diff --git a/strix/interface/cli_args.py b/strix/interface/cli_args.py
index 15b7355c..d354106a 100644
--- a/strix/interface/cli_args.py
+++ b/strix/interface/cli_args.py
@@ -390,15 +390,21 @@ def _load_resume_state(args: argparse.Namespace, parser: argparse.ArgumentParser
     args.workspace_mount = workspace_mount
 
     # Replace the workspace files the run started with, unless this resume names
-    # its own. A file deleted between runs is dropped rather than fatal: it is
-    # context for the agent, not scope.
+    # its own. The persisted record is revalidated like a fresh flag, so an
+    # edited run.json cannot widen what a resume places. A file deleted between
+    # runs is dropped rather than fatal: it is context for the agent, not scope.
     if not getattr(args, "workspace_files", None):
-        args.workspace_files = [
-            workspace_file
+        restored = [
+            f"{source_path}:{workspace_path}"
             for workspace_file in state.get("workspace_files") or []
             if isinstance(workspace_file, dict)
-            and Path(str(workspace_file.get("source_path", ""))).is_file()
+            and (source_path := Path(str(workspace_file.get("source_path") or ""))).is_file()
+            and (workspace_path := str(workspace_file.get("workspace_path") or ""))
         ]
+        try:
+            args.workspace_files = resolve_workspace_files(restored)
+        except ValueError as error:
+            parser.error(f"--resume {args.resume}: invalid workspace file: {error}")
     if workspace_mount:
         if not Path(workspace_mount).expanduser().is_dir():
             parser.error(
diff --git a/tests/test_cli_target_list.py b/tests/test_cli_target_list.py
index ce5f15f7..9372ce5e 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli_target_list.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli_target_list.py
@@ -128,6 +128,68 @@ def test_resume_restores_a_target_less_workspace_mount(
     assert args.instruction == "audit the auth flow"
 
 
+def test_resume_revalidates_persisted_workspace_files(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    """Resume places the same files again, and drops ones that went away."""
+    work = tmp_path / "project"
+    work.mkdir()
+    kept = tmp_path / "wordlist.txt"
+    kept.write_text("admin\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    _write_run_record(
+        tmp_path / "strix_runs",
+        "pentest_abcd",
+        {
+            "run_name": "pentest_abcd",
+            "targets_info": [],
+            "local_sources": [],
+            "workspace_mount": str(work),
+            "workspace_files": [
+                {"source_path": str(kept), "workspace_path": "/workspace/lists/words.txt"},
+                {"source_path": str(tmp_path / "gone.txt"), "workspace_path": "/workspace/g.txt"},
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["strix", "--resume", "pentest_abcd"])
+
+    args = cli_main.parse_arguments()
+
+    assert args.workspace_files == [
+        {"source_path": str(kept), "workspace_path": "/workspace/lists/words.txt"}
+    ]
+
+
+def test_resume_rejects_an_edited_workspace_file_path(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]
+) -> None:
+    """A hand-edited record cannot place a file outside the workspace."""
+    work = tmp_path / "project"
+    work.mkdir()
+    source = tmp_path / "wordlist.txt"
+    source.write_text("admin\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.chdir(tmp_path)
+    _write_run_record(
+        tmp_path / "strix_runs",
+        "pentest_abcd",
+        {
+            "run_name": "pentest_abcd",
+            "targets_info": [],
+            "local_sources": [],
+            "workspace_mount": str(work),
+            "workspace_files": [
+                {"source_path": str(source), "workspace_path": "/etc/cron.d/payload"}
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "argv", ["strix", "--resume", "pentest_abcd"])
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+        cli_main.parse_arguments()
+
+    assert "invalid workspace file" in capsys.readouterr().err
+
+
 def test_resume_reports_a_missing_workspace_directory(
     tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str]
 ) -> None: