting.ContentKnown
 	// Re-baseline to the content we just wrote so subsequent edits in this session
 	// compare against the current on-disk state, not the pre-edit version.
-	newInfo, _ := os.Stat(absolutePath)
-	if updated == modelKnownContent {
+	newInfo := formatting.Info
+	if newInfo == nil {
+		newInfo, _ = os.Stat(absolutePath)
+	}
+	if !finalContentKnown {
+		options.FileTracker.Forget(absolutePath)
+	} else if updated == modelKnownContent {
 		// OUR edit, so we know precisely which lines moved: RecordEdit carries
 		// across the reads this edit did not disturb instead of dropping them.
 		//
@@ -195,12 +205,25 @@ func (tool editFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any
 	}
 	summary := fmt.Sprintf("Successfully edited %s (replaced %d occurrence%s).", relativePath, replacedCount, suffix)
 	summary += formatting.notice(relativePath)
-	summary += inlineDiagnostics(ctx, options, absolutePath, relativePath)
+	if finalContentKnown {
+		summary += inlineDiagnostics(ctx, options, absolutePath, relativePath)
+	}
 	result := okResult(summary)
 	result.ChangedFiles = []string{relativePath}
+	if finalContentKnown {
+		if diff, ok := boundedFileDiff(absolutePath, content, updated, true, true); ok {
+			result.FileDiffs = []FileDiff{diff}
+		} else if diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(content) || diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(updated) {
+			result.Redacted = true
+		}
+	}
 	// Card-only preview (Display.Preview): the model's Output stays the one-line
 	// summary, so the red/green diff costs zero model tokens.
-	result.Display = Display{Summary: fmt.Sprintf("Edited %s", relativePath), Kind: "diff", Preview: boundedUnifiedDiff(relativePath, content, updated)}
+	preview := ""
+	if finalContentKnown {
+		preview = boundedUnifiedDiff(relativePath, content, updated)
+	}
+	result.Display = Display{Summary: fmt.Sprintf("Edited %s", relativePath), Kind: "diff", Preview: preview}
 	return result
 }
 

internal/tools/file_commit.go

@@ -0,0 +1,108 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
+var errFileChangedDuringWrite = errors.New("file changed on disk before the write committed")
+
+// fileWriteBeforeCommit is a deterministic test hook. Production leaves it
+// nil; tests use it to replace a path after observation but before opening the
+// object that will actually be mutated.
+var fileWriteBeforeCommit func(path string)
+
+// fileWriteStat is a deterministic test seam for proving that the opened-file
+// identity is captured before the final preimage comparison. Production uses
+// the file descriptor directly.
+var fileWriteStat = func(file *os.File) (os.FileInfo, error) { return file.Stat() }
+
+// commitFileContents binds an overwrite to the file identity and bytes that
+// the caller observed. A create uses exclusive creation. An overwrite opens the
+// observed object without truncation, verifies identity/content through that
+// handle, then truncates and writes the same handle. A path replacement before
+// or during commit therefore fails instead of publishing stale rich evidence.
+//
+// expectedInfo nil means the caller observed a missing path. expectedContent
+// may be nil for an existing but unreadable file; that path may still be
+// overwritten, but callers must omit rich before/after evidence.
+func commitFileContents(path string, expectedInfo os.FileInfo, expectedContent *string, content string) error {
+	if fileWriteBeforeCommit != nil {
+		fileWriteBeforeCommit(path)
+	}
+
+	if expectedInfo == nil {
+		file, err := os.OpenFile(path, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL, 0o644)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		openedInfo, err := fileWriteStat(file)
+		if err != nil {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return err
+		}
+		return writeAndVerifyFileIdentity(path, file, openedInfo, content, false)
+	}
+
+	flags := os.O_WRONLY
+	if expectedContent != nil {
+		flags = os.O_RDWR
+	}
+	file, err := os.OpenFile(path, flags, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	openedInfo, err := fileWriteStat(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return err
+	}
+	if !os.SameFile(expectedInfo, openedInfo) {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return errFileChangedDuringWrite
+	}
+	pathInfo, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil || !os.SameFile(openedInfo, pathInfo) {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return errFileChangedDuringWrite
+	}
+	if expectedContent != nil {
+		current, readErr := io.ReadAll(file)
+		if readErr != nil {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return readErr
+		}
+		if string(current) != *expectedContent {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return errFileChangedDuringWrite
+		}
+	}
+	return writeAndVerifyFileIdentity(path, file, openedInfo, content, true)
+}
+
+func writeAndVerifyFileIdentity(path string, file *os.File, openedInfo os.FileInfo, content string, truncate bool) error {
+	if truncate {
+		if err := file.Truncate(0); err != nil {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return err
+		}
+		if _, err := file.Seek(0, io.SeekStart); err != nil {
+			_ = file.Close()
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	if _, err := io.WriteString(file, content); err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := file.Close(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	pathInfo, err := os.Stat(path)
+	if err != nil || !os.SameFile(openedInfo, pathInfo) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%w: path identity changed", errFileChangedDuringWrite)
+	}
+	return nil
+}

internal/tools/file_commit_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func installFileWriteRace(t *testing.T, mutate func(string)) {
+	t.Helper()
+	prior := fileWriteBeforeCommit
+	fileWriteBeforeCommit = mutate
+	t.Cleanup(func() { fileWriteBeforeCommit = prior })
+}
+
+func installFileWriteStat(t *testing.T, stat func(*os.File) (os.FileInfo, error)) {
+	t.Helper()
+	prior := fileWriteStat
+	fileWriteStat = stat
+	t.Cleanup(func() { fileWriteStat = prior })
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileRefusesCreateAndOverwriteRaces(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("create", func(t *testing.T) {
+		root := t.TempDir()
+		target := filepath.Join(root, "created.txt")
+		installFileWriteRace(t, func(path string) {
+			if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("other writer\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		})
+		result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+			"path": "created.txt", "content": "zero\n",
+		})
+		if result.Status != StatusError {
+			t.Fatalf("raced create status = %s, want error", result.Status)
+		}
+		if got, err := os.ReadFile(target); err != nil || string(got) != "other writer\n" {
+			t.Fatalf("raced create content = %q, err=%v", got, err)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("overwrite", func(t *testing.T) {
+		root := t.TempDir()
+		target := filepath.Join(root, "existing.txt")
+		if err := os.WriteFile(target, []byte("observed\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		installFileWriteRace(t, func(path string) {
+			if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("other writer\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+		})
+		result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+			"path": "existing.txt", "content": "zero\n", "overwrite": true,
+		})
+		if result.Status != StatusError || !strings.Contains(result.Output, errFileChangedDuringWrite.Error()) {
+			t.Fatalf("raced overwrite = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+		}
+		if got, err := os.ReadFile(target); err != nil || string(got) != "other writer\n" {
+			t.Fatalf("raced overwrite content = %q, err=%v", got, err)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestEditFileRefusesPreimageRace(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	target := filepath.Join(root, "existing.txt")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(target, []byte("observed\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	installFileWriteRace(t, func(path string) {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte("other writer\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "existing.txt", "old_string": "observed", "new_string": "zero",
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusError || !strings.Contains(result.Output, errFileChangedDuringWrite.Error()) {
+		t.Fatalf("raced edit = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+	}
+	if got, err := os.ReadFile(target); err != nil || string(got) != "other writer\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("raced edit content = %q, err=%v", got, err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestOverwriteDoesNotStatOpenedFileAfterFinalPreimageComparison(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, run := range map[string]func(string) Result{
+		"write overwrite": func(root string) Result {
+			return NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+				"path": "existing.txt", "content": "zero\n", "overwrite": true,
+			})
+		},
+		"edit": func(root string) Result {
+			return NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+				"path": "existing.txt", "old_string": "observed", "new_string": "zero",
+			})
+		},
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			target := filepath.Join(root, "existing.txt")
+			if err := os.WriteFile(target, []byte("observed\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+
+			statCalls := 0
+			installFileWriteStat(t, func(file *os.File) (os.FileInfo, error) {
+				statCalls++
+				if statCalls == 2 {
+					// This preserves the inode, so identity-only checks cannot detect it.
+					if err := os.WriteFile(target, []byte("other writer\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+						t.Fatal(err)
+					}
+				}
+				return file.Stat()
+			})
+
+			result := run(root)
+			if result.Status != StatusOK {
+				t.Fatalf("overwrite status = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+			}
+			if statCalls != 1 {
+				t.Fatalf("opened file was statted %d times; the final byte comparison must be followed directly by mutation", statCalls)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/tools/format_on_write.go

