diff --git a/docs/reference/ssh-execution-boundary.md b/docs/reference/ssh-execution-boundary.md
index 87495960b76..cc88cf39a17 100644
--- a/docs/reference/ssh-execution-boundary.md
+++ b/docs/reference/ssh-execution-boundary.md
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Two consequences, both non-negotiable:
 
 The vocabulary is fixed: **`live` / `unverifiable` / `exited`**, taken from the incumbent `UnstoppedPtyVerdict`. Do not introduce synonyms, and never collapse `unverifiable` into either neighbour. `exited` requires positive evidence of absence from the host that owns the process; a transport failure can only ever produce `unverifiable`.
 
-Rule 1 is stated at `src/main/source-control/repo-default-branch.ts:76-78`, `src/main/repo-worktrees.ts:45-48`, `OrcaRuntimeService.probeWorktreeDrift` in `src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts`, and `src/renderer/src/lib/connection-context.ts:22-24`. It is enforced throughout `src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-git.ts` by `requireRuntimeGitProvider` in `src/main/runtime/runtime-git-command-target.ts`, which routes on the target's resolved `executionHostId` rather than on a repo row's `connectionId`: it throws `SSH_GIT_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE` when an SSH host has no registered provider, throws `ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError` for a `runtime:` host this process does not execute, and returns `null` only for `local`. Grep those two names for the current call sites rather than trusting a count.
+Rule 1 is stated at `src/main/source-control/repo-default-branch.ts:76-78`, `src/main/repo-worktrees.ts:45-48`, `OrcaRuntimeService.probeWorktreeDrift` in `src/main/runtime/orca-runtime.ts`, and `src/renderer/src/lib/connection-context.ts:22-24`. It is enforced throughout `src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-git.ts` by `requireRuntimeGitProvider` in `src/main/runtime/runtime-git-command-target.ts`, and throughout the runtime filesystem commands by `requireRuntimeFileProvider` in `src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-target.ts`. Both route on the target's resolved `executionHostId` rather than on a repo row's `connectionId`: they throw the provider-unavailable message when an SSH host has no registered provider, throw `ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError` for a `runtime:` host this process does not execute, and return `null` only for `local`. Grep those names for the current call sites rather than trusting a count.
 
 `src/main/runtime/unstopped-pty-verification.ts:12-16` is the reference implementation of rule 2: it keeps `live` / `unverifiable` / `exited` as three distinct verdicts, and treats "we could not ask" as its own answer.
 
diff --git a/src/main/destination-serialized-local-rename.test.ts b/src/main/destination-serialized-local-rename.test.ts
index 49fd190e469..7bdab6a0914 100644
--- a/src/main/destination-serialized-local-rename.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/destination-serialized-local-rename.test.ts
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ function createRuntimeCommands(): RuntimeFileCommands {
   return new RuntimeFileCommands({
     requireStore: () => store,
     resolveRuntimeFileTarget: async () => ({
-      worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: REPO_PATH }
+      worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: REPO_PATH },
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     })
   } as never)
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-file-commands.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-file-commands.ts
index c195ee5dbd8..46a25083bef 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-file-commands.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-file-commands.ts
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithFileCommands extends OrcaRuntimeWithPreservedBranchC
     requireStore: () => this.requireStore(),
     resolveWorktreeSelector: (selector) => this.resolveWorktreeSelector(selector),
     resolveRuntimeFileTarget: (selector) => this.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(selector),
-    resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget: (absolutePath, connectionId) =>
-      this.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget(absolutePath, connectionId),
+    resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget: (absolutePath, executionHostId) =>
+      this.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget(absolutePath, executionHostId),
     resolveTerminalCwd: (terminalHandle) => this.resolveTerminalCwd(terminalHandle),
     resolveTerminalContext: (terminalHandle) => this.resolveTerminalContext(terminalHandle),
     resolveTerminalFileUriHostname: (terminalHandle) =>
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mobile-explorer-reads.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mobile-explorer-reads.test.ts
index 7f73e77c2fa..f64e9a37f83 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mobile-explorer-reads.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mobile-explorer-reads.test.ts
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
         repoId: 'repo-1',
         path: '/remote/repo'
       },
-      connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+      executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1'
     }))
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({
       openFile,
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mock-registry.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mock-registry.ts
index 35d419754a1..62c1acef4b3 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mock-registry.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-mock-registry.ts
@@ -105,11 +105,20 @@ export const filesystemSearchGitMock = {
   searchWithGitGrep: searchWithGitGrepMock
 }
 
+const SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE =
+  'Remote connection dropped. Click Reconnect on the SSH target before retrying.'
+
 export const sshFilesystemDispatchMock = {
   getSshFilesystemProvider: getSshFilesystemProviderMock,
+  requireSshFilesystemProvider: (connectionId: string) => {
+    const provider = getSshFilesystemProviderMock(connectionId)
+    if (!provider) {
+      throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
+    }
+    return provider
+  },
   onSshFilesystemProviderRegistered: () => () => undefined,
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE:
-    'Remote connection dropped. Click Reconnect on the SSH target before retrying.'
+  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE
 }
 
 export function resetRuntimeFileMocks(): void {
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-search.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-search.test.ts
index f71aee54c4a..09cb185ea28 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-search.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-search.test.ts
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({
       resolveRuntimeFileTarget: vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/repo' },
-        connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+        executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1'
       }))
     })
 
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
         repoId: 'repo-1',
         path: '/repo'
       },
-      connectionId: null
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     }))
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
     const child = createRuntimeSearchChild()
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
     async (order) => {
       const resolveRuntimeFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/repo' },
-        connectionId: null
+        executionHostId: 'local'
       }))
       const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
       const child = createRuntimeSearchChild()
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
   it("falls back when a runtime native launcher exits outside ripgrep's contract", async () => {
     const resolveRuntimeFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
       worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/repo' },
-      connectionId: null
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     }))
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
     const child = createRuntimeSearchChild()
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
         repoId: 'repo-1',
         path: 'C:\\repo'
       },
-      connectionId: null
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     }))
     const { commands, store } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
     const child = createRuntimeSearchChild()
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
   it('keeps the runtime WSL preflight and falls back before starting real rg', async () => {
     const resolveRuntimeFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
       worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: 'C:\\repo' },
-      connectionId: null
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     }))
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
     const fallback = { files: [], totalMatches: 0, truncated: false }
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
   it('keeps legacy SSH Quick Open replies within the frame-sized result bound', async () => {
     const resolveRuntimeFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
       worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/repo' },
-      connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+      executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1'
     }))
     const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({ resolveRuntimeFileTarget })
     const listFiles = vi.fn(async () => ['src/target.ts'])
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-chunk-reads.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-chunk-reads.test.ts
index 2396c2705b6..8f09e269f7f 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-chunk-reads.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-chunk-reads.test.ts
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ function sshCommands() {
     path: '/remote/repo',
     resolveRuntimeFileTarget: vi.fn(async () => ({
       worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: '/remote/repo' },
-      connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+      executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1'
     }))
   }).commands
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-rearm.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-rearm.test.ts
index 28d734cab63..4403d61b63d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-rearm.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-ssh-rearm.test.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ function createRuntimeFileCommands(): RuntimeFileCommands {
     resolveWorktreeSelector: vi.fn(async () => ({ id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: ROOT_PATH })),
     resolveRuntimeFileTarget: vi.fn(async () => ({
       worktree: { id: 'wt-1', repoId: 'repo-1', path: ROOT_PATH },
-      connectionId: CONNECTION_ID
+      executionHostId: `ssh:${CONNECTION_ID}`
     })),
     resolveRuntimeGitTarget: vi.fn(),
     openFile: vi.fn()
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-terminal-path-resolution.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-terminal-path-resolution.test.ts
index 1d9ecea725b..23c599801b8 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-terminal-path-resolution.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-terminal-path-resolution.test.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
       }
       const resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: sibling,
+        executionHostId: 'local',
         relativePath: 'docs/readme.md'
       }))
       const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({
@@ -154,6 +155,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
       }
       const resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: sibling,
+        executionHostId: 'local',
         relativePath: ''
       }))
       const hasRecentTerminalOutputPath = vi.fn(() => true)
@@ -195,7 +197,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
       }
       const resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: sibling,
-        connectionId: 'ssh-1',
+        executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1',
         relativePath: 'docs/readme.md'
       }))
       const { commands, store } = createRuntimeFileCommands({
@@ -245,7 +247,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
       }
       const resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree: sibling,
-        connectionId: 'ssh-1',
+        executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1',
         relativePath: ''
       }))
       const hasRecentTerminalOutputPath = vi.fn(() => true)
@@ -274,11 +276,14 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
       expect(hasRecentTerminalOutputPath).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
 
