diff --git a/docs/electron-fuses.md b/docs/electron-fuses.md
index 206ea24bb..4b02f7367 100644
--- a/docs/electron-fuses.md
+++ b/docs/electron-fuses.md
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ requires an absolute filesystem path and preserves that exact selection:
 }
 ```
 
+On POSIX hosts, the CLI preserves path components so symlinks are followed
+before parent (`..`) steps. Bundle selections may end in `.` or parent steps
+through real directories; a terminal parent step through a directory symlink
+is rejected. Windows CLI paths retain native drive and separator resolution.
+
 Check this before `observe_javascript_runtime` with `electron-main`. When
 `EnableNodeCliInspectArguments` is disabled or removed, Electron ignores
 Inspector flags, and a later target listing can simply show no main-process
diff --git a/src/cli/electronCommands.ts b/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
index 37ee3e70b..1bf8c1066 100644
--- a/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
+++ b/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { resolve } from "node:path";
+import { isAbsolute, resolve, sep } from "node:path";
 
 import { Cli, z } from "incur";
 
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ const registerElectronFuseCommand = (
       withCommandCancellation((signal) =>
         logCliCommand(logger, CLI_COMMANDS.inspectElectronFuses, async () => {
           const result = await service.inspect(
-            { path: resolve(args.path) },
+            { path: absoluteElectronFusePath(args.path) },
             { signal },
           );
           return result.ok ? result.value : projectAnalysisError(result.error);
@@ -64,6 +64,16 @@ const registerElectronFuseCommand = (
   });
 };
 
+/** Anchor relative input without changing which file symlink/.. selects. */
+const absoluteElectronFusePath = (path: string): string => {
+  if (path === "") return path;
+  // Win32 resolves dot components before directory links, including drive-relative paths.
+  if (sep === "\\") return resolve(path);
+  if (isAbsolute(path)) return path;
+  const base = process.cwd();
+  return `${base}${base.endsWith(sep) ? "" : sep}${path}`;
+};
+
 const registerElectronActiveCommand = (
   cli: ReturnType<typeof Cli.create>,
   logger: Logger,
diff --git a/src/electron/ElectronFusePath.ts b/src/electron/ElectronFusePath.ts
index 399e001f5..0836c961c 100644
--- a/src/electron/ElectronFusePath.ts
+++ b/src/electron/ElectronFusePath.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { BigIntStats } from "node:fs";
 import { lstat, readlink } from "node:fs/promises";
-import { basename, dirname, isAbsolute, join, sep } from "node:path";
+import { basename, dirname, isAbsolute, sep } from "node:path";
 
 import { isPathWithinRoot } from "../domain/localPath.js";
 
@@ -56,9 +56,13 @@ export const resolveElectronFuseTarget = async (
       frameworkRootOf(selectedPath) === null
         ? { path: selectedPath, metadata, nodes: [] }
         : await resolveFrameworkSymlink(selectedPath, signal);
-  else if (metadata.isDirectory())
+  else if (metadata.isDirectory()) {
     file = await resolveBundleBinary(selectedPath, signal);
-  else
+    file = {
+      ...file,
+      nodes: [{ path: selectedPath, metadata }, ...file.nodes],
+    };
+  } else
     throw new ElectronFusePathFailure(
       "invalid_format",
       `Expected a regular file or Electron app bundle: ${selectedPath}`,
@@ -94,20 +98,58 @@ const resolveBundleBinary = async (
   selectedPath: string,
   signal?: AbortSignal,
 ): Promise<ResolvedElectronFuseFile> => {
-  const name = basename(selectedPath);
+  const directory = await resolveDirectorySuffix(selectedPath, signal);
+  const name = basename(directory.path);
+  let file: ResolvedElectronFuseFile;
   if (name === FRAMEWORK_NAME)
-    return resolveKnownBinary(selectedPath, selectedPath, signal);
-  if (name.endsWith(".app")) {
-    return resolveKnownBinary(
-      join(selectedPath, "Contents", "Frameworks", FRAMEWORK_NAME),
+    file = await resolveKnownBinary(directory.path, selectedPath, signal);
+  else if (name.endsWith(".app"))
+    file = await resolveKnownBinary(
+      appendPath(directory.path, "Contents", "Frameworks", FRAMEWORK_NAME),
       selectedPath,
       signal,
     );
+  else
+    throw new ElectronFusePathFailure(
+      "invalid_format",
+      `Expected an Electron .app bundle, ${FRAMEWORK_NAME} directory, or executable file: ${selectedPath}`,
+    );
+  return { ...file, nodes: [...directory.nodes, ...file.nodes] };
+};
+
+/** Reduce directory suffixes only when doing so preserves filesystem selection. */
+const resolveDirectorySuffix = async (
+  selectedPath: string,
+  signal?: AbortSignal,
+): Promise<{
+  readonly path: string;
+  readonly nodes: readonly ElectronFusePathNode[];
+}> => {
+  let path = selectedPath;
+  const pending: string[] = [];
+  const nodes: ElectronFusePathNode[] = [];
+  while (true) {
+    signal?.throwIfAborted();
+    const name = basename(path);
+    // lstat("link/") follows a link; inspect the named component itself.