@@ -3,11 +3,15 @@ package tools
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/Gitlawb/zero/internal/sandbox"
 )
 
 // Format-on-write for the mutating file tools. When enabled, a successful
@@ -44,7 +48,9 @@ var formatOnWriteTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 // and finds out from a CI format check it cannot see, which is the thing this
 // feature exists to prevent.
 type formatOnWriteResult struct {
-	Content string
+	Content      string
+	ContentKnown bool
+	Info         os.FileInfo
 	// Formatter is the binary that was run, named in the notice so the user can
 	// tell a slow gofmt from a slow prettier.
 	Formatter string
@@ -117,14 +123,32 @@ func formatOnWriteEnabled() bool {
 	return value != "" && value != "0" && !strings.EqualFold(value, "false")
 }
 
-// maybeFormatWrittenFile runs the configured formatter for absolutePath (when
-// enabled and on PATH) and returns the file's content afterwards. Best-effort
-// throughout: any failure — no formatter, formatter error, timeout, unreadable
-// result — returns writtenContent so the caller's state matches the last write
-// it performed itself. Only the timeout is reported back, for the reason on
-// formatOnWriteResult.
+var runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(ctx context.Context, binaryPath string, arguments []string, directory string) error {
+	formatter := exec.CommandContext(ctx, binaryPath, arguments...)
+	formatter.Dir = directory
+	formatter.Stdin = strings.NewReader("")
+	return formatter.Run()
+}
+
+var readFormattedFile = readRootedFile
+
+// maybeFormatWrittenFile is the unscoped test-facing wrapper. Production
+// callers use maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped so a formatter cannot redirect the
+// final read or recovery write outside the configured write roots.
 func maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx context.Context, absolutePath string, writtenContent string) formatOnWriteResult {
-	unformatted := formatOnWriteResult{Content: writtenContent}
+	restoreMode := os.FileMode(0o644)
+	if info, err := os.Stat(absolutePath); err == nil {
+		restoreMode = info.Mode().Perm()
+	}
+	return maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped(ctx, filepath.Dir(absolutePath), nil, absolutePath, writtenContent, restoreMode)
+}
+
+// maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped runs the configured formatter and returns only
+// content verified through a descriptor-bound root. Formatter failures restore
+// writtenContent through that same root; if restoration or the final read
+// fails, ContentKnown is false and callers omit exact diff evidence.
+func maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped(ctx context.Context, workspaceRoot string, scope PathScope, absolutePath string, writtenContent string, restoreMode os.FileMode) formatOnWriteResult {
+	unformatted := formatOnWriteResult{Content: writtenContent, ContentKnown: true}
 	if !formatOnWriteEnabled() {
 		return unformatted
 	}
@@ -136,42 +160,90 @@ func maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx context.Context, absolutePath string, writtenCon
 	if err != nil {
 		return unformatted
 	}
+	root, relativePath, err := openFormattedFileRoot(workspaceRoot, scope, absolutePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		unformatted.ContentKnown = false
+		return unformatted
+	}
+	defer root.Close()
+
 	formatCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, formatOnWriteTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 	arguments := append(append([]string(nil), command[1:]...), absolutePath)
-	formatter := exec.CommandContext(formatCtx, binaryPath, arguments...)
-	formatter.Dir = filepath.Dir(absolutePath)
-	formatter.Stdin = strings.NewReader("")
-	if err := formatter.Run(); err != nil {
+	if err := runFormatOnWriteCommand(formatCtx, binaryPath, arguments, filepath.Dir(absolutePath)); err != nil {
 		unformatted.Formatter = command[0]
-		// THE FORMATTER EDITS IN PLACE, SO A FAILED RUN CAN LEAVE THE FILE
-		// NEITHER FORMATTED NOR AS WRITTEN. Killed by the deadline or by the
-		// caller, or exiting partway through its own rewrite, the target can hold
-		// a truncation. Returning the written bytes on top of that would leave the
-		// tracker baseline and the diff preview describing a file that is not on
-		// disk, which is a worse failure than the missing formatting: the next
-		// edit compares against content the file does not have.
-		//
-		// Written back unconditionally on this path rather than only when the
-		// bytes differ. Comparing first means reading the file to find out, and a
-		// read that fails leaves the same ambiguity this exists to remove.
-		if restoreErr := os.WriteFile(absolutePath, []byte(writtenContent), 0o644); restoreErr != nil {
+		if restoreErr := restoreFormattedFile(root, relativePath, writtenContent, restoreMode); restoreErr != nil {
 			unformatted.RestoreFailed = true
+			unformatted.ContentKnown = false
+		} else if restored, info, readErr := readFormattedFile(root, relativePath); readErr != nil {
+			unformatted.ContentKnown = false
+		} else {
+			unformatted.Content = string(restored)
+			unformatted.Info = info
 		}
-		// OUR deadline, not the caller's cancellation and not the formatter's own
-		// exit status. A cancelled tool call is already being reported as
-		// cancelled, and a formatter that ran and refused the file usually means
-		// content it could not parse, which the write itself does not promise to
-		// fix. Neither is this notice's business; the restore above is, for all
-		// three.
 		if errors.Is(formatCtx.Err(), context.DeadlineExceeded) && ctx.Err() == nil {
 			unformatted.TimedOut = true
 		}
 		return unformatted
 	}
-	formatted, err := os.ReadFile(absolutePath)
+
+	formatted, info, err := readFormattedFile(root, relativePath)
 	if err != nil {
+		unformatted.ContentKnown = false
 		return unformatted
 	}
-	return formatOnWriteResult{Content: string(formatted), Formatter: command[0]}
+	return formatOnWriteResult{Content: string(formatted), ContentKnown: true, Info: info, Formatter: command[0]}
+}
+
+func restoreFormattedFile(root *os.Root, relativePath string, content string, mode os.FileMode) error {
+	file, err := root.OpenFile(relativePath, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_TRUNC|os.O_CREATE, mode)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if _, err := io.WriteString(file, content); err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return err
+	}
+	return file.Close()
+}
+
+// openFormattedFileRoot opens the write root before the formatter runs and
+// computes the target relative to that descriptor-bound root. Atomic in-root
+// replacement remains valid; a formatter that swaps the target to an escaping
+// symlink is rejected when readFormattedFile opens it through the root.
+func openFormattedFileRoot(workspaceRoot string, scope PathScope, absolutePath string) (*os.Root, string, error) {
+	roots, err := scopedRoots(workspaceRoot, scope)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, "", err
+	}
+	var firstErr error
+	for _, configuredRoot := range roots {
+		resolvedRoot, err := filepath.Abs(configuredRoot)
+		if err == nil {
+			resolvedRoot, err = filepath.EvalSymlinks(resolvedRoot)
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			if firstErr == nil {
+				firstErr = err
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		candidate := sandbox.NormalizePrefixForRoot(absolutePath, resolvedRoot)
+		relativePath, err := filepath.Rel(resolvedRoot, candidate)
+		if err != nil || relativePath == ".." || strings.HasPrefix(relativePath, ".."+string(filepath.Separator)) || filepath.IsAbs(relativePath) {
+			continue
+		}
+		root, err := os.OpenRoot(resolvedRoot)
+		if err != nil {
+			if firstErr == nil {
+				firstErr = err
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+		return root, relativePath, nil
+	}
+	if firstErr != nil {
+		return nil, "", firstErr
+	}
+	return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("%s must stay inside the configured write roots", absolutePath)
 }