+    // The host was `runtime:env-a` until this process stopped dispatching runtime hosts at all
+    // (see runtime-file-target-execution-host.test.ts); an SSH host proves the same scoping on a
+    // host this process actually serves.
     it('scopes sibling lookup to the selected worktree execution host', async () => {
       const resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget = vi.fn(async () => null)
       const { commands } = createRuntimeFileCommands({
         path: '/repo-a',
-        hostId: 'runtime:env-a',
+        hostId: 'ssh:openclaw',
         resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget
       })
 
@@ -293,7 +298,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands', () => {
 
       expect(resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
         '/repo-b/docs/readme.md',
-        'runtime:env-a'
+        'ssh:openclaw'
       )
     })
 
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-test-harness.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-test-harness.ts
index edc4904b244..c7f42008cf6 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-test-harness.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-test-harness.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, vi } from 'vitest'
 import { awaitRuntimeFileWatcherUnsubscribes, RuntimeFileCommands } from './orca-runtime-files'
 import { resetSshConnectionGenerations } from '../ssh/ssh-connection-generation'
 import { resetRuntimeFileMocks } from './orca-runtime-files-mock-registry'
+import {
+  LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID,
+  normalizeExecutionHostId,
+  toSshExecutionHostId,
+  type ExecutionHostId
+} from '../../shared/execution-host'
 
 /** Restores the shared fs/auth/watcher mock state and fake timers around each test. */
 export function useRuntimeFileCommandsLifecycle(): void {
@@ -51,6 +57,14 @@ export function createRuntimeFileCommands(options?: {
     path,
     ...(options?.hostId ? { hostId: options.hostId } : {})
   }
+  // Mirrors the real resolver: the worktree's own host outranks the repo row.
+  const runtimeFileTargetExecutionHostId = (): ExecutionHostId => {
+    const connectionId = store.getRepo(worktree.repoId)?.connectionId
+    return (
+      normalizeExecutionHostId(options?.hostId) ??
+      (connectionId ? toSshExecutionHostId(connectionId) : LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID)
+    )
+  }
   const commands = new RuntimeFileCommands({
     getRuntimeId: () => 'runtime-1',
     requireStore: () => store,
@@ -59,7 +73,7 @@ export function createRuntimeFileCommands(options?: {
       options?.resolveRuntimeFileTarget ??
       vi.fn(async () => ({
         worktree,
-        connectionId: store.getRepo(worktree.repoId)?.connectionId
+        executionHostId: runtimeFileTargetExecutionHostId()
       })),
     ...(options?.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget
       ? { resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget: options.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-watch.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-watch.test.ts
index e89bc26958b..7de40e51df5 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-watch.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files-watch.test.ts
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ function createRuntimeFileCommands(rootPath: string) {
         id: 'wt-1',
         repoId: 'repo-1',
         path: rootPath
-      }
+      },
+      executionHostId: 'local'
     })),
     resolveRuntimeGitTarget: vi.fn(),
     openFile: vi.fn()
@@ -560,7 +561,7 @@ describe('RuntimeFileCommands file watching', () => {
           repoId: 'repo-1',
           path: '/remote/repo'
         },
-        connectionId: 'ssh-1'
+        executionHostId: 'ssh:ssh-1'
       })),
       resolveRuntimeGitTarget: vi.fn(),
       openFile: vi.fn()
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files.ts
index 78cee692a65..75a59f606c5 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-files.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ export { WINDOWS_RUNTIME_FILE_WATCH_CLOSE_DEADLINE_MS } from './runtime-file-com
 export { awaitRuntimeFileWatcherUnsubscribes } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
 export { _getRuntimeFileWatcherReleaseCountForTests } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
 export { _resetRuntimeFileWatcherLeasesForTests } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
-export type { ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
-export type { ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
-export { getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
+export type { ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree } from './runtime-file-command-target'
+export type { ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 export type { RuntimeFileCommandHost } from './runtime-file-command-host'
 export { isSafeMobileRelativePath } from './runtime-file-command-host'
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-persist-headless-terminal-title.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-persist-headless-terminal-title.ts
index b9a24685be4..1869ac70819 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-persist-headless-terminal-title.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-persist-headless-terminal-title.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ import type {
 } from '../../shared/runtime-types'
 import type { ResolvedWorktree } from './runtime-worktree-path-identity'
 import type { Repo } from '../../shared/repo-types'
-import { LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID, type ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
+import {
+  LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID,
+  toSshExecutionHostId,
+  type ExecutionHostId
+} from '../../shared/execution-host'
 import { getLocalProjectWorktreeGitOptions } from '../project-runtime-git-options'
 import { resolveWorktreeHostRouting } from './worktree-launch-host-repo'
 
@@ -186,21 +190,34 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithPersistHeadlessTerminalTitle extends OrcaRuntimeWith
     return { worktree, repo, executionHostId, localGitOptions }
   }
 
+  // Why: same defect as `resolveRuntimeGitTarget` above, in ~30 filesystem dispatches. `getRepo(id)`
+  // is host-blind and never read `worktree.hostId`, and the `connectionId` it returned spelled
+  // "runtime host", "unresolved" and "genuinely local" all as `undefined` (#11163).
   protected async resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector: string): Promise<{
     worktree: ResolvedWorktree
-    connectionId?: string
+    executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
   }> {
     const folderScope = await this.resolveFolderWorkspaceLaunchScope(worktreeSelector)
     if (folderScope?.folderWorkspace) {
+      // A folder workspace has no repo row to disagree with; its own inference already threw on an
+      // ambiguous one, and it is never hosted by a runtime environment.
       return {
         worktree: this.folderWorkspaceToResolvedWorktree(folderScope.folderWorkspace),
-        connectionId: folderScope.connectionId ?? undefined
+        executionHostId: folderScope.connectionId
+          ? toSshExecutionHostId(folderScope.connectionId)
+          : LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID
       }
     }
 
     const store = this.requireStore()
     const worktree = await this.resolveWorktreeSelector(worktreeSelector)
-    const repo = store.getRepo(worktree.repoId)
-    return { worktree, connectionId: repo?.connectionId ?? undefined }
+    const routing = resolveWorktreeHostRouting(store.getRepos(), worktree)
+    if (routing.kind === 'ambiguous') {
+      throw new Error('worktree_execution_host_unresolved')
+    }
+    return {
+      worktree,
+      executionHostId: routing.kind === 'resolved' ? routing.hostId : LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-known-workspace-file-target.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-known-workspace-file-target.ts
index 6b9f1d3c67e..69b58c0632a 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-known-workspace-file-target.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-known-workspace-file-target.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
 // @ts-nocheck -- mechanically split from OrcaRuntimeService; behavior is covered by AST equivalence and characterization tests.
 import { OrcaRuntimeWithPersistHeadlessTerminalTitle } from './orca-runtime-persist-headless-terminal-title'
-import type { ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
+import {
+  LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID,
+  toSshExecutionHostId,
+  type ExecutionHostId
+} from '../../shared/execution-host'
 import type { ResolvedWorktree } from './runtime-worktree-path-identity'
-import { getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId } from './orca-runtime-files'
+import { resolveWorktreeHostRouting } from './worktree-launch-host-repo'
 import { findRuntimeWorkspaceFileOwner } from '../../shared/runtime-workspace-file-owner'
 import type { RuntimeMobileSessionTabsResult } from '../../shared/runtime-types'
 import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto'
@@ -14,17 +18,14 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithResolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget extends OrcaRuntimeW
     executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
   ): Promise<{
     worktree: ResolvedWorktree
-    connectionId?: string
+    executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
     relativePath: string
   } | null> {
     const targets = new Map<
       string,
-      {
-        worktree: ResolvedWorktree
-        connectionId?: string
-        executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
-      }
+      { worktree: ResolvedWorktree; executionHostId: ExecutionHostId }
     >()
+    const repos = this.store?.getRepos() ?? []
     const resolvedWorktrees = await this.listResolvedWorktrees()
     const visibilitySourceMatchersByRepoId =
       this.buildRuntimeVisibilitySourceMatchersByRepoId(resolvedWorktrees)
@@ -37,29 +38,28 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithResolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget extends OrcaRuntimeW
       ) {
         continue
       }
-      const candidateConnectionId = this.store?.getRepo(worktree.repoId)?.connectionId ?? undefined
+      // Why: `getRepo(id)` is host-blind, so a candidate on one SSH host could be filed under
+      // another's key and then answer for a path it does not hold. Rival rows that disagree with
+      // no worktree host name no single filesystem authority, so that candidate is dropped.
+      const routing = resolveWorktreeHostRouting(repos, worktree)
+      if (routing.kind === 'ambiguous') {
+        continue
+      }
       const target = {
         worktree,
-        executionHostId: getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId({
-          worktree,
-          connectionId: candidateConnectionId
-        }),
-        ...(candidateConnectionId ? { connectionId: candidateConnectionId } : {})
+        executionHostId: routing.kind === 'resolved' ? routing.hostId : LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID
       }
       targets.set(`${target.executionHostId}\0${worktree.id}`, target)
     }
     for (const folderWorkspace of this.store?.getFolderWorkspaces?.() ?? []) {
       try {
-        const candidateConnectionId =
-          this.resolveFolderWorkspaceConnectionId(folderWorkspace) ?? undefined
+        const candidateConnectionId = this.resolveFolderWorkspaceConnectionId(folderWorkspace)
         const worktree = this.folderWorkspaceToResolvedWorktree(folderWorkspace)
         const target = {
           worktree,
-          executionHostId: getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId({
-            worktree,
-            connectionId: candidateConnectionId
-          }),
-          ...(candidateConnectionId ? { connectionId: candidateConnectionId } : {})
+          executionHostId: candidateConnectionId
+            ? toSshExecutionHostId(candidateConnectionId)
+            : LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID
         }
         targets.set(`${target.executionHostId}\0${worktree.id}`, target)
       } catch {
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-recovered-structured-tui-transcript.ts b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-recovered-structured-tui-transcript.ts
index ab724b469dc..5700b71d9a5 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-recovered-structured-tui-transcript.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/orca-runtime-resolve-recovered-structured-tui-transcript.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import { getStructuredAgentSessionHost } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire
 import { LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID } from '../../shared/execution-host'
 import type { AgentStatusIpcPayload } from '../../shared/agent-status-types'
 import { getLocalProjectWorktreeGitOptions } from '../project-runtime-git-options'
-import { getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId } from './orca-runtime-files'
 import type { AgentSessionAttachParams } from '../native-chat/agent-session-wire/structured-agent-session-attach'
 import { getSystemCodexHomePath } from '../codex/codex-home-paths'
 import { resolveTuiAgentLaunchEnv } from '../../shared/tui-agent-launch-defaults'
@@ -90,18 +89,16 @@ export class OrcaRuntimeWithResolveRecoveredStructuredTuiTranscript extends Orca
   protected async resolveStructuredAgentSessionLocation(worktreeSelector: string) {
     const target = await this.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
     const repo = this.store?.getRepo(target.worktree.repoId)
+    // WSL routing describes *this* machine; no remote or runtime host may inherit it.
     const wslDistro =
-      repo && !target.connectionId
+      repo && target.executionHostId === LOCAL_EXECUTION_HOST_ID
         ? (getLocalProjectWorktreeGitOptions(this.requireStore(), repo).wslDistro ?? null)
         : null
     const folderWorkspace = this.store
       ?.getFolderWorkspaces?.()
       .some((workspace) => workspace.id === target.worktree.id)
     return {
-      executionHostId: getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId({
-        worktree: target.worktree,
-        connectionId: target.connectionId
-      }),
+      executionHostId: target.executionHostId,
       wslDistro,
       workspaceId: target.worktree.id,
       workspaceKind: folderWorkspace ? ('folder' as const) : ('git-worktree' as const)
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-host.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-host.ts
index b757ab29b14..8f6763f09e5 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-host.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-host.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import type { Store } from '../persistence'
 import type {
   ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget,
   ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree
-} from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
+} from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import type { ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
 import type { RuntimeNativeChatFileContext } from '../../shared/runtime-types'
 import type { FsChangeEvent } from '../../shared/filesystem-entry-types'
@@ -42,8 +42,9 @@ export type RuntimeFileCommandHost = {
     pathText: string,
     absolutePath: string
   ): boolean | Promise<boolean>
-  // `executionHostId`, not `connectionId`: a repo row's connection cannot tell `runtime:` from
-  // `local`, and this contract must not re-introduce that spelling. See runtime-git-command-target.
+  // `executionHostId`, not `connectionId`, on both target contracts: a repo row's connection cannot
+  // tell `runtime:` from `local`, and neither may re-introduce that spelling. See
+  // runtime-git-command-target and runtime-file-command-target.
   resolveRuntimeGitTarget(
     selector: string
   ): Promise<{ worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree; executionHostId: ExecutionHostId }>
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-target.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-target.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..0b7c732f73b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-command-target.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+import type { ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
+import type { GitWorktreeInfo, Worktree } from '../../shared/worktree/types'
+import {
+  ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError,
+  resolveFilesystemRouteForHost
+} from '../providers/execution-host-provider-dispatch'
+import { SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE } from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import type { IFilesystemProvider } from '../providers/types'
+
+export type ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree = Worktree & { git: GitWorktreeInfo }
+
+export type ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget = {
+  worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree
+  /**
+   * The host whose filesystem holds this workspace. Never optional and never null: the field it
+   * replaced (`connectionId?: string`) spelled "runtime host", "unresolved" and "genuinely local"
+   * all as `undefined`, so every path that could not resolve answered "local" and read remote
+   * paths on the client (#11163). Unresolved now fails at resolution time instead of arriving here
+   * as a silently-local target. Mirrors `RuntimeGitTarget.executionHostId`.
+   */
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
+}
+
+/** A workspace-relative path already joined onto its host's root; `executionHostId` routes it. */
+export type RuntimeFileExplorerPath = {
+  worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree
+  path: string
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
+}
+
+/**
+ * The two hosts this process can itself run a runtime filesystem command on, narrowed from the
+ * shared host-keyed route in `src/main/providers/execution-host-provider-dispatch.ts`.
+ *
+ * `runtime:<env>` is deliberately not a variant, for the same reason it is not one for Git: the
+ * files live on that environment's own server, which normalizes the call to its own `local`, and
+ * the SSH target on its repo row is that server's *nested* one — addressable only as the pair
+ * (environmentId, targetId). Handing that id to this client's SSH table reads a same-named target
+ * in the wrong namespace, so it throws rather than routing.
+ */
+export type RuntimeFileRoute =
+  | { kind: 'local' }
+  /** `provider: null` is "remote and currently unreachable" — never "read it here". */
+  | { kind: 'ssh'; connectionId: string; provider: IFilesystemProvider | null }
+
+/** The remote half of the route, for leaf helpers that only ever run against an SSH host. */
+export type RuntimeFileSshRoute = Extract<RuntimeFileRoute, { kind: 'ssh' }>
+
+export function runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target: {
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
+}): RuntimeFileRoute {
+  const route = resolveFilesystemRouteForHost(target.executionHostId)
+  switch (route.kind) {
+    case 'local':
+      return { kind: 'local' }
+    case 'ssh':
+      return { kind: 'ssh', connectionId: route.connectionId, provider: route.provider }
+    case 'runtime':
+      throw new ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError(route.hostId)
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * `null` means exactly one thing: the host is `local`, and this command reads and writes here. An
+ * unreachable SSH host and a `runtime:` host both throw.
+ */
+export function requireRuntimeFileProvider(target: {
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
+}): IFilesystemProvider | null {
+  const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+  if (route.kind === 'local') {
+    return null
+  }
+  if (!route.provider) {
+    throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
+  }
+  return route.provider
+}
+
+/**
+ * The SSH target id for the leaf helpers that still address a connection by name — watcher release
+ * keys, re-arm registration, remote path stats. `undefined` is `local`; a `runtime:` host throws
+ * rather than surrendering its nested target id to this client's namespace.
+ */
+export function runtimeFileSshTargetId(target: {
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId
+}): string | undefined {
+  const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+  return route.kind === 'ssh' ? route.connectionId : undefined
+}
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-assert-remote-terminal-file-grant-path-still-canonical.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-assert-remote-terminal-file-grant-path-still-canonical.ts
index bfa75f708d9..9a6af2a82b4 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-assert-remote-terminal-file-grant-path-still-canonical.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-assert-remote-terminal-file-grant-path-still-canonical.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ import {
   SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
   getSshFilesystemProvider
 } from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import {
+  requireRuntimeFileProvider,
+  runtimeFileRouteForTarget,
+  runtimeFileSshTargetId
+} from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { readdir, stat } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import type { DirEntry, FsChangeEvent } from '../../shared/filesystem-entry-types'
 import { sortDirEntries } from '../../shared/file-name-sort'
@@ -56,11 +61,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithAssertRemoteTerminalFileGrantPathStillCanoni
 
