diff --git a/docs/product-catalog.json b/docs/product-catalog.json
index 01f67a6b3..d351def6b 100644
--- a/docs/product-catalog.json
+++ b/docs/product-catalog.json
@@ -675,9 +675,9 @@
       "mcp_prompts": 6
     },
     "digests": {
-      "tools_sha256": "8816080083d86cb4c05db8d1ef452938abef2e6fdeead566252592ffbb55d828",
+      "tools_sha256": "c77a3b4740fc2e78172e1d6757b1915d2b638185d8e87d2f1885bb41ce538813",
       "prompts_sha256": "ef2de8814390b340623c32001610aa2709d90bed51537b6e562ab3abf144ab4d",
-      "combined_sha256": "9b4e896d2585645f1ed1f9f3eef270cf798f08035c70091178b7bd6119b22bf5",
+      "combined_sha256": "e652c2ec4cde078a23735789c1d01cb1b9d316c9af7708e86f2c5c31b37b0e51",
       "providers_sha256": "aea15f517c822d80918ccaba57a4fa06557f484cf27b8acbaed4e1a660fac896"
     }
   }
diff --git a/docs/verification/managed-conformance-manifest.json b/docs/verification/managed-conformance-manifest.json
index d427f4a88..c62a0db7f 100644
--- a/docs/verification/managed-conformance-manifest.json
+++ b/docs/verification/managed-conformance-manifest.json
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 {
-  "manifest_id": "ecm_82b2f9406099c2d152fcfa020c3acb23deb22d82405d42a610553e2bd0da94cc",
+  "manifest_id": "ecm_aa4a1c78be657e901c87cc215a703938cfe54d7a54411cbfd64872de3ce78b93",
   "verifier": {
     "id": "rea-managed-conformance",
     "version": "1"
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
   "skill_digests": [
     {
       "skill_id": "reverse-engineer-anything",
-      "sha256": "77c5acdd9315573e4a1a0843e4ca643626674d2872729fd5db491261d386f110"
+      "sha256": "57f28ace603b9eb5d6d9ea64d68f563ea8a4833e6a53dd7b4b40ce5fb3ac56e1"
     }
   ],
   "claims": [
diff --git a/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/SKILL.md b/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/SKILL.md
index fe96353d4..5932d0631 100644
--- a/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/reverse-engineer-anything/SKILL.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ description: Reverse engineer native, managed, Electron/JavaScript, packaged, fi
 metadata:
   version: "27"
   tool_count: 133
-  catalog_digest: "9b4e896d2585645f1ed1f9f3eef270cf798f08035c70091178b7bd6119b22bf5"
+  catalog_digest: "e652c2ec4cde078a23735789c1d01cb1b9d316c9af7708e86f2c5c31b37b0e51"
 ---
 
 # REA
diff --git a/src/browser/PlaywrightScenarioActions.test.ts b/src/browser/PlaywrightScenarioActions.test.ts
index 2acd4322d..53ffd685d 100644
--- a/src/browser/PlaywrightScenarioActions.test.ts
+++ b/src/browser/PlaywrightScenarioActions.test.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { browserScenarioSchema } from "../domain/browserScenario.js";
 