internal/tools/format_on_write_test.go

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"runtime"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ func TestFormatOnWriteFormatsAndKeepsTrackerConsistent(t *testing.T) {
 func TestFormatOnWriteSkipsUnknownExtensions(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
 	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "notes.xyz"), "raw   text")
-	if formatting.Content != "raw   text" {
+	if formatting.Content != "raw   text" || !formatting.ContentKnown {
 		t.Fatalf("unknown extension must pass through: %q", formatting.Content)
 	}
 	if notice := formatting.notice("notes.xyz"); notice != "" {
@@ -115,10 +116,418 @@ func TestFormatOnWriteFormatterLookupFailure(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, uglyContent)
-	if formatting.Content != uglyContent {
+	if formatting.Content != uglyContent || !formatting.ContentKnown {
 		t.Fatalf("missing formatter must return written content, got %q", formatting.Content)
 	}
 	if notice := formatting.notice("a.go"); notice != "" {
 		t.Fatalf("an uninstalled formatter is a standing fact, not a miss worth reporting, got %q", notice)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFormatOnWriteReadsMutatedFileAfterFormatterFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("requested"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(_ context.Context, _ string, _ []string, _ string) error {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("formatter-mutated"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return exec.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+
+	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, "requested")
+	if !formatting.ContentKnown || formatting.Content != "requested" {
+		t.Fatalf("formatter failure content = %q, known=%t", formatting.Content, formatting.ContentKnown)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFormatOnWriteReportsWhenFormatterFailureCannotBeRestored(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("requested"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(_ context.Context, _ string, _ []string, _ string) error {
+		if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.Mkdir(targetPath, 0o755); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return exec.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+
+	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, "requested")
+	if !formatting.RestoreFailed {
+		t.Fatal("failed recovery was not reported")
+	}
+	if formatting.ContentKnown {
+		t.Fatalf("failed recovery reported known content %q", formatting.Content)
+	}
+	if notice := formatting.notice("a.go"); !strings.Contains(notice, "WARNING: a.go may not hold what was written") {
+		t.Fatalf("failed recovery notice = %q", notice)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileRecreatesFormatterDeletedTargetWithOriginalMode(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name      string
+		existing  bool
+		wantMode  os.FileMode
+		overwrite bool
+	}{
+		{name: "create", wantMode: 0o644},
+		{name: "overwrite", existing: true, wantMode: 0o751, overwrite: true},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+			if tc.existing {
+				if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("before\n"), tc.wantMode); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+			}
+			priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+			runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(_ context.Context, _ string, _ []string, _ string) error {
+				if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				return exec.ErrNotFound
+			}
+			t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+
+			result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+				"path": "a.go", "content": "requested\n", "overwrite": tc.overwrite,
+			})
+			if result.Status != StatusOK {
+				t.Fatalf("write status = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+			}
+			content, err := os.ReadFile(targetPath)
+			if err != nil || string(content) != "requested\n" {
+				t.Fatalf("recreated content = %q, err=%v", content, err)
+			}
+			if runtime.GOOS != "windows" {
+				info, err := os.Stat(targetPath)
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				if got := info.Mode().Perm(); got != tc.wantMode {
+					t.Fatalf("recreated mode = %o, want %o", got, tc.wantMode)
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFormatOnWriteMarksUnreadableFinalStateUnknown(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("requested"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	priorReader := readFormattedFile
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error { return nil }
+	readFormattedFile = func(*os.Root, string) ([]byte, os.FileInfo, error) { return nil, nil, os.ErrPermission }
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner
+		readFormattedFile = priorReader
+	})
+
+	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, "requested")
+	if formatting.ContentKnown || formatting.Content != "requested" {
+		t.Fatalf("unreadable formatter result = %q, known=%t", formatting.Content, formatting.ContentKnown)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileUsesVerifiedBytesAfterFormatterFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(_ context.Context, _ string, _ []string, _ string) error {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("formatter-mutated\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return exec.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+
+	result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "content": "requested\n",
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("write status = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+	}
+	if got := result.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0].NewText != "requested\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("formatter-failure FileDiff = %#v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEditFileUsesVerifiedBytesAfterFormatterFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("before\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(_ context.Context, _ string, _ []string, _ string) error {
+		if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("formatter-mutated\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return exec.ErrNotFound
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+
+	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "old_string": "before", "new_string": "requested",
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("edit status = %s: %s", result.Status, result.Output)
+	}
+	if got := result.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0].OldText != "before\n" || got[0].NewText != "requested\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("formatter-failure edit FileDiff = %#v", got)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileOmitsRichDiffWhenFormatterFinalReadFails(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	priorReader := readFormattedFile
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error { return nil }
+	readFormattedFile = func(*os.Root, string) ([]byte, os.FileInfo, error) { return nil, nil, os.ErrPermission }
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner
+		readFormattedFile = priorReader
+	})
+
+	result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "content": "requested\n",
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified formatter result = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if result.Display.Preview != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified formatter result exposed stale preview: %q", result.Display.Preview)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEditFileOmitsPreviewWhenFormatterFinalReadFails(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("before\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	priorReader := readFormattedFile
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error { return nil }
+	readFormattedFile = func(*os.Root, string) ([]byte, os.FileInfo, error) { return nil, nil, os.ErrPermission }
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner
+		readFormattedFile = priorReader
+	})
+
+	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "old_string": "before", "new_string": "requested",
+	})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified formatter result = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if result.Display.Preview != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("unverified formatter result exposed stale preview: %q", result.Display.Preview)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileOmitsRichEvidenceWhenFormatterReplacesTargetWithOutOfRootSymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	resolvedRoot, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	trackedPath := filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "a.go")
+	outsidePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "outside.go")
+	outsideContent := "package external\n\nconst Secret = \"outside\"\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(outsidePath, []byte(outsideContent), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error {
+		if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.Symlink(outsidePath, targetPath); err != nil {
+			t.Skipf("symlinks unavailable: %v", err)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+	tracker := NewFileTracker()
+
+	diagnosticsCalled := false
+	result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "content": "package requested\n",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker, Diagnostics: func(context.Context, string) string {
+		diagnosticsCalled = true
+		return "must not run"
+	}})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 || result.Display.Preview != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("out-of-root formatter result = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v preview=%q output=%q", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs, result.Display.Preview, result.Output)
+	}
+	if diagnosticsCalled {
+		t.Fatal("diagnostics must not inspect an unverified formatter target")
+	}
+	if _, tracked := tracker.Version(trackedPath); tracked {
+		t.Fatal("out-of-root formatter target must not be recorded in the tracker")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEditFileOmitsRichEvidenceWhenFormatterReplacesTargetWithOutOfRootSymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	resolvedRoot, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	trackedPath := filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("package before\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	outsidePath := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "outside.go")
+	outsideContent := "package external\n\nconst Secret = \"outside\"\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(outsidePath, []byte(outsideContent), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error {
+		if err := os.Remove(targetPath); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := os.Symlink(outsidePath, targetPath); err != nil {
+			t.Skipf("symlinks unavailable: %v", err)
+		}
+		return nil
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+	tracker := NewFileTracker()
+	read := NewScopedReadFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker})
+	if read.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("read before edit failed: %s", read.Output)
+	}
+
+	diagnosticsCalled := false
+	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "old_string": "before", "new_string": "requested",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker, Diagnostics: func(context.Context, string) string {
+		diagnosticsCalled = true
+		return "must not run"
+	}})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 1 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 || result.Display.Preview != "" {
+		t.Fatalf("out-of-root formatter result = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v preview=%q output=%q", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs, result.Display.Preview, result.Output)
+	}
+	if diagnosticsCalled {
+		t.Fatal("diagnostics must not inspect an unverified formatter target")
+	}
+	if _, tracked := tracker.Version(trackedPath); tracked {
+		t.Fatal("out-of-root formatter target must not be recorded in the tracker")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWriteFileAcceptsInRootAtomicFormatterReplacement(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	formatted := "package formatted\n"
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error {
+		tempPath := filepath.Join(root, "formatter.tmp")
+		if err := os.WriteFile(tempPath, []byte(formatted), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return os.Rename(tempPath, targetPath)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+	tracker := NewFileTracker()
+
+	result := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "content": "package requested\n",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.FileDiffs) != 1 || result.FileDiffs[0].NewText != formatted {
+		t.Fatalf("atomic formatter write = status=%s diffs=%#v output=%q", result.Status, result.FileDiffs, result.Output)
+	}
+	resolvedRoot, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	version, tracked := tracker.Version(filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "a.go"))
+	if !tracked || version.Hash != HashContent([]byte(formatted)) {
+		t.Fatalf("atomic formatter tracker = %#v, tracked=%t", version, tracked)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestEditFileAcceptsInRootAtomicFormatterReplacement(t *testing.T) {
+	requireGofmt(t)
+	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "a.go")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte("package before\n"), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	formatted := "package formatted\n"
+	priorRunner := runFormatOnWriteCommand
+	runFormatOnWriteCommand = func(context.Context, string, []string, string) error {
+		tempPath := filepath.Join(root, "formatter.tmp")
+		if err := os.WriteFile(tempPath, []byte(formatted), 0o644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		return os.Rename(tempPath, targetPath)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner })
+	tracker := NewFileTracker()
+	read := NewScopedReadFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker})
+	if read.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("read before edit failed: %s", read.Output)
+	}
+
+	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).(optionsAwareTool).RunWithOptions(context.Background(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "a.go", "old_string": "before", "new_string": "requested",
+	}, RunOptions{FileTracker: tracker})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK || len(result.FileDiffs) != 1 || result.FileDiffs[0].NewText != formatted {
+		t.Fatalf("atomic formatter edit = status=%s diffs=%#v output=%q", result.Status, result.FileDiffs, result.Output)
+	}
+	resolvedRoot, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	version, tracked := tracker.Version(filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "a.go"))
+	if !tracked || version.Hash != HashContent([]byte(formatted)) {
+		t.Fatalf("atomic formatter tracker = %#v, tracked=%t", version, tracked)
+	}
+}