   async readFileExplorerDir(worktreeSelector: string, relativePath: string): Promise<DirEntry[]> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       // Why: re-sort locally — the remote relay may be an older build with
       // lexicographic ordering.
       return sortDirEntries(await provider.readDir(target.path))
@@ -83,22 +85,29 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithAssertRemoteTerminalFileGrantPathStillCanoni
     signal?: AbortSignal
   ): Promise<() => Promise<void>> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, '')
+    // Why: watcher keys must scope teardown to the owning host; a `runtime:` host throws here
+    // rather than registering a lease under this client's namespace.
+    const sshTargetId = runtimeFileSshTargetId(target)
     const open = async (): Promise<{
       unsubscribe: () => Promise<void>
       rootPaths: string[]
     }> => {
-      const finishInstall = beginWatcherInstall(target.path, target.connectionId)
+      const finishInstall = beginWatcherInstall(target.path, sshTargetId)
       try {
-        const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-        if (target.connectionId) {
-          if (!provider) {
+        // Re-resolved per open: a reconnect mints a fresh provider for the same target.
+        const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+        if (route.kind === 'ssh') {
+          if (!route.provider) {
             throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
           }
           // Why: the RPC layer already threads AbortSignal for local watches; SSH must cancel the remote fs.watch, not wait it out.
-          const close = await provider.watch(target.path, callback, { signal, onTerminalError })
+          const close = await route.provider.watch(target.path, callback, {
+            signal,
+            onTerminalError
+          })
           const rearm = armSshFileExplorerWatchRearm({
             runtimeId: this.host.getRuntimeId(),
-            connectionId: target.connectionId,
+            connectionId: route.connectionId,
             rootPath: target.path,
             callback,
             onTerminalError,
@@ -132,7 +141,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithAssertRemoteTerminalFileGrantPathStillCanoni
     const initial = await open()
     return registerRuntimeFileWatcherRelease(
       this.host.getRuntimeId(),
-      target.connectionId,
+      sshTargetId,
       initial.rootPaths,
       initial.unsubscribe,
       async () => (await open()).unsubscribe,
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-constructor.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-constructor.ts
index 79c0cdbbeda..1af54400c42 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-constructor.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-constructor.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { stat } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { joinWorktreeRelativePath } from './runtime-relative-paths'
 import { resolveAuthorizedPath } from '../ipc/filesystem-auth'
 import { isENOENT } from '../ipc/filesystem-path-containment'
+import { runtimeFileRouteForTarget, type RuntimeFileRoute } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithActiveRuntimeTextSearches {
   constructor(private readonly host: RuntimeFileCommandHost) {
@@ -36,10 +37,12 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileListResult> {
     const store = this.host.requireStore()
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = target
-    const files = connectionId
-      ? await this.listRemoteMobileFiles(worktree.path, connectionId, undefined, options.signal)
-      : await listQuickOpenFiles(worktree.path, store, undefined, options.signal)
+    const { worktree } = target
+    const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+    const files =
+      route.kind === 'ssh'
+        ? await this.listRemoteMobileFiles(worktree.path, route.provider, undefined, options.signal)
+        : await listQuickOpenFiles(worktree.path, store, undefined, options.signal)
     const entries = files
       .filter((relativePath) => isSafeMobileRelativePath(relativePath))
       .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
@@ -66,22 +69,26 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileListResult> {
     const store = this.host.requireStore()
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = target
-    const cacheKey = `${connectionId ?? 'local'}:${worktree.id}:${worktree.path}`
+    const { worktree } = target
+    const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+    // Why: identical paths exist on local and on several SSH hosts; the cache key must name the
+    // resolved host, which `connectionId` could not tell apart from "unresolved".
+    const cacheKey = `${target.executionHostId}:${worktree.id}:${worktree.path}`
     const inventory = await this.mobileFilePathSearchCache.get(cacheKey, async () => {
-      const listed = connectionId
-        ? await this.listRemoteMobileFiles(
-            worktree.path,
-            connectionId,
-            MOBILE_FILE_PATH_SEARCH_CACHE_LIMIT + 1
-          )
-        : await listQuickOpenFiles(
-            worktree.path,
-            store,
-            undefined,
-            undefined,
-            MOBILE_FILE_PATH_SEARCH_CACHE_LIMIT + 1
-          )
+      const listed =
+        route.kind === 'ssh'
+          ? await this.listRemoteMobileFiles(
+              worktree.path,
+              route.provider,
+              MOBILE_FILE_PATH_SEARCH_CACHE_LIMIT + 1
+            )
+          : await listQuickOpenFiles(
+              worktree.path,
+              store,
+              undefined,
+              undefined,
+              MOBILE_FILE_PATH_SEARCH_CACHE_LIMIT + 1
+            )
       const safePaths = listed
         .filter((relativePath) => isSafeMobileRelativePath(relativePath))
         .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
@@ -113,14 +120,15 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
     signal?: AbortSignal
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileListResult> {
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = target
+    const { worktree } = target
+    const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
     const result =
       !query.trim() || isQuickOpenQueryTooLarge(query)
         ? { paths: [], totalCount: 0, truncated: false }
-        : connectionId
+        : route.kind === 'ssh'
           ? await this.searchRemoteQuickOpenFilePaths(
               worktree.path,
-              connectionId,
+              route.provider,
               query,
               limit,
               excludePaths,
@@ -149,7 +157,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
     worktreeSelector: string,
     relativePath: string
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileOpenResult> {
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
+    const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
+    const { worktree } = target
     if (!isSafeMobileRelativePath(relativePath)) {
       throw new Error('invalid_relative_path')
     }
@@ -166,7 +175,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
     }
     const filePath = joinWorktreeRelativePath(worktree.path, relativePath)
     // Why: CLI/agents treat opened:true as success; stat first so missing paths fail the RPC instead of opening a ghost tab.
-    await this.assertMobileOpenTargetExists(filePath, connectionId)
+    await this.assertMobileOpenTargetExists(filePath, runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target))
     // Why: the internal runtimeId isn't a valid env selector; pass undefined so openFile falls back to activeRuntimeEnvironmentId.
     this.host.openFile(worktree.id, filePath, relativePath, undefined)
     return { worktree: worktree.id, relativePath, kind, opened: true }
@@ -174,16 +183,16 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithA
 
