diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/file-resources.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/file-resources.test.ts
index b3097dfa398..12c32f8e7fd 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/file-resources.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/file-resources.test.ts
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("workspace file resources", () => {
       await expect(service.readContent(graph.issueId, { path: ".env", workspace: "execution" })).rejects.toMatchObject({ status: 403 });
       await expect(service.readContent(graph.issueId, { path: "../other-company/secret", workspace: "execution" })).rejects.toMatchObject({ status: 403 });
       expect(readBytes).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      workspaceFiles.mockClear();
+      const readOnly = workspaceFileResourceService(db, undefined, { allowComputerAccess: false });
+      await expect(readOnly.prepareDownload(graph.issueId, { path: "README.md", workspace: "execution" })).rejects.toMatchObject({ status: 422, details: { code: "remote_workspace" } });
+      expect(workspaceFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     } finally { factory.mockRestore(); await fs.rm(workspace.root, { recursive: true, force: true }); }
   });
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/customer-success-inspection.ts b/server/src/services/customer-success-inspection.ts
index 2f9a031e82a..7ca0ad0da68 100644
--- a/server/src/services/customer-success-inspection.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/customer-success-inspection.ts
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ export async function readCustomerSuccessResource(
       if (q.operation.startsWith("files.")) {
         try {
           const issue = await ownRow(tx, schema.issues, q.companyId!, q.resourceId!);
-          const files = workspaceFileResourceService(tx);
+          const files = workspaceFileResourceService(tx, undefined, { allowComputerAccess: false });
           const input = { path: q.path ?? "", ...q.context, limit: q.limit, offset: q.offset };
           const opts = {
             issue: issue as unknown as NonNullable<Parameters<typeof files.list>[2]>["issue"],
@@ -338,6 +338,17 @@ export async function readCustomerSuccessResource(
           if (q.operation === "files.read")
             return await files.readContent(q.resourceId!, input, opts);
           const resolved = await files.prepareDownload(q.resourceId!, input, opts);
+          if ("bytes" in resolved) {
+            const bytes = resolved.bytes;
+            if (bytes.length === 0 && !q.range) return binary(bytes, 0);
+            const start = q.range?.start ?? 0;
+            const end = q.range?.end ?? bytes.length - 1;
+            if (start >= bytes.length || end >= bytes.length || end - start + 1 > MAX_INSPECTION_BYTES)
+              throw unprocessable("Request a bounded byte range");
+            // The remote backend already captured a bounded, confined snapshot;
+            // do not reinterpret its path on the controller filesystem.
+            return binary(bytes.subarray(start, end + 1), bytes.length, start);
+          }
           const file = await fs.open(resolved.realPath, constants.O_RDONLY | constants.O_NOFOLLOW);
           try {
             const stat = await file.stat();
diff --git a/server/src/services/native-runtime/paperclip-runner-tool-authority.ts b/server/src/services/native-runtime/paperclip-runner-tool-authority.ts
index de950a6b7ab..55f6324f6be 100644
--- a/server/src/services/native-runtime/paperclip-runner-tool-authority.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/native-runtime/paperclip-runner-tool-authority.ts
@@ -919,6 +919,10 @@ export class PaperclipRunnerToolAuthority {
       return { bytes: Buffer.concat(chunks), filename: asset.originalFilename ?? "file", contentType: asset.contentType };
     }
     const resolved = await workspaceFileResourceService(this.db).prepareDownload(this.binding.issueId, { path: file.path!, workspace: "auto" });
+    if ("bytes" in resolved) {
+      if (resolved.bytes.length > RUNNER_API_MAX_BYTES) throw badRequest("Workspace file exceeds API transfer limit");
+      return { bytes: resolved.bytes, filename: resolved.resource.title, contentType: resolved.resource.contentType ?? "application/octet-stream" };
+    }
     const handle = await openRunnerApiWorkspaceFile(resolved.realPath);
     try {
       const stat = await handle.stat();
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-file-resources.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-file-resources.ts
index 3fc821018d3..f7443619580 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-file-resources.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-file-resources.ts
@@ -1049,8 +1049,11 @@ async function listChangedWorkspaceFiles(input: {
   };
 }
 
-export function workspaceFileResourceService(db: Db, actor?: AuthorizationActor) {
+export function workspaceFileResourceService(db: Db, actor?: AuthorizationActor, options: { allowComputerAccess?: boolean } = {}) {
   async function placementFiles(candidate: WorkspaceCandidate) {
+    // Computer reads acquire a bounded machine owner and may resume it. Pure
+    // inspection transactions must remain read-only, including provider effects.
+    if (options.allowComputerAccess === false) throw unprocessable("Computer access is unavailable in read-only inspection", { code: "remote_workspace" });
     if (!candidate.placement) throw unprocessable("Workspace placement is unavailable", { code: "remote_workspace" });
     return computerFileAccess(() => computerService(db).workspaceFiles(candidate.placement!));
   }