diff --git a/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.i18n.yaml b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.i18n.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..db2a7595b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.i18n.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# Bilingual-pair consistency record (docs/i18n/README.md): the git blob hash of each
+# side as of the last confirmed-consistent state. Both languages carry equal authority;
+# after editing either side, bring the other along and re-record with:
+#   pnpm run verify-translation-pairing --write .agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md
+2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md: e2693a6192cb78641d8a96937b39a4b06e884f04
+2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.zh.md: bc0c62868e3ffab44fc3effc1030d9caee331f26
diff --git a/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e2693a6192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Agent Note: Session prose local media paths display through a same-origin file route
+
+Status: implemented
+
+English | [中文](2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.zh.md)
+
+## Problem
+
+Assistant prose sometimes references an image by its local filesystem path (markdown `![](/Users/.../x.png)`). The Web renderer only allowed absolute HTTP(S) image destinations, so such references fell back to inert alt text: the browser cannot read Host files, and nothing served them. Searches of the formal and external issue trackers found no existing record, and issue #3662 logged the gap (Web cannot display local-path images referenced by agent answers).
+
+## Decision
+
+Local media paths in session prose render through one same-origin file route, with the rewrite vocabulary and the serving policy each owned where the repo's seams say they belong.
+
+- **Renderer seam (`ui-primitives`)**: `MarkdownText` gained a `MarkdownPathImages` vocabulary (`pathImages` prop) with the same settled-only gate as `fileMentions`: while a message streams, frozen cached blocks never bake in a vocabulary handler; the settled pass rewrites image destinations that fail the remote-URL allowlist, and a rewritten destination is emitted only when it is an absolute `http(s)`/`blob`/`data` URL. Without a vocabulary the renderer output is byte-identical to before.
+- **Chat wiring (`ui-chat`)**: `AssistantMarkdown` supplies a page-stable vocabulary mapping absolute POSIX paths to same-origin `/api/file?path=…` GETs (`local-path-media.ts`); non-HTTP transports (Electron `file://`) and relative/protocol-relative destinations stay inert.
+- **Host route (`session-controller`)**: `SessionMediaReferences`, a plugin contribution registered beside `SessionFileReferences`, mounts `GET|HEAD /api/file` on the shared authenticated `connection.fetch` channel (same trust fence and browser authentication as `/api` RPC). Per request it fail-closes: the path must be absolute, its `realpath` must lie inside a registered workspace root, the file must be regular, and its extension must name an allowlisted media type (PNG/JPEG/GIF/WebP/AVIF, MP4/WebM/MOV/OGG, MP3/WAV/Ogg/M4A/AAC/FLAC); image extensions are additionally checked against their byte signature. Responses stream with HTTP range support (206/416) so video and audio can seek, and carry `private, no-store` and `nosniff`. The contribution activates only where `connection` and `workspaceRegistry` are composed (pending-until-composed, like the package's other optional contributions).
+
+The route is presentational and stateless: it never writes, follows no redirects, and returns 400/403/404/415/416 instead of approximating another file-serving behavior.
+
+## Alternatives considered
+
+- **Register on the Typert gateway**: the gateway owns Remote RPC dispatch (endpoint claims, WebSocket mux, forwarded events), not file serving; placing the route there put HTTP presentation of workspace files into the RPC transport layer. Rejected and fully reverted.
+- **Register under `workspace-controller`**: that package owns workspace registry lifecycle (CRUD, ordering, feed), and shares only the registry as a policy data source. Rejected and fully reverted.
+- **Fetch bytes over the session RPC and show blob/data URLs**: attachment images already do this, but markdown rewriting needs a deterministic synchronous URL at render time (streaming freeze caches, memoization); an async round trip cannot be the render seam. Rejected.
+- **A per-image or image-only route**: media types share one path-and-contain policy; video/audio need range streaming anyway. One `/api/file` route with an extension allowlist plus signature checks for images covers all current and next media types. Rejected as narrower alternatives.
+- **Per-request interactive authorization, client-negotiated endpoints, or arbitrary host paths**: the rewrite is presentation; the route re-validates every request and limits readable bytes to registered workspace roots and allowlisted media, and the same-origin endpoint is a fixed channel contract rather than a negotiated capability. Rejected for security and determinism reasons.
+
+## Consequences
+
+- Assistant prose that references workspace-contained image files now displays them in Web chat; previously inert alt text disappears only where the host can serve the bytes.
+- Policy is enforced host-side per request; the client vocabulary never expands what the route allows.
+- Scope is deliberately narrow: only files under registered workspace roots with allowlisted media types are served; anything else keeps the authored fallback. Trajectory and tool-card markdown consumers do not pass a vocabulary yet, and video/audio markdown nodes are not rendered as `<video>`/`<audio>` yet — the URL layer already supports them.
+- The client hardcodes the `/api/file` endpoint as a same-origin channel contract; this is stable by construction because the page is served by the same host that mounts the route.
+- Related history: the archived note [model-readable image paths](../../archived/feature/2026-08-21-model-readable-image-paths.md) decided the model-facing side of local image paths; this note owns the user-facing display side and does not supersede it.
+
+## Testing
+
+Unit coverage: the renderer seam (settled and streaming gates, reference-style images, protocol re-checks), the chat vocabulary and component wiring, and the host route policy (containment, symlinks, media allowlist and signature mismatch, range parsing and 206/416 answers, HEAD, disposal of the plugin contribution). Full local evidence at open: typecheck clean; ui-primitives, ui-chat, and session-controller suites (103 files, 1456 tests) pass. Deferred to the PR follow-up: keyless recorded-session replay for the end-to-end GUI path and the browser demo GIF the GUI PR evidence chain requires.
diff --git a/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.zh.md b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.zh.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..bc0c62868e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.agents/notes/implemented/feature/2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.zh.md
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Agent Note: 会话正文本地媒体路径通过同源文件路由显示
+
+Status: implemented
+
+[English](2026-09-07-session-prose-local-media-display.md) | 中文
+
+## Problem
+
+Assistant 正文有时用本地文件系统路径引用图片（markdown `![](/Users/.../x.png)`）。Web 渲染器只允许绝对 HTTP(S) 图片目标，这类引用只能回退为惰性 alt 文本：浏览器读不到 Host 文件，也没有任何东西提供这些字节。检索正式与外部 Issue 仓库均无既有记录，issue #3662 记录了这一缺口（Web 无法显示 Agent 回答引用的本地路径图片）。
+
+## Decision
+
+会话正文中的本地媒体路径通过一条同源文件路由渲染；重写词表与服务政策分别归属于仓库现有缝对应的位置。
+
+- **渲染缝（`ui-primitives`）**：`MarkdownText` 新增 `MarkdownPathImages` 词表（`pathImages` prop），与 `fileMentions` 同用 settled-only 门：消息流式期间冻结的缓存块绝不烘入词表处理器；落定渲染把未通过远程 URL 白名单的图片目标重写为可展示 URL，且只有结果是绝对 `http(s)`/`blob`/`data` URL 时才发射。不提供词表时渲染输出与之前逐字节一致。
+- **聊天接线（`ui-chat`）**：`AssistantMarkdown` 提供页面级稳定的词表，把绝对 POSIX 路径映射为同源 `GET /api/file?path=…`（`local-path-media.ts`）；非 HTTP 载体（Electron `file://`）与相对/协议相对目标保持惰性。
+- **Host 路由（`session-controller`）**：`SessionMediaReferences` 是与 `SessionFileReferences` 并列注册的插件贡献，把 `GET|HEAD /api/file` 挂到共享鉴权 `connection.fetch` 通道（与 `/api` RPC 同一 trust fence 与浏览器认证）。每次请求 fail-closed：路径必须绝对、其 `realpath` 必须落在已注册 workspace 根内、文件必须是常规文件、扩展名必须在媒体 allowlist 内（PNG/JPEG/GIF/WebP/AVIF、MP4/WebM/MOV/OGG、MP3/WAV/Ogg/M4A/AAC/FLAC）；图片扩展额外校验字节签名。响应以 HTTP Range 流式输出（206/416），视频/音频可拖动进度，并携带 `private, no-store` 与 `nosniff`。该贡献只在 `connection` 与 `workspaceRegistry` 均被组合时激活（pending-until-composed，与包内其它可选贡献一致）。
+
+该路由纯呈现且无状态：从不写入、不跟随重定向，失败返回 400/403/404/415/416，不近似其它文件服务行为。
+
+## Alternatives considered
+
+- **注册到 Typert gateway**：gateway 负责 Remote RPC 分发（endpoint 认领、WebSocket mux、转发事件），不负责文件服务；把路由放那里等于把 workspace 文件的 HTTP 呈现塞进 RPC 传输层。否决并完整回滚。
+- **注册到 `workspace-controller`**：该包负责 workspace 注册表生命周期（CRUD、排序、feed），与文件呈现只共享 registry 这一政策数据源。否决并完整回滚。
+- **经会话 RPC 取字节后显示 blob/data URL**：附件图片已如此工作，但 markdown 重写需要渲染时确定性同步 URL（流式冻结缓存、memo 化）；异步往返不能成为渲染缝。否决。
+- **逐图片或仅图片专用路由**：媒体类型共享同一条「路径 + 包含」政策，视频/音频本就需要 Range 流式；一条 `/api/file` 路由加扩展名 allowlist（图片另验签名）即可覆盖现有与后续媒体类型。作为更窄的方案被否决。
+- **每请求交互授权、客户端协商端点或任意 Host 路径**：重写只是呈现；路由对每次请求复验，可读字节限制在注册 workspace 根与 allowlist 媒体内；同源端点是固定通道契约而非协商能力。出于安全与确定性否决。
+
+## Consequences
+
+- 引用 workspace 内图片文件的 Assistant 正文现在可在 Web 聊天中显示；原先惰性的 alt 文本只在 Host 无法提供字节时保留。
+- 政策在 Host 端每次请求强制；客户端词表不会扩大路由放行的范围。
+- 范围刻意收窄：只服务注册 workspace 根内、媒体 allowlist 内的文件；其它一律保持作者原样的回退。Trajectory 与工具卡片等 markdown 消费方尚未传词表，视频/音频 markdown 节点也尚未渲染为 `<video>`/`<audio>`——URL 层已为它们准备好。
+- 客户端把 `/api/file` 硬编码为同源通道契约；由于页面与挂载路由的 Host 同源，该契约按构造稳定。
+- 相关历史：已归档笔记 [model-readable image paths](../../archived/feature/2026-08-21-model-readable-image-paths.md) 决定本地图片路径面向模型的一侧；本笔记拥有面向用户展示的一侧，不构成对其的取代。
+
+## Testing
+
+单元覆盖：渲染缝（落定与流式门、引用式图片、协议复检）、聊天词表与组件接线、Host 路由政策（包含关系、符号链接、媒体 allowlist 与签名不符、Range 解析与 206/416 应答、HEAD、插件贡献的释放）。开 PR 时的本地证据：typecheck 干净；ui-primitives、ui-chat 与 session-controller 套件（103 个文件、1456 个用例）全过。推迟到 PR 后续：端到端 GUI 路径的 keyless 录播回放，以及 GUI PR 证据链要求的浏览器演示 GIF。
diff --git a/packages/api/session-controller/src/index.ts b/packages/api/session-controller/src/index.ts
index c058f25a08..9cc93be179 100644
--- a/packages/api/session-controller/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/api/session-controller/src/index.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { ApiSessionList } from './list.ts'
 import { buildModelCatalog } from './catalog.ts'
 import { installModelSelectionProjection } from './model-selection-projection.ts'
 import { SessionSkillCatalog } from './skill-catalog.ts'
+import { SessionMediaReferences } from './media-references.ts'
 import type {
   ModelCatalog,
   SessionAttachmentRequest,
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ export class SessionController extends TypertRemoteService {
     this.canOpenPath = internals.canOpenPath
       ?? (() => config.nativeOpen ?? (internals.openPath !== undefined || canOpenNativePath()))
     ctx.plugin(SessionFileReferences)
+    ctx.plugin(SessionMediaReferences)
     ctx.plugin(SessionSkillCatalog)
 
     ctx.on('session/created', (session) => {
diff --git a/packages/api/session-controller/src/media-references.ts b/packages/api/session-controller/src/media-references.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56d47d7d94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/session-controller/src/media-references.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+/**
+ * GET/HEAD /api/file — same-origin media bytes for a local path authored in
+ * conversation prose. Browsers cannot read Host files, so local media
+ * destinations (images today; video/audio the same way) are rewritten to this
+ * one route; the route re-validates every request because the rewrite itself
+ * proves nothing.
+ *
+ * Policy (enforced per request, fail-closed):
+ * - the requested path must be one absolute filesystem path;
+ * - its canonical location must lie inside a registered workspace root
+ *   (`ctx.workspaceRegistry`); no other directory is readable;
+ * - the file must exist and be a regular file;
+ * - its extension must name an allowlisted media type; image extensions are
+ *   additionally checked against the file signature;
+ * - responses are private, uncached, sniff-proof, and support HTTP range
+ *   requests so `<video>`/`<audio>` can seek without buffering the file.
+ *
+ * The route is deliberately presentational: it never writes and follows no
+ * redirects, returning 400/403/404/415/416 instead of falling back to any
+ * other file-serving behavior.
+ *
+ * The package entry imports only `SessionMediaReferences`; the remaining
+ * module exports exist for same-package unit tests and are not part of the
+ * package's public API.
+ * @module @deepseek-ai/dsh-api-session-controller/media-references
+ */
+
+import { createReadStream } from 'node:fs'
+import { open, realpath, stat } from 'node:fs/promises'
+import { extname, isAbsolute, sep } from 'node:path'
+import { Readable } from 'node:stream'
+import type { Context } from '@deepseek-ai/cordis'
+// Cordis `ctx.connection` typing and the fetch-route contract.
+import type {} from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-connection'
+// Cordis `ctx.workspaceRegistry` typing.
+import type {} from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-workspace'
+
+/** Registered-workspace view the route reads; see the `workspaceRegistry` service. */
+export interface MediaReferenceRegistry {
+  /** List registered workspaces with their canonical root directories. */
+  list(): readonly { path: string }[]
+}
+
+/** Media extensions the route serves, mapped to their content types. */
+const MEDIA_TYPES: Readonly<Record<string, string>> = {
+  '.png': 'image/png',
+  '.jpg': 'image/jpeg',
+  '.jpeg': 'image/jpeg',
+  '.gif': 'image/gif',
+  '.webp': 'image/webp',
+  '.avif': 'image/avif',
+  '.mp4': 'video/mp4',
+  '.webm': 'video/webm',
+  '.mov': 'video/quicktime',
+  '.ogv': 'video/ogg',
+  '.mp3': 'audio/mpeg',
+  '.wav': 'audio/wav',
+  '.ogg': 'audio/ogg',
+  '.oga': 'audio/ogg',
+  '.m4a': 'audio/mp4',
+  '.aac': 'audio/aac',
+  '.flac': 'audio/flac',
+}
+
+/** Image extensions whose bytes must match their declared signature. */
+const SNIFFED_IMAGE_TYPES: Readonly<Record<string, string>> = {
+  '.png': 'image/png',
+  '.jpg': 'image/jpeg',
+  '.jpeg': 'image/jpeg',
+  '.gif': 'image/gif',
+  '.webp': 'image/webp',
+}
+
+const PNG_SIGNATURE = [0x89, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a] as const
+const JPEG_SIGNATURE = [0xff, 0xd8, 0xff] as const
+const GIF_87_SIGNATURE = 'GIF87a' as const
+const GIF_89_SIGNATURE = 'GIF89a' as const
+const RIFF_SIGNATURE = 'RIFF' as const
+const WEBP_SIGNATURE = 'WEBP' as const
+
+function startsWithBytes(data: Uint8Array, offset: number, expected: readonly number[]): boolean {
+  if (data.byteLength < offset + expected.length) return false
+  return expected.every((byte, index) => data[offset + index] === byte)
+}
+
+function startsWithAscii(data: Uint8Array, offset: number, value: string): boolean {
+  if (data.byteLength < offset + value.length) return false
+  for (let index = 0; index < value.length; index += 1) {
+    if (data[offset + index] !== value.charCodeAt(index)) return false
+  }
+  return true
+}
+
+/**
+ * Check one byte buffer against the sniffed image signatures.
+ * @param data - Leading file bytes (12 suffice for every supported type).
+ * @returns the matched media type, or undefined for other bytes.
+ */
+export function sniffImageMediaType(data: Uint8Array): string | undefined {
+  if (startsWithBytes(data, 0, PNG_SIGNATURE)) return 'image/png'
+  if (startsWithBytes(data, 0, JPEG_SIGNATURE)) return 'image/jpeg'
+  if (startsWithAscii(data, 0, GIF_87_SIGNATURE) || startsWithAscii(data, 0, GIF_89_SIGNATURE)) {
+    return 'image/gif'
+  }
+  if (startsWithAscii(data, 0, RIFF_SIGNATURE) && startsWithAscii(data, 8, WEBP_SIGNATURE)) {
+    return 'image/webp'
+  }
+  return undefined
+}
+
+/**
+ * The content type a file path may be served as, or undefined when the
+ * extension is not an allowlisted media type.
+ * @param path - Canonical file path (extension only is read).
+ * @param bytes - Leading file bytes for signature-checked image extensions.
+ * @returns the content type, or undefined to refuse the file.
+ */
+export function mediaTypeForPath(path: string, bytes: Uint8Array): string | undefined {
+  const extension = extname(path).toLowerCase()
+  const sniffed = SNIFFED_IMAGE_TYPES[extension]
+  if (sniffed !== undefined) return sniffImageMediaType(bytes) === sniffed ? sniffed : undefined
+  return MEDIA_TYPES[extension]
+}
+
+/** One resolved byte-range within a file; `full` streams the whole file. */
+type ByteRange =
+  | { readonly kind: 'full' }
+  | { readonly kind: 'partial'; readonly start: number; readonly end: number }
+
+/**
+ * Parse one single-range `Range` header value against the file size.
+ * @param header - Raw `Range` request header, or null when absent.
+ * @param size - Total file size in bytes.
+ * @returns the byte range to serve, or undefined when the header names no
+ * satisfiable single range (the caller answers 416 with a `bytes *\/size`
+ * Content-Range header).
+ */
+export function parseByteRange(header: string | null, size: number): ByteRange | undefined {
+  if (header === null) return { kind: 'full' }
+  const match = /^bytes=(\d*)-(\d*)$/.exec(header.trim())
+  if (match === null) return undefined
+  const startText = match[1]
+  const endText = match[2]
+  if (startText === '' && endText === '') return undefined
+  let start: number
+  let end: number
+  if (startText === '') {
+    // Suffix range: the last N bytes.
+    const length = Number(endText)
+    if (length === 0) return undefined
+    start = Math.max(size - length, 0)
+    end = size - 1
+  } else {
+    start = Number(startText)
+    end = endText === '' ? size - 1 : Number(endText)
+  }
+  if (start > end || start >= size) return undefined
+  return { kind: 'partial', start, end: Math.min(end, size - 1) }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Serve one workspace-contained media file over the shared API channel.
+ * @param request - Authenticated fetch-route request (GET or HEAD).
+ * @param registry - Workspace registry; absent (or empty) denies everything.
+ * @returns A streaming media response or a fail-closed status.
+ */
+export async function serveMediaReference(
+  request: Request,
+  registry: MediaReferenceRegistry | undefined,
+): Promise<Response> {
+  const path = new URL(request.url).searchParams.get('path')
+  if (path === null || path.length === 0) return new Response('missing path', { status: 400 })
+  if (path.includes('\0') || !isAbsolute(path)) {
+    return new Response('absolute path required', { status: 400 })
+  }
+  if (registry === undefined) return new Response('file serving is unavailable', { status: 403 })
+  let canonical: string
+  try {
+    canonical = await realpath(path)
+  } catch {
+    return new Response('not found', { status: 404 })
+  }
+  const insideWorkspace = registry.list().some(root =>
+    canonical === root.path || canonical.startsWith(root.path + sep))
+  if (!insideWorkspace) return new Response('outside workspace roots', { status: 403 })
+  let info
+  try {
+    info = await stat(canonical)
+  } catch {
+    return new Response('not found', { status: 404 })
+  }
+  if (!info.isFile()) return new Response('not a regular file', { status: 403 })
+  let handle
+  try {
+    handle = await open(canonical, 'r')
+  } catch {
+    return new Response('not found', { status: 404 })
+  }
+  try {
+    const headBytes = new Uint8Array(12)
+    const { buffer } = await handle.read(headBytes, 0, 12, 0)
+    const mediaType = mediaTypeForPath(canonical, new Uint8Array(buffer))
+    if (mediaType === undefined) {
+      return new Response('not an allowlisted media type', { status: 415 })
+    }
+    const range = parseByteRange(request.headers.get('range'), info.size)
+    if (range === undefined) {
+      const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+        'Content-Range': 'bytes */' + String(info.size),
+        'Cache-Control': 'private, no-store',
+        'X-Content-Type-Options': 'nosniff',
+      }
+      return new Response(null, { status: 416, headers })
+    }
+    const partial = range.kind === 'partial'
+    const start = partial ? range.start : 0
+    const end = partial ? range.end : info.size - 1
+    const body: ReadableStream<Uint8Array> = Readable.toWeb(
+      createReadStream(canonical, { start, end }),
+    ) as ReadableStream<Uint8Array>
+    const headers: Record<string, string> = {
+      'Content-Type': mediaType,
+      'Content-Length': String(partial ? end - start + 1 : info.size),
+      'Accept-Ranges': 'bytes',
+      'Cache-Control': 'private, no-store',
+      'X-Content-Type-Options': 'nosniff',
+    }
+    if (partial) headers['Content-Range'] = 'bytes ' + start + '-' + end + '/' + String(info.size)
+    const head = request.method === 'HEAD'
+    return new Response(head ? null : body, { status: partial ? 206 : 200, headers })
+  } finally {
+    await handle.close()
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * `/api/file` fetch-route contribution, the media counterpart of
+ * `SessionFileReferences`: that contribution lets the GUI discover the files
+ * a Session references, this one lets it display referenced local media
+ * paths as same-origin bytes. Declared injects gate activation: a host
+ * composition without a connection service (or a workspace registry) never
+ * activates this plugin, so the route simply does not exist there — the same
+ * pending-until-composed posture the package's other optional contributions
+ * use. The channel's trust fence and browser authentication apply before any
+ * request reaches the handler.
+ */
+export const SessionMediaReferences = {
+  inject: ['connection', 'workspaceRegistry'],
+  apply(ctx: Context): void {
+    ctx.effect(() => ctx.connection.fetch.register({
+      path: '/api/file',
+      methods: ['GET', 'HEAD'],
+      requestBody: 'buffered',
+      fetch: request => serveMediaReference(request, ctx.workspaceRegistry),
+    }), 'session-controller: /api/file')
+  },
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/session-controller/tests/media-references.host.spec.ts b/packages/api/session-controller/tests/media-references.host.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..429b90e8d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/api/session-controller/tests/media-references.host.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,265 @@
+import { mkdir, mkdtemp, open, realpath, rm, symlink, writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { Context } from '@deepseek-ai/cordis'
+import {
+  SessionMediaReferences,
+  serveMediaReference,
+  mediaTypeForPath,
+  parseByteRange,
+  sniffImageMediaType,
+  type MediaReferenceRegistry,
+} from '../src/media-references.ts'
+
+const PNG_BYTES = new Uint8Array([0x89, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6])
+const TEXT_BYTES = new Uint8Array([1, 2, 3, 4])
+const MP4_BYTES = new TextEncoder().encode('....ftypmp42....moov....')
+
+function registry(root: string): MediaReferenceRegistry {
+  return { list: () => [{ path: root }] }
+}
+
+async function responseBytes(response: Response): Promise<Uint8Array> {
+  return new Uint8Array(await response.arrayBuffer())
+}
+
+function apiRequest(path: string, init?: RequestInit): Request {
+  const url = `http://127.0.0.1:3080/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent(path)}`
+  return new Request(url, init)
+}
+
+describe('sniffImageMediaType and mediaTypeForPath', () => {
+  it('identifies supported image signatures', () => {
+    expect(sniffImageMediaType(PNG_BYTES)).toBe('image/png')
+    expect(sniffImageMediaType(new Uint8Array([0xff, 0xd8, 0xff, 0xe0]))).toBe('image/jpeg')
+    expect(sniffImageMediaType(new TextEncoder().encode('GIF89a...'))).toBe('image/gif')
+    expect(sniffImageMediaType(new TextEncoder().encode('RIFF0000WEBPVP8 '))).toBe('image/webp')
+    expect(sniffImageMediaType(TEXT_BYTES)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('maps allowlisted media extensions, sniffing image extensions', () => {
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/graph.png', PNG_BYTES)).toBe('image/png')
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/graph.jpg', new Uint8Array([0xff, 0xd8, 0xff]))).toBe('image/jpeg')
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/clip.mp4', MP4_BYTES)).toBe('video/mp4')
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/clip.webm', MP4_BYTES)).toBe('video/webm')
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/song.mp3', TEXT_BYTES)).toBe('audio/mpeg')
+  })
+
+  it('refuses non-media extensions and mislabeled image bytes', () => {
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/note.txt', TEXT_BYTES)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/app.exe', TEXT_BYTES)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/shell.svg', TEXT_BYTES)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(mediaTypeForPath('/w/fake.png', TEXT_BYTES)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
+
+describe('parseByteRange', () => {
+  it('parses full, bounded, open-ended, and suffix ranges', () => {
+    expect(parseByteRange(null, 100)).toEqual({ kind: 'full' })
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=0-3', 100)).toEqual({ kind: 'partial', start: 0, end: 3 })
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=10-', 100)).toEqual({ kind: 'partial', start: 10, end: 99 })
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=-4', 100)).toEqual({ kind: 'partial', start: 96, end: 99 })
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=90-200', 100)).toEqual({ kind: 'partial', start: 90, end: 99 })
+  })
+
+  it('refuses malformed and unsatisfiable ranges', () => {
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=abc', 100)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=5-2', 100)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=100-', 100)).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(parseByteRange('bytes=0-', 0)).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+})
+
+describe('serveMediaReference', () => {
+  let root: string
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    // Real workspace roots are canonical; tmpdir may sit behind a symlink.
+    root = await realpath(await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-workspace-file-')))
+  })
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  })
+
+  it('serves a workspace image with streaming-safe headers', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'shots', 'graph.png')
+    await mkdir(join(root, 'shots'), { recursive: true })
+    await writeFile(path, PNG_BYTES)
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(path), registry(root))
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-type')).toBe('image/png')
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-length')).toBe(String(PNG_BYTES.length))
+    expect(response.headers.get('accept-ranges')).toBe('bytes')
+    expect(response.headers.get('cache-control')).toBe('private, no-store')
+    expect(response.headers.get('x-content-type-options')).toBe('nosniff')
+    expect(await responseBytes(response)).toEqual(PNG_BYTES)
+  })
+
+  it('serves media without image sniffing from the extension allowlist', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'clip.mp4')
+    await writeFile(path, MP4_BYTES)
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(path), registry(root))
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-type')).toBe('video/mp4')
+    expect(await responseBytes(response)).toEqual(MP4_BYTES)
+  })
+
+  it('answers bounded and suffix range requests with 206 slices', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'graph.png')
+    await writeFile(path, PNG_BYTES)
+    const bounded = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(path, { headers: { range: 'bytes=0-3' } }),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(bounded.status).toBe(206)
+    expect(bounded.headers.get('content-range')).toBe(`bytes 0-3/${PNG_BYTES.length}`)
+    expect(bounded.headers.get('content-length')).toBe('4')
+    expect(await responseBytes(bounded)).toEqual(PNG_BYTES.slice(0, 4))
+
+    const suffix = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(path, { headers: { range: 'bytes=-4' } }),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(suffix.status).toBe(206)
+    expect(await responseBytes(suffix)).toEqual(PNG_BYTES.slice(-4))
+  })
+
+  it('answers unsatisfiable ranges with 416 and the total size', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'graph.png')
+    await writeFile(path, PNG_BYTES)
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(path, { headers: { range: 'bytes=999-' } }),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(response.status).toBe(416)
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-range')).toBe(`bytes */${PNG_BYTES.length}`)
+  })
+
+  it('answers HEAD without a body', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'graph.png')
+    await writeFile(path, PNG_BYTES)
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(path, { method: 'HEAD' }),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-length')).toBe(String(PNG_BYTES.length))
+    expect(response.body).toBeNull()
+  })
+
+  it('denies malformed, missing, and uncontained requests', async () => {
+    const missing = await serveMediaReference(
+      new Request('http://127.0.0.1:3080/api/file'),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(missing.status).toBe(400)
+    const relative = await serveMediaReference(
+      new Request(`http://127.0.0.1:3080/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent('x.png')}`),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(relative.status).toBe(400)
+    const gone = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(join(root, 'missing.png')),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(gone.status).toBe(404)
+    expect((await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(join(root, 'x.png')), undefined)).status).toBe(403)
+
+    const outside = await realpath(await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), 'dsh-workspace-file-out-')))
+    const path = join(outside, 'x.png')
+    await writeFile(path, PNG_BYTES)
+    try {
+      const denied = await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(path), registry(root))
+      expect(denied.status).toBe(403)
+      expect(await denied.text()).toBe('outside workspace roots')
+    } finally {
+      await rm(outside, { recursive: true, force: true })
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('refuses directories and non-allowlisted or mislabeled content', async () => {
+    const directory = await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(root), registry(root))
+    expect(directory.status).toBe(403)
+
+    const text = join(root, 'note.txt')
+    await writeFile(text, TEXT_BYTES)
+    expect((await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(text), registry(root))).status).toBe(415)
+
+    const fake = join(root, 'fake.png')
+    await writeFile(fake, TEXT_BYTES)
+    expect((await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(fake), registry(root))).status).toBe(415)
+  })
+
+  it('follows a symlink into the workspace for the containment check', async () => {
+    const real = join(root, 'real.png')
+    await writeFile(real, PNG_BYTES)
+    const link = join(root, 'link.png')
+    await symlink(real, link)
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(apiRequest(link), registry(root))
+    expect(response.status).toBe(200)
+    expect(await responseBytes(response)).toEqual(PNG_BYTES)
+  })
+
+  it('survives a large sparse file check without buffering it whole', async () => {
+    const path = join(root, 'huge.mp4')
+    const handle = await open(path, 'w')
+    try {
+      await handle.truncate(256 * 1024 * 1024)
+    } finally {
+      await handle.close()
+    }
+    const response = await serveMediaReference(
+      apiRequest(path, { headers: { range: 'bytes=0-9' } }),
+      registry(root),
+    )
+    expect(response.status).toBe(206)
+    expect(response.headers.get('content-length')).toBe('10')
+    expect((await responseBytes(response)).length).toBe(10)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('SessionMediaReferences plugin contribution', () => {
+  const roots: Context[] = []
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await Promise.all(roots.splice(0).map(ctx => ctx.fiber.dispose()))
+  })
+
+  it('registers the /api/file route when connection and registry are composed', async () => {
+    const unregister = vi.fn(() => {})
+    let registered: {
+      path: string
+      methods: readonly string[]
+      requestBody: 'buffered'
+      fetch: (request: Request) => Promise<Response>
+    } | undefined
+    const register = vi.fn((route: typeof registered) => {
+      registered = route
+      return unregister
+    })
+    const ctx = new Context()
+    roots.push(ctx)
+    ctx.provide('connection', { fetch: { register } } as never)
+    ctx.provide('workspaceRegistry', { list: () => [] } as never)
+    await ctx.plugin(SessionMediaReferences).await()
+
+    expect(register).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    expect(registered?.path).toBe('/api/file')
+    expect(registered?.methods).toEqual(['GET', 'HEAD'])
+    expect(registered?.requestBody).toBe('buffered')
+
+    // The composed route consults the composed registry: an empty registry
+    // refuses an existing absolute path with the containment verdict.
+    const existing = await realpath(tmpdir())
+    const denied = await registered?.fetch(
+      new Request(`http://127.0.0.1:3080/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent(existing)}`),
+    )
+    expect(denied?.status).toBe(403)
+    expect(await denied?.text()).toBe('outside workspace roots')
+
+    await ctx.fiber.dispose()
+    expect(unregister).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/api/session-controller/tsconfig.host.json b/packages/api/session-controller/tsconfig.host.json
index ad7751119f..60a7775804 100644
--- a/packages/api/session-controller/tsconfig.host.json
+++ b/packages/api/session-controller/tsconfig.host.json
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     "src/file-references.ts",
     "src/history.ts",
     "src/list.ts",
+    "src/media-references.ts",
     "src/model-selection-projection.ts",
     "src/skill-catalog.ts"
   ],
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@
     { "path": "../../context/file-reference" },
     { "path": "../../attachment/attachment" },
     { "path": "../../client/file-upload/tsconfig.host.json" },
+    { "path": "../../client/connection/tsconfig.host.json" },
     { "path": "../../interaction/permission-presets" },
     { "path": "../../jobs/jobs" },
     { "path": "../../llm/llm" },
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/AssistantMarkdown.tsx b/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/AssistantMarkdown.tsx
index c517f9d0c2..b02de8e1a5 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/AssistantMarkdown.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/AssistantMarkdown.tsx
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import { Fragment, memo, useMemo } from 'react'
 import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { JsonBlock, MarkdownText } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
-import type { MarkdownFileMentions } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
+import type { MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownPathImages } from '@deepseek-ai/dsh-client-ui-primitives'
 import type { ChatNodeOwnerProps, ChatViewSlotProps } from '../contract/slots.ts'
 import type { AssistantBlock } from '../contract/snapshot.ts'
 import { markdownLabels } from '../markdown-labels.ts'
 import { ReasoningRow } from './ReasoningRow.tsx'
+import { localPathMediaUrl } from './local-path-media.ts'
 import { useSearchableHidden } from './searchable-hidden.ts'
 import css from './AssistantMarkdown.module.css'
 
@@ -34,6 +35,13 @@ export const AssistantMarkdown = memo(function AssistantMarkdown({
   // Stable per locale revision (t identity changes on switch): a fresh object
   // per render would rebuild MarkdownText's component table every chunk.
   const labels = useMemo(() => markdownLabels(t), [t])
+  // Local media paths in the closing prose rewrite to the same-origin file
+  // API (policy re-validation lives host-side). The vocabulary identity is
+  // stable per page load because MarkdownText memoizes on it.
+  const pathImages = useMemo<MarkdownPathImages>(() => {
+    const { protocol, origin } = window.location
+    return { resolve: value => localPathMediaUrl(protocol, origin, value) }
+  }, [])
   const last = blocks.length - 1
   // Tool-call heads render as tool rows in the chat view's grouping pass, so
   // a node that is only those heads (or empty) would paint an empty root
@@ -55,6 +63,7 @@ export const AssistantMarkdown = memo(function AssistantMarkdown({
             streaming={streaming}
             labels={labels}
             fileMentions={mentions}
+            pathImages={pathImages}
           />,
         )
         break
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/local-path-media.ts b/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/local-path-media.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5369a253ce
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/ui-chat/src/client/chat/local-path-media.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * Pure local-path → same-origin workspace-file mapping for closing prose. The
+ * renderer seam consumes this vocabulary; the served endpoint re-validates
+ * every request, so this side only decides whether a destination *looks*
+ * like an absolute local path the Host could serve. One endpoint covers every
+ * served media type (images today; video/audio the same way), so consumers
+ * rewrite the path without knowing what kind of media it names.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Map one authored media destination to the same-origin workspace-file URL.
+ * @param protocol - `window.location.protocol` at render time.
+ * @param origin - `window.location.origin` at render time.
+ * @param value - The authored markdown destination, exactly as written.
+ * @returns The API URL for an absolute POSIX path on an HTTP(S) page, or
+ * undefined when the destination cannot be a Host-served local file
+ * (non-HTTP transport such as Electron `file://`, protocol-relative or
+ * relative destinations).
+ */
+export function localPathMediaUrl(protocol: string, origin: string, value: string): string | undefined {
+  if (protocol !== 'http:' && protocol !== 'https:') return undefined
+  if (value.length === 0 || !value.startsWith('/') || value.startsWith('//')) return undefined
+  return `${origin}/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent(value)}`
+}
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/assistant-markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx b/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/assistant-markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6b9169c418
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/assistant-markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+import { cleanup, render } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { AssistantMarkdown } from '../src/client/chat/AssistantMarkdown.tsx'
+import type { ChatNodeOwnerProps, ChatViewSlotProps } from '../src/client/contract/slots.ts'
+import type { AssistantBlock } from '../src/client/contract/snapshot.ts'
+
+afterEach(cleanup)
+
+const t = ((_key: string) => 'label') as unknown as ChatViewSlotProps['t']
+const renderMessageImages = (() => null) as unknown as ChatNodeOwnerProps['renderMessageImages']
+
+function textBlock(text: string): AssistantBlock {
+  return { kind: 'text', text }
+}
+
+describe('AssistantMarkdown local-path images', () => {
+  it('renders a local image path in closing prose through the same-origin API', () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <AssistantMarkdown
+        blocks={[textBlock('See ![diagram](/tmp/graph.png) for the layout.')]}
+        streaming={false}
+        renderMessageImages={renderMessageImages}
+        t={t}
+      />,
+    )
+    const image = container.querySelector('img')
+    expect(image?.getAttribute('alt')).toBe('diagram')
+    const url = new URL(image?.getAttribute('src') ?? '')
+    expect(url.pathname).toBe('/api/file')
+    expect(url.searchParams.get('path')).toBe('/tmp/graph.png')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps non-absolute destinations inert', () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <AssistantMarkdown
+        blocks={[textBlock('See ![diagram](relative.png).')]}
+        streaming={false}
+        renderMessageImages={renderMessageImages}
+        t={t}
+      />,
+    )
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')).toBeNull()
+    expect(container.textContent).toContain('diagram')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/local-path-media.client.spec.ts b/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/local-path-media.client.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b34f99fb06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/ui-chat/tests/local-path-media.client.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { localPathMediaUrl } from '../src/client/chat/local-path-media.ts'
+
+const ORIGIN = 'http://127.0.0.1:3080'
+
+describe('localPathMediaUrl', () => {
+  it('maps an absolute POSIX path on an HTTP page to the image API', () => {
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, '/tmp/graph.png'))
+      .toBe(`${ORIGIN}/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent('/tmp/graph.png')}`)
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('https:', 'https://127.0.0.1:3080', '/tmp/graph.png'))
+      .toBe(`https://127.0.0.1:3080/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent('/tmp/graph.png')}`)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps non-HTTP transports inert', () => {
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('file:', 'file:///app', '/tmp/graph.png')).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('ws:', ORIGIN, '/tmp/graph.png')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('keeps destinations that cannot be Host-served local files inert', () => {
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, '')).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, '//cdn.example.com/x.png')).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, 'relative.png')).toBeUndefined()
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, 'C:\\tmp\\x.png')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
+  it('encodes the full path including spaces', () => {
+    expect(localPathMediaUrl('http:', ORIGIN, '/tmp/my graph.png'))
+      .toBe(`${ORIGIN}/api/file?path=${encodeURIComponent('/tmp/my graph.png')}`)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/index.ts b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/index.ts
index 16199de859..737e8fc879 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/index.ts
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export { CodeBlock } from './markdown/CodeBlock.tsx'
 export type { CodeBlockProps } from './markdown/CodeBlock.tsx'
 export { JsonBlock } from './markdown/JsonBlock.tsx'
 export { MarkdownText } from './markdown/MarkdownText.tsx'
-export type { MarkdownCodeLabels, MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels } from './markdown/MarkdownText.tsx'
+export type { MarkdownCodeLabels, MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels, MarkdownPathImages } from './markdown/MarkdownText.tsx'
 export { extractMarkdownPlainText } from './markdown/plain-text.ts'
 export type { MarkdownPlainTextMode, MarkdownPlainTextOptions } from './markdown/plain-text.ts'
 export * from './icons/index.tsx'
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/MarkdownText.tsx b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/MarkdownText.tsx
index 0b19896979..121c6ff49b 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/MarkdownText.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/MarkdownText.tsx
@@ -19,17 +19,18 @@ import {
   collectReferenceTargets, createReferenceTargets, renderBlocks, renderFootnoteSection,
   wrapBlockChildren,
 } from './render.tsx'
-import type { MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels, MarkdownRenderContext, ReferenceTargets } from './render.tsx'
+import type { MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels, MarkdownPathImages, MarkdownRenderContext, ReferenceTargets } from './render.tsx'
 import 'katex/dist/katex.min.css'
 import css from './MarkdownText.module.css'
 
-export type { MarkdownCodeLabels, MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels } from './render.tsx'
+export type { MarkdownCodeLabels, MarkdownFileMentions, MarkdownLabels, MarkdownPathImages } from './render.tsx'
 
 /** One settled full render: parse with math, resolve references, append the footnote section. */
 function renderSettled(
   text: string,
   labels: MarkdownLabels,
   fileMentions: MarkdownFileMentions | undefined,
+  pathImages: MarkdownPathImages | undefined,
 ): ReactNode[] {
   const root = parseGfmWithMath(text)
   const targets = createReferenceTargets()
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ function renderSettled(
     streaming: false,
     labels,
     fileMentions,
+    pathImages,
     targets,
     footnoteOrder: [],
     footnoteCounts: new Map(),
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ class StreamingRenderer {
         streaming: true,
         labels: this.labels,
         fileMentions: undefined,
+        pathImages: undefined,
         targets: frameTargets,
         footnoteOrder: this.frozenFootnoteOrder,
         footnoteCounts: this.frozenFootnoteCounts,
@@ -124,6 +127,7 @@ class StreamingRenderer {
       streaming: true,
       labels: this.labels,
       fileMentions: undefined,
+      pathImages: undefined,
       targets: frameTargets,
       footnoteOrder: [...this.frozenFootnoteOrder],
       footnoteCounts: new Map(this.frozenFootnoteCounts),
@@ -150,32 +154,35 @@ class StreamingRenderer {
  * `labels` forwards localized fence and footnote chrome — pass a
  * reference-stable object (memoized per locale revision), because a new
  * identity discards the streaming render cache mid-message. `fileMentions`
- * links inline-code tokens its resolver recognizes as real files; this is
- * the single streaming gate — it applies to settled renders only, because a
+ * links inline-code tokens its resolver recognizes as real files, and
+ * `pathImages` rewrites image destinations that are local file paths into
+ * displayable URLs its resolver vouches for; both vocabularies are the
+ * single streaming gate — they apply to settled renders only, because a
  * streaming message's vocabulary is not final and frozen cached elements
  * must not bake in handlers that could go stale.
  * @returns A GFM document with TeX math rendered through KaTeX; raw HTML,
  * relative links, and unsafe protocols are disabled, while absolute HTTP(S)
  * images render directly.
  */
-export const MarkdownText = memo(function MarkdownText({ text, streaming = false, labels, fileMentions }: {
+export const MarkdownText = memo(function MarkdownText({ text, streaming = false, labels, fileMentions, pathImages }: {
   text: string
   streaming?: boolean
   labels: MarkdownLabels
   fileMentions?: MarkdownFileMentions | undefined
+  pathImages?: MarkdownPathImages | undefined
 }) {
   const streamRef = useRef<StreamingRenderer | null>(null)
   const streamLabelsRef = useRef<MarkdownLabels>(labels)
   const children = useMemo(() => {
     if (!streaming) {
       streamRef.current = null
-      return renderSettled(text, labels, fileMentions)
+      return renderSettled(text, labels, fileMentions, pathImages)
     }
     if (streamRef.current === null || streamLabelsRef.current !== labels) {
       streamRef.current = new StreamingRenderer(labels)
       streamLabelsRef.current = labels
     }
     return streamRef.current.render(text)
-  }, [text, streaming, labels, fileMentions])
+  }, [text, streaming, labels, fileMentions, pathImages])
   return <div className={css.markdown}>{children}</div>
 })
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/render.tsx b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/render.tsx
index 9757ddc301..565280440a 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/render.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-primitives/src/markdown/render.tsx
@@ -69,6 +69,35 @@ function remoteImageUrl(url: string): string | undefined {
   }
 }
 
+/** Protocols a vocabulary-rewritten image destination may carry. */
+function vocabularyImageUrl(url: string): string | undefined {
+  try {
+    const protocol = new URL(url).protocol
+    return protocol === 'http:' || protocol === 'https:' || protocol === 'blob:' || protocol === 'data:'
+      ? url
+      : undefined
+  } catch {
+    // A vocabulary result must be an absolute URL; anything else stays a miss.
+    return undefined
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * The displayable source for one image destination: absolute HTTP(S) as
+ * authored, otherwise the context's local-path vocabulary when it vouches for
+ * the destination. Either miss leaves the authored fallback (alt text) to the
+ * caller.
+ * @param url - The authored markdown destination.
+ * @param pathImages - Rewriting vocabulary, when the render pass has one.
+ * @returns The displayable image URL, or undefined.
+ */
+function imageSource(url: string, pathImages: MarkdownPathImages | undefined): string | undefined {
+  const remote = remoteImageUrl(sanitizeUrl(normalizeUri(url)))
+  if (remote !== undefined) return remote
+  const rewritten = pathImages?.resolve(url)
+  return rewritten === undefined ? undefined : vocabularyImageUrl(rewritten)
+}
+
 /** Link/image reference targets collected from a document (first definition per identifier wins, as in CommonMark). */
 export interface ReferenceTargets {
   /** Link/image definitions keyed by upper-cased identifier. */
@@ -107,6 +136,24 @@ export function collectReferenceTargets(
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Local-path image vocabulary for image destinations: the owner maps an
+ * authored destination that fails the remote-URL allowlist (an absolute local
+ * file path, for example) to a displayable URL it can vouch for. Absent
+ * wherever no such vocabulary exists, authored local destinations keep their
+ * documented fallback (the image's alt text). Rewritten destinations must be
+ * absolute; the renderer re-checks their protocol before emitting them.
+ */
+export interface MarkdownPathImages {
+  /**
+   * Resolve one authored image destination.
+   * @param value - The destination exactly as the markdown author wrote it.
+   * @returns A displayable absolute URL, or undefined when the destination
+   * names no displayable image — it then stays inert alt text.
+   */
+  resolve(value: string): string | undefined
+}
+
 /**
  * File-mention affordance for inline code: the owner resolves an authored
  * token to the file it names, using its own vocabulary of real files — the
@@ -135,6 +182,8 @@ export interface MarkdownRenderContext {
   readonly inBlockquote?: boolean
   /** Inline-code file mentions; absent wherever no opener vocabulary exists. */
   readonly fileMentions: MarkdownFileMentions | undefined
+  /** Local-path image vocabulary; absent wherever no rewriting owner exists. */
+  readonly pathImages: MarkdownPathImages | undefined
   /** Inside an anchor's children: interactive mentions must not nest there. */
   readonly inLink?: boolean
   /** Reference targets visible to this pass. */
@@ -293,7 +342,7 @@ function renderNode(node: Md.RootContent, key: Key, context: MarkdownRenderConte
     case 'linkReference':
       return renderLinkReference(node, key, context)
     case 'image':
-      return renderImage(node.url, node.alt ?? '', key)
+      return renderImage(node.url, node.alt ?? '', key, context)
     case 'imageReference':
       return renderImageReference(node, key, context)
     case 'footnoteReference':
@@ -513,8 +562,8 @@ function inlineCodeHttpUrl(value: string): string | undefined {
   }
 }
 
-function renderImage(url: string, alt: string, key: Key): ReactNode {
-  const imageSrc = remoteImageUrl(sanitizeUrl(normalizeUri(url)))
+function renderImage(url: string, alt: string, key: Key, context: MarkdownRenderContext): ReactNode {
+  const imageSrc = imageSource(url, context.pathImages)
   if (imageSrc === undefined) {
     return <span key={key} className={css.imageAlt}>{alt}</span>
   }
@@ -562,7 +611,7 @@ function renderImageReference(
 ): ReactNode {
   const definition = context.targets.definitions.get(node.identifier.toUpperCase())
   if (definition === undefined) return `![${node.alt ?? ''}${referenceSuffix(node)}`
-  return renderImage(definition.url, node.alt ?? '', key)
+  return renderImage(definition.url, node.alt ?? '', key, context)
 }
 
 function renderFootnoteReference(
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx b/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4e75dfb0fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-path-images.client.spec.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+// @vitest-environment jsdom
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { MarkdownText } from './markdown-test-components.tsx'
+import type { MarkdownPathImages } from '../src/markdown/MarkdownText.tsx'
+
+afterEach(cleanup)
+
+const LOCAL_IMAGE = '![diagram](/tmp/graph.png)'
+
+const mapping = (value: string): string | undefined =>
+  value === '/tmp/graph.png' ? 'https://cdn.example.com/graph.png' : undefined
+
+describe('MarkdownText local-path images', () => {
+  it('renders authored alt text when no path vocabulary exists', () => {
+    const { container } = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} />)
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.getByText('diagram')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('rewrites a local image path through the vocabulary', () => {
+    const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: mapping }
+    const { container } = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+    const image = container.querySelector('img')
+    expect(image?.getAttribute('src')).toBe('https://cdn.example.com/graph.png')
+    expect(image?.getAttribute('alt')).toBe('diagram')
+  })
+
+  it('keeps the alt fallback when the vocabulary misses', () => {
+    const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: () => undefined }
+    const { container } = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')).toBeNull()
+    expect(screen.getByText('diagram')).toBeTruthy()
+  })
+
+  it('accepts data and blob vocabulary results', () => {
+    const data: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: () => 'data:image/png;base64,AAAA' }
+    const blob: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: () => 'blob:https://example.com/id' }
+    const dataRender = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={data} />)
+    const blobRender = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={blob} />)
+    expect(dataRender.container.querySelector('img')?.getAttribute('src'))
+      .toBe('data:image/png;base64,AAAA')
+    expect(blobRender.container.querySelector('img')?.getAttribute('src'))
+      .toBe('blob:https://example.com/id')
+  })
+
+  it('rejects non-absolute vocabulary results', () => {
+    for (const result of ['relative.png', '/api/image?path=%2Ftmp%2Fx.png', 'ftp://host/x.png']) {
+      const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: () => result }
+      const { container, unmount } = render(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+      expect(container.querySelector('img')).toBeNull()
+      unmount()
+    }
+  })
+
+  it('leaves remote images untouched even when the vocabulary maps them', () => {
+    const remote = '![remote](https://example.com/a.png)'
+    const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: () => 'https://cdn.example.com/b.png' }
+    const { container } = render(<MarkdownText text={remote} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')?.getAttribute('src')).toBe('https://example.com/a.png')
+  })
+
+  it('rewrites reference-style local image destinations', () => {
+    const reference = ['![diagram][fig]', '', '[fig]: /tmp/graph.png'].join('\n')
+    const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: mapping }
+    const { container } = render(<MarkdownText text={reference} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')?.getAttribute('src'))
+      .toBe('https://cdn.example.com/graph.png')
+  })
+
+  it('applies the vocabulary only to settled renders, never while streaming', () => {
+    const pathImages: MarkdownPathImages = { resolve: mapping }
+    const { container, rerender } = render(
+      <MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} streaming pathImages={pathImages} />,
+    )
+    // Streaming messages may still grow, so their prose keeps the inert alt
+    // fallback until the settled pass self-heals it.
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')).toBeNull()
+    rerender(<MarkdownText text={LOCAL_IMAGE} pathImages={pathImages} />)
+    expect(container.querySelector('img')?.getAttribute('src'))
+      .toBe('https://cdn.example.com/graph.png')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-render-units.client.spec.tsx b/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-render-units.client.spec.tsx
index 9eb4eb0265..bf1877c348 100644
--- a/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-render-units.client.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/client/ui-primitives/tests/markdown-render-units.client.spec.tsx
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ function makeContext(): MarkdownRenderContext {
     streaming: false,
     labels: markdownLabels,
     fileMentions: undefined,
+    pathImages: undefined,
     targets: createReferenceTargets(),
     footnoteOrder: [],
     footnoteCounts: new Map(),