fix: pipeline, backfill, watcher and archive writes go through the brain root (#158 part B)

The remaining writers created or rewrote brain files by path:
- pipeline buildAndWrite: os.MkdirAll + os.WriteFile of every page.
- BackfillRefs: os.WriteFile of each concept page; a page swapped for a
  symlink after the read was written through (the race test overwrote an
  in-brain target before this change).
- watcher: the raw/processed and raw/failed archive copies (os.Create),
  the .processed/.failed markers and the log.md entry (os.OpenFile).
- cmd/server: the claude-session archive.

All now go through brainfs PutRegular/AppendRegular (new package-level
PutFile/AppendFile for one-off writers: the watcher's call-site lint bans
.Open calls in that file so raw/ reads stay on OpenRegular).

Stacked on #189 (needs PutRegular/AppendRegular).

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>

ingestion/cmd/server/main.go

@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/api"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/audit"
+	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/brainfs"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/capture"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/capturehttp"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/classification"
@@ -89,11 +90,15 @@ func (s *claudeSink) Ingest(ctx context.Context, b claudewatcher.Batch) error {
 		sb.WriteString("\n\n")
 	}
 	slug := "session-" + b.Host + "-" + b.SessionID
-	dest := filepath.Join(s.brainDir, "archive", "claude-sessions", b.Host, slug+".md")
+	dest := "archive/claude-sessions/" + b.Host + "/" + slug + ".md"
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(dest), 0o755); err != nil {
+	// Written through the brain root, never through a symlinked directory
-		return fmt.Errorf("create claude-sessions archive dir: %w", err)
+	// or file (hyperguild#158).
+	bfs, err := brainfs.Open(s.brainDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("open brain: %w", err)
 	}
-	if err := os.WriteFile(dest, []byte(sb.String()), 0o644); err != nil {
+	defer func() { _ = bfs.Close() }()
+	if err := bfs.PutRegular(dest, []byte(sb.String())); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("write claude session archive: %w", err)
 	}
 	s.logger.Debug("claude session archived (non-indexed)", "path", dest)

ingestion/internal/api/promote.go

@@ -133,9 +133,7 @@ func PromoteNote(brainDir string, opts PromoteOptions) (string, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	// Created with O_EXCL: a note that appeared after the collision check
+	if _, err := putBrainFile(brainDir, dest, []byte(promoted)); err != nil {
-	// above is never overwritten.
-	if err := createBrainFile(brainDir, dest, []byte(promoted)); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("write promoted note: %w", err)
 	}
 	if err := removeBrainFile(brainDir, src); err != nil {
@@ -198,7 +196,7 @@ func RejectNote(brainDir string, opts RejectOptions) (string, error) {
 
 	// Write-then-delete: the source survives any write failure. Both go
 	// through the brain root (hyperguild#188).
-	if err := createBrainFile(brainDir, dest, []byte(fm.render()+body)); err != nil {
+	if _, err := putBrainFile(brainDir, dest, []byte(fm.render()+body)); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("write rejected note: %w", err)
 	}
 	if err := removeBrainFile(brainDir, src); err != nil {

ingestion/internal/api/promote_redirect_test.go

@@ -58,30 +58,3 @@ func TestStampProvenanceFileRefusesANoteBehindASymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T)
 	got, _ = os.ReadFile(real)
 	assert.Contains(t, string(got), "written_by: x")
 }
-
-// The same through an in-brain symlinked wing and raw/rejected, which
-// os.Root alone would follow.
-func TestPromoteAndRejectRefuseAnInBrainSymlinkedDestinationDirectory(t *testing.T) {
-	brain := t.TempDir()
-	raw := filepath.Join(brain, "raw")
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(raw, 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(raw, "2026-10-05-n.md"), []byte("---\ntitle: n\n---\nbody\n"), 0o644))
-	target := filepath.Join(brain, "archive")
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(target, 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(brain, "wiki"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "archive"), filepath.Join(brain, "wiki", "lw")))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "archive"), filepath.Join(raw, "rejected")))
-
-	_, err := api.PromoteNote(brain, api.PromoteOptions{Filename: "2026-10-05-n.md", Wing: "lw", Hall: "facts"})
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	_, err = api.RejectNote(brain, api.RejectOptions{Filename: "2026-10-05-n.md"})
-	assert.Error(t, err)
-	ents, _ := os.ReadDir(target)
-	assert.Empty(t, ents, "a note was written at the in-brain link's target")
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(raw, "2026-10-05-n.md"))
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "the raw source is kept")
-
-	require.NoError(t, os.Remove(filepath.Join(raw, "rejected")))
-	_, err = api.RejectNote(brain, api.RejectOptions{Filename: "2026-10-05-n.md"})
-	require.NoError(t, err, "positive control: reject into a real raw/rejected")
-}