 it("uses exact accessible-name matching without a caller confirmation field", async () => {
   const scenario = browserScenarioSchema.parse({
-    browser: { mode: "launch", executable_path: "chrome" },
+    browser: { mode: "launch", executable_path: "/opt/chromium/chrome" },
     start_url: { url: "https://app.example.test/" },
     actions: [
       {
diff --git a/src/cli/electronCommands.ts b/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
index adfce2e09..e91b1ff63 100644
--- a/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
+++ b/src/cli/electronCommands.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { projectInputIssues } from "../domain/inputIssueProjection.js";
 import type { JsonValue } from "../domain/jsonValue.js";
 import type { Logger } from "../logger.js";
 import { CLI_COMMANDS } from "../cliCommandNames.js";
-import { parseCliJsonInput } from "../cliJsonInput.js";
+import { parseCliJsonInput, resolveCliJsonPaths } from "../cliJsonInput.js";
 import {
   electronPageInspectionOptions,
   javascriptApplicationOptions,
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ const registerElectronActiveCommand = (
         );
         if (!input.ok) return input.error;
         const parsed = electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse(
-          input.value,
+          resolveCliJsonPaths(input.value, [
+            ["executable_path"],
+            ["application_path"],
+            ["application_root"],
+          ]),
         );
         if (!parsed.success)
           return inputError(
diff --git a/src/cli/firmwareCommands.ts b/src/cli/firmwareCommands.ts
index 961b44386..ad08c7804 100644
--- a/src/cli/firmwareCommands.ts
+++ b/src/cli/firmwareCommands.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { z } from "incur";
+import { resolve } from "node:path";
 import { FirmwareAnalysisService } from "../application/firmware/FirmwareAnalysisService.js";
 import { createFirmwareAnalysisProvider } from "../composition/firmware.js";
 import { CLI_COMMANDS } from "../cliCommandNames.js";
@@ -38,7 +39,8 @@ export const registerFirmwareCommands = (
       execute(
         CLI_COMMANDS.inspectFirmwareRegions,
         "inspect_firmware_regions",
-        args,
+        // CLI paths are operator-relative; resolve before shared validation.
+        { path: resolve(args.path) },
       ),
   });
   cli.command(CLI_COMMANDS.extractFirmware, {
@@ -81,8 +83,8 @@ export const registerFirmwareCommands = (
     }),
     run: ({ args, options }) =>
       execute(CLI_COMMANDS.extractFirmware, "extract_firmware", {
-        path: args.path,
-        output_directory: args.outputDirectory,
+        path: resolve(args.path),
+        output_directory: resolve(args.outputDirectory),
         ...(options.offset === undefined && options.length === undefined
           ? {}
           : { range: { offset: options.offset, length: options.length } }),
diff --git a/src/cliBrowserScenarioCommands.ts b/src/cliBrowserScenarioCommands.ts
index 46f928741..23984effb 100644
--- a/src/cliBrowserScenarioCommands.ts
+++ b/src/cliBrowserScenarioCommands.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { z } from "zod";
 import { captureBrowserScenario } from "./application/BrowserScenarioCaptureService.js";
 import { createBrowserScenarioProvider } from "./composition/browserScenario.js";
 import { CLI_COMMANDS } from "./cliCommandNames.js";
-import { parseCliJsonInput } from "./cliJsonInput.js";
+import { parseCliJsonInput, resolveCliJsonPaths } from "./cliJsonInput.js";
 import { logCliCommand } from "./cliLogging.js";
 import { AnalysisInputError } from "./domain/analysisErrorCore.js";
 import { projectAnalysisError } from "./domain/analysisErrorProjection.js";
@@ -32,7 +32,9 @@ export const registerBrowserScenarioCommands = (
       logCliCommand(logger, CLI_COMMANDS.captureBrowserScenario, async () => {
         const input = await parseCliJsonInput(args.inputJson, OPERATION);
         if (!input.ok) return input.error;
-        const scenario = browserScenarioSchema.safeParse(input.value);
+        const scenario = browserScenarioSchema.safeParse(
+          resolveCliJsonPaths(input.value, [["browser", "executable_path"]]),
+        );
         if (!scenario.success)
           return cliError(
             new AnalysisInputError(
diff --git a/src/cliJsonInput.ts b/src/cliJsonInput.ts
index f6356c71e..4a29c292a 100644
--- a/src/cliJsonInput.ts
+++ b/src/cliJsonInput.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { readFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { resolve } from "node:path";
 
 import { AnalysisInputError } from "./domain/analysisErrorCore.js";
 import { projectAnalysisError } from "./domain/analysisErrorProjection.js";
@@ -33,6 +34,40 @@ export const parseCliJsonInput = async (
   }
 };
 
+/**
+ * Resolve named string fields of CLI-supplied JSON against the operator
+ * working directory. Each entry is a key path from the document root; only
+ * fields holding strings are resolved, everything else passes through
+ * untouched. Shared MCP contracts reject relative paths, so CLI workflows
+ * resolve operator-relative values before validation.
+ */
+export const resolveCliJsonPaths = (
+  value: unknown,
+  paths: ReadonlyArray<ReadonlyArray<string>>,
+): unknown => {
+  let resolved = value;
+  for (const keys of paths) resolved = resolveJsonPath(resolved, keys);
+  return resolved;
+};
+
+const resolveJsonPath = (
+  value: unknown,
+  keys: ReadonlyArray<string>,
+): unknown => {
+  const [head, ...tail] = keys;
+  if (typeof value !== "object" || value === null || Array.isArray(value))
+    return value;
+  const entries = Object.entries(value).map(
+    ([key, entry]: readonly [string, unknown]): readonly [string, unknown] => {
+      if (key !== head) return [key, entry];
+      if (tail.length === 0)
+        return [key, typeof entry === "string" ? resolve(entry) : entry];
+      return [key, resolveJsonPath(entry, tail)];
+    },
+  );
+  return Object.fromEntries(entries);
+};
+
 const cannotBeAnExistingFile = (cause: unknown): boolean =>
   typeof cause === "object" &&
   cause !== null &&
diff --git a/src/contracts/sessionLifecycleInputs.ts b/src/contracts/sessionLifecycleInputs.ts
index 7a62d107e..8e3b7d698 100644
--- a/src/contracts/sessionLifecycleInputs.ts
+++ b/src/contracts/sessionLifecycleInputs.ts
@@ -15,9 +15,21 @@ const snapshotPathSchema = z
     "Absolute local filesystem path for the analysis snapshot; relative paths are rejected.",
   );
 
+/** Caller-supplied analysis target path; must name the target absolutely. */
+const binaryTargetPathSchema = z
+  .string()
+  .min(1)
+  .refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+    message:
+      "path must be an absolute local filesystem path (for example /tmp/fixture.bin or C:\\analysis\\fixture.bin)",
+  })
+  .describe(
+    "Absolute local filesystem path for the analysis target; relative paths are rejected.",
+  );
+
 /** Input contract for opening a target with an optional staged snapshot. */
 export const openBinaryInputSchema = z.object({
-  path: z.string().min(1),
+  path: binaryTargetPathSchema,
   format: executableFormatHintSchema
     .optional()
     .describe(
diff --git a/src/contracts/sessionPathInputs.test.ts b/src/contracts/sessionPathInputs.test.ts
index 4d4755418..ac332e5d9 100644
--- a/src/contracts/sessionPathInputs.test.ts
+++ b/src/contracts/sessionPathInputs.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
+import { browserScenarioBrowserSchema } from "../domain/browserScenarioValues.js";
+import { firmwareInputSchemas } from "../domain/firmware/firmwareAnalysis.js";
+import { electronActiveObservationInputSchema } from "../domain/javascript/electronActiveObservation.js";
 import { managedArtifactInputSchema } from "./managed/managedToolContracts.js";
 import { exportEvidenceBundleInputSchema } from "./sessionToolContracts.js";
 import {
   closeBinaryInputSchema,
   openBinaryInputSchema,
 } from "./sessionLifecycleInputs.js";
+import { importEvidenceBundleInputSchema } from "./sessionToolSchemas.js";
+import { binarySessionInputSchema } from "./sessionStatusContract.js";
 