+    if (name !== "") while (path.endsWith(sep)) path = path.slice(0, -1);
+    if (name === "." || name === "..") {
+      pending.push(name);
+      path = dirname(path);
+      continue;
+    }
+    const component = pending.pop();
+    if (component === undefined) return { path, nodes };
+    if (component === ".") continue;
+    const metadata = await lstat(path, { bigint: true });
+    if (!metadata.isDirectory() || metadata.isSymbolicLink())
+      throw new ElectronFusePathFailure(
+        "invalid_value",
+        `A bundle path ending in '..' requires a real directory before each parent segment: ${selectedPath}`,
+      );
+    nodes.push({ path, metadata });
+    path = dirname(path);
   }
-  throw new ElectronFusePathFailure(
-    "invalid_format",
-    `Expected an Electron .app bundle, ${FRAMEWORK_NAME} directory, or executable file: ${selectedPath}`,
-  );
 };
 
 /** `root` is the framework directory for both an `.app` and a framework selection. */
@@ -154,7 +196,7 @@ const resolveInside = async (
       last = "directory";
       continue;
     }
-    const absolute = join(root, ...resolved, segment);
+    const absolute = appendPath(root, ...resolved, segment);
     if (!isPathWithinRoot(root, absolute)) return { kind: "escapes" };
     let metadata;
     try {
@@ -185,7 +227,7 @@ const resolveInside = async (
   }
   if (last !== "file" || fileMetadata === undefined)
     return { kind: "not-file" };
-  const path = join(root, ...resolved);
+  const path = appendPath(root, ...resolved);
   return isPathWithinRoot(root, path)
     ? { kind: "file", path, metadata: fileMetadata, nodes }
     : { kind: "escapes" };
@@ -229,7 +271,7 @@ const requireRealDirectories = async (
   let current = anchor;
   const nodes: ElectronFusePathNode[] = [];
   for (const segment of segments) {
-    current = join(current, segment);
+    current = appendPath(current, segment);
     let metadata;
     try {
       metadata = await lstat(current, { bigint: true });
@@ -301,6 +343,10 @@ const relativeInside = (root: string, path: string): string | null => {
   return value === "" ? null : value.split(sep).join("/");
 };
 
+/** Append known components without normalizing a caller-selected parent path. */
+const appendPath = (parent: string, ...segments: readonly string[]): string =>
+  `${parent}${parent.endsWith(sep) ? "" : sep}${segments.join(sep)}`;
+
 const isMissing = (cause: unknown): boolean =>
   cause instanceof Error &&
   "code" in cause &&
diff --git a/src/electron/ElectronFuseProvider.test.ts b/src/electron/ElectronFuseProvider.test.ts
index fa43f4787..dd6227caa 100644
--- a/src/electron/ElectronFuseProvider.test.ts
+++ b/src/electron/ElectronFuseProvider.test.ts
@@ -682,3 +682,20 @@ it("reports a checked version directory removed before open as changed", async (
     readElectronFuseImage(located.file.path, { selection: located.file }),
   ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(RegularFileChangedError);
 });
+
+it("retains the identity of a directory removed by a terminal parent segment", async () => {
+  const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-electron-parent-identity-");
+  const framework = join(root, "Electron Framework.framework");
+  const versions = join(framework, "Versions");
+  await mkdir(versions, { recursive: true });
+  await writeFile(
+    join(framework, "Electron Framework"),
+    thinFuseImage([0x31]).bytes,
+  );
+  const located = await resolveElectronFuseTarget(`${versions}/..`);
+  await rename(versions, `${versions}.saved`);
+  await mkdir(versions);
+  await expect(
+    readElectronFuseImage(located.file.path, { selection: located.file }),
+  ).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(RegularFileChangedError);
+});
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/electronFusesCli.test.ts b/tests/acceptance/electronFusesCli.test.ts
index 763d2faf5..e1e86f276 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/electronFusesCli.test.ts
+++ b/tests/acceptance/electronFusesCli.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { mkdir, symlink, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
-import { join } from "node:path";
+import { mkdir, realpath, symlink, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { dirname, join, parse, sep } from "node:path";
 import { createHash } from "node:crypto";
 import { expect } from "vitest";
 
@@ -13,6 +13,142 @@ import {
 import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
 import { cliTest } from "../support/cli/cliFixture.js";
 
+// Windows resolves dot components before directory links in Win32 paths.
+cliTest.skipIf(process.platform === "win32").for([
+  { kind: "binary", mode: "absolute" },
+  { kind: "binary", mode: "relative" },
+  { kind: "bundle", mode: "absolute" },
+  { kind: "bundle", mode: "relative" },
+] as const)(
+  "preserves $mode $kind selections containing a symlink before a parent segment",
+  async ({ kind, mode }, { cli }) => {
+    const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-electron-fuses-cli-path-");
+    const framework = "Contents/Frameworks/Electron Framework.framework";
+    const directory =
+      kind === "binary"
+        ? join(root, "Fixture.app", framework, "Versions")
+        : root;
+    const selectedTail =
+      kind === "binary" ? "A/Electron Framework" : "Fixture.app";
+    const binaryTail =
+      kind === "binary"
+        ? selectedTail
+        : `Fixture.app/${framework}/Versions/A/Electron Framework`;
+    const binary = join(directory, "nested", binaryTail);
+    const sibling = join(directory, binaryTail);
+    const image = thinFuseImage([0x31, 0x30, 0x30, 0x31]);
+    const otherImage = thinFuseImage([0x30, 0x30, 0x30, 0x30]);
+    await mkdir(dirname(binary), { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(dirname(sibling), { recursive: true });
+    await mkdir(join(directory, "nested", "B"), { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(binary, image.bytes);
+    await writeFile(sibling, otherImage.bytes);
+    await symlink("nested/B", join(directory, "Current"));
+    const selected = `${directory}/Current/../${selectedTail}`;
+    expect(await realpath(selected)).toBe(
+      kind === "binary" ? binary : join(root, "nested", "Fixture.app"),
+    );
+
+    const result = await cli.run({
+      arguments: [
+        "inspect-electron-fuses",
+        mode === "absolute" ? selected : selected.slice(root.length + 1),
+        "--json",
+      ],
+      cwd: root,
+    });
+    expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(0);
+    const evidence = toolContract("inspect_electron_fuses").outputSchema.parse(
+      result.json,
+    );
+    const digest = createHash("sha256").update(image.bytes).digest("hex");
+    expect(evidence.normalized_result.artifact).toMatchObject({
+      selected_path: selected,
+      resolved_path:
+        kind === "binary"
+          ? binary
+          : `${selected}/${framework}/Versions/A/Electron Framework`,
+      sha256: digest,
+    });
+    expect(
+      await realpath(evidence.normalized_result.artifact.resolved_path),
+    ).toBe(binary);
+    expect(evidence.subject?.local_path).toBe(
+      evidence.normalized_result.artifact.resolved_path,
+    );
+    expect(evidence.subject?.digest.sha256).toBe(digest);
+    expect(evidence.normalized_result.runtime_implications).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          subject: "electron_run_as_node",
+          outcome: "honored",
+        }),
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          subject: "node_cli_inspect_arguments",
+          outcome: "honored",
+        }),
+      ]),
+    );
+
+    const control = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", sibling, "--json"],
+    });
+    expect(control.exitCode, control.stderr).toBe(0);
+    const siblingEvidence = toolContract(
+      "inspect_electron_fuses",
+    ).outputSchema.parse(control.json);
+    expect(siblingEvidence.normalized_result.artifact.sha256).toBe(
+      createHash("sha256").update(otherImage.bytes).digest("hex"),
+    );
+    expect(siblingEvidence.normalized_result.runtime_implications).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          subject: "electron_run_as_node",
+          outcome: "not_honored",
+        }),
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          subject: "node_cli_inspect_arguments",
+          outcome: "not_honored",
+        }),
+      ]),
+    );
+  },
+);
+
+cliTest.skipIf(process.platform !== "win32")(
+  "retains Windows drive, root, and mixed-separator path resolution",
+  async ({ cli }) => {
+    const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-electron-fuses-win-path-");
+    const tail =
+      "Fixture.app/Contents\\Frameworks/Electron Framework.framework/Versions\\A/Electron Framework";
+    const binary = join(root, tail);
+    const image = thinFuseImage([0x31]);
