diff --git a/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping_tests.rs b/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping_tests.rs
index df636d4a6b..4cf1b72d5d 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/src/event_mapping_tests.rs
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ fn parses_user_message_with_text_and_two_images() {
 #[test]
 fn skips_local_image_label_text() {
     let image_url = "data:image/png;base64,abc".to_string();
-    let label = codex_protocol::models::local_image_open_tag_text(/*label_number*/ 1);
+    let label = r#"<image name=[Image #1] path="/tmp/local.png">"#.to_string();
     let user_text = "Please review this image.".to_string();
 
     let item = ResponseItem::Message {
diff --git a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/image_rollout.rs b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/image_rollout.rs
index 7018274510..23907e9014 100644
--- a/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/image_rollout.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/core/tests/suite/image_rollout.rs
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ async fn copy_paste_local_image_persists_rollout_request_shape() -> anyhow::Resu
         role: "user".to_string(),
         content: vec![
             ContentItem::InputText {
-                text: codex_protocol::models::local_image_open_tag_text_with_path(
-                    /*label_number*/ 1, &abs_path,
-                ),
+                text: format!(r#"<image name=[Image #1] path="{}">"#, abs_path.display()),
             },
             ContentItem::InputImage {
                 image_url,
diff --git a/codex-rs/protocol/src/models.rs b/codex-rs/protocol/src/models.rs
index 09754e30f3..b570be0909 100644
--- a/codex-rs/protocol/src/models.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/protocol/src/models.rs
@@ -1026,12 +1026,7 @@ pub fn local_image_label_text(label_number: usize) -> String {
     format!("[Image #{label_number}]")
 }
 
-pub fn local_image_open_tag_text(label_number: usize) -> String {
-    let label = local_image_label_text(label_number);
-    format!("{LOCAL_IMAGE_OPEN_TAG_PREFIX}{label}{LOCAL_IMAGE_OPEN_TAG_SUFFIX}")
-}
-
-pub fn local_image_open_tag_text_with_path(label_number: usize, path: &std::path::Path) -> String {
+fn local_image_open_tag_text_with_path(label_number: usize, path: &std::path::Path) -> String {
     let label = local_image_label_text(label_number);
     let path = path
         .display()
diff --git a/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs b/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
index 3c0b5cb462..bc1771599f 100644
--- a/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/protocol/src/protocol.rs
@@ -2180,8 +2180,9 @@ pub struct UserMessageEvent {
     #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
     pub image_details: Vec<Option<ImageDetail>>,
     /// Local file paths sourced from `UserInput::LocalImage`. These are kept so
-    /// the UI can reattach images when editing history, and should not be sent
-    /// to the model or treated as API-ready URLs.
+    /// the UI can reattach images when editing history. Local image prompts may
+    /// include a display form of the path, but these should not be treated as
+    /// API-ready URLs.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub local_images: Vec<std::path::PathBuf>,
     /// Detail hints for `local_images`, indexed in parallel. Missing entries