internal/tools/registry.go

@@ -343,6 +343,33 @@ func scrubResultSecrets(res Result) Result {
 		res.Display.Preview = scrubbed
 		res.Redacted = true
 	}
+	fileDiffs := make([]FileDiff, 0, len(res.FileDiffs))
+	for _, diff := range res.FileDiffs {
+		// Never normalize control bytes in a diff: normalizing after redaction can
+		// reassemble a split credential. Decline unsafe rich content entirely and
+		// leave ChangedFiles as the safe fallback.
+		if unsafeDiffText(diff.OldText) || unsafeDiffText(diff.NewText) {
+			res.Redacted = true
+			continue
+		}
+		if scrubbed := redaction.RedactString(diff.OldText, redaction.Options{}); scrubbed != diff.OldText {
+			diff.OldText = scrubbed
+			res.Redacted = true
+		}
+		if scrubbed := redaction.RedactString(diff.NewText, redaction.Options{}); scrubbed != diff.NewText {
+			diff.NewText = scrubbed
+			res.Redacted = true
+		}
+		// Redaction can collapse two distinct credentials to the same token. At
+		// this final outbound boundary, retain rich evidence only when the
+		// transformed sides still describe a real transition; ChangedFiles
+		// remains the safe path-only fallback.
+		if diff.OldExists == diff.NewExists && diff.OldText == diff.NewText {
+			continue
+		}
+		fileDiffs = append(fileDiffs, diff)
+	}
+	res.FileDiffs = fileDiffs
 	// Meta values carry model-controlled strings (e.g. glob pattern, bash cwd) and
 	// are forwarded into the transcript, so they are part of the boundary too.
 	for key, value := range res.Meta {
@@ -354,6 +381,13 @@ func scrubResultSecrets(res Result) Result {
 	return res
 }
 
+// ScrubResultSecrets applies the registry's transcript boundary to a result
+// that was produced before Registry.RunWithOptions could own it, such as a
+// local pre-permission rejection in the agent loop.
+func ScrubResultSecrets(res Result) Result {
+	return scrubResultSecrets(res)
+}
+
 func CoreReadOnlyToolsScoped(workspaceRoot string, scope PathScope) []Tool {
 	return []Tool{
 		NewScopedReadMinifiedFileTool(workspaceRoot, scope),

internal/tools/registry_test.go

@@ -445,13 +445,120 @@ func (t denyTool) Run(context.Context, map[string]any) Result { return Result{St
 // must be scrubbed too, not just the tool-execution paths.
 func TestScrubResultSecretsRedactsPreview(t *testing.T) {
 	secret := "ghp_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
-	res := scrubResultSecrets(Result{Display: Display{Preview: "+++ b/x\n+token := \"" + secret + "\""}})
+	res := scrubResultSecrets(Result{
+		Display:   Display{Preview: "+++ b/x\n+token := \"" + secret + "\""},
+		FileDiffs: []FileDiff{{Path: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "x"), OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "before " + secret, NewText: "after " + secret}},
+	})
 	if strings.Contains(res.Display.Preview, secret) {
 		t.Errorf("Display.Preview (the card-only code preview) must be redacted, leaked: %q", res.Display.Preview)
 	}
 	if !res.Redacted {
 		t.Error("scrubbing a secret from the preview should set Redacted")
 	}
+	if len(res.FileDiffs) != 1 || strings.Contains(res.FileDiffs[0].OldText, secret) || strings.Contains(res.FileDiffs[0].NewText, secret) {
+		t.Errorf("FileDiff must be redacted: %#v", res.FileDiffs)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScrubResultSecretsDropsControlSplitFileDiff(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := "sk-proj-abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+	res := scrubResultSecrets(Result{FileDiffs: []FileDiff{{
+		Path:      filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "x"),
+		OldExists: true,
+		NewExists: true,
+		OldText:   "token=" + secret[:12] + "\x00" + secret[12:],
+		NewText:   "safe",
+	}}})
+	if len(res.FileDiffs) != 0 || !res.Redacted {
+		t.Fatalf("unsafe FileDiff = %#v, redacted = %t", res.FileDiffs, res.Redacted)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScrubResultSecretsDropsDefaultIgnorableSplitFileDiffOnEitherSide(t *testing.T) {
+	secret := "sk-ant-api03-AAAABBBBCCCCDDDDEEEEFFFFGGGG"
+	for name, separator := range map[string]string{
+		"combining grapheme joiner": "\u034f",
+		"variation selector":        "\ufe0f",
+	} {
+		for _, side := range []string{"old", "new"} {
+			t.Run(name+" "+side, func(t *testing.T) {
+				obfuscated := secret[:20] + separator + secret[20:]
+				diff := FileDiff{
+					Path: filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "x"), OldExists: true, NewExists: true,
+					OldText: "safe old", NewText: "safe new",
+				}
+				if side == "old" {
+					diff.OldText = obfuscated
+				} else {
+					diff.NewText = obfuscated
+				}
+				res := scrubResultSecrets(Result{FileDiffs: []FileDiff{diff}})
+				if len(res.FileDiffs) != 0 || !res.Redacted {
+					t.Fatalf("unsafe FileDiff = %#v, redacted = %t", res.FileDiffs, res.Redacted)
+				}
+			})
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScrubResultSecretsDoesNotMutateCallerFileDiffSlice(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "x")
+	secret := "ghp_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+	retainedOld := "before token=" + secret
+	retainedNew := "after token=" + secret
+	original := []FileDiff{
+		{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: "token=sk-proj-abc\x00def", NewText: "unsafe"},
+		{Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true, OldText: retainedOld, NewText: retainedNew},
+	}
+	result := scrubResultSecrets(Result{FileDiffs: original})
+	if len(result.FileDiffs) != 1 || strings.Contains(result.FileDiffs[0].OldText, secret) || strings.Contains(result.FileDiffs[0].NewText, secret) {
+		t.Fatalf("filtered FileDiffs = %#v", result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if original[0].NewText != "unsafe" || original[1].OldText != retainedOld || original[1].NewText != retainedNew {
+		t.Fatalf("caller slice was mutated: %#v", original)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScrubResultSecretsDropsSemanticallyUnchangedRedactedDiff(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "credentials.txt")
+	oldSecret := "ghp_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+	newSecret := "ghp_9876543210ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA"
+	result := scrubResultSecrets(Result{
+		ChangedFiles: []string{"credentials.txt"},
+		FileDiffs: []FileDiff{{
+			Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true,
+			OldText: "token=" + oldSecret, NewText: "token=" + newSecret,
+		}},
+	})
+	if len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("semantically unchanged redacted diff = %#v", result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if got, want := result.ChangedFiles, []string{"credentials.txt"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("ChangedFiles = %#v, want %#v", got, want)
+	}
+	if !result.Redacted {
+		t.Fatal("credential rotation must set Redacted")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestScrubResultSecretsKeepsRealTransitionAroundRedactedSecrets(t *testing.T) {
+	path := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "credentials.txt")
+	oldSecret := "ghp_ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789"
+	newSecret := "ghp_9876543210ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA"
+	result := scrubResultSecrets(Result{FileDiffs: []FileDiff{{
+		Path: path, OldExists: true, NewExists: true,
+		OldText: "environment=staging token=" + oldSecret,
+		NewText: "environment=production token=" + newSecret,
+	}}})
+	if len(result.FileDiffs) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("redacted real transition = %#v", result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if result.FileDiffs[0].OldText == result.FileDiffs[0].NewText {
+		t.Fatalf("redacted transition became unchanged: %#v", result.FileDiffs[0])
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(result.FileDiffs[0].OldText, oldSecret) || strings.Contains(result.FileDiffs[0].NewText, newSecret) {
+		t.Fatalf("redacted transition leaked a secret: %#v", result.FileDiffs[0])
+	}
 }
 