+    await mkdir(dirname(binary), { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(binary, image.bytes);
+    const volume = parse(root).root;
+    for (const input of [
+      binary.replaceAll("\\", "/"),
+      tail,
+      `${volume.slice(0, -1)}${tail}`,
+      binary.slice(volume.length - 1),
+    ]) {
+      const result = await cli.run({
+        arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", input, "--json"],
+        cwd: root,
+      });
+      expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(0);
+      const evidence = toolContract(
+        "inspect_electron_fuses",
+      ).outputSchema.parse(result.json);
+      expect(evidence.normalized_result.artifact).toMatchObject({
+        selected_path: binary,
+        resolved_path: binary,
+        sha256: createHash("sha256").update(image.bytes).digest("hex"),
+      });
+    }
+  },
+);
+
 cliTest(
   "reads thin and universal Electron fuse wires through the public CLI",
   async ({ cli }) => {
@@ -116,19 +252,80 @@ cliTest(
     await mkdir(join(binary, ".."), { recursive: true });
     await writeFile(binary, image.bytes);
     await symlink("A", join(binary, "..", "..", "Current"));
-    const result = await cli.run({
-      arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", app, "--json"],
+    for (const { input, cwd, selected } of [
+      { input: app, cwd: root, selected: app },
+      { input: `${app}/./`, cwd: root, selected: `${app}/./` },
+      { input: "Fixture.app/.", cwd: root, selected: `${app}/.` },
+      { input: ".", cwd: app, selected: `${app}${sep}.` },
+      {
+        input: "..",
+        cwd: join(app, "Contents"),
+        selected: `${app}${sep}Contents${sep}..`,
+      },
+      {
+        input: ".././..",
+        cwd: join(app, "Contents", "Frameworks"),
+        selected: `${app}${sep}Contents${sep}Frameworks${sep}.././..`,
+      },
+    ]) {
+      const result = await cli.run({
+        arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", input, "--json"],
+        cwd,
+      });
+      expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(0);
+      const evidence = toolContract(
+        "inspect_electron_fuses",
+      ).outputSchema.parse(result.json);
+      expect(evidence.normalized_result.artifact).toMatchObject({
+        selected_path: process.platform === "win32" ? app : selected,
+        resolved_path: binary,
+        format: "mach-o",
+      });
+      expect(evidence.subject?.local_path).toBe(binary);
+    }
+
+    const empty = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", "", "--json"],
+      cwd: app,
     });
-    expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(0);
-    const evidence = toolContract("inspect_electron_fuses").outputSchema.parse(
-      result.json,
+    expect(empty.exitCode, empty.stderr).toBe(1);
+    expect(empty.json).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_request",
+      details: { operation: "inspect_electron_fuses" },
+    });
+  },
+);
+
+cliTest.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")(
+  "refuses a terminal bundle parent segment after a directory symlink",
+  async ({ cli }) => {
+    const root = await createTestTempDirectory(
+      "rea-electron-fuses-cli-parent-",
     );
-    expect(evidence.normalized_result.artifact).toMatchObject({
-      selected_path: app,
-      resolved_path: binary,
-      format: "mach-o",
+    const app = join(root, "Fixture.app");
+    const binary = join(
+      app,
+      "Contents",
+      "Frameworks",
+      "Electron Framework.framework",
+      "Electron Framework",
+    );
+    await mkdir(dirname(binary), { recursive: true });
+    await writeFile(binary, thinFuseImage([0x31]).bytes);
+    await symlink("Contents", join(app, "linked"));
+    const result = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["inspect-electron-fuses", `${app}/linked//..`, "--json"],
+    });
+    expect(result.exitCode, result.stderr).toBe(1);
+    expect(result.json).toMatchObject({
+      code: "invalid_request",
+      details: {
+        operation: "inspect_electron_fuses",
+        issues: [
+          expect.objectContaining({ path: ["path"], reason: "invalid_value" }),
+        ],
+      },
     });
-    expect(evidence.subject?.local_path).toBe(binary);
   },
 );