diff --git a/crates/aft/src/inspect/job.rs b/crates/aft/src/inspect/job.rs
index d9e318bde..162b14b96 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/inspect/job.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/inspect/job.rs
@@ -814,7 +814,7 @@ pub(crate) fn normalize_path(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
     // normalizers must stay in agreement or membership/strip_prefix checks
     // that cross the engine boundary silently miss on Windows.
     #[cfg(windows)]
-    let path = &windows_non_verbatim_path(path);
+    let path = &crate::windows_path::normalize_windows_path(path);
 
     let mut result = PathBuf::new();
     for component in path.components() {
@@ -844,27 +844,6 @@ pub(crate) fn canonicalize_normalized(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
     }
 }
 
-#[cfg(windows)]
-fn windows_non_verbatim_path(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
-    let mut raw = path.to_string_lossy().replace('/', "\\");
-    if let Some(stripped) = raw.strip_prefix("\\\\?\\UNC\\") {
-        raw = format!("\\\\{stripped}");
-    } else if let Some(stripped) = raw.strip_prefix("\\\\?\\") {
-        raw = stripped.to_string();
-    } else if let Some(stripped) = raw.strip_prefix("\\\\??\\") {
-        raw = stripped.to_string();
-    }
-
-    if raw.as_bytes().get(1) == Some(&b':') {
-        let drive = raw.as_bytes()[0];
-        if drive.is_ascii_lowercase() {
-            raw.replace_range(0..1, &(drive as char).to_ascii_uppercase().to_string());
-        }
-    }
-
-    PathBuf::from(raw)
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod test_support_tests {
     use super::{is_test_file, is_test_support_file};
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/inspect/oxc_engine/resolver.rs b/crates/aft/src/inspect/oxc_engine/resolver.rs
index 2050a1444..efd696f4d 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/inspect/oxc_engine/resolver.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/inspect/oxc_engine/resolver.rs
@@ -639,7 +639,7 @@ fn remap_build_output_to_src(rel: &str) -> Option<String> {
 
 #[cfg(windows)]
 pub fn normalize_path(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
-    normalize_path_components(&windows_non_verbatim_path(path))
+    normalize_path_components(&crate::windows_path::normalize_windows_path(path))
 }
 
 #[cfg(not(windows))]
@@ -661,35 +661,6 @@ fn normalize_path_components(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
     normalized
 }
 
-#[cfg(windows)]
-fn windows_non_verbatim_path(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
-    let mut raw = path.to_string_lossy().replace('/', "\\");
-    if let Some(stripped) = strip_ascii_prefix(&raw, "\\\\?\\UNC\\") {
-        raw = format!("\\\\{}", stripped);
-    } else if let Some(stripped) = strip_ascii_prefix(&raw, "\\\\?\\") {
-        raw = stripped.to_string();
-    } else if let Some(stripped) = strip_ascii_prefix(&raw, "\\\\??\\") {
-        raw = stripped.to_string();
-    }
-
-    if raw.as_bytes().get(1) == Some(&b':') {
-        let drive = raw.as_bytes()[0];
-        if drive.is_ascii_lowercase() {
-            raw.replace_range(0..1, &(drive as char).to_ascii_uppercase().to_string());
-        }
-    }
-
-    PathBuf::from(raw)
-}
-
-#[cfg(windows)]
-fn strip_ascii_prefix<'a>(value: &'a str, prefix: &str) -> Option<&'a str> {
-    value
-        .get(..prefix.len())
-        .is_some_and(|head| head.eq_ignore_ascii_case(prefix))
-        .then(|| &value[prefix.len()..])
-}
-
 fn slash_path(path: &Path) -> String {
     path.components()
         .map(|component| component.as_os_str().to_string_lossy())
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/lib.rs b/crates/aft/src/lib.rs
index 10a37b31f..bad32840e 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/lib.rs
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ pub mod watcher_filter;
 // decision logic without a real Windows runtime. The module itself only
 // uses portable APIs; only its callers are Windows-gated.
 pub(crate) mod windows_command;
+pub mod windows_path;
 pub mod windows_shell;
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/lsp/position.rs b/crates/aft/src/lsp/position.rs
index e93ccaa45..216567595 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/lsp/position.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/lsp/position.rs
@@ -171,13 +171,7 @@ pub fn uri_to_path(uri: &lsp_types::Uri) -> Option<PathBuf> {
 }
 
