diff --git a/internal/acp/translate.go b/internal/acp/translate.go
index 565174904..84664e58d 100644
--- a/internal/acp/translate.go
+++ b/internal/acp/translate.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package acp
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"unicode/utf8"
 
@@ -120,22 +121,59 @@ 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 {
+		// ACP's diff block has no file-existence bit. A deleted file and an
+		// existing file replaced with empty content would otherwise serialize
+		// identically, so omit deletions rather than present a false truncation.
+		// ChangedFiles remains the conservative fallback for the operation.
+		if !filepath.IsAbs(diff.Path) || !diff.NewExists {
+			continue
+		}
+		newText := diff.NewText
+		var oldText *string
+		if diff.OldExists {
+			old := diff.OldText
+			oldText = &old
+		}
+		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))
+	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 strings.TrimSpace(f) == "" {
+		if f == "" || seen[f] {
 			continue
 		}
+		seen[f] = true
 		locs = append(locs, ToolCallLocation{Path: f})
 	}
 	return locs
diff --git a/internal/acp/translate_test.go b/internal/acp/translate_test.go
index 4a9adc16d..d54745cd1 100644
--- a/internal/acp/translate_test.go
+++ b/internal/acp/translate_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package acp
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"unicode/utf8"
@@ -74,21 +76,26 @@ 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"})
@@ -97,6 +104,127 @@ func TestToolCallResult(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestToolCallDiffJSONPreservesEmptyFilesWithoutClaimingDeletion(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) != 2 {
+		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 || wire["newText"] != "" {
+			t.Fatalf("wire diff %d = %s", index, encoded)
+		}
+		if index == 0 && wire["oldText"] != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create oldText = %#v, want null", wire["oldText"])
+		}
+		if index == 1 && wire["oldText"] != "before" {
+			t.Fatalf("update oldText = %#v, want before", wire["oldText"])
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+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 TestDeletedFileKeepsPathOnlyLocation(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) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("deleted file must not emit an ambiguous ACP diff: %#v", 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 TestPlanUpdateAndStatus(t *testing.T) {
 	upd := planUpdate([]tools.PlanItem{
 		{Content: "step a", Status: "completed"},
diff --git a/internal/acp/types.go b/internal/acp/types.go
index b00bf672a..f4f601fb3 100644
--- a/internal/acp/types.go
+++ b/internal/acp/types.go
@@ -220,9 +220,30 @@ 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 and newText (including an intentionally empty deletion value); oldText
+// is JSON null for a newly created file. 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 {
diff --git a/internal/agent/loop.go b/internal/agent/loop.go
index fe691ac4c..0d06d82f4 100644
--- a/internal/agent/loop.go
+++ b/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,
diff --git a/internal/agent/loop_test.go b/internal/agent/loop_test.go
index f17e9be46..7233f2f08 100644
--- a/internal/agent/loop_test.go
+++ b/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}
diff --git a/internal/agent/types.go b/internal/agent/types.go
index 511ea7140..19ff955bc 100644
--- a/internal/agent/types.go
+++ b/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
diff --git a/internal/tools/apply_patch_tolerance_test.go b/internal/tools/apply_patch_tolerance_test.go
index 2561d4eb7..56046c19f 100644
--- a/internal/tools/apply_patch_tolerance_test.go
+++ b/internal/tools/apply_patch_tolerance_test.go
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ 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"))
@@ -709,4 +709,14 @@ 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)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/tools/diff_preview.go b/internal/tools/diff_preview.go
index b2db6c7c9..7d7df606e 100644
--- a/internal/tools/diff_preview.go
+++ b/internal/tools/diff_preview.go
@@ -1,19 +1,108 @@
 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 unicode.Is(unicode.Cf, r) || unicode.IsSpace(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 unicode.Is(unicode.Cf, r) || unicode.IsSpace(r) {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return r
+	}, text)
+	return canonical != text && redaction.RedactString(canonical, redaction.Options{}) != canonical
+}
+
 // 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
diff --git a/internal/tools/diff_preview_test.go b/internal/tools/diff_preview_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bda35b1d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tools/diff_preview_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,182 @@
+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",
+		"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",
+	} {
+		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)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/tools/edit_file.go b/internal/tools/edit_file.go
index dc70b01da..35e0252f2 100644
--- a/internal/tools/edit_file.go
+++ b/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
@@ -153,18 +157,20 @@ 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.
