diff --git a/src/main/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlanner.java b/src/main/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlanner.java
index 3f7d8bb9..806a427e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlanner.java
+++ b/src/main/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlanner.java
@@ -58,6 +58,14 @@ && verifyOnlyDirectoryAwarePathCheck(contract)) {
                     descriptor -> isFileReadTool(descriptor) || isDirectoryListingTool(descriptor),
                     "verify-only path check with directory targets");
         }
+        if (contract != null
+                && !contract.mutationAllowed()
+                && readOnlyPathExistenceCheck(contract)) {
+            return select(
+                    registry,
+                    descriptor -> isFileReadTool(descriptor) || isDirectoryListingTool(descriptor),
+                    "read-only path existence surface");
+        }
         if (contract != null
                 && !contract.mutationAllowed()
                 && !contract.expectedTargets().isEmpty()) {
@@ -109,6 +117,10 @@ public static List<String> defaultVisibleToolNames(TaskContract contract, Execut
                 && verifyOnlyDirectoryAwarePathCheck(contract)) {
             return List.of("talos.list_dir", "talos.read_file");
         }
+        if (!contract.mutationAllowed()
+                && readOnlyPathExistenceCheck(contract)) {
+            return List.of("talos.list_dir", "talos.read_file");
+        }
         if (contract.mutationAllowed() && phase == ExecutionPhase.APPLY) {
             var workspaceOperation = WorkspaceOperationIntent.detect(contract);
             if (workspaceOperation.isPresent() && !requiresFileWriteForExactExpectation(contract)) {
@@ -286,6 +298,23 @@ private static boolean verifyOnlyDirectoryAwarePathCheck(TaskContract contract)
         return mentionsDirectory && asksPathStatus;
     }
 
+    private static boolean readOnlyPathExistenceCheck(TaskContract contract) {
+        if (contract == null || contract.mutationAllowed() || contract.expectedTargets().isEmpty()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        String request = contract.originalUserRequest();
+        if (request == null || request.isBlank()) return false;
+        String lower = request.toLowerCase(Locale.ROOT);
+        boolean asksExistence = lower.contains("exists")
+                || lower.contains("exist")
+                || lower.contains("present")
+                || lower.contains("is there")
+                || lower.contains("are there");
+        boolean asksPathStatus = lower.contains("path")
+                && (lower.contains("check") || lower.contains("verify") || lower.contains("whether"));
+        return asksExistence || asksPathStatus;
+    }
+
     private static boolean containsExtensionlessSlashPath(String request) {
         if (request == null || request.isBlank()) return false;
         Matcher matcher = SLASH_PATH_CANDIDATE.matcher(request);
diff --git a/src/test/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlannerTest.java b/src/test/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlannerTest.java
index dc86d5cc..8ba425a5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlannerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/dev/talos/runtime/toolcall/ToolSurfacePlannerTest.java
@@ -284,6 +284,25 @@ void namedReadTargetSurfaceUsesFileTargetMetadataForProtectedAndPublicReads() {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void fileExistenceQuestionsExposeDirectoryAndFileReadEvidenceTools() {
+        var contract = TaskContractResolver.fromUserRequest(
+                "Check whether scripts.js exists and whether script.js exists. Do not change anything.");
+
+        ToolSurfacePlanner.Plan plan = ToolSurfacePlanner.plan(contract, ExecutionPhase.INSPECT, registry());
+
+        List<String> names = plan.nativeToolNames();
+        assertEquals("read-only path existence surface", plan.reason());
+        assertTrue(names.contains("talos.list_dir"), names.toString());
+        assertTrue(names.contains("talos.read_file"), names.toString());
+        assertFalse(names.contains("talos.write_file"), names.toString());
+        assertFalse(names.contains("talos.edit_file"), names.toString());
+        assertFalse(names.contains("talos.run_command"), names.toString());
+        assertEquals(
+                List.of("talos.list_dir", "talos.read_file"),
+                ToolSurfacePlanner.defaultVisibleToolNames(contract, ExecutionPhase.INSPECT));
+    }
+
     @Test
     void verifyOnlyMixedFileAndDirectoryPathChecksExposeReadFileAndListDirOnly() {
         var contract = TaskContractResolver.fromUserRequest(