   protected async assertMobileOpenTargetExists(
     filePath: string,
-    connectionId?: string
+    route: RuntimeFileRoute
   ): Promise<void> {
     try {
-      await (connectionId
-        ? this.statRemoteTerminalPath(filePath, connectionId)
+      await (route.kind === 'ssh'
+        ? this.statRemoteTerminalPath(filePath, route.connectionId)
         : stat(await resolveAuthorizedPath(filePath, this.host.requireStore())))
     } catch (error) {
       if (
         isENOENT(error) ||
-        (connectionId && RuntimeFileCommands.isRemoteNotFoundErrorMessage(error))
+        (route.kind === 'ssh' && RuntimeFileCommands.isRemoteNotFoundErrorMessage(error))
       ) {
         throw new Error(`ENOENT: no such file or directory, open '${filePath}'`)
       }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-create-file-explorer-dir-no-clobber.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-create-file-explorer-dir-no-clobber.ts
index 8702d0370ed..eddafdcdabc 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-create-file-explorer-dir-no-clobber.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-create-file-explorer-dir-no-clobber.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 // @ts-nocheck -- mechanically split class members.
 import { RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile } from './runtime-file-commands-write-file-explorer-file'
 import { assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit'
-import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import { requireRuntimeFileProvider } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { resolveAuthorizedPath } from '../ipc/filesystem-auth'
 import { constants, copyFile, mkdir, rm } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { dirname } from 'node:path'
@@ -20,16 +17,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber extends Runti
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.createDirNoClobber(target.path)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -52,18 +46,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber extends Runti
       finalRelativePath
     ])
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      tempTarget.connectionId,
+      tempTarget.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = tempTarget.connectionId
-      ? getSshFilesystemProvider(tempTarget.connectionId)
-      : null
-    if (tempTarget.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(tempTarget)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.copy(tempTarget.path, finalTarget.path)
       await provider.deletePath(tempTarget.path, false).catch(() => {})
       return { ok: true }
@@ -91,18 +80,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber extends Runti
       newRelativePath
     ])
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      oldTarget.connectionId,
+      oldTarget.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = oldTarget.connectionId
-      ? getSshFilesystemProvider(oldTarget.connectionId)
-      : null
-    if (oldTarget.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(oldTarget)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.renameNoClobber(oldTarget.path, newTarget.path)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -127,18 +111,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber extends Runti
       [sourceRelativePath, destinationRelativePath]
     )
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      sourceTarget.connectionId,
+      sourceTarget.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = sourceTarget.connectionId
-      ? getSshFilesystemProvider(sourceTarget.connectionId)
-      : null
-    if (sourceTarget.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(sourceTarget)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.copy(sourceTarget.path, destinationTarget.path)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -166,16 +145,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber extends Runti
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.deletePath(target.path, recursive)
       return { ok: true }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit.ts
index 918a3264a2d..0f497715993 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   remoteRpcResultExceedsContentBudget
 } from '../../shared/remote-rpc-content-budget'
 import { constants } from 'node:fs/promises'
-import { toSshExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
+import { getSshTargetIdForExecutionHost, type ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
 import { assertSshMutationExpectation } from '../ssh/ssh-connection-generation'
 import { basenameFromRelativePath } from './runtime-file-paths'
 import { normalizeRuntimePathForComparison } from '../../shared/cross-platform-path'
@@ -87,7 +87,10 @@ export const RUNTIME_FILE_MUTATION_UPDATE_REQUIRED =
   'Remote file changes require a newer Orca client. Update the paired client and try again.'
 
 export function assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-  connectionId: string | undefined,
+  // The resolved host, not a repo row's connection: recomputing it from `connectionId` here spelled
+  // `runtime:<env>` and "unresolved" as `local`, so a client's host expectation could pass against
+  // a host it never named (#11163).
+  executionHostId: ExecutionHostId,
   expectedExecutionHostId: string | undefined,
   expectedSshTargetId: string | undefined,
   expectedSshConnectionGeneration: number | undefined
@@ -95,11 +98,14 @@ export function assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
   if (!expectedExecutionHostId) {
     throw new Error(RUNTIME_FILE_MUTATION_UPDATE_REQUIRED)
   }
-  const actualExecutionHostId = connectionId ? toSshExecutionHostId(connectionId) : 'local'
-  if (expectedExecutionHostId !== actualExecutionHostId) {
+  if (expectedExecutionHostId !== executionHostId) {
     throw new Error('Workspace host changed; refresh and try again')
   }
-  assertSshMutationExpectation(connectionId, expectedSshTargetId, expectedSshConnectionGeneration)
+  assertSshMutationExpectation(
+    getSshTargetIdForExecutionHost(executionHostId) ?? undefined,
+    expectedSshTargetId,
+    expectedSshConnectionGeneration
+  )
 }
 
 export const pendingRuntimeFileWatcherUnsubscribes = new Set<Promise<void>>()
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-file-explorer-preview.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-file-explorer-preview.ts
index e31a5e31b28..394e6940112 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-file-explorer-preview.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-file-explorer-preview.ts
@@ -12,10 +12,7 @@ import {
   previewableBinaryByteLimit,
   readPreviewFileWithinCap
 } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit'
-import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import { requireRuntimeFileProvider } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { open, stat } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { resolveAuthorizedPath } from '../ipc/filesystem-auth'
 import { extname } from 'node:path'
@@ -42,11 +39,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadFileExplorerPreview extends RuntimeFileC
         ? LOCAL_PREVIEWABLE_BINARY_MAX_BYTES
         : previewableBinaryByteLimit(maxContentBytes)
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       const fileStats = await provider.stat(target.path)
       if (fileStats.size > binaryMaxBytes) {
         throw new Error('file_too_large')
@@ -140,11 +134,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadFileExplorerPreview extends RuntimeFileC
       maxTextBytes: MOBILE_FILE_READ_MAX_BYTES,
       maxBinaryBytes: binaryMaxBytes
     }
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId && !provider) {
-      throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-    }
-    if (target.connectionId && !provider?.readDocPreviewFile) {
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider && !provider.readDocPreviewFile) {
       throw new Error('Secure document previews require a newer SSH relay')
     }
     const result = provider?.readDocPreviewFile
@@ -160,11 +151,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadFileExplorerPreview extends RuntimeFileC
     length: number
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileReadChunkResult> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       const fileStat = await provider.stat(target.path)
       if (fileStat.type === 'directory') {
         throw new Error('Cannot download a directory')
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-mobile-file.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-mobile-file.ts
index c6582ca7880..34c5db8591d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-mobile-file.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-read-mobile-file.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { isMobileBinaryPath, isSafeMobileRelativePath } from './runtime-file-com
 import { joinWorktreeRelativePath } from './runtime-relative-paths'
 import { readLocalMobileFile } from './runtime-file-commands-terminal-file-paths'
 import { truncateMobileFilePreview } from './runtime-file-commands-terminal-artifact-access'
+import { requireRuntimeFileProvider } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadMobileFile extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithConstructor {
   async readMobileFile(
@@ -13,7 +14,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadMobileFile extends RuntimeFileCommandsWi
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileReadResult> {
     const store = this.host.requireStore()
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = target
+    const { worktree } = target
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
     if (!isSafeMobileRelativePath(relativePath)) {
       throw new Error('invalid_relative_path')
     }
@@ -22,8 +24,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadMobileFile extends RuntimeFileCommandsWi
     }
 
     const filePath = joinWorktreeRelativePath(worktree.path, relativePath)
-    const content = connectionId
-      ? await this.readRemoteMobileFile(filePath, connectionId)
+    const content = provider
+      ? await this.readRemoteMobileFile(filePath, provider)
       : await readLocalMobileFile(filePath, store)
     const truncated = truncateMobileFilePreview(content)
 
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-allowed-terminal-artifact-path.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-allowed-terminal-artifact-path.ts
index a5b3e662b4f..8b80da0e69d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-allowed-terminal-artifact-path.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-allowed-terminal-artifact-path.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ import { TERMINAL_FILE_GRANT_TTL_MS } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-
 import type { RuntimeTerminalPathResolution } from '../../shared/runtime-types'
 import { isPathInsideOrEqual } from '../../shared/cross-platform-path'
 import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto'
-import type { ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
+import {
+  runtimeFileSshTargetId,
+  type ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget
+} from './runtime-file-command-target'
 
