diff --git a/strix/config/subscription_store.py b/strix/config/subscription_store.py
index cfc9d745..d8be8625 100644
--- a/strix/config/subscription_store.py
+++ b/strix/config/subscription_store.py
@@ -129,7 +129,15 @@ def _acquire_flock(path: Path) -> TextIOWrapper:
         raise StoreLockError(msg) from exc
     lock_path = path.with_suffix(".lock")
     lock_path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    handle = lock_path.open("w")
+    # O_NOFOLLOW rejects a pre-positioned symlink at the predictable lock path
+    # (so an attacker can't redirect the open), and no O_TRUNC since the lock
+    # file is only an flock anchor whose contents we never use.
+    try:
+        fd = os.open(str(lock_path), os.O_RDWR | os.O_CREAT | os.O_NOFOLLOW, 0o600)
+    except OSError as exc:
+        msg = f"could not open lock file {lock_path}: {exc}"
+        raise StoreLockError(msg) from exc
+    handle = os.fdopen(fd, "r+")
     try:
         while True:
             try:
diff --git a/tests/test_subscription_store.py b/tests/test_subscription_store.py
index 6f8a8be7..a3224d13 100644
--- a/tests/test_subscription_store.py
+++ b/tests/test_subscription_store.py
@@ -88,3 +88,20 @@ def test_mutation_aborts_when_lock_cannot_be_acquired(
     with pytest.raises(subscription_store.StoreLockError):
         grok.save_record({"type": "oauth", "access": "g", "refresh": "r"})
     assert not store.exists()
+
+
+def test_lock_file_rejects_a_pre_positioned_symlink(
+    tmp_path: Path, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch
+) -> None:
+    store_dir = tmp_path / ".strix"
+    store_dir.mkdir()
+    store = store_dir / "subscription-auth.json"
+    monkeypatch.setattr(grok, "AUTH_PATH", store)
+    # Attacker pre-plants a symlink where the lock file would be created.
+    outside = tmp_path / "attacker-target"
+    store.with_suffix(".lock").symlink_to(outside)
+
+    with pytest.raises(subscription_store.StoreLockError):
+        grok.save_record({"type": "oauth", "access": "g", "refresh": "r"})
+    # The symlink target was never created/truncated through the lock open.
+    assert not outside.exists()