diff --git a/src/servers/api/file-browser/router.ts b/src/servers/api/file-browser/router.ts
index 73afdd16..ab9e6dbb 100644
--- a/src/servers/api/file-browser/router.ts
+++ b/src/servers/api/file-browser/router.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { createRouter } from '@@/create-router';
-import { resolve, dirname, join, parse as parsePath } from 'node:path';
+import { resolve, dirname, join, sep, parse as parsePath } from 'node:path';
 import { readdir, stat, mkdir, rm, rename, readFile, cp } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { getOwnerHomeDir, DATA_PATH } from '@@/data-path';
@@ -69,9 +69,14 @@ function getRootDir(user: UserCtx, root?: string): string {
   throw errors.BAD_REQUEST(`Invalid root: ${root}`);
 }
 
+// A resolved path counts as contained only when it IS the root or sits beneath it. A bare
+// startsWith also accepts a sibling whose name merely begins with the root's — `/home/br-backup`
+// passes a `/home/br` check — which is how `..` segments escaped.
+const isInside = (root: string, target: string): boolean => target === root || target.startsWith(root + sep);
+
 function resolveUserPath(rootDir: string, relPath: string): string {
   const resolved = resolve(rootDir, relPath.replace(/^\/+/, ''));
-  if (!resolved.startsWith(rootDir)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside root directory');
+  if (!isInside(rootDir, resolved)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside root directory');
   return resolved;
 }
 
@@ -176,7 +181,7 @@ router.get('/ls', async (ctx) => {
     names.map(async (name) => {
       const fullPath = resolve(absPath, name);
       // Skip entries that escape the home dir (shouldn't happen but be safe)
-      if (!fullPath.startsWith(rootDir)) return null;
+      if (!isInside(rootDir, fullPath)) return null;
       const s = await stat(fullPath).catch(() => null);
       if (!s) return null;
       return {
@@ -255,7 +260,7 @@ router.post('/upload', async (ctx) => {
   for (const file of files) {
     if (!(file instanceof File)) continue;
     const filePath = resolve(targetDir, file.name);
-    if (!filePath.startsWith(rootDir)) continue;
+    if (!isInside(rootDir, filePath)) continue;
     await mkdir(dirname(filePath), { recursive: true });
     await Bun.write(filePath, file);
   }
@@ -275,7 +280,7 @@ router.post('/rename', async (ctx) => {
   if (absPath === rootDir) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Cannot rename home directory');
 
   const newPath = resolve(dirname(absPath), newName);
-  if (!newPath.startsWith(rootDir)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside home directory');
+  if (!isInside(rootDir, newPath)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside home directory');
 
   await rename(absPath, newPath);
   return ctx.json({ ok: true });
@@ -644,7 +649,7 @@ router.post('/save-result', async (ctx) => {
 
   const homeDir = getRootDir(user, 'home');
   const destAbs = resolve(homeDir, relativePath);
-  if (!destAbs.startsWith(homeDir)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside home directory');
+  if (!isInside(homeDir, destAbs)) throw errors.FORBIDDEN('Path outside home directory');
 
   await mkdir(dirname(destAbs), { recursive: true });
   await cp(srcAbs, destAbs);
@@ -1084,7 +1089,7 @@ router.get('/search', async (ctx) => {
     for (const name of names) {
       if (results.length >= MAX_RESULTS) break;
       const fullPath = resolve(dir, name);
-      if (!fullPath.startsWith(rootDir)) continue;
+      if (!isInside(rootDir, fullPath)) continue;
       const s = await stat(fullPath).catch(() => null);
       if (!s) continue;
       if (name.toLowerCase().includes(query)) {