 fn normalize_windows_path_for_uri(path: &str) -> String {
-    if let Some(stripped) = path.strip_prefix(r"\\?\UNC\") {
-        format!(r"\\{}", stripped)
-    } else if let Some(stripped) = path.strip_prefix(r"\\?\") {
-        stripped.to_string()
-    } else {
-        path.to_string()
-    }
+    crate::windows_path::non_verbatim_path_text(path).unwrap_or_else(|| path.to_string())
 }
 
 fn split_unc_path(path: &str) -> Option<(&str, &str)> {
@@ -341,6 +335,12 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn windows_extended_volume_path_is_not_misrepresented_as_a_file_uri() {
+        let path = Path::new(r"\\?\Volume{1234}\repo\main.rs");
+        assert!(path_to_uri(path).is_err());
+    }
+
     // Unix-absolute path syntax; not a valid Windows absolute path so the
     // round-trip can only be verified on Unix-like targets.
     #[cfg(unix)]
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/windows_command.rs b/crates/aft/src/windows_command.rs
index 5c959bcea..06dd555c5 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/windows_command.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/windows_command.rs
@@ -77,7 +77,8 @@ where
     // batch file through that namespace, and npm shims additionally derive
     // `%~dp0` paths that fail with "The system cannot find the path specified."
     // Convert only the namespace spelling; the path remains canonical.
-    let command_path = cmd_compatible_path(command_path);
+    let command_path = crate::windows_path::non_verbatim_path_text(command_path)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| command_path.to_string());
 
     let mut command_line = format!("\"\"%{BATCH_COMMAND_ENV}%\"");
     let mut argument_env = Vec::new();
@@ -119,49 +120,6 @@ where
     Ok(command)
 }
 
