diff --git a/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs.go b/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs.go
index 3d40475..5419b43 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs.go
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
 	"os"
+	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"syscall"
 )
 
@@ -59,6 +61,27 @@ func (b *Brain) Lstat(rel string) (fs.FileInfo, error) {
 	return b.root.Lstat(filepath.ToSlash(rel))
 }
 
+// realDir returns ErrNotRegular unless every component of rel is a real
+// directory. A swap after the check is not caught (accepted residual,
+// hyperguild#157).
+func (b *Brain) realDir(rel string) error {
+	if rel == "." {
+		return nil
+	}
+	prefix := ""
+	for _, part := range strings.Split(rel, "/") {
+		prefix = path.Join(prefix, part)
+		fi, err := b.root.Lstat(prefix)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !fi.IsDir() {
+			return fmt.Errorf("%s: walk root component %s is not a directory: %w", rel, prefix, ErrNotRegular)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // ReadRegular reads a brain-relative path, refusing anything that is not a
 // regular file, both before the open and on the opened handle.
 func (b *Brain) ReadRegular(rel string) ([]byte, error) {
@@ -138,18 +161,22 @@ func (b *Brain) readOpenedMax(rel string, max int64) ([]byte, error) {
 var wrapAfterStat func(io.Reader) io.Reader
 
 // WalkRegular walks a brain-relative directory through the root and calls fn
-// for each regular file (directories are descended; symlinks, FIFOs and
-// devices are skipped, never followed). An entry error is passed to onErr and
-// the walk continues; a nil onErr ignores it.
+// for each regular file. Directories are descended; symlinks, FIFOs and
+// devices found by the walk are skipped. A walk root with any component that
+// is not a real directory goes to onErr as ErrNotRegular and nothing is
+// yielded. An entry error is passed to onErr and the walk continues; a nil
+// onErr ignores it.
+//
+// Accepted residual (hyperguild#157): a directory swapped for a symlink
+// between the listing and the read is followed. os.Root still keeps the read
+// inside the brain, but not inside relDir.
 func (b *Brain) WalkRegular(relDir string, fn func(rel string) error, onErr func(rel string, err error)) error {
 	relDir = filepath.ToSlash(relDir)
 	// fs.WalkDir stats its root with a follow, and os.Root allows a symlink
 	// that stays inside the brain: knowledge -> . would alias the whole
-	// brain. Require a real directory first.
-	fi, err := b.root.Lstat(relDir)
-	if err == nil && !fi.IsDir() {
-		err = fmt.Errorf("%s: walk root is not a directory: %w", relDir, ErrNotRegular)
-	}
+	// brain. Require every component of the root to be a real directory
+	// (Lstat checks only the last one).
+	err := b.realDir(relDir)
 	if err != nil {
 		if onErr != nil {
 			onErr(relDir, err)
diff --git a/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs_test.go b/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs_test.go
index 0e51c2b..57284f7 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs_test.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs_test.go
@@ -172,3 +172,20 @@ func TestWalkRegularReportsASymlinkedWalkRootAndYieldsNothing(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Len(t, errs, 1)
 	assert.ErrorIs(t, errs[0], ErrNotRegular)
 }
+
+func TestWalkRegularReportsASymlinkedIntermediateComponentOfTheWalkRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "real", "sub"), 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "real", "sub", "n.md"), []byte("n"), 0o644))
+	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink("real", filepath.Join(dir, "alias")))
+	b, err := Open(dir)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
+	var got []string
+	var errs []error
+	require.NoError(t, b.WalkRegular("alias/sub", func(rel string) error { got = append(got, rel); return nil },
+		func(_ string, err error) { errs = append(errs, err) }))
+	assert.Empty(t, got)
+	require.Len(t, errs, 1)
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, errs[0], ErrNotRegular)
+}
diff --git a/ingestion/internal/search/brainroot_test.go b/ingestion/internal/search/brainroot_test.go
index 25dc4e2..6acb636 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/search/brainroot_test.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/search/brainroot_test.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func TestQueryDoesNotFollowASymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T) {
 // A search root that is a symlink staying inside the brain (wiki/<w> -> ..)
 // was followed by fs.WalkDir, aliasing raw/ and root files into results
 // (PR #166 review). The root is now Lstat-checked and skipped.
-func TestQueryDoesNotFollowASymlinkedSearchRootInsideTheBrain(t *testing.T) {
+func TestQueryDoesNotFollowASymlinkedWingRootInsideTheBrain(t *testing.T) {
 	brain, _, _ := searchBrain(t)
 	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(brain, "raw"), 0o755))
 	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brain, "raw", "r.md"), []byte("# r\n\nzqrawonly"), 0o644))
@@ -74,6 +74,18 @@ func TestQueryDoesNotFollowASymlinkedSearchRootInsideTheBrain(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Empty(t, rs)
 }
 
+// With a hall the search root is wiki/<wing>/<hall>; a symlinked <wing> with
+// a real <hall> directory under its target was followed (PR #166 round 2).
+func TestQueryDoesNotFollowASymlinkedWingUnderAWingAndHallRoot(t *testing.T) {
+	brain, _, _ := searchBrain(t)
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(brain, "raw", "facts"), 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brain, "raw", "facts", "r.md"), []byte("# r\n\nzqrawhall"), 0o644))
+	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "raw"), filepath.Join(brain, "wiki", "alias")))
+	rs, err := Query(brain, QueryOptions{Query: "zqrawhall", Wing: "alias", Hall: "facts", Limit: 10})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Empty(t, rs)
+}
+
 // swapInto keeps renaming a regular note, and either a symlink to outside or
 // a FIFO, into path. Each FIFO has a writer held open (as any local process
 // can): a FIFO with no writer reads EOF at once, which would let a reader