 func TestRunWithOptionsScrubsSecretsOnDenialPaths(t *testing.T) {

internal/tools/rooted_file.go

@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+)
+
+// readRootedFile returns bytes and identity from the same opened object, and
+// verifies that the rooted path still names that object after the read. Root.Open
+// binds symlink containment to use rather than relying on a pathname pre-check.
+func readRootedFile(root *os.Root, relativePath string) ([]byte, os.FileInfo, error) {
+	file, err := root.Open(relativePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	closed := false
+	defer func() {
+		if !closed {
+			_ = file.Close()
+		}
+	}()
+	openedInfo, err := file.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	if !openedInfo.Mode().IsRegular() {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("%s is not a regular file", relativePath)
+	}
+	content, err := io.ReadAll(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	pathInfo, err := root.Stat(relativePath)
+	if err != nil || !os.SameFile(openedInfo, pathInfo) {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("%w: path identity changed", errFileChangedDuringWrite)
+	}
+	if err := file.Close(); err != nil {
+		return nil, nil, err
+	}
+	closed = true
+	return content, openedInfo, nil
+}

internal/tools/structured_patch.go

@@ -86,12 +86,13 @@ type structuredPatchTarget struct {
 }
 
 type structuredPatchChange struct {
-	kind   structuredPatchKind
-	from   structuredPatchTarget
-	to     structuredPatchTarget
-	before string
-	after  string
-	mode   os.FileMode
+	kind       structuredPatchKind
+	from       structuredPatchTarget
+	to         structuredPatchTarget
+	before     string
+	after      string
+	mode       os.FileMode
+	beforeInfo os.FileInfo
 }
 
 // unifiedHunkRangePattern recognises a unified-diff range header ("-12,4 +12,6",
@@ -156,8 +157,14 @@ func applyPatchOperations(applyRoot, relativeRoot string, operations []structure
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if err := applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, changes, options.FileTracker); err != nil {
-		return errorResult("Error applying patch: " + err.Error())
+	applyOutcome, err := applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, relativeRoot, changes, options.FileTracker)
+	if err != nil {
+		result := errorResult("Error applying patch: " + err.Error())
+		result.ChangedFiles = changedFilesFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, applyOutcome.committed)
+		result.FileDiffs = fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, applyOutcome.committed)
+		result.Redacted = structuredPatchContainsObfuscatedSecret(applyOutcome.committed)
+		result.Display = Display{Summary: result.Output, Kind: "diff", Preview: structuredPatchPreview(applyOutcome.committed)}
+		return result
 	}
 
 	for _, change := range changes {
@@ -183,10 +190,78 @@ func applyPatchOperations(applyRoot, relativeRoot string, operations []structure
 	}
 	result := okResult(summary)
 	result.ChangedFiles = changedFilesFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, changes)
+	result.FileDiffs = fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, changes)
+	result.Redacted = structuredPatchContainsObfuscatedSecret(changes)
 	result.Display = Display{Summary: summary, Kind: "diff", Preview: structuredPatchPreview(changes)}
 	return result
 }
 
+func structuredPatchContainsObfuscatedSecret(changes []structuredPatchChange) bool {
+	for _, change := range changes {
+		if diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(change.before) || diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(change.after) {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+func fileDiffsFromStructuredPatch(_ string, changes []structuredPatchChange) []FileDiff {
+	const maxToolResultFileDiffs = 64
+	diffs := make([]FileDiff, 0, len(changes)*2)
+	usedBytes := 0
+	appendGroup := func(group ...FileDiff) bool {
+		if len(group) == 0 || len(diffs)+len(group) > maxToolResultFileDiffs {
+			return false
+		}
+		groupBytes := 0
+		for _, diff := range group {
+			groupBytes += len(diff.OldText) + len(diff.NewText)
+		}
+		if usedBytes+groupBytes > maxToolResultFileDiffBytes {
+			return false
+		}
+		diffs = append(diffs, group...)
+		usedBytes += groupBytes
+		return true
+	}
+	makeDiff := func(path, before, after string, oldExists, newExists bool) (FileDiff, bool) {
+		return boundedFileDiff(path, before, after, oldExists, newExists)
+	}
+	for _, change := range changes {
+		var group []FileDiff
+		switch {
+		case change.kind == structuredPatchDelete:
+			if diff, ok := makeDiff(change.from.absolute, change.before, "", true, false); ok {
+				group = append(group, diff)
+			}
+		case change.kind == structuredPatchAdd:
+			if diff, ok := makeDiff(change.to.absolute, "", change.after, false, true); ok {
+				group = append(group, diff)
+			}
+		case change.kind == structuredPatchCopy && change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute:
+			// A copy leaves its source unchanged; the destination is a create.
+			if diff, ok := makeDiff(change.to.absolute, "", change.after, false, true); ok {
+				group = append(group, diff)
+			}
+		case change.kind == structuredPatchUpdate && change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute:
+			// A move is two filesystem changes, not a destination overwrite.
+			from, fromOK := makeDiff(change.from.absolute, change.before, "", true, false)
+			to, toOK := makeDiff(change.to.absolute, "", change.after, false, true)
+			if fromOK && toOK {
+				group = append(group, from, to)
+			}
+		default:
+			if diff, ok := makeDiff(change.to.absolute, change.before, change.after, true, true); ok {
+				group = append(group, diff)
+			}
+		}
+		if len(group) > 0 && !appendGroup(group...) {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	return diffs
+}
+
 func parseStructuredPatch(patch string) ([]structuredPatchOperation, error) {
 	normalized := strings.TrimSpace(strings.TrimPrefix(strings.ReplaceAll(patch, "\r\n", "\n"), "\ufeff"))
 	if normalized == "" {
@@ -394,15 +469,12 @@ func planStructuredPatch(root *os.Root, operations []structuredPatchOperation, t
 			}
 			change.after = operation.contents
 		case structuredPatchDelete, structuredPatchUpdate, structuredPatchCopy:
-			info, err := root.Stat(from.relative)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("stating %s: %w", from.relative, err)
-			}
-			change.mode = info.Mode()
-			content, err := root.ReadFile(from.relative)
+			content, info, err := readRootedFile(root, from.relative)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading %s: %w", from.relative, err)
 			}
+			change.mode = info.Mode()
+			change.beforeInfo = info
 			if err := tracker.CheckConflict(from.absolute, content); err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s", fileConflictMessage(from.relative))
 			}
@@ -672,38 +744,112 @@ func findStructuredPatchSequence(lines, wanted []string, start int, endOfFile bo
 	return -1, false
 }
 
-func applyStructuredPatchChanges(root *os.Root, changes []structuredPatchChange, tracker *FileTracker) error {
+type structuredPatchApplyOutcome struct {
+	committed       []structuredPatchChange
+	incompletePaths []string
+}
+
+type structuredPatchChangeOutcome struct {
+	completed       []structuredPatchChange
+	incompletePaths []string
+}
+
+func applyStructuredPatchChanges(root *os.Root, relativeRoot string, changes []structuredPatchChange, tracker *FileTracker) (structuredPatchApplyOutcome, error) {
 	// committed lists, in order, the paths whose change reached disk before a
 	// later change failed, so the caller (and the model) knows exactly which
 	// files now hold the patched content and which were never touched.
-	var committed []string
+	var outcome structuredPatchApplyOutcome
 	for _, change := range changes {
-		done, err := applyStructuredPatchChange(root, change)
-		if done {
-			committed = append(committed, structuredPatchChangePaths(change)...)
-		}
+		changeOutcome, err := applyStructuredPatchChange(root, change)
+		outcome.committed = append(outcome.committed, changeOutcome.completed...)
+		outcome.incompletePaths = append(outcome.incompletePaths, changeOutcome.incompletePaths...)
 		if err != nil {
 			forgetStructuredPatchFiles(tracker, changes)
-			if len(committed) > 0 {
-				return fmt.Errorf("%w; patch was partially applied — already committed: %s; the remaining files are unchanged; re-read the committed files before retrying", err, strings.Join(committed, ", "))
+			committedPaths := changedFilesFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, outcome.committed)
+			unverifiedPaths := appendUniqueStructuredPatchPaths(nil, relativeRoot, outcome.incompletePaths)
+			if len(committedPaths) > 0 || len(unverifiedPaths) > 0 {
+				parts := []string{"patch was partially applied"}
+				if len(committedPaths) > 0 {
+					parts = append(parts, "already committed: "+strings.Join(committedPaths, ", "))
+				}
+				if len(unverifiedPaths) > 0 {
+					parts = append(parts, "published but unverified: "+strings.Join(unverifiedPaths, ", "))
+				}
+				parts = append(parts, "the remaining files are unchanged")
+				if len(unverifiedPaths) > 0 {
+					parts = append(parts, "re-read the listed files before retrying")
+				} else {
+					parts = append(parts, "re-read the committed files before retrying")
+				}
+				return outcome, fmt.Errorf("%w; %s", err, strings.Join(parts, "; "))
 			}
-			return err
+			return outcome, err
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	return outcome, nil
 }
 
