--- a/src/main/ssh/ssh-filesystem-stream-reader.ts
+++ b/src/main/ssh/ssh-filesystem-stream-reader.ts
@@ -77,7 +77 @@
-    // Why: chunk/end/error frames may arrive in the same dispatch tick as the
-    // metadata response. Queue them until streamIdRef is set, then drain.
-    type PendingFrame =
-      | { kind: 'chunk'; params: Record<string, unknown> }
-      | { kind: 'end'; params: Record<string, unknown> }
-      | { kind: 'error'; params: Record<string, unknown> }
-    const pending: PendingFrame[] = []
+    // Install metadata during response dispatch, before adjacent stream frames.
@@ -232,13 +225,0 @@
-    const drainPending = (): void => {
-      while (!settled && pending.length > 0) {
-        const frame = pending.shift()!
-        if (frame.kind === 'chunk') {
-          handleChunk(frame.params)
-        } else if (frame.kind === 'end') {
-          handleEnd(frame.params)
-        } else {
-          handleStreamError(frame.params)
-        }
-      }
-    }
-
@@ -248 +228,0 @@
-          pending.push({ kind: 'chunk', params })
@@ -257 +236,0 @@
-          pending.push({ kind: 'end', params })
@@ -266 +244,0 @@
-          pending.push({ kind: 'error', params })
@@ -287,51 +265,55 @@
-      .request('fs.readFileStream', { filePath, flowControl: 'ack' })
-      .then((rawMetadata) => {
-        if (settled) {
-          return
-        }
-        const metadata = rawMetadata as StreamMetadataResponse
-        isBinary = metadata.isBinary
-        isImage = metadata.isImage
-        mimeType = metadata.mimeType
-        resultEncoding = metadata.resultEncoding ?? RESULT_ENCODING_BASE64
-
-        if (metadata.empty) {
-          succeed({
-            content: '',
-            isBinary: metadata.isBinary,
-            ...(metadata.isImage !== undefined ? { isImage: metadata.isImage } : {}),
-            ...(metadata.mimeType !== undefined ? { mimeType: metadata.mimeType } : {})
-          })
-          return
-        }
-
-        if (typeof metadata.streamId !== 'number') {
-          fail(new StreamProtocolError('Metadata missing streamId for non-empty stream'))
-          return
-        }
-
-        const cap = sshFileStreamReadCap(metadata.isBinary, limits)
-        if (metadata.totalSize < 0 || metadata.totalSize > cap) {
-          streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
-          fail(
-            new FileReadCapExceededError(
-              `Reported totalSize ${metadata.totalSize} exceeds client cap ${cap}`
-            )
-          )
-          return
-        }
-
-        totalSize = metadata.totalSize
-        totalChunks = totalSize === 0 ? 0 : Math.ceil(totalSize / STREAM_CHUNK_SIZE)
-        try {
-          buffer = Buffer.alloc(totalSize)
-        } catch (err) {
-          streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
-          fail(new Error(`Failed to allocate ${totalSize} bytes: ${(err as Error).message}`))
-          return
-        }
-        streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
-        metadataReady = true
-        inactivity.reset()
-        drainPending()
-      })
+      .request(
+        'fs.readFileStream',
+        { filePath, flowControl: 'ack' },
+        {
+          beforeResolve: (rawMetadata) => {
+            if (settled) {
+              return
+            }
+            const metadata = rawMetadata as StreamMetadataResponse
+            isBinary = metadata.isBinary
+            isImage = metadata.isImage
+            mimeType = metadata.mimeType
+            resultEncoding = metadata.resultEncoding ?? RESULT_ENCODING_BASE64
+
+            if (metadata.empty) {
+              succeed({
+                content: '',
+                isBinary: metadata.isBinary,
+                ...(metadata.isImage !== undefined ? { isImage: metadata.isImage } : {}),
+                ...(metadata.mimeType !== undefined ? { mimeType: metadata.mimeType } : {})
+              })
+              return
+            }
+
+            if (typeof metadata.streamId !== 'number') {
+              fail(new StreamProtocolError('Metadata missing streamId for non-empty stream'))
+              return
+            }
+
+            const cap = sshFileStreamReadCap(metadata.isBinary, limits)
+            if (metadata.totalSize < 0 || metadata.totalSize > cap) {
+              streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
+              fail(
+                new FileReadCapExceededError(
+                  `Reported totalSize ${metadata.totalSize} exceeds client cap ${cap}`
+                )
+              )
+              return
+            }
+
+            totalSize = metadata.totalSize
+            totalChunks = totalSize === 0 ? 0 : Math.ceil(totalSize / STREAM_CHUNK_SIZE)
+            try {
+              buffer = Buffer.alloc(totalSize)
+            } catch (err) {
+              streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
+              fail(new Error(`Failed to allocate ${totalSize} bytes: ${(err as Error).message}`))
+              return
+            }
+            streamIdRef.current = metadata.streamId
+            metadataReady = true
+            inactivity.reset()
+          }
+        }
+      )