diff --git a/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap.rs b/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap.rs
index 92ef9dd54b..11959d0c02 100644
--- a/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap.rs
@@ -899,11 +899,27 @@ fn expand_unreadable_globs_with_ripgrep(
                 "unreadable glob `{pattern}` cannot be safely expanded; use a pattern with a non-root directory prefix"
             )));
         };
-        if search_root.as_path().is_dir() {
-            patterns_by_search_root
-                .entry(search_root)
-                .or_default()
-                .push(glob);
+        // Follow symlink roots, but never discard a deny because inspecting its
+        // search root failed. Only absent or non-directory roots have no matches.
+        match fs::metadata(search_root.as_path()) {
+            Ok(metadata) if metadata.is_dir() => {
+                patterns_by_search_root
+                    .entry(search_root)
+                    .or_default()
+                    .push(glob);
+            }
+            Ok(_) => {}
+            Err(err)
+                if matches!(
+                    err.kind(),
+                    io::ErrorKind::NotFound | io::ErrorKind::NotADirectory
+                ) => {}
+            Err(err) => {
+                return Err(CodexErr::Fatal(format!(
+                    "failed to inspect unreadable glob search root {}: {err}",
+                    search_root.display()
+                )));
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap_tests.rs b/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap_tests.rs
index 6de6c97175..9f53e2c9e7 100644
--- a/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap_tests.rs
+++ b/codex-rs/linux-sandbox/src/bwrap_tests.rs
@@ -1460,6 +1460,72 @@ fn unreadable_globs_add_canonical_targets_for_symlink_matches() {
     assert_file_masked(&args.args, &real_secret);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn unreadable_glob_root_metadata_errors_fail_before_scanning() {
+    let temp_dir = TempDir::new().expect("temp dir");
+    let root = temp_dir.path().join("loop");
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&root, &root).expect("create symlink loop");
+    let error = expand_unreadable_globs_with_ripgrep(
+        &[format!("{}/**/.env", root.display())],
+        temp_dir.path(),
+        || Some(temp_dir.path().join("scanner-must-not-run")),
+        /*max_depth*/ None,
+        |_| panic!("scanner must not run after a root metadata error"),
+    )
+    .expect_err("metadata errors must reject deny-glob expansion")
+    .to_string();
+
+    assert!(error.contains(&root.display().to_string()));
+    assert!(error.contains(&io::Error::from_raw_os_error(libc::ELOOP).to_string()));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn unreadable_globs_skip_absent_and_non_directory_roots() {
+    let temp_dir = TempDir::new().expect("temp dir");
+    let missing = temp_dir.path().join("missing");
+    let file = temp_dir.path().join("file");
+    fs::write(&file, "ordinary file").expect("write file");
+
+    for root in [missing, file.join("child"), file] {
+        let paths = expand_unreadable_globs_with_ripgrep(
+            &[format!("{}/**/.env", root.display())],
+            temp_dir.path(),
+            || None,
+            /*max_depth*/ None,
+            |_| {},
+        )
+        .expect("roots without possible matches should be skipped");
+
+        assert_eq!(paths, Vec::<AbsolutePathBuf>::new());
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn unreadable_globs_follow_symlink_roots_without_ripgrep() {
+    let temp_dir = TempDir::new().expect("temp dir");
+    let root = temp_dir.path().join("data");
+    fs::create_dir(&root).expect("create directory");
+    let secret = root.join(".env");
+    fs::write(&secret, "secret").expect("write secret");
+    let link = temp_dir.path().join("link");
+    std::os::unix::fs::symlink(&root, &link).expect("create directory symlink");
+
+    let paths = expand_unreadable_globs_with_ripgrep(
+        &[format!("{}/**/.env", link.display())],
+        temp_dir.path(),
+        || None,
+        /*max_depth*/ None,
+        |_| panic!("fallback scanner must not launch ripgrep"),
+    )
+    .expect("expand deny glob");
+    let expected = [secret, link.join(".env")]
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|path| AbsolutePathBuf::from_absolute_path_checked(path).expect("absolute path"))
+        .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+
+    assert_eq!(paths, expected);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn root_prefix_unreadable_globs_fail_closed_on_linux() {
     let policy = default_policy_with_unreadable_glob("/**/*.env".to_string());