diff --git a/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx b/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
index 0251da70490..d6bf1187811 100644
--- a/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
+++ b/mobile/app/h/[hostId]/session/[worktreeId].tsx
@@ -141,7 +141,6 @@ import {
   saveCustomKeys,
   type CustomKey
 } from '../../../../src/components/CustomKeyModal'
-import { buildMobileDiffLines } from '../../../../src/session/mobile-diff-lines'
 import {
   addMobileDiffComment,
   formatDiffComments,
@@ -177,7 +176,7 @@ import { useMobileTerminalPaste } from '../../../../src/session/use-mobile-termi
 import { useTerminalLiveInputModePreference } from '../../../../src/session/use-terminal-live-input-mode-preference'
 import { MobileTerminalLiveInputStatus } from '../../../../src/session/MobileTerminalLiveInputStatus'
 import { MobileTerminalInputActions } from '../../../../src/session/MobileTerminalInputActions'
-import { classifyMobileArtifact } from '../../../../src/session/mobile-artifact-kind'
+import { resolveMobileFileTabDoc } from '../../../../src/files/mobile-file-tab-doc'
 import { openMobileTerminalFileTap } from '../../../../src/session/mobile-terminal-file-tap-open'
 import { useLiveWorktreeName } from '../../../../src/session/use-live-worktree-name'
 import {
@@ -2043,93 +2042,12 @@ export default function SessionScreen() {
       }
       setFileDocs((prev) => new Map(prev).set(tab.id, { status: 'loading' }))
       try {
-        if (tab.diffSource === 'staged' || tab.diffSource === 'unstaged') {
-          const response = await client.sendRequest('git.diff', {
-            worktree: `id:${worktreeId}`,
-            filePath: tab.relativePath,
-            staged: tab.diffSource === 'staged'
-          })
-          if (!response.ok) {
-            throw new Error((response as RpcFailure).error.message)
-          }
-          const result = (response as RpcSuccess).result as
-            | {
-                kind: 'text'
-                originalContent: string
-                modifiedContent: string
-              }
-            | { kind: 'binary' }
-          if (result.kind !== 'text') {
-            throw new Error('binary_file')
-          }
-          const diff = buildMobileDiffLines(result.originalContent, result.modifiedContent)
-          setFileDocs((prev) =>
-            new Map(prev).set(tab.id, {
-              status: 'ready',
-              kind: 'diff',
-              lines: diff.lines,
-              truncated: diff.truncated
-            })
-          )
-          return
-        }
-        const artifactKind = classifyMobileArtifact(tab.relativePath)
-        if (artifactKind === 'image') {
-          const preview = await client.sendRequest('files.readPreview', {
-            worktree: `id:${worktreeId}`,
-            relativePath: tab.relativePath
-          })
-          if (!preview.ok) {
-            throw new Error((preview as RpcFailure).error.message)
-          }
-          const result = (preview as RpcSuccess).result as {
-            content: string
-            isImage?: boolean
-            mimeType?: string
-          }
-          if (!result.isImage || !result.mimeType || result.content.length === 0) {
-            throw new Error('binary_file')
-          }
-          setFileDocs((prev) =>
-            new Map(prev).set(tab.id, {
-              status: 'ready',
-              kind: 'image',
-              dataUri: `data:${result.mimeType};base64,${result.content}`
-            })
-          )
-          return
-        }
-        const response = await client.sendRequest('files.read', {
-          worktree: `id:${worktreeId}`,
-          relativePath: tab.relativePath
+        const doc = await resolveMobileFileTabDoc(client, {
+          worktreeId,
+          relativePath: tab.relativePath,
+          diffSource: tab.diffSource
         })
-        if (!response.ok) {
-          throw new Error((response as RpcFailure).error.message)
-        }
-        const result = (response as RpcSuccess).result as {
-          content: string
-          truncated: boolean
-          byteLength: number
-        }
-        if (artifactKind === 'html') {
-          setFileDocs((prev) =>
-            new Map(prev).set(tab.id, {
-              status: 'ready',
-              kind: 'html',
-              content: result.content
-            })
-          )
-          return
-        }
-        setFileDocs((prev) =>
-          new Map(prev).set(tab.id, {
-            status: 'ready',
-            kind: 'file',
-            content: result.content,
-            truncated: result.truncated,
-            byteLength: result.byteLength
-          })
-        )
+        setFileDocs((prev) => new Map(prev).set(tab.id, doc))
       } catch (err) {
         const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : ''
         const previewMessage =
diff --git a/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.test.ts b/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a705112c32
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { mobileDiffImageDataUri } from './mobile-diff-image-preview'
+
+describe('mobileDiffImageDataUri', () => {
+  it('renders a modified image diff from the post-change bytes', () => {