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveAllowedTerminalArtifactPath extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath {
   protected async resolveAllowedTerminalArtifactPath(args: {
@@ -188,7 +191,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveAllowedTerminalArtifactPath extends R
     if (
       grant.worktreeId !== target.worktree.id ||
       grant.absolutePath !== absolutePath ||
-      grant.connectionId !== target.connectionId ||
+      grant.connectionId !== runtimeFileSshTargetId(target) ||
       grant.clientId !== clientId
     ) {
       throw new Error('terminal_file_grant_mismatch')
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-terminal-path.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-terminal-path.ts
index 1b84ea13fe0..976f0b532c7 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-terminal-path.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-resolve-terminal-path.ts
@@ -13,15 +13,12 @@ import {
   resolveTerminalAbsolutePath
 } from './runtime-file-commands-terminal-file-paths'
 import { stat } from 'node:fs/promises'
-import { getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
+import { runtimeFileRouteForTarget } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { isSafeMobileRelativePath } from './runtime-file-command-host'
 import { resolveAuthorizedPath } from '../ipc/filesystem-auth'
 import { isENOENT } from '../ipc/filesystem-path-containment'
 import type { RuntimeFileStatLike } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit'
-import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import { requireSshFilesystemProvider } from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
 
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadMobileFile {
   // Resolves a mobile terminal tap to a worktree-relative path; relatives resolve against cwd, else the worktree root.
@@ -36,7 +33,9 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
   ): Promise<RuntimeTerminalPathResolution> {
     const store = this.host.requireStore()
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const { worktree, connectionId } = target
+    const { worktree } = target
+    const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+    const connectionId = route.kind === 'ssh' ? route.connectionId : undefined
     // Why: mobile may attach after OSC7 cwd was emitted; the runtime still owns the terminal's latest cwd to resolve the tap.
     const normalizedTerminalHandle =
       terminalHandle && terminalHandle.trim().length > 0 ? terminalHandle.trim() : null
@@ -74,13 +73,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
     // follow-up files.open, so retargeting to a sibling workspace must be opt-in.
     const knownWorkspaceTarget =
       crossWorkspace && relativePath === null
-        ? await this.host.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget?.(
-            absolutePath,
-            getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId(target)
-          )
+        ? await this.host.resolveKnownWorkspaceFileTarget?.(absolutePath, target.executionHostId)
         : null
     const ownedWorktree = knownWorkspaceTarget?.worktree ?? worktree
-    const ownedConnectionId = knownWorkspaceTarget?.connectionId ?? connectionId
+    // Why: the owner's host replaces this target's outright. Coalescing an optional connection
+    // instead let a sibling workspace resolved as `local` inherit this worktree's SSH target and
+    // stat a local path on the remote host.
+    const ownedRoute = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(knownWorkspaceTarget ?? target)
     const ownedRelativePath = knownWorkspaceTarget?.relativePath ?? relativePath
 
     try {
@@ -88,9 +87,10 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
         ownedRelativePath !== null &&
         (ownedRelativePath === '' || isSafeMobileRelativePath(ownedRelativePath))
       ) {
-        const stats = ownedConnectionId
-          ? await this.statRemoteTerminalPath(absolutePath, ownedConnectionId)
-          : await stat(await resolveAuthorizedPath(absolutePath, store))
+        const stats =
+          ownedRoute.kind === 'ssh'
+            ? await this.statRemoteTerminalPath(absolutePath, ownedRoute.connectionId)
+            : await stat(await resolveAuthorizedPath(absolutePath, store))
         return {
           worktree: ownedWorktree.id,
           relativePath: ownedRelativePath,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
             ? undefined
             : {
                 kind: 'worktree-file',
-                provider: ownedConnectionId ? 'ssh' : 'local',
+                provider: ownedRoute.kind,
                 relativePath: ownedRelativePath,
                 absolutePath
               }
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
       // Report genuine not-found as missing; let transport/permission errors surface so remote taps aren't all reported missing.
       if (
         isENOENT(error) ||
-        (ownedConnectionId && RuntimeFileCommands.isRemoteNotFoundErrorMessage(error))
+        (ownedRoute.kind === 'ssh' && RuntimeFileCommands.isRemoteNotFoundErrorMessage(error))
       ) {
         return {
           ...empty,
@@ -181,15 +181,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithResolveTerminalPath extends RuntimeFileComma
     }
   }
 
+  // Leaf helper: only ever reached from a route already resolved to `ssh`, so the id it takes is
+  // this client's dialable target rather than a repo row's raw `connectionId`.
   protected async statRemoteTerminalPath(
     absolutePath: string,
     connectionId: string
   ): Promise<RuntimeFileStatLike & { isDirectory: () => boolean }> {
-    const provider = getSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId)
-    if (!provider) {
-      throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-    }
-    const stats = await provider.stat(absolutePath)
+    const stats = await requireSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId).stat(absolutePath)
     return { ...stats, isDirectory: () => stats.type === 'directory' }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-local-runtime-files.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-local-runtime-files.ts
index 17373ab6050..6e0ec4896c8 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-local-runtime-files.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-local-runtime-files.ts
@@ -21,9 +21,9 @@ import {
 } from '../../shared/ripgrep-process-availability'
 import type { ChildProcessHandle } from '../../shared/child-process/process-spec'
 import { wslAwareSpawn } from '../git/runner'
-import type { ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree } from './runtime-file-watcher-leases'
+import type { RuntimeFileExplorerPath } from './runtime-file-command-target'
+import type { IFilesystemProvider } from '../providers/types'
 import { joinWorktreeRelativePath, normalizeRuntimeRelativePath } from './runtime-relative-paths'
-import { getSshFilesystemProvider } from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
 
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRuntimeFiles {
   protected async searchLocalRuntimeFiles(
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileC
   protected async resolveFileExplorerPath(
     worktreeSelector: string,
     relativePath: string
-  ): Promise<{ worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree; path: string; connectionId?: string }> {
+  ): Promise<RuntimeFileExplorerPath> {
     const [target] = await this.resolveFileExplorerPaths(worktreeSelector, [relativePath])
     return target
   }
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileC
   protected async resolveFileExplorerPaths(
     worktreeSelector: string,
     relativePaths: readonly string[]
-  ): Promise<{ worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree; path: string; connectionId?: string }[]> {
+  ): Promise<RuntimeFileExplorerPath[]> {
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
     return relativePaths.map((relativePath) => ({
       worktree: target.worktree,
@@ -192,17 +192,17 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileC
         target.worktree.path,
         normalizeRuntimeRelativePath(relativePath)
       ),
-      connectionId: target.connectionId
+      executionHostId: target.executionHostId
     }))
   }
 
+  // `null` provider is the caller's "this host is unreachable" answer, not "list it here".
   protected async listRemoteMobileFiles(
     rootPath: string,
-    connectionId: string,
+    provider: IFilesystemProvider | null,
     maxResults?: number,
     signal?: AbortSignal
   ): Promise<string[]> {
-    const provider = getSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId)
     if (!provider) {
       return []
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-remote-quick-open-file-paths.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-remote-quick-open-file-paths.ts
index f70c28de430..d3b703591e7 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-remote-quick-open-file-paths.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-remote-quick-open-file-paths.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 // @ts-nocheck -- mechanically split class members.
 import { RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles } from './runtime-file-commands-search-local-runtime-files'
-import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import type { IFilesystemProvider } from '../providers/types'
 import {
   MOBILE_FILE_READ_MAX_BYTES,
   QUICK_OPEN_LEGACY_REMOTE_RESULT_LIMIT
@@ -13,13 +10,14 @@ import { QuickOpenPathRanker } from '../../shared/quick-open-path-search'
 export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRemoteQuickOpenFilePaths extends RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchLocalRuntimeFiles {
   protected async searchRemoteQuickOpenFilePaths(
     rootPath: string,
-    connectionId: string,
+    // `null` is "remote and currently unreachable": quick open reports no matches rather than
+    // failing the keystroke, but it never falls back to searching this machine.
+    provider: IFilesystemProvider | null,
     query: string,
     limit: number,
     excludePaths?: string[],
     signal?: AbortSignal
   ): Promise<{ paths: string[]; totalCount: number; truncated: boolean }> {
-    const provider = getSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId)
     if (!provider) {
       return { paths: [], totalCount: 0, truncated: false }
     }
@@ -55,11 +53,10 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRemoteQuickOpenFilePaths extends Runti
     }
   }
 