-#[cfg(windows)]
-fn cmd_compatible_path(path: &str) -> String {
-    for prefix in [r"\\?\UNC\", r"\\??\UNC\", r"\??\UNC\"] {
-        if let Some(tail) = strip_ascii_prefix(path, prefix) {
-            let mut components = tail
-                .split(['\\', '/'])
-                .filter(|component| !component.is_empty());
-            if components.next().is_some() && components.next().is_some() {
-                return format!(r"\\{tail}");
-            }
-            return path.to_string();
-        }
-    }
-
-    for prefix in [r"\\?\", r"\\??\", r"\??\"] {
-        if let Some(tail) = strip_ascii_prefix(path, prefix) {
-            let bytes = tail.as_bytes();
-            if bytes.len() >= 3
-                && bytes[0].is_ascii_alphabetic()
-                && bytes[1] == b':'
-                && matches!(bytes[2], b'\\' | b'/')
-            {
-                return tail.to_string();
-            }
-            // Namespaces such as `\\?\Volume{GUID}\` cannot be safely
-            // converted into a DOS path by dropping their prefix.
-            return path.to_string();
-        }
-    }
-
-    path.to_string()
-}
-
-#[cfg(windows)]
-fn strip_ascii_prefix<'a>(value: &'a str, prefix: &str) -> Option<&'a str> {
-    let head = value.get(..prefix.len())?;
-    if head.eq_ignore_ascii_case(prefix) {
-        value.get(prefix.len()..)
-    } else {
-        None
-    }
-}
-
 #[cfg(all(test, windows))]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
@@ -169,16 +127,16 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn cmd_compatible_path_only_converts_dos_and_unc_namespaces() {
         assert_eq!(
-            cmd_compatible_path(r"\\?\C:\cache\server.cmd"),
+            crate::windows_path::non_verbatim_path_text(r"\\?\C:\cache\server.cmd").unwrap(),
             r"C:\cache\server.cmd"
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            cmd_compatible_path(r"\\?\unc\host\share\server.cmd"),
+            crate::windows_path::non_verbatim_path_text(r"\\?\unc\host\share\server.cmd").unwrap(),
             r"\\host\share\server.cmd"
         );
         assert_eq!(
-            cmd_compatible_path(r"\\?\Volume{1234}\server.cmd"),
-            r"\\?\Volume{1234}\server.cmd"
+            crate::windows_path::non_verbatim_path_text(r"\\?\Volume{1234}\server.cmd"),
+            None
         );
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/aft/src/windows_path.rs b/crates/aft/src/windows_path.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee4e1774c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/aft/src/windows_path.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,114 @@
+//! Windows extended-length path normalization.
+//!
+//! `std::fs::canonicalize` returns paths in the extended-length namespace on
+//! Windows. Only DOS-drive and UNC names have a safe non-verbatim spelling;
+//! other namespaces (for example `\\?\Volume{GUID}\`) must retain their prefix.
+
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+/// Normalize a Windows path for comparisons and Win32 APIs.
+///
+/// Valid DOS and UNC extended-length paths lose their verbatim prefix. Other
+/// namespaces remain untouched because they cannot be represented safely
+/// without that prefix. Separators and drive letter casing are also normalized.
+pub fn normalize_windows_path(path: &Path) -> PathBuf {
+    let raw = path.to_string_lossy().replace('/', "\\");
+    let mut normalized = non_verbatim_path_text(&raw).unwrap_or(raw);
+    if normalized.as_bytes().get(1) == Some(&b':') {
+        let drive = normalized.as_bytes()[0];
+        if drive.is_ascii_lowercase() {
+            normalized.replace_range(0..1, &(drive as char).to_ascii_uppercase().to_string());
+        }
+    }
+    PathBuf::from(normalized)
+}
+
+/// String form of the strict verbatim-prefix conversion, for APIs that require a command line
+/// or URI rather than a [`Path`].
+pub fn non_verbatim_path_text(path: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    for prefix in [r"\\?\UNC\", r"\\??\UNC\", r"\??\UNC\"] {
+        if let Some(tail) = strip_ascii_prefix(path, prefix) {
+            if is_safe_unc_tail(tail) {
+                return Some(format!(r"\\{tail}"));
+            }
+            return None;
+        }
+    }
+
+    for prefix in [r"\\?\", r"\\??\", r"\??\"] {
+        if let Some(tail) = strip_ascii_prefix(path, prefix) {
+            let bytes = tail.as_bytes();
+            if bytes.len() >= 3
+                && bytes[0].is_ascii_alphabetic()
+                && bytes[1] == b':'
+                && matches!(bytes[2], b'\\' | b'/')
+                && !has_dot_component(tail)
+            {
+                return Some(tail.to_string());
+            }
+            return None;
+        }
+    }
+
+    None
+}
+
+fn is_safe_unc_tail(tail: &str) -> bool {
+    let mut components = tail.split(['\\', '/']);
+    components.next().is_some_and(|server| !server.is_empty())
+        && components.next().is_some_and(|share| !share.is_empty())
+        && !has_dot_component(tail)
+}
+
+fn has_dot_component(path: &str) -> bool {
+    path.split(['\\', '/'])
+        .any(|component| matches!(component, "." | ".."))
+}
+
+fn strip_ascii_prefix<'a>(value: &'a str, prefix: &str) -> Option<&'a str> {
+    let head = value.get(..prefix.len())?;
+    if head.eq_ignore_ascii_case(prefix) {
+        value.get(prefix.len()..)
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{non_verbatim_path_text, normalize_windows_path};
+    use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+    #[test]
+    fn converts_only_valid_dos_and_unc_verbatim_paths() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            non_verbatim_path_text(r"\\?\C:\cache\server.cmd"),
+            Some(r"C:\cache\server.cmd".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            non_verbatim_path_text(r"\\?\unc\host\share\server.cmd"),
+            Some(r"\\host\share\server.cmd".to_string())
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            normalize_windows_path(Path::new(r"\\??\d:\repo")),
+            PathBuf::from(r"D:\repo")
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preserves_unsupported_or_malformed_verbatim_namespaces() {
+        for path in [
+            r"\\?\Volume{1234}\server.cmd",
+            r"\\?\UNC\host",
+            r"\\?\UNC\\host\share",
+            r"\\??\UNC\\host\share",
+            r"\\?\UNC\host\share\..\file",
+            r"\\?\C:\repo\..\other",
+            r"\\?\C:relative",
+            r"\\?\relative",
+            r"C:\ordinary\path",
+        ] {
+            assert_eq!(non_verbatim_path_text(path), None, "{path}");
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/project-identity.test.ts b/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/project-identity.test.ts
index 388560b46..485c31144 100644
--- a/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/project-identity.test.ts
+++ b/packages/aft-bridge/src/__tests__/project-identity.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ import { describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
 import { mkdtempSync, realpathSync, rmSync, symlinkSync } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
-import { canonicalizeProjectRoot, projectRootKeyHash } from "../project-identity.js";
+import {
+  canonicalizeProjectRoot,
+  normalizeWindowsRoot,
+  projectRootKeyHash,
+} from "../project-identity.js";
 