+    expect(
+      mobileDiffImageDataUri({
+        kind: 'binary',
+        originalContent: 'b2xk',
+        modifiedContent: 'bmV3',
+        isImage: true,
+        mimeType: 'image/png'
+      })
+    ).toBe('data:image/png;base64,bmV3')
+  })
+
+  it('renders an added image diff (no original) from the modified bytes', () => {
+    expect(
+      mobileDiffImageDataUri({
+        kind: 'binary',
+        originalContent: '',
+        modifiedContent: 'bmV3',
+        isImage: true,
+        mimeType: 'image/png'
+      })
+    ).toBe('data:image/png;base64,bmV3')
+  })
+
+  it('falls back to the original bytes for a deleted image', () => {
+    expect(
+      mobileDiffImageDataUri({
+        kind: 'binary',
+        originalContent: 'b2xk',
+        modifiedContent: '',
+        isImage: true,
+        mimeType: 'image/jpeg'
+      })
+    ).toBe('data:image/jpeg;base64,b2xk')
+  })
+
+  it('returns null for a non-previewable binary (no isImage/mimeType)', () => {
+    expect(
+      mobileDiffImageDataUri({
+        kind: 'binary',
+        originalContent: '',
+        modifiedContent: 'AAAA'
+      })
+    ).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('returns null when flagged as image but carrying no bytes', () => {
+    expect(
+      mobileDiffImageDataUri({
+        kind: 'binary',
+        originalContent: '',
+        modifiedContent: '',
+        isImage: true,
+        mimeType: 'image/png'
+      })
+    ).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.ts b/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..745cb513a2c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/src/files/mobile-diff-image-preview.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { buildImageDataUri } from '../../../src/shared/image-data-uri'
+
+// A git.diff result for a binary file. The host (git.diff) already sends base64
+// image bytes plus isImage/mimeType for previewable formats, so mobile can render
+// image diffs instead of falling back to "Binary preview unavailable".
+export type MobileBinaryDiffResult = {
+  kind: 'binary'
+  originalContent?: string
+  modifiedContent?: string
+  isImage?: boolean
+  mimeType?: string
+}
+
+// Builds a data URI for a binary image diff, preferring the modified (post-change)
+// bytes and falling back to the original for deletions. Returns null for
+// non-previewable binaries, which stay "Binary preview unavailable".
+export function mobileDiffImageDataUri(result: MobileBinaryDiffResult): string | null {
+  if (result.isImage !== true) {
+    return null
+  }
+  return buildImageDataUri(result.mimeType, result.modifiedContent || result.originalContent || '')
+}
diff --git a/mobile/src/files/mobile-file-tab-doc.ts b/mobile/src/files/mobile-file-tab-doc.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d4ed498afd2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mobile/src/files/mobile-file-tab-doc.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+import { buildImageDataUri } from '../../../src/shared/image-data-uri'
+import { classifyMobileArtifact } from '../session/mobile-artifact-kind'
+import { buildMobileDiffLines, type MobileDiffLine } from '../session/mobile-diff-lines'
+import type { RpcClient } from '../transport/rpc-client'
+import type { RpcFailure, RpcSuccess } from '../transport/types'
+import { mobileDiffImageDataUri, type MobileBinaryDiffResult } from './mobile-diff-image-preview'
+
+type FileTabDocClient = Pick<RpcClient, 'sendRequest'>
+
+// The ready doc a session file tab renders. Mirrors the ready arm of the route's
+// FileDocState; kept in src so the loader stays testable without the route.
+export type MobileFileTabDoc =
+  | { status: 'ready'; kind: 'file'; content: string; truncated: boolean; byteLength: number }
+  | { status: 'ready'; kind: 'diff'; lines: MobileDiffLine[]; truncated: boolean }
+  | { status: 'ready'; kind: 'image'; dataUri: string }
+  | { status: 'ready'; kind: 'html'; content: string }
+
+export type MobileFileTabDocRequest = {
+  worktreeId: string
+  relativePath: string
+  diffSource?: 'staged' | 'unstaged' | 'branch' | 'commit'
+}
+
+// Loads the previewable doc for a session file tab: git diffs (text or image),
+// previewable images, HTML source, or plain text. Throws 'binary_file',
+// 'file_too_large', or the RPC error message; callers map those to error docs.
+export async function resolveMobileFileTabDoc(
+  client: FileTabDocClient,
+  request: MobileFileTabDocRequest
+): Promise<MobileFileTabDoc> {
+  const worktree = `id:${request.worktreeId}`
+  const { relativePath } = request
+  if (request.diffSource === 'staged' || request.diffSource === 'unstaged') {
+    const response = await client.sendRequest('git.diff', {
+      worktree,
+      filePath: relativePath,
+      staged: request.diffSource === 'staged'
+    })
+    if (!response.ok) {
+      throw new Error((response as RpcFailure).error.message)
+    }
+    const result = (response as RpcSuccess).result as
+      | { kind: 'text'; originalContent: string; modifiedContent: string }
+      | MobileBinaryDiffResult
+    if (result.kind !== 'text') {
+      // Render image diffs (add/modify/delete) from the base64 the host already
+      // sends; only non-previewable binaries stay unavailable.
