diff --git a/src/main/daemon/directory-enumeration-probe.ts b/src/main/daemon/directory-enumeration-probe.ts
index 75b4e38cf7b..3ba06b84710 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/directory-enumeration-probe.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/directory-enumeration-probe.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { opendirSync, type Dir } from 'node:fs'
+import type { Dir } from 'node:fs'
 import { opendir } from 'node:fs/promises'
 
 /** `denied` is the only outcome that proves a permission refusal; `other` keeps unknown errors apart. */
@@ -39,25 +39,3 @@ export async function enumerateDirectoryOnce(path: string): Promise<DirectoryEnu
     })
   }
 }
-
-/**
- * The blocking variant, for a process that has nothing else to serve while it waits. Never call it
- * from the app: on macOS this read is what raises the TCC prompt, and the prompt holds the syscall
- * until the user answers, which would take the event loop down with it for the whole time.
- */
-export function enumerateDirectoryOnceSync(path: string): DirectoryEnumerationOutcome {
-  let dir: Dir | undefined
-  try {
-    dir = opendirSync(path)
-    dir.readSync()
-    return 'ok'
-  } catch (error) {
-    return outcomeForError(error)
-  } finally {
-    try {
-      dir?.closeSync()
-    } catch {
-      // A handle we cannot close says nothing about readability.
-    }
-  }
-}
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-cwd-readability.test.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-cwd-readability.test.ts
index 3d9fec86dac..81f93b7b35d 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-cwd-readability.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-cwd-readability.test.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,20 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { SubprocessHandle } from './session-subprocess-handle'
 import { TerminalHost, type TerminalHostOptions } from './terminal-host'
 
-const { opendirSyncMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ opendirSyncMock: vi.fn() }))
-vi.mock('node:fs', async (importOriginal) => ({
+const { opendirMock } = vi.hoisted(() => ({ opendirMock: vi.fn() }))
+// Async on purpose: on macOS this read is what raises the TCC prompt, which holds the syscall for
+// as long as the user leaves the sheet up.
+vi.mock('node:fs/promises', async (importOriginal) => ({
   ...(await importOriginal<Record<string, unknown>>()),
-  opendirSync: opendirSyncMock
+  opendir: opendirMock
 }))
 
 vi.mock('../pty-descendant-termination', () => ({ killWithDescendantSweep: vi.fn() }))
 
-const closeSync = vi.fn()
+const close = vi.fn(async () => {})
 
-function dirReading(readSync: () => unknown): { readSync: () => unknown; closeSync: () => void } {
-  return { readSync, closeSync }
+function dirReading(read: () => unknown): { read: () => unknown; close: () => Promise<void> } {
+  return { read, close }
 }
 
 function failWith(code: string): never {
@@ -48,8 +50,8 @@ describe('TerminalHost cwd readability verdict', () => {
   let platformDescriptor: PropertyDescriptor | undefined
 
   beforeEach(() => {
-    closeSync.mockReset()
-    opendirSyncMock.mockReset().mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => ({ name: 'entry' })))
+    close.mockReset()
+    opendirMock.mockReset().mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => ({ name: 'entry' })))
     platformDescriptor = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(process, 'platform')
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'platform', { configurable: true, value: 'linux' })
     const spawnSubprocess: TerminalHostOptions['spawnSubprocess'] = () => createMockSubprocess()
@@ -74,39 +76,39 @@ describe('TerminalHost cwd readability verdict', () => {
 
   it('reports an enumerable cwd as readable, and closes the handle', async () => {
     expect((await create('readable', '/work/repo')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(true)
-    expect(opendirSyncMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/work/repo')
-    expect(closeSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(opendirMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/work/repo')
+    expect(close).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('reports an empty directory as readable', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => null))
+    opendirMock.mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => null))
     expect((await create('empty', '/work/empty')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(true)
   })
 
   // The #17696 shape: TCC refuses the daemon, and only a refusal may read as denial.
   it('reports EPERM on open as denied', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('EPERM'))
+    opendirMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('EPERM'))
     expect((await create('eperm', '/Users/alice/Documents/repo')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(false)
   })
 
   it('reports EACCES on the first read as denied, and still closes the handle', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => failWith('EACCES')))
+    opendirMock.mockReturnValue(dirReading(() => failWith('EACCES')))
     expect((await create('eacces', '/Users/alice/Desktop/repo')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(false)
-    expect(closeSync).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(close).toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('reports a missing cwd as readable — absence is not a permission denial', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('ENOENT'))
+    opendirMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('ENOENT'))
     expect((await create('enoent', '/definitely/not/a/real/dir')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(true)
   })
 
   it('reports a non-directory cwd as readable', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('ENOTDIR'))
+    opendirMock.mockImplementation(() => failWith('ENOTDIR'))
     expect((await create('enotdir', '/work/repo/file.txt')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(true)
   })
 
   it('reports an unexpected failure as readable — it must not masquerade as denial', async () => {
-    opendirSyncMock.mockImplementation(() => {
+    opendirMock.mockImplementation(() => {
       throw new TypeError('opendir is not a function')
     })
     expect((await create('unexpected', '/work/repo')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBe(true)
@@ -114,7 +116,7 @@ describe('TerminalHost cwd readability verdict', () => {
 
   it('omits the verdict when no cwd was requested', async () => {
     expect((await create('no-cwd')).cwdReadableByDaemon).toBeUndefined()
-    expect(opendirSyncMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(opendirMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
   it('omits the verdict on attach to an existing session', async () => {
diff --git a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
index 7958f67000d..001c724b1f1 100644
--- a/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
+++ b/src/main/daemon/terminal-host-session-create.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { buildStartupCommandSubmission } from '../../shared/startup-command-submission'
 import { resolvePtyOwnerBackend } from '../../shared/pty-owner-backend'
 import { getDaemonSessionResultMetadata } from './daemon-create-or-attach-result'
-import { enumerateDirectoryOnceSync } from './directory-enumeration-probe'
+import { enumerateDirectoryOnce } from './directory-enumeration-probe'
 import { normalizePtySize } from './daemon-pty-size'
 import { Session } from './session'
 import { shellPathSupportsPtyStartupBarrier } from './shell-ready'
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ async function spawnAndPublishSession(
 ): Promise<CreateOrAttachResult> {
   const { size, wslDistro } = ctx
   // Why before the fork: the shell's own cwd may already have fallen back, so probe the requested path.
-  const cwdReadableByDaemon = opts.cwd && !wslDistro ? isCwdReadableByThisProcess(opts.cwd) : null
+  const cwdReadableByDaemon =
+    opts.cwd && !wslDistro ? await isCwdReadableByThisProcess(opts.cwd) : null
   const subprocess = await deps.spawnSubprocess({
     sessionId: opts.sessionId,
     cols: size.cols,
@@ -227,6 +228,6 @@ function createSessionExitHandler(
 // Why enumeration: a shell's cwd listing is what TCC withholds, and it can withhold it while
 // `access()` still passes. Only a proven permission refusal reads as denial — a missing path or an
 // unexpected error reads as readable so it can never masquerade as one.
-function isCwdReadableByThisProcess(cwd: string): boolean {
-  return enumerateDirectoryOnceSync(cwd) !== 'denied'
+async function isCwdReadableByThisProcess(cwd: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  return (await enumerateDirectoryOnce(cwd)) !== 'denied'
 }