-// structuredPatchChangePaths names the workspace-relative paths a committed
-// change touched: the destination, plus the source of a move or copy.
-func structuredPatchChangePaths(change structuredPatchChange) []string {
-	if change.kind == structuredPatchDelete {
-		return []string{change.from.relative}
+// completedStructuredPatchEffect turns a partially completed compound change
+// into the exact filesystem sub-effect that is still verifiable after the
+// error. In particular, a failed move may have published its destination while
+// leaving the source in place; that is a destination creation, not a move.
+func completedStructuredPatchEffect(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) (structuredPatchChange, bool) {
+	if change.to.relative == "" {
+		return structuredPatchChange{}, false
 	}
-	paths := []string{change.to.relative}
-	if change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute && change.from.relative != "" {
-		paths = append([]string{change.from.relative}, paths...)
+	content, _, err := readRootedFile(root, change.to.relative)
+	if err != nil || string(content) != change.after {
+		return structuredPatchChange{}, false
 	}
-	return paths
+	switch change.kind {
+	case structuredPatchAdd, structuredPatchCopy:
+		return structuredPatchChange{
+			kind:  structuredPatchAdd,
+			to:    change.to,
+			after: change.after,
+			mode:  change.mode,
+		}, true
+	case structuredPatchUpdate:
+		if change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute {
+			return structuredPatchChange{
+				kind:  structuredPatchAdd,
+				to:    change.to,
+				after: change.after,
+				mode:  change.mode,
+			}, true
+		}
+	}
+	return structuredPatchChange{}, false
+}
+
+func incompleteStructuredPatchWrite(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange, published bool) structuredPatchChangeOutcome {
+	if !published {
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{}
+	}
+	if completed, ok := completedStructuredPatchEffect(root, change); ok {
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{completed: []structuredPatchChange{completed}}
+	}
+	if change.to.relative != "" {
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{incompletePaths: []string{change.to.relative}}
+	}
+	return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{}
+}
+
+func appendUniqueStructuredPatchPaths(existing []string, relativeRoot string, paths []string) []string {
+	seen := make(map[string]bool, len(existing)+len(paths))
+	for _, path := range existing {
+		seen[path] = true
+	}
+	for _, path := range paths {
+		if relativeRoot != "" && relativeRoot != "." {
+			path = filepath.ToSlash(filepath.Join(relativeRoot, path))
+		}
+		if path != "" && !seen[path] {
+			seen[path] = true
+			existing = append(existing, path)
+		}
+	}
+	return existing
 }
 
 func forgetStructuredPatchFiles(tracker *FileTracker, changes []structuredPatchChange) {
@@ -723,7 +869,17 @@ func forgetStructuredPatchFiles(tracker *FileTracker, changes []structuredPatchC
 // deterministically; it is nil in production.
 var structuredPatchBeforeCommit func(change structuredPatchChange)
 
-func applyStructuredPatchChange(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) (bool, error) {
+// structuredPatchBeforeRename runs after a same-path update has staged and
+// closed its replacement but before the final preimage recheck and rename.
+// Tests use it to reproduce a competing writer deterministically.
+var structuredPatchBeforeRename func(change structuredPatchChange)
+
+// structuredPatchRemove is a deterministic test seam for failures after a
+// move destination has been published. Production removes through the opened
+// workspace root.
+var structuredPatchRemove = func(root *os.Root, name string) error { return root.Remove(name) }
+
+func applyStructuredPatchChange(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) (structuredPatchChangeOutcome, error) {
 	if structuredPatchBeforeCommit != nil {
 		structuredPatchBeforeCommit(change)
 	}
@@ -732,39 +888,63 @@ func applyStructuredPatchChange(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) (bo
 	// by another process in between is refused rather than overwritten or
 	// removed.
 	if change.kind != structuredPatchAdd {
-		current, err := root.ReadFile(change.from.relative)
-		if err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("re-reading %s before commit: %w", change.from.relative, err)
-		}
-		if string(current) != change.before {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("%s changed on disk between planning and commit; re-read it and retry", change.from.relative)
+		if err := recheckStructuredPatchPreimage(root, change); err != nil {
+			return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{}, err
 		}
 	}
 	switch change.kind {
 	case structuredPatchDelete:
-		if err := root.Remove(change.from.relative); err != nil {
-			return false, fmt.Errorf("deleting %s: %w", change.from.relative, err)
+		if err := structuredPatchRemove(root, change.from.relative); err != nil {
+			return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{}, fmt.Errorf("deleting %s: %w", change.from.relative, err)
 		}
-		return true, nil
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{completed: []structuredPatchChange{change}}, nil
 	case structuredPatchAdd, structuredPatchCopy:
-		return writeStructuredPatchFile(root, change.to, change.after, change.mode, true)
+		var beforePublish func() error
+		if change.kind == structuredPatchCopy {
+			beforePublish = structuredPatchPrePublishGuard(root, change)
+		}
+		published, err := writeStructuredPatchFile(root, change.to, change.after, change.mode, true, beforePublish)
+		if err != nil {
+			return incompleteStructuredPatchWrite(root, change, published), err
+		}
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{completed: []structuredPatchChange{change}}, nil
 	case structuredPatchUpdate:
 		moving := change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute
-		committed, err := writeStructuredPatchFile(root, change.to, change.after, change.mode, moving)
+		published, err := writeStructuredPatchFile(root, change.to, change.after, change.mode, moving, structuredPatchPrePublishGuard(root, change))
 		if err != nil {
-			return committed, err
+			return incompleteStructuredPatchWrite(root, change, published), err
 		}
 		if moving {
-			if err := root.Remove(change.from.relative); err != nil {
-				return true, fmt.Errorf("removing moved source %s: %w", change.from.relative, err)
+			if err := structuredPatchRemove(root, change.from.relative); err != nil {
+				return incompleteStructuredPatchWrite(root, change, true), fmt.Errorf("removing moved source %s: %w", change.from.relative, err)
 			}
 		}
-		return true, nil
+		return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{completed: []structuredPatchChange{change}}, nil
 	}
-	return false, fmt.Errorf("unsupported structured patch operation")
+	return structuredPatchChangeOutcome{}, fmt.Errorf("unsupported structured patch operation")
 }
 
-func writeStructuredPatchFile(root *os.Root, target structuredPatchTarget, content string, mode os.FileMode, createOnly bool) (bool, error) {
+func recheckStructuredPatchPreimage(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) error {
+	current, info, err := readRootedFile(root, change.from.relative)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("re-reading %s before commit: %w", change.from.relative, err)
+	}
+	if (change.beforeInfo != nil && !os.SameFile(change.beforeInfo, info)) || string(current) != change.before {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%s changed on disk between planning and commit; re-read it and retry", change.from.relative)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func structuredPatchPrePublishGuard(root *os.Root, change structuredPatchChange) func() error {
+	return func() error {
+		if change.kind == structuredPatchUpdate && change.from.absolute == change.to.absolute && structuredPatchBeforeRename != nil {
+			structuredPatchBeforeRename(change)
+		}
+		return recheckStructuredPatchPreimage(root, change)
+	}
+}
+
+func writeStructuredPatchFile(root *os.Root, target structuredPatchTarget, content string, mode os.FileMode, createOnly bool, beforePublish func() error) (bool, error) {
 	parent := filepath.Dir(target.relative)
 	if err := root.MkdirAll(parent, 0o755); err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("creating parent directory for %s: %w", target.relative, err)
@@ -785,8 +965,13 @@ func writeStructuredPatchFile(root *os.Root, target structuredPatchTarget, conte
 	if err := temp.Close(); err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("writing %s: %w", target.relative, err)
 	}
+	if beforePublish != nil {
+		if err := beforePublish(); err != nil {
+			return false, err
+		}
+	}
 	if createOnly {
-		return publishStructuredPatchNoReplace(root, tempName, target.relative, mode)
+		return structuredPatchPublishNoReplace(root, tempName, target.relative, mode)
 	}
 	if err := root.Rename(tempName, target.relative); err != nil {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("writing %s: %w", target.relative, err)
@@ -798,6 +983,11 @@ func publishStructuredPatchNoReplace(root *os.Root, source, target string, mode
 	return publishStructuredPatchNoReplaceWith(root, source, target, mode, root.Link)
 }
 