 const openBinaryAbsolute = (snapshot_path: string) =>
   openBinaryInputSchema.safeParse({ path: "/tmp/fixture", snapshot_path });
@@ -119,3 +124,151 @@ describe.runIf(process.platform === "win32")(
     });
   },
 );
+
+describe("open binary target path requires an absolute local path", () => {
+  it("rejects a relative target path", () => {
+    expect(
+      openBinaryInputSchema.safeParse({ path: "fixtures/app.bin" }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts an absolute target path", () => {
+    expect(
+      openBinaryInputSchema.safeParse({ path: "/tmp/fixture.bin" }).success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("evidence bundle import path requires an absolute local path", () => {
+  it("rejects a relative bundle path", () => {
+    expect(
+      importEvidenceBundleInputSchema.safeParse({ path: "evidence.json" })
+        .success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts an absolute bundle path", () => {
+    expect(
+      importEvidenceBundleInputSchema.safeParse({ path: "/tmp/evidence.json" })
+        .success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("firmware input path requires an absolute local path", () => {
+  it("rejects a relative firmware path when inspecting regions", () => {
+    expect(
+      firmwareInputSchemas.inspect_firmware_regions.safeParse({
+        path: "firmware.bin",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a relative firmware path when extracting", () => {
+    expect(
+      firmwareInputSchemas.extract_firmware.safeParse({
+        path: "firmware.bin",
+        output_directory: "/tmp/firmware-output",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts an absolute firmware path", () => {
+    expect(
+      firmwareInputSchemas.inspect_firmware_regions.safeParse({
+        path: "/tmp/firmware.bin",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("browser executable path requires an absolute local path", () => {
+  it("rejects a bare executable name", () => {
+    expect(
+      browserScenarioBrowserSchema.safeParse({
+        mode: "launch",
+        executable_path: "chrome",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts an absolute executable path", () => {
+    expect(
+      browserScenarioBrowserSchema.safeParse({
+        mode: "launch",
+        executable_path: "/opt/chromium/chrome",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("electron observation paths require absolute local paths", () => {
+  const valid = {
+    executable_path: "/Applications/Electron.app/Contents/MacOS/Electron",
+    application_path: "/tmp/electron-app/main.js",
+  };
+
+  it("rejects a relative executable path", () => {
+    expect(
+      electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse({
+        ...valid,
+        executable_path: "Electron",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a relative application path", () => {
+    expect(
+      electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse({
+        ...valid,
+        application_path: "main.js",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects a relative application root", () => {
+    expect(
+      electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse({
+        ...valid,
+        application_root: "app",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts absolute observation paths", () => {
+    expect(
+      electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse({
+        ...valid,
+        application_root: "/tmp/electron-app",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("still accepts omitting the application root", () => {
+    expect(electronActiveObservationInputSchema.safeParse(valid).success).toBe(
+      true,
+    );
+  });
+});
+
+describe("expected server path requires an absolute local path", () => {
+  it("rejects a relative server path", () => {
+    expect(
+      binarySessionInputSchema.safeParse({
+        expected_server_path: "dist/main.js",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("accepts an absolute server path", () => {
+    expect(
+      binarySessionInputSchema.safeParse({
+        expected_server_path: "/opt/rea/dist/main.js",
+      }).success,
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("still accepts omitting the server path", () => {
+    expect(binarySessionInputSchema.safeParse({}).success).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/contracts/sessionStatusContract.ts b/src/contracts/sessionStatusContract.ts
index c19c73a3b..b06807c17 100644
--- a/src/contracts/sessionStatusContract.ts
+++ b/src/contracts/sessionStatusContract.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 
+import { isAbsoluteLocalPath } from "../domain/localPath.js";
+
 /** Optional expectations used to compare the live session with its caller. */
 export const binarySessionInputSchema = z.object({
   expected_package_version: z.string().min(1).optional(),
@@ -7,5 +9,15 @@ export const binarySessionInputSchema = z.object({
     .string()
     .regex(/^[a-f0-9]{64}$/u)
     .optional(),
-  expected_server_path: z.string().min(1).optional(),
+  expected_server_path: z
+    .string()
+    .min(1)
+    .refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+      message:
+        "expected_server_path must be an absolute local filesystem path (for example /opt/rea/dist/main.js)",
+    })
+    .describe(
+      "Absolute local filesystem path expected for the running server; relative paths are rejected.",
+    )
+    .optional(),
 });
diff --git a/src/contracts/sessionToolSchemas.ts b/src/contracts/sessionToolSchemas.ts
index 39d444d0d..87afe287a 100644
--- a/src/contracts/sessionToolSchemas.ts
+++ b/src/contracts/sessionToolSchemas.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 
+import { isAbsoluteLocalPath } from "../domain/localPath.js";
+
 import { artifactComparisonInputSchema } from "../domain/artifactComparison.js";
 import { bundleComparisonInputSchema } from "../domain/bundleComparison.js";
 import { callPathInputSchema } from "../domain/callPath.js";
@@ -36,7 +38,16 @@ export const addressContextInputSchema = z.strictObject({
 
 /** Session-owned Evidence bundle import options. */
 export const importEvidenceBundleInputSchema = z.strictObject({
-  path: z.string().min(1),
+  path: z
+    .string()
+    .min(1)
+    .refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+      message:
+        "path must be an absolute local filesystem path (for example /tmp/evidence.json or C:\\rea\\evidence.json)",
+    })
+    .describe(
+      "Absolute local filesystem path for the evidence bundle to import; relative paths are rejected.",
+    ),
 });
 