-  protected async readRemoteMobileFile(filePath: string, connectionId: string): Promise<string> {
-    const provider = getSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId)
-    if (!provider) {
-      throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-    }
+  protected async readRemoteMobileFile(
+    filePath: string,
+    provider: IFilesystemProvider
+  ): Promise<string> {
     const fileStat = await provider.stat(filePath)
     // Why: no ranged reads over SSH here, so reject oversized previews instead of streaming a whole file just to trim it.
     if (fileStat.size > MOBILE_FILE_READ_MAX_BYTES) {
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-runtime-files.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-runtime-files.ts
index f31b65c0cdf..5cd1f6246a8 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-runtime-files.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-search-runtime-files.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@
 import { RuntimeFileCommandsWithCreateFileExplorerDirNoClobber } from './runtime-file-commands-create-file-explorer-dir-no-clobber'
 import type { SearchOptions, SearchResult } from '../../shared/code-search-types'
 import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+  requireRuntimeFileProvider,
+  runtimeFileRouteForTarget
+} from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { QUICK_OPEN_LISTING_MAX_RESULTS } from '../../shared/quick-open-listing-limits'
 import { limitQuickOpenFilesBySerializedBytes } from '../../shared/quick-open-transport-budget'
 import { listQuickOpenFiles } from '../ipc/filesystem-list-files'
@@ -22,13 +22,10 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileComman
     options: Omit<SearchOptions, 'rootPath'>
   ): Promise<SearchResult> {
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
     const rootPath = target.worktree.path
     const searchOptions = { ...options, rootPath }
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    if (provider) {
       return provider.search(searchOptions)
     }
     return this.searchLocalRuntimeFiles(rootPath, searchOptions)
@@ -44,8 +41,10 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileComman
     } = {}
   ): Promise<string[]> {
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
+    const route = runtimeFileRouteForTarget(target)
+    if (route.kind === 'ssh') {
+      // Why: quick-open listings degrade to empty for an unreachable host rather than throwing.
+      const provider = route.provider
       if (!provider) {
         return []
       }
@@ -73,11 +72,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileComman
 