+// structuredPatchPublishNoReplace is a deterministic test seam for failures
+// after a create-only target has become visible. Production uses the atomic
+// no-replace publisher above.
+var structuredPatchPublishNoReplace = publishStructuredPatchNoReplace
+
 func publishStructuredPatchNoReplaceWith(root *os.Root, source, target string, mode os.FileMode, link func(string, string) error) (bool, error) {
 	if linkErr := link(source, target); linkErr == nil {
 		cleanupErr := removeStructuredPatchTemp(root, source)
@@ -914,9 +1104,19 @@ func changedFilesFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot string, changes []structuredPa
 	seen := make(map[string]bool)
 	var paths []string
 	for _, change := range changes {
-		targets := []structuredPatchTarget{change.to}
-		if change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute {
-			targets = append([]structuredPatchTarget{change.from}, targets...)
+		var targets []structuredPatchTarget
+		switch change.kind {
+		case structuredPatchDelete:
+			targets = []structuredPatchTarget{change.from}
+		case structuredPatchUpdate:
+			targets = []structuredPatchTarget{change.to}
+			if change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute {
+				targets = append([]structuredPatchTarget{change.from}, targets...)
+			}
+		default:
+			// Adds and copies mutate only their destination; the copy source is
+			// evidence for the operation, not a changed file.
+			targets = []structuredPatchTarget{change.to}
 		}
 		for _, target := range targets {
 			path := target.relative

internal/tools/types.go

@@ -120,6 +120,10 @@ type Result struct {
 	// entries under a granted extra write root are absolute, since
 	// workspace-relative would be ambiguous there.
 	ChangedFiles []string
+	// FileDiffs carries exact, bounded before/after text for built-in file
+	// mutations. A missing entry means the client must fall back to ChangedFiles
+	// rather than inventing a partial diff.
+	FileDiffs []FileDiff
 	// ChangeSummaries contains bounded generated-tree changes. These are shown
 	// in session evidence and the Files panel but are never treated as files to
 	// open or diagnose individually.

internal/tools/write_file.go

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ type writeFileTool struct {
 	baseTool
 	workspaceRoot string
 	scope         PathScope
+	readFile      func(string) ([]byte, error)
 }
 
 func NewScopedWriteFileTool(workspaceRoot string, scope PathScope) Tool {
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ func NewScopedWriteFileTool(workspaceRoot string, scope PathScope) Tool {
 		},
 		workspaceRoot: normalizeWorkspaceRoot(workspaceRoot),
 		scope:         scope,
+		readFile:      os.ReadFile,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -61,8 +63,10 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 	}
 
 	existed := false
-	if _, err := os.Stat(absolutePath); err == nil {
+	var priorInfo os.FileInfo
+	if info, err := os.Stat(absolutePath); err == nil {
 		existed = true
+		priorInfo = info
 		if !overwrite {
 			return errorResult("Error: " + relativePath + " already exists. Pass overwrite: true to replace it.")
 		}
@@ -82,7 +86,7 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 			// Fail CLOSED: if the tracked file can't be re-read to verify it, refuse
 			// the overwrite rather than clobbering a file whose current state is
 			// unknown (it may have been replaced or removed out from under us).
-			current, rerr := os.ReadFile(absolutePath)
+			current, rerr := tool.readFile(absolutePath)
 			if rerr != nil {
 				return errorResult(fileConflictMessage(relativePath))
 			}
@@ -95,9 +99,11 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 	// Capture the prior content (before we replace it) so an overwrite can show a
 	// real diff; a fresh create stays "" and previews as all-additions.
 	priorContent := ""
+	priorContentKnown := !existed
 	if existed {
-		if prev, rerr := os.ReadFile(absolutePath); rerr == nil {
+		if prev, rerr := tool.readFile(absolutePath); rerr == nil {
 			priorContent = string(prev)
+			priorContentKnown = true
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -107,20 +113,36 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 	if err := recheckScopedWriteTarget(tool.workspaceRoot, tool.scope, requestedPath); err != nil {
 		return errorResult("Error writing file " + relativePath + ": " + err.Error())
 	}
-	if err := os.WriteFile(absolutePath, []byte(content), 0o644); err != nil {
+	var expectedContent *string
+	if priorContentKnown {
+		expectedContent = &priorContent
+	}
+	if err := commitFileContents(absolutePath, priorInfo, expectedContent, content); err != nil {
 		return errorResult("Error writing file " + relativePath + ": " + err.Error())
 	}
 	modelKnownContent := content
 	// Optional format-on-write (ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE). Must run BEFORE the
 	// FileTracker baseline: recording pre-format content would make the very
 	// next edit look like an external modification and trip the conflict guard.
-	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, content)
+	restoreMode := os.FileMode(0o644)
+	if priorInfo != nil {
+		restoreMode = priorInfo.Mode().Perm()
+	}
+	formatting := maybeFormatWrittenFileScoped(ctx, tool.workspaceRoot, tool.scope, absolutePath, content, restoreMode)
 	content = formatting.Content
+	finalContentKnown := formatting.ContentKnown
 	// Baseline the freshly written content so a later edit/overwrite in this
 	// session compares against what is now on disk.
-	newInfo, _ := os.Stat(absolutePath)
-	options.FileTracker.Record(absolutePath, []byte(content), newInfo)
-	if content == modelKnownContent {
+	newInfo := formatting.Info
+	if newInfo == nil {
+		newInfo, _ = os.Stat(absolutePath)
+	}
+	if finalContentKnown {
+		options.FileTracker.Record(absolutePath, []byte(content), newInfo)
+	} else {
+		options.FileTracker.Forget(absolutePath)
+	}
+	if finalContentKnown && content == modelKnownContent {
 		options.FileTracker.RecordSeenRange(absolutePath, 1, trackedLineTotal(content), trackedLineTotal(content))
 	}
 	if !existed {
@@ -139,13 +161,28 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 	}
 	summary := fmt.Sprintf("%s %s (%d lines).", verb, relativePath, lines)
 	summary += formatting.notice(relativePath)
-	summary += inlineDiagnostics(ctx, options, absolutePath, relativePath)
+	if finalContentKnown {
+		summary += inlineDiagnostics(ctx, options, absolutePath, relativePath)
+	}
 	result := okResult(summary)
 	result.ChangedFiles = []string{relativePath}
+	// Do not pretend an unreadable overwrite was a creation. The write may be
+	// valid, but ACP only receives an exact before/after pair we actually saw.
+	if priorContentKnown && finalContentKnown {
+		if diff, ok := boundedFileDiff(absolutePath, priorContent, content, existed, true); ok {
+			result.FileDiffs = []FileDiff{diff}
+		} else if diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(priorContent) || diffTextRevealsObfuscatedSecret(content) {
+			result.Redacted = true
+		}
+	}
 	// Card-only preview: a real unified diff (all-green for a create, red/green for
 	// an overwrite) on Display.Preview. Output stays the summary, so the model never
 	// re-reads the file — the rich preview costs zero model tokens.
-	result.Display = Display{Summary: summary, Kind: "file", Preview: boundedUnifiedDiff(relativePath, priorContent, content)}
+	preview := ""
+	if priorContentKnown && finalContentKnown {
+		preview = boundedUnifiedDiff(relativePath, priorContent, content)
+	}
+	result.Display = Display{Summary: summary, Kind: "file", Preview: preview}
 	return result
 }
 