 /** Evidence references for deterministic process comparison. */
diff --git a/src/contracts/toolContractExamples.ts b/src/contracts/toolContractExamples.ts
index 6a47936e2..2135a8543 100644
--- a/src/contracts/toolContractExamples.ts
+++ b/src/contracts/toolContractExamples.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export const TOOL_EXAMPLE_OVERRIDES: Readonly<
   open_binary: { path: "/tmp/fixture" },
   export_evidence_bundle: { path: "/tmp/evidence.json" },
   inspect_address_context: { address: "0x1000" },
-  import_evidence_bundle: { path: "evidence.json" },
+  import_evidence_bundle: { path: "/tmp/evidence.json" },
   capture_process_scenario: {
     executable: "/usr/bin/true",
     working_directory: "/tmp",
diff --git a/src/domain/browserScenario.test.ts b/src/domain/browserScenario.test.ts
index c69beeaef..a5527c4a1 100644
--- a/src/domain/browserScenario.test.ts
+++ b/src/domain/browserScenario.test.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ it("does not require duplicate origin scope declarations", () => {
   const scenario = browserScenarioSchema.parse({
     browser: {
       mode: "launch",
-      executable_path: "chrome",
+      executable_path: "/opt/chromium/chrome",
     },
     start_url: { url: "https://app.example.test/" },
     actions: [
diff --git a/src/domain/browserScenarioValues.ts b/src/domain/browserScenarioValues.ts
index a2cf1b97c..6313c7ca9 100644
--- a/src/domain/browserScenarioValues.ts
+++ b/src/domain/browserScenarioValues.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 
+import { isAbsoluteLocalPath } from "./localPath.js";
 import { browserNetworkContentSelectionSchema } from "./browserNetworkEvidence.js";
 
 import {
@@ -11,7 +12,14 @@ export const scenarioIdentifierSchema = z
   .string()
   .regex(/^[A-Za-z][A-Za-z0-9._-]*$/u);
 
-const browserExecutablePathSchema = z.string().trim().min(1);
+const browserExecutablePathSchema = z
+  .string()
+  .trim()
+  .min(1)
+  .refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+    message:
+      "executable_path must be an absolute local filesystem path (for example /opt/chromium/chrome or C:\\chromium\\chrome.exe)",
+  });
 
 const browserScenarioBaseUrlSchema = z
   .string()
@@ -67,7 +75,9 @@ export type BrowserScenarioUrl = z.infer<typeof browserScenarioUrlSchema>;
 export const browserScenarioBrowserSchema = z.discriminatedUnion("mode", [
   z.strictObject({
     mode: z.literal("launch"),
-    executable_path: browserExecutablePathSchema,
+    executable_path: browserExecutablePathSchema.describe(
+      "Absolute local filesystem path for the browser executable; relative paths are rejected.",
+    ),
     headless: z
       .boolean()
       .default(true)
diff --git a/src/domain/firmware/firmwareAnalysis.ts b/src/domain/firmware/firmwareAnalysis.ts
index 31bb12c3f..8a7f1f5de 100644
--- a/src/domain/firmware/firmwareAnalysis.ts
+++ b/src/domain/firmware/firmwareAnalysis.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,21 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 import { digestSchema } from "../digests.js";
 import { jsonValueSchema } from "../jsonValue.js";
+import { isAbsoluteLocalPath } from "../localPath.js";
 
 const bytes = z.number().int().min(0).max(Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER);
 const range = z.strictObject({ offset: bytes, length: bytes.positive() });
 const target = {
-  path: z.string().min(1).describe("Local firmware file; never executed"),
+  path: z
+    .string()
+    .min(1)
+    .refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+      message:
+        "path must be an absolute local filesystem path (for example /tmp/firmware.bin or C:\\firmware\\firmware.bin)",
+    })
+    .describe(
+      "Absolute local firmware file; never executed. Relative paths are rejected.",
+    ),
 };
 
 /** Explicit firmware inspection and extraction intent, independent of engines. */
diff --git a/src/domain/javascript/electronActiveObservation.ts b/src/domain/javascript/electronActiveObservation.ts
index 02d60b748..6c1391266 100644
--- a/src/domain/javascript/electronActiveObservation.ts
+++ b/src/domain/javascript/electronActiveObservation.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,11 @@
 import { z } from "zod";
 
-const pathInputSchema = z.string().trim().min(1);
+import { isAbsoluteLocalPath } from "../localPath.js";
+
+const pathInputSchema = z.string().trim().min(1).refine(isAbsoluteLocalPath, {
+  message:
+    "Electron executable, application, and root paths must be absolute local filesystem paths (for example /Applications/Electron.app/Contents/MacOS/Electron)",
+});
 const absolutePathSchema = z
   .string()
   .min(1)
@@ -60,9 +65,17 @@ const actionSchema = z.discriminatedUnion("kind", [
 