   async listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(worktreeSelector: string): Promise<MarkdownDocument[]> {
     const target = await this.host.resolveRuntimeFileTarget(worktreeSelector)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       const relativePaths = await provider.listFiles(target.worktree.path)
       return markdownDocumentsFromRelativePaths(target.worktree.path, relativePaths)
     }
@@ -89,11 +85,8 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithSearchRuntimeFiles extends RuntimeFileComman
     relativePath: string
   ): Promise<{ size: number; isDirectory: boolean; mtime: number }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       const fileStat = await provider.stat(target.path)
       return {
         size: fileStat.size,
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-write-file-explorer-file.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-write-file-explorer-file.ts
index 2ebc30bec74..3336a86e7d7 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-write-file-explorer-file.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-commands-write-file-explorer-file.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,7 @@
 // @ts-nocheck -- mechanically split class members.
 import { RuntimeFileCommandsWithReadFileExplorerPreview } from './runtime-file-commands-read-file-explorer-preview'
 import { assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit'
-import {
-  SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE,
-  getSshFilesystemProvider
-} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import { requireRuntimeFileProvider } from './runtime-file-command-target'
 import { lstat, mkdir, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { resolveAuthorizedPath } from '../ipc/filesystem-auth'
 import { isENOENT } from '../ipc/filesystem-path-containment'
@@ -25,16 +22,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile extends RuntimeFileCom
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.writeFile(target.path, content)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -64,17 +58,14 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile extends RuntimeFileCom
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
     const content = Buffer.from(contentBase64, 'base64')
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.writeFileBase64(target.path, contentBase64)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -96,17 +87,14 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile extends RuntimeFileCom
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
     const content = Buffer.from(contentBase64, 'base64')
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.writeFileBase64Chunk(target.path, contentBase64, append)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -126,16 +114,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile extends RuntimeFileCom
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.createFile(target.path)
       return { ok: true }
     }
@@ -159,16 +144,13 @@ export class RuntimeFileCommandsWithWriteFileExplorerFile extends RuntimeFileCom
   ): Promise<{ ok: true }> {
     const target = await this.resolveFileExplorerPath(worktreeSelector, relativePath)
     assertRuntimeFileMutationExpectation(
-      target.connectionId,
+      target.executionHostId,
       expectedExecutionHostId,
       expectedSshTargetId,
       expectedSshConnectionGeneration
     )
-    const provider = target.connectionId ? getSshFilesystemProvider(target.connectionId) : null
-    if (target.connectionId) {
-      if (!provider) {
-        throw new Error(SSH_FILESYSTEM_PROVIDER_UNAVAILABLE_MESSAGE)
-      }
+    const provider = requireRuntimeFileProvider(target)
+    if (provider) {
       await provider.createDir(target.path)
       return { ok: true }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-connection-field-ratchet.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-connection-field-ratchet.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..da7c583e60b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-connection-field-ratchet.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { readFileSync, readdirSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+/**
+ * Guard the removal of `ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget.connectionId` at the tree level.
+ *
+ * Removing the field is what turned every reader into an error rather than letting old call sites
+ * silently inherit a changed meaning — the way this defect spread. But the whole
+ * `runtime-file-commands-*` family carries `// @ts-nocheck` from a mechanical class split, so the
+ * compiler reports nothing there: a re-introduced `target.connectionId` would read `undefined`,
+ * which is exactly the "unresolved means local" spelling the migration deleted (#11163).
+ *
+ * This test is the compile error those files cannot produce. Routing goes through
+ * `runtime-file-command-target.ts`, which is deliberately not `@ts-nocheck`.
+ */
+const RUNTIME_DIR = __dirname
+const TARGET_MODULE = 'runtime-file-command-target.ts'
+
+// Matches `target.connectionId`, `tempTarget.connectionId`, `knownWorkspaceTarget?.connectionId`.
+// Not `grant.connectionId` or `args.connectionId`: a grant and a leaf argument legitimately carry
+// an SSH target id, having already been resolved from a host.
+const TARGET_CONNECTION_READ = /\b\w*[Tt]arget\??\.connectionId\b/
+
+function familyFiles(): string[] {
+  return readdirSync(RUNTIME_DIR).filter(
+    (name) =>
+      (name.startsWith('runtime-file-') || name === 'orca-runtime-file-commands.ts') &&
+      name.endsWith('.ts') &&
+      !name.endsWith('.test.ts')
+  )
+}
+
+describe('runtime file target connection field', () => {
+  it('is read nowhere in the runtime file command family', () => {
+    const offenders = familyFiles().filter((name) =>
+      TARGET_CONNECTION_READ.test(readFileSync(join(RUNTIME_DIR, name), 'utf8'))
+    )
+
+    expect(offenders).toEqual([])
+  })
+
+  // The one module in the family the compiler still checks; it is where the routing rule lives.
+  it('routes through a module the compiler still checks', () => {
+    const source = readFileSync(join(RUNTIME_DIR, TARGET_MODULE), 'utf8')
+
+    expect(source).not.toMatch(/@ts-nocheck/)
+    expect(source).toMatch(/executionHostId: ExecutionHostId/)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-execution-host.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-execution-host.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d9770b182df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-target-execution-host.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,245 @@
+// `resolveRuntimeFileTarget` read `store.getRepo(worktree.repoId)?.connectionId` and never looked
+// at `worktree.hostId`, so one arbitrarily chosen row decided the execution host for ~30 downstream
+// filesystem dispatches. `undefined` there meant "runtime host", "unresolved" and "genuinely local"
+// at once (#11163). These cases pin all four answers end to end, through the real SSH filesystem
+// provider table. Companion to runtime-git-target-execution-host.test.ts.
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+vi.mock('electron', () => ({
+  BrowserWindow: { fromId: vi.fn(() => null) },
+  webContents: { fromId: vi.fn(() => null) },
+  ipcMain: { on: vi.fn(), removeListener: vi.fn() },
+  app: { getPath: vi.fn(() => '/tmp'), isPackaged: false }
+}))
+
+import type * as MarkdownDocumentsModule from '../ipc/markdown-documents'
+
+const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({ listMarkdownDocuments: vi.fn() }))
+
+vi.mock('../ipc/markdown-documents', async () => ({
+  ...(await vi.importActual<typeof MarkdownDocumentsModule>('../ipc/markdown-documents')),
+  listMarkdownDocuments: mocks.listMarkdownDocuments
+}))
+
+import { ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError } from '../providers/execution-host-provider-dispatch'
+import {
+  registerSshFilesystemProvider,
+  unregisterSshFilesystemProvider
+} from '../providers/ssh-filesystem-dispatch'
+import { OrcaRuntimeService } from './orca-runtime'
+
+const REMOTE_PATH = '/srv/app-feature'
+const WORKTREE_ID = 'repo-shared::/srv/app-feature'
+
+type RuntimeInternals = {
+  resolveWorktreeSelector: (selector: string) => Promise<unknown>
+}
+
+function makeRuntime(repos: readonly Record<string, unknown>[], hostId?: string) {
+  const store = {
+    getSettings: () => ({
+      disabledTuiAgents: [],
+      workspaceDir: '/tmp/workspaces'
+    }),
+    getProjectHostSetups: () => [],
+    getProjects: () => [],
+    getFolderWorkspaces: () => [],
+    getRepos: () => repos,
+    getRepo: (id: string) => repos.find((repo) => repo.id === id)
+  }
+  const runtime = new OrcaRuntimeService(store as never)
+  vi.spyOn(runtime as unknown as RuntimeInternals, 'resolveWorktreeSelector').mockResolvedValue({
+    id: WORKTREE_ID,
+    repoId: 'repo-shared',
+    path: REMOTE_PATH,
+    git: {
+      path: REMOTE_PATH,
+      branch: 'main',
+      isBare: false,
+      isMainWorktree: false
+    },
+    ...(hostId ? { hostId } : {})
+  })
+  return runtime
+}
+
+function stubProvider() {
+  return { listFiles: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(['README.md']) }
+}
+
+describe('runtime file target execution host', () => {
+  const registered: string[] = []
+
+  function register(connectionId: string) {
+    const provider = stubProvider()
+    registerSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId, provider as never)
+    registered.push(connectionId)
+    return provider
+  }
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks()
+    mocks.listMarkdownDocuments.mockReset().mockResolvedValue([])
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    for (const connectionId of registered.splice(0)) {
+      unregisterSshFilesystemProvider(connectionId)
+    }
+  })
+
+  // The case whose absence let the original cross-host leak through review: two SSH hosts
+  // registered at once, and the rival row is the one `getRepo` returns first.
+  it('lists an ssh workspace from the host it names, not from a rival row on another ssh host', async () => {
+    const openclaw = register('openclaw')
+    const m4air = register('m4air')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [
+        { id: 'repo-shared', path: '/home/me/app', connectionId: 'openclaw' },
+        { id: 'repo-shared', path: '/srv/app', connectionId: 'm4air' }
+      ],
+      'ssh:m4air'
+    )
+
+    await runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)
+
+    expect(m4air.listFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(REMOTE_PATH)
+    expect(openclaw.listFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it("routes to the workspace's host even when the only repo row names a different ssh host", async () => {
+    const openclaw = register('openclaw')
+    const m4air = register('m4air')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [{ id: 'repo-shared', path: '/home/me/app', connectionId: 'openclaw' }],
+      'ssh:m4air'
+    )
+
+    await runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)
+
+    expect(m4air.listFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(REMOTE_PATH)
+    expect(openclaw.listFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  // `local` has no SSH namespace to nest in, so a surviving `connectionId` is a row contradicting
+  // itself. The old shape handed it out and read a local workspace off a remote host.
+  it('ignores a stale connection on a row that declares itself local', async () => {
+    const m4air = register('m4air')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [
+        {
+          id: 'repo-shared',
+          path: '/home/me/app',
+          executionHostId: 'local',
+          connectionId: 'm4air'
+        }
+      ],
+      'local'
+    )
+
+    await runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)
+
+    expect(m4air.listFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).toHaveBeenCalledWith(REMOTE_PATH)
+  })
+
+  // A `runtime:` row's `connectionId` names a target in the *server's* namespace. Reading it here
+  // reaches a same-named target on this client — a silent-wrong-host answer, worse than the
+  // silent-local one it replaced.
+  it('refuses a runtime host whose nested ssh target is also registered on this client', async () => {
+    const impostor = register('nested-1')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [
+        {
+          id: 'repo-shared',
+          path: '/srv/app',
+          executionHostId: 'runtime:env-a',
+          connectionId: 'nested-1'
+        }
+      ],
+      'runtime:env-a'
+    )
+
+    await expect(runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)).rejects.toThrow(
+      ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError
+    )
+    expect(impostor.listFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('refuses a runtime host with no nested ssh target rather than answering locally', async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [
+        {
+          id: 'repo-shared',
+          path: '/srv/app',
+          executionHostId: 'runtime:env-a'
+        }
+      ],
+      'runtime:env-a'
+    )
+
+    await expect(runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)).rejects.toThrow(
+      ExecutionHostNotDispatchableError
+    )
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('refuses rather than guessing when rival rows disagree and the workspace names no host', async () => {
+    register('m4air')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime([
+      { id: 'repo-shared', path: '/srv/app', connectionId: 'm4air' },
+      { id: 'repo-shared', path: '/home/me/app' }
+    ])
+
+    await expect(runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)).rejects.toThrow(
+      'worktree_execution_host_unresolved'
+    )
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  it('still answers from the single row when the workspace names no host', async () => {
+    const m4air = register('m4air')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime([{ id: 'repo-shared', path: '/srv/app', connectionId: 'm4air' }])
+
+    await runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)
+
+    expect(m4air.listFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(REMOTE_PATH)
+  })
+
+  // Losing contact with a remote host is never evidence that its files are here
+  // (docs/reference/ssh-execution-boundary.md).
+  it('reports the dropped connection instead of reading a remote path locally', async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [{ id: 'repo-shared', path: '/srv/app', connectionId: 'm4air' }],
+      'ssh:m4air'
+    )
+
+    await expect(runtime.listRuntimeMarkdownDocuments(`id:${WORKTREE_ID}`)).rejects.toThrow(
+      /Remote connection dropped/
+    )
+    expect(mocks.listMarkdownDocuments).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
+  // The mutation guard recomputed the host from `connectionId`, so a client could satisfy a host
+  // expectation the workspace never named.
+  it('rejects a mutation whose expected host is the row rather than the resolved one', async () => {
+    register('m4air')
+    register('openclaw')
+    const runtime = makeRuntime(
+      [{ id: 'repo-shared', path: '/home/me/app', connectionId: 'openclaw' }],
+      'ssh:m4air'
+    )
+
+    await expect(
+      runtime.createFileExplorerDir(
+        `id:${WORKTREE_ID}`,
+        'docs',
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        'ssh:openclaw'
+      )
+    ).rejects.toThrow('Workspace host changed; refresh and try again')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-watcher-leases.ts b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-watcher-leases.ts
index f1d8a3594af..6b4a221528d 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-watcher-leases.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/runtime-file-watcher-leases.ts
@@ -9,9 +9,6 @@ import {
 } from './runtime-file-commands-mobile-file-list-limit'
 import { isWatcherProcessFailure } from '../ipc/parcel-watcher-process-failure'
 import { stopSshFileExplorerWatchRearms } from './runtime-file-commands-ssh-file-watcher-rearm'
-import type { GitWorktreeInfo, Worktree } from '../../shared/worktree/types'
-import type { ExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
-import { toSshExecutionHostId } from '../../shared/execution-host'
 
 export function registerRuntimeFileWatcherRelease(
   runtimeId: string,
@@ -178,19 +175,3 @@ export function _resetRuntimeFileWatcherLeasesForTests(): void {
   }
   runtimeFileWatcherLeasesByOwnerAndRoot.clear()
 }
-
-export type ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree = Worktree & { git: GitWorktreeInfo }
-
-export type ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget = {
-  worktree: ResolvedRuntimeFileWorktree
-  connectionId?: string
-}
-
-export function getRuntimeFileTargetExecutionHostId(
-  target: ResolvedRuntimeFileTarget
-): ExecutionHostId {
-  return (
-    target.worktree.hostId ??
-    (target.connectionId ? toSshExecutionHostId(target.connectionId) : 'local')
-  )
-}