internal/tools/write_tools_test.go

@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -323,6 +325,10 @@ func TestEditFileToolReplacesExactStrings(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	path := filepath.Join(root, "code.go")
 	writeTestFile(t, path, "const a = 1\nconst b = 2\n")
+	path, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 
 	result := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
 		"path":       "code.go",
@@ -367,7 +373,12 @@ func TestEditFileToolReplacesCRLF(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestEditFileToolEmitsUnifiedDiff(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
-	writeTestFile(t, filepath.Join(root, "code.go"), "const a = 1\nconst b = 2\n")
+	path := filepath.Join(root, "code.go")
+	writeTestFile(t, path, "const a = 1\nconst b = 2\n")
+	path, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	res := NewScopedEditFileTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{
 		"path": "code.go", "old_string": "const a = 1", "new_string": "const a = 42",
 	})
@@ -387,6 +398,9 @@ func TestEditFileToolEmitsUnifiedDiff(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("edit preview missing diff marker %q: %q", want, res.Display.Preview)
 		}
 	}
+	if got := res.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0].Path != path || !got[0].OldExists || !got[0].NewExists || got[0].OldText != "const a = 1\nconst b = 2\n" || got[0].NewText != "const a = 42\nconst b = 2\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("file diffs = %#v", got)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestWriteFileToolEmitsAdditionsDiff(t *testing.T) {
@@ -408,6 +422,13 @@ func TestWriteFileToolEmitsAdditionsDiff(t *testing.T) {
 	if strings.Contains(res.Display.Preview, "\n-line") {
 		t.Fatalf("a fresh-create diff must have no removed lines: %q", res.Display.Preview)
 	}
+	path, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(filepath.Join(root, "new.txt"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := res.FileDiffs; len(got) != 1 || got[0].Path != path || got[0].OldExists || !got[0].NewExists || got[0].OldText != "" || got[0].NewText != "line one\nline two\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("file diffs = %#v", got)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestWriteFileToolOverwriteEmitsRedGreenDiff(t *testing.T) {
@@ -429,6 +450,28 @@ func TestWriteFileToolOverwriteEmitsRedGreenDiff(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestWriteFileToolOmitsDiffWhenOverwritePreimageCannotBeRead(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(root, "private.txt")
+	writeTestFile(t, path, "before\n")
+	tool := NewScopedWriteFileTool(root, nil).(writeFileTool)
+	tool.readFile = func(string) ([]byte, error) { return nil, os.ErrPermission }
+	registry := NewRegistry()
+	registry.Register(tool)
+	result := registry.RunWithOptions(context.Background(), tool.Name(), map[string]any{
+		"path": "private.txt", "content": "after\n", "overwrite": true,
+	}, RunOptions{PermissionGranted: true})
+	if result.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("write = %s", result.Output)
+	}
+	if len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("unreadable preimage must not produce a create-like diff: %#v", result.FileDiffs)
+	}
+	if got, err := os.ReadFile(path); err != nil || string(got) != "after\n" {
+		t.Fatalf("written content = %q, err = %v", got, err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestEditFileToolAllowsDeletingRegions(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	path := filepath.Join(root, "notes.txt")
@@ -584,6 +627,17 @@ func TestApplyPatchToolAppliesStructuredAddAndMove(t *testing.T) {
 	if got := result.ChangedFiles; strings.Join(got, ",") != "nested/new.txt,old.txt,moved.txt" {
 		t.Fatalf("ChangedFiles = %v", got)
 	}
+	resolvedRoot, err := filepath.EvalSymlinks(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got, want := result.FileDiffs, []FileDiff{
+		{Path: filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "nested", "new.txt"), OldExists: false, NewExists: true, OldText: "", NewText: "created\n"},
+		{Path: filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "old.txt"), OldExists: true, NewExists: false, OldText: "old\n", NewText: ""},
+		{Path: filepath.Join(resolvedRoot, "moved.txt"), OldExists: false, NewExists: true, OldText: "", NewText: "moved\n"},
+	}; !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("FileDiffs = %#v, want %#v", got, want)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestApplyPatchToolStructuredPatchMatchesWhitespaceTolerantly(t *testing.T) {
@@ -831,7 +885,7 @@ func TestStructuredPatchAddDoesNotOverwriteRacedDestination(t *testing.T) {
 		after: "patch content\n", mode: 0o644,
 	}
 
-	err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
+	_, err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, ".", []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
 	if err == nil || !errors.Is(err, os.ErrExist) {
 		t.Fatalf("raced add destination = %v, want os.ErrExist", err)
 	}
@@ -857,7 +911,7 @@ func TestStructuredPatchFailedDeleteDoesNotRecreateMissingFile(t *testing.T) {
 		before: "removed by another writer\n", mode: 0o644,
 	}
 
-	err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
+	_, err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, ".", []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("delete of an already removed file should fail")
 	}
@@ -894,7 +948,7 @@ func TestStructuredPatchMoveWithMissingSourceIsRefusedBeforePublishing(t *testin
 	}
 	defer func() { structuredPatchBeforeCommit = nil }()
 
-	err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
+	_, err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, ".", []structuredPatchChange{change}, nil)
 	if !removed {
 		t.Fatal("pre-commit hook did not run")
 	}
@@ -909,6 +963,59 @@ func TestStructuredPatchMoveWithMissingSourceIsRefusedBeforePublishing(t *testin
 	}
 }
 
+func TestStructuredPatchUpdatePreservesCompetingWriteBeforeRename(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name            string
+		competing       string
+		replaceIdentity bool
+	}{
+		{name: "content changed", competing: "competing writer\n"},
+		{name: "identity changed with same content", competing: "planned\n", replaceIdentity: true},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "file.txt")
+			writeTestFile(t, targetPath, "planned\n")
+			patch := "*** Begin Patch\n*** Update File: file.txt\n@@\n-planned\n+patched\n*** End Patch\n"
+			hookRan := false
+			var competingInfo os.FileInfo
+			structuredPatchBeforeRename = func(change structuredPatchChange) {
+				if tc.replaceIdentity {
+					tempPath := filepath.Join(root, "competing.tmp")
+					writeTestFile(t, tempPath, tc.competing)
+					if err := os.Rename(tempPath, targetPath); err != nil {
+						t.Fatal(err)
+					}
+				} else if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte(tc.competing), 0o644); err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				var err error
+				competingInfo, err = os.Stat(targetPath)
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatal(err)
+				}
+				hookRan = true
+			}
+			t.Cleanup(func() { structuredPatchBeforeRename = nil })
+
+			result := NewScopedApplyPatchTool(root, nil).Run(context.Background(), map[string]any{"patch": patch})
+			if !hookRan {
+				t.Fatal("pre-rename hook did not run")
+			}
+			if result.Status != StatusError || len(result.ChangedFiles) != 0 || len(result.FileDiffs) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("raced update = status=%s changed=%#v diffs=%#v output=%q", result.Status, result.ChangedFiles, result.FileDiffs, result.Output)
+			}
+			if got := mustReadTestFile(t, targetPath); got != tc.competing {
+				t.Fatalf("raced update overwrote competing content: %q", got)
+			}
+			finalInfo, err := os.Stat(targetPath)
+			if err != nil || !os.SameFile(competingInfo, finalInfo) {
+				t.Fatalf("raced update replaced the competing file identity: %v", err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStructuredPatchCreateOnlyFallsBackWhenHardLinksUnsupported(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	workspace, err := os.OpenRoot(root)
@@ -978,6 +1085,45 @@ func TestStructuredPatchCopyFailureReportsSurvivingPartialTarget(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestIncompleteStructuredPatchNoReplaceWriteReportsOnlyVerifiedTarget(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, content := range map[string]string{
+		"complete publication": "complete content\n",
+		"partial publication":  "partial",
+	} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			root := t.TempDir()
+			workspace, err := os.OpenRoot(root)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			defer workspace.Close()
+			targetPath := filepath.Join(root, "target.txt")
+			writeTestFile(t, targetPath, content)
+			change := structuredPatchChange{
+				kind: structuredPatchAdd,
+				to: structuredPatchTarget{
+					requested: "target.txt",
+					relative:  "target.txt",
+					absolute:  targetPath,
+				},
+				after: "complete content\n",
+				mode:  0o644,
+			}
+
+			outcome := incompleteStructuredPatchWrite(workspace, change, true)
+			if content == change.after {
+				if len(outcome.completed) != 1 || outcome.completed[0].kind != structuredPatchAdd || len(outcome.incompletePaths) != 0 {
+					t.Fatalf("verified publication outcome = %#v", outcome)
+				}
+				return
+			}
+			if len(outcome.completed) != 0 || !slices.Equal(outcome.incompletePaths, []string{"target.txt"}) {
+				t.Fatalf("partial publication outcome = %#v", outcome)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestStructuredPatchPartialFailureLeavesCompletedChangeAndClearsTrackedState(t *testing.T) {
 	root := t.TempDir()
 	trackedPath := filepath.Join(root, "tracked.txt")
@@ -1017,7 +1163,7 @@ func TestStructuredPatchPartialFailureLeavesCompletedChangeAndClearsTrackedState
 		},
 	}
 
-	err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, changes, tracker)
+	_, err = applyStructuredPatchChanges(workspace, ".", changes, tracker)
 	if err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "partially applied") {
 		t.Fatalf("second change = %v, want partial-application error", err)
 	}