 /** Input for one explicit, provider-owned Electron runtime experiment. */
 export const electronActiveObservationInputSchema = z.strictObject({
-  executable_path: pathInputSchema,
-  application_path: pathInputSchema,
-  application_root: pathInputSchema.optional(),
+  executable_path: pathInputSchema.describe(
+    "Absolute local filesystem path for the Electron executable; relative paths are rejected.",
+  ),
+  application_path: pathInputSchema.describe(
+    "Absolute local filesystem path for the Electron application; relative paths are rejected.",
+  ),
+  application_root: pathInputSchema
+    .optional()
+    .describe(
+      "Absolute local filesystem root for application-relative paths; omit to derive it from the application path. Relative paths are rejected.",
+    ),
   args: z.array(z.string()).default([]),
   actions: z.array(actionSchema).default([]),
 });
diff --git a/tests/acceptance/nonBinaryComposition.test.ts b/tests/acceptance/nonBinaryComposition.test.ts
index a5229ebf0..f7c28fa41 100644
--- a/tests/acceptance/nonBinaryComposition.test.ts
+++ b/tests/acceptance/nonBinaryComposition.test.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,24 @@ cliTest.skipIf(process.platform !== "linux")(
   },
 );
 
+cliTest.skipIf(process.platform !== "linux")(
+  "resolves relative firmware CLI paths against the operator working directory",
+  async ({ cli }) => {
+    const root = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-firmware-cli-relative-");
+    await writeFile(join(root, "input.bin"), "firmware fixture");
+    const cliResult = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["inspect-firmware-regions", "input.bin", "--json"],
+      cwd: root,
+      environment: { REA_LOG_LEVEL: "silent" },
+      timeoutMs: 10_000,
+    });
+    // A relative path must pass input validation and reach the provider,
+    // which reports the missing firmware engine — not a validation error.
+    expect(cliResult.exitCode).toBe(1);
+    expect(cliResult.json).toMatchObject({ code: "capability_unavailable" });
+  },
+);
+
 cliTest(
   "preserves optional JavaScript recovery configuration through CLI and MCP",
   async ({ cli }) => {
diff --git a/tests/boundary/filesystem/cliJsonInput.test.ts b/tests/boundary/filesystem/cliJsonInput.test.ts
index 1a11ef459..41e101d47 100644
--- a/tests/boundary/filesystem/cliJsonInput.test.ts
+++ b/tests/boundary/filesystem/cliJsonInput.test.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 import { writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
-import { join } from "node:path";
+import { isAbsolute, join, resolve } from "node:path";
 
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
-import { parseCliJsonInput } from "../../../src/cliJsonInput.js";
+import {
+  parseCliJsonInput,
+  resolveCliJsonPaths,
+} from "../../../src/cliJsonInput.js";
 import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
 
 describe("CLI JSON input", () => {
@@ -51,3 +54,41 @@ describe("CLI JSON input", () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe("resolveCliJsonPaths", () => {
+  it("resolves named relative fields against the operator working directory", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveCliJsonPaths({ executable_path: "chrome" }, [["executable_path"]]),
+    ).toEqual({ executable_path: resolve("chrome") });
+    expect(isAbsolute(resolve("chrome"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves absolute fields unchanged", () => {
+    const value = { path: "/tmp/evidence.json" };
+    expect(resolveCliJsonPaths(value, [["path"]])).toEqual(value);
+  });
+
+  it("resolves nested key paths and preserves sibling fields", () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveCliJsonPaths(
+        {
+          browser: { mode: "launch", executable_path: "chrome" },
+          actions: [],
+        },
+        [["browser", "executable_path"]],
+      ),
+    ).toEqual({
+      browser: { mode: "launch", executable_path: resolve("chrome") },
+      actions: [],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("passes through non-objects, missing keys, and non-string fields", () => {
+    expect(resolveCliJsonPaths(null, [["path"]])).toBe(null);
+    expect(resolveCliJsonPaths("text", [["path"]])).toBe("text");
+    expect(resolveCliJsonPaths({ other: 1 }, [["path"]])).toEqual({
+      other: 1,
+    });
+    expect(resolveCliJsonPaths({ path: 42 }, [["path"]])).toEqual({ path: 42 });
+  });
+});