+      const dataUri = mobileDiffImageDataUri(result)
+      if (!dataUri) {
+        throw new Error('binary_file')
+      }
+      return { status: 'ready', kind: 'image', dataUri }
+    }
+    const diff = buildMobileDiffLines(result.originalContent, result.modifiedContent)
+    return { status: 'ready', kind: 'diff', lines: diff.lines, truncated: diff.truncated }
+  }
+
+  const artifactKind = classifyMobileArtifact(relativePath)
+  if (artifactKind === 'image') {
+    const preview = await client.sendRequest('files.readPreview', { worktree, relativePath })
+    if (!preview.ok) {
+      throw new Error((preview as RpcFailure).error.message)
+    }
+    const result = (preview as RpcSuccess).result as {
+      content: string
+      isImage?: boolean
+      mimeType?: string
+    }
+    const dataUri = result.isImage ? buildImageDataUri(result.mimeType, result.content) : null
+    if (!dataUri) {
+      throw new Error('binary_file')
+    }
+    return { status: 'ready', kind: 'image', dataUri }
+  }
+
+  const response = await client.sendRequest('files.read', { worktree, relativePath })
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error((response as RpcFailure).error.message)
+  }
+  const result = (response as RpcSuccess).result as {
+    content: string
+    truncated: boolean
+    byteLength: number
+  }
+  if (artifactKind === 'html') {
+    return { status: 'ready', kind: 'html', content: result.content }
+  }
+  return {
+    status: 'ready',
+    kind: 'file',
+    content: result.content,
+    truncated: result.truncated,
+    byteLength: result.byteLength
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/ImageViewer.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/ImageViewer.tsx
index 408afd795b3..88b57b092b6 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/ImageViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/ImageViewer.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   getZoomedImageLayoutSize
 } from './image-viewer-zoom'
 import { translate } from '@/i18n/i18n'
+import { buildImageDataUri } from '../../../../shared/image-data-uri'
 
 const FALLBACK_IMAGE_MIME_TYPE = 'image/png'
 
@@ -59,8 +60,8 @@ export default function ImageViewer({
   const isPdf = mimeType === 'application/pdf'
   const isIntrinsicLayout = layout === 'intrinsic'
   const previewSrc = useMemo(
-    () => (cleanedContent && !isPdf ? `data:${mimeType};base64,${cleanedContent}` : null),
-    [cleanedContent, isPdf, mimeType]
+    () => buildImageDataUri(mimeType, cleanedContent),
+    [cleanedContent, mimeType]
   )
   const imageError = previewSrc !== null && failedPreviewSrc === previewSrc
   const estimatedSize = useMemo(() => {
diff --git a/src/shared/image-data-uri.test.ts b/src/shared/image-data-uri.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a5e29446561
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/image-data-uri.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { buildImageDataUri } from './image-data-uri'
+
+describe('buildImageDataUri', () => {
+  it('builds a data URI from base64 image bytes', () => {
+    expect(buildImageDataUri('image/png', 'bmV3')).toBe('data:image/png;base64,bmV3')
+  })
+
+  it('strips whitespace from line-wrapped base64 payloads', () => {
+    expect(buildImageDataUri('image/png', 'bm\nV3\t bmV3\r\n')).toBe(
+      'data:image/png;base64,bmV3bmV3'
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('returns null for an empty payload', () => {
+    expect(buildImageDataUri('image/png', '   \n')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('returns null for a missing mime type', () => {
+    expect(buildImageDataUri(undefined, 'bmV3')).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('returns null for application/pdf (not an <img> source)', () => {
+    expect(buildImageDataUri('application/pdf', 'JVBER')).toBeNull()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/shared/image-data-uri.ts b/src/shared/image-data-uri.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9217c6b9154
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/image-data-uri.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Builds an inline `data:` URI for base64 image bytes, shared by the desktop
+// editor ImageViewer and the mobile file preview so both decode images the same
+// way. Strips whitespace from the payload (base64 from git diffs and SSH streams
+// can arrive line-wrapped) and returns null when there is nothing an <img>/RN
+// <Image> can show — empty content or a non-image mime such as application/pdf.
+export function buildImageDataUri(
+  mimeType: string | undefined,
+  base64Content: string
+): string | null {
+  if (!mimeType || mimeType === 'application/pdf') {
+    return null
+  }
+  const cleaned = base64Content.replace(/\s/g, '')
+  if (!cleaned) {
+    return null
+  }
+  return `data:${mimeType};base64,${cleaned}`
+}