-	updated = maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, updated)
+	updated, finalContentKnown := maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, updated)
 	// 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 {
+	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.
 		//
@@ -196,9 +202,20 @@ func (tool editFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]any
 	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
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/tools/file_commit.go b/internal/tools/file_commit.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e14c0493d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tools/file_commit.go
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+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)
+
+// 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
+		}
+		return writeAndVerifyFileIdentity(path, file, 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 := file.Stat()
+	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, content, true)
+}
+
+func writeAndVerifyFileIdentity(path string, file *os.File, content string, truncate bool) error {
+	openedInfo, err := file.Stat()
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = file.Close()
+		return err
+	}
+	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
+}
diff --git a/internal/tools/file_commit_test.go b/internal/tools/file_commit_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c85719537
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/tools/file_commit_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+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 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)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/tools/format_on_write.go b/internal/tools/format_on_write.go
index cb5bc6159..2e4267f4d 100644
--- a/internal/tools/format_on_write.go
+++ b/internal/tools/format_on_write.go
@@ -65,35 +65,40 @@ func formatOnWriteEnabled() bool {
 	return value != "" && value != "0" && !strings.EqualFold(value, "false")
 }
 
+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 = os.ReadFile
+
 // 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.
-func maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx context.Context, absolutePath string, writtenContent string) string {
+// enabled and on PATH) and returns the verified file content afterwards. A
+// formatter may mutate the file and then fail or time out, so its process error
+// never substitutes the originally requested bytes for a final read. The bool
+// is false only when a formatter ran and the resulting file could not be read;
+// callers keep ChangedFiles but omit exact rich evidence in that case.
+func maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx context.Context, absolutePath string, writtenContent string) (string, bool) {
 	if !formatOnWriteEnabled() {
-		return writtenContent
+		return writtenContent, true
 	}
 	command, ok := formatterCommands[strings.ToLower(filepath.Ext(absolutePath))]
 	if !ok {
-		return writtenContent
+		return writtenContent, true
 	}
 	binaryPath, err := exec.LookPath(command[0])
 	if err != nil {
-		return writtenContent
+		return writtenContent, true
 	}
 	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 {
-		return writtenContent
-	}
-	formatted, err := os.ReadFile(absolutePath)
+	_ = runFormatOnWriteCommand(formatCtx, binaryPath, arguments, filepath.Dir(absolutePath))
+	formatted, err := readFormattedFile(absolutePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return writtenContent
+		return writtenContent, false
 	}
-	return string(formatted)
+	return string(formatted), true
 }
diff --git a/internal/tools/format_on_write_test.go b/internal/tools/format_on_write_test.go
index acca3e868..92dfa84d5 100644
--- a/internal/tools/format_on_write_test.go
+++ b/internal/tools/format_on_write_test.go
@@ -97,8 +97,8 @@ func TestFormatOnWriteFormatsAndKeepsTrackerConsistent(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestFormatOnWriteSkipsUnknownExtensions(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Setenv("ZERO_FORMAT_ON_WRITE", "1")
-	content := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "notes.xyz"), "raw   text")
-	if content != "raw   text" {
+	content, known := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "notes.xyz"), "raw   text")
+	if content != "raw   text" || !known {
 		t.Fatalf("unknown extension must pass through: %q", content)
 	}
 }
@@ -111,8 +111,157 @@ func TestFormatOnWriteFormatterLookupFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	if err := os.WriteFile(targetPath, []byte(uglyContent), 0o644); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	content := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, uglyContent)
-	if content != uglyContent {
+	content, known := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, uglyContent)
+	if content != uglyContent || !known {
 		t.Fatalf("missing formatter must return written content, got %q", content)
 	}
 }
+
+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 })
+
+	content, known := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, "requested")
+	if !known || content != "formatter-mutated" {
+		t.Fatalf("formatter failure content = %q, known=%t", content, known)
+	}
+}
+
+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(string) ([]byte, error) { return nil, os.ErrPermission }
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		runFormatOnWriteCommand = priorRunner