 describe("project-identity canonicalization", () => {
   test("trailing separators collapse to one identity", () => {
@@ -78,4 +82,21 @@ describe("project-identity canonicalization", () => {
     expect(() => canonicalizeProjectRoot(missing)).not.toThrow();
     expect(projectRootKeyHash(missing)).toMatch(/^[0-9a-f]{16}$/);
   });
+
+  test("Windows verbatim normalization converts only safe DOS and UNC namespaces", () => {
+    const win32 = "win32";
+    expect(normalizeWindowsRoot("\\\\?\\c:\\repo", win32)).toBe("C:\\repo");
+    expect(normalizeWindowsRoot("\\\\?\\UNC\\server\\share\\repo", win32)).toBe(
+      "\\\\server\\share\\repo",
+    );
+    for (const path of [
+      "\\\\?\\Volume{1234}\\repo",
+      "\\\\?\\UNC\\\\server\\share",
+      "\\\\??\\UNC\\\\server\\share",
+      "\\\\?\\C:\\repo\\..\\other",
+      "\\\\?\\UNC\\server\\share\\.\\repo",
+    ]) {
+      expect(normalizeWindowsRoot(path, win32)).toBe(path);
+    }
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/aft-bridge/src/project-identity.ts b/packages/aft-bridge/src/project-identity.ts
index 36d876c88..b22eaab9c 100644
--- a/packages/aft-bridge/src/project-identity.ts
+++ b/packages/aft-bridge/src/project-identity.ts
@@ -35,18 +35,29 @@ export function canonicalizeProjectRoot(dir: string): string {
 }
 
 /**
- * Strip Windows extended-length verbatim prefixes (`\\?\`, `\\?\UNC\`) and
- * uppercase a lowercase drive letter so `c:\x` and `C:\x` collapse to one
- * identity. Mirrors `cortexkit-paths`' `windows_non_verbatim_path`. No-op off
- * Windows.
+ * Strip only safely convertible Windows extended-length DOS and UNC prefixes,
+ * and uppercase a lowercase drive letter so `c:\x` and `C:\x` collapse to one
+ * identity. Namespaces such as `\\?\Volume{GUID}\` must retain their prefix.
+ * `platform` is injectable for cross-platform regression tests. No-op off Windows.
  */
-function normalizeWindowsRoot(p: string): string {
-  if (process.platform !== "win32") return p;
+export function normalizeWindowsRoot(p: string, platform = process.platform): string {
+  if (platform !== "win32") return p;
   let s = p;
-  if (s.startsWith("\\\\?\\UNC\\")) {
-    s = `\\\\${s.slice("\\\\?\\UNC\\".length)}`;
-  } else if (s.startsWith("\\\\?\\")) {
-    s = s.slice("\\\\?\\".length);
+  const lower = s.toLowerCase();
+  const uncPrefix = ["\\\\?\\unc\\", "\\\\??\\unc\\", "\\??\\unc\\"].find((prefix) =>
+    lower.startsWith(prefix),
+  );
+  if (uncPrefix) {
+    const tail = s.slice(uncPrefix.length);
+    if (/^[^\\/]+[\\/][^\\/]+(?:[\\/]|$)/.test(tail) && !hasDotComponent(tail)) {
+      s = `\\\\${tail}`;
+    }
+  } else {
+    const dosPrefix = ["\\\\?\\", "\\\\??\\", "\\??\\"].find((prefix) => lower.startsWith(prefix));
+    if (dosPrefix) {
+      const tail = s.slice(dosPrefix.length);
+      if (/^[a-z]:[\\/]/i.test(tail) && !hasDotComponent(tail)) s = tail;
+    }
   }
   if (s.length >= 2 && s[1] === ":") {
     const drive = s.charCodeAt(0);
@@ -57,6 +68,10 @@ function normalizeWindowsRoot(p: string): string {
   return s;
 }
 
+function hasDotComponent(path: string): boolean {
+  return path.split(/[\\/]/).some((component) => component === "." || component === "..");
+}
+
 /**
  * Stable 16-hex scope hash of the canonical project root. Used for RPC
  * port-file directory scoping; because it canonicalizes first, the server