+		readFormattedFile = priorReader
+	})
+
+	content, known := maybeFormatWrittenFile(context.Background(), targetPath, "requested")
+	if known || content != "requested" {
+		t.Fatalf("unreadable formatter result = %q, known=%t", content, known)
+	}
+}
+
+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 != "formatter-mutated\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 != "formatter-mutated\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 exec.ErrNotFound }
+	readFormattedFile = func(string) ([]byte, error) { return 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(string) ([]byte, error) { return 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)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/tools/registry.go b/internal/tools/registry.go
index e270a67d6..074092ebc 100644
--- a/internal/tools/registry.go
+++ b/internal/tools/registry.go
@@ -343,6 +343,26 @@ 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
+		}
+		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 +374,13 @@ 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),
diff --git a/internal/tools/registry_test.go b/internal/tools/registry_test.go
index c71cabdd7..145f15388 100644
--- a/internal/tools/registry_test.go
+++ b/internal/tools/registry_test.go
@@ -445,13 +445,51 @@ 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: secret, NewText: 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 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 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 TestRunWithOptionsScrubsSecretsOnDenialPaths(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/tools/structured_patch.go b/internal/tools/structured_patch.go
index 653f0cbb5..4bf938f4b 100644
--- a/internal/tools/structured_patch.go
+++ b/internal/tools/structured_patch.go
@@ -156,8 +156,15 @@ 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, changes, options.FileTracker)
+	if err != nil {
+		result := errorResult("Error applying patch: " + err.Error())
+		result.ChangedFiles = changedFilesFromStructuredPatch(relativeRoot, applyOutcome.committed)
+		result.ChangedFiles = appendUniqueStructuredPatchPaths(result.ChangedFiles, relativeRoot, applyOutcome.incompletePaths)
+		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 == "" {
@@ -672,38 +747,52 @@ 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
+}
+
+func applyStructuredPatchChanges(root *os.Root, 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)...)
-		}
 		if err != nil {
+			if done && change.to.relative != "" {
+				outcome.incompletePaths = append(outcome.incompletePaths, change.to.relative)
+			}
 			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(".", outcome.committed)
+			committedPaths = appendUniqueStructuredPatchPaths(committedPaths, ".", outcome.incompletePaths)
+			if len(committedPaths) > 0 {
+				return outcome, 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(committedPaths, ", "))
 			}
-			return err
+			return outcome, err
+		}
+		if done {
+			outcome.committed = append(outcome.committed, change)
 		}
 	}
-	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}
-	}
-	paths := []string{change.to.relative}
-	if change.from.absolute != change.to.absolute && change.from.relative != "" {
-		paths = append([]string{change.from.relative}, paths...)
+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 paths
+	return existing
 }
 
 func forgetStructuredPatchFiles(tracker *FileTracker, changes []structuredPatchChange) {
@@ -914,9 +1003,19 @@ 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
diff --git a/internal/tools/types.go b/internal/tools/types.go
index 27755d8d4..c5338e203 100644
--- a/internal/tools/types.go
+++ b/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.
diff --git a/internal/tools/write_file.go b/internal/tools/write_file.go
index 76f5f1baa..de6e60d29 100644
--- a/internal/tools/write_file.go
+++ b/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
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -107,19 +113,27 @@ 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.
-	content = maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, content)
+	content, finalContentKnown := maybeFormatWrittenFile(ctx, absolutePath, content)
 	// 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 {
+	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 {
@@ -140,10 +154,23 @@ func (tool writeFileTool) RunWithOptions(ctx context.Context, args map[string]an
 	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
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/tools/write_tools_test.go b/internal/tools/write_tools_test.go
index 87849e859..22a134a41 100644
--- a/internal/tools/write_tools_test.go
+++ b/internal/tools/write_tools_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"reflect"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
@@ -323,6 +324,10 @@ 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 +372,12 @@ 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 +397,9 @@ 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 +421,13 @@ 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 +449,28 @@ 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 +626,17 @@ 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 +884,7 @@ 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 +910,7 @@ 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 +947,7 @@ 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")
 	}
@@ -1017,7 +1070,7 @@ 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)
 	}