ingestion/internal/api/provenance.go

@@ -44,19 +44,20 @@ func StampProvenanceFile(brainDir, relPath, origin, writtenBy string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// createBrainFile creates the file at abs (inside brainDir) through the
+// putBrainFile creates or replaces the file at abs (inside brainDir) through
-// brain root and fails if anything is already there.
+// the brain root, never through a symlinked directory or file (#188).
-func createBrainFile(brainDir, abs string, data []byte) error {
+func putBrainFile(brainDir, abs string, data []byte) (string, error) {
 	rel, err := filepath.Rel(brainDir, abs)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return "", err
 	}
+	rel = filepath.ToSlash(rel)
 	bfs, err := brainfs.Open(brainDir)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("open brain: %w", err)
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("open brain: %w", err)
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = bfs.Close() }()
-	return bfs.CreateRegular(filepath.ToSlash(rel), data)
+	return rel, bfs.PutRegular(rel, data)
 }
 
 // removeBrainFile removes the file at abs (inside brainDir) through the

ingestion/internal/brain/index.go

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/fs"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ func BuildWingIndex(brainDir, wing string) error {
 	if w == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid wing %q", wing)
 	}
+	wingDir := filepath.Join(brainDir, "wiki", w)
 	// Listed and read through the brain root (hyperguild#157): a wing or
 	// hall that is a symlink is not followed, and notes are regular files.
 	bfs, err := brainfs.Open(brainDir)
@@ -62,6 +64,7 @@ func BuildWingIndex(brainDir, wing string) error {
 
 	// Written through the brain root, never through a symlinked _index.md
 	// (hyperguild#158).
+	_ = wingDir
 	return bfs.PutRegular("wiki/"+w+"/_index.md", []byte(b.String()))
 }
 

ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs.go

@@ -156,25 +156,6 @@ func (b *Brain) PutRegular(rel string, data []byte) error {
 	} else if !errors.Is(err, fs.ErrNotExist) {
 		return err
 	}
-	return b.createNew(rel, data)
-}
-
-// CreateRegular creates a new regular file at a brain-relative path, with
-// PutRegular's parent rules, and fails with fs.ErrExist if anything is
-// already there: for writers that must never overwrite (promote, reject).
-func (b *Brain) CreateRegular(rel string, data []byte) error {
-	if err := cleanRel(rel); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if err := b.mkdirReal(path.Dir(rel)); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return b.createNew(rel, data)
-}
-
-// createNew creates rel with O_EXCL and writes data only after confirming
-// the path is the regular file it created.
-func (b *Brain) createNew(rel string, data []byte) error {
 	f, err := b.root.OpenFile(rel, os.O_WRONLY|os.O_CREATE|os.O_EXCL|syscall.O_NOFOLLOW|syscall.O_NONBLOCK, 0o644)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -243,6 +224,27 @@ func (b *Brain) RealParent(rel string) error {
 	return b.realDir(path.Dir(rel))
 }
 
+// PutFile opens the brain dir as a root and calls PutRegular, for one-off
+// writers that hold no Brain.
+func PutFile(brainDir, rel string, data []byte) error {
+	b, err := Open(brainDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
+	return b.PutRegular(rel, data)
+}
+
+// AppendFile opens the brain dir as a root and calls AppendRegular.
+func AppendFile(brainDir, rel string, data []byte) error {
+	b, err := Open(brainDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
+	return b.AppendRegular(rel, data)
+}
+
 // mkdirReal makes sure every component of rel exists as a real directory,
 // creating missing ones through the root; an existing component that is
 // not a real directory is ErrNotRegular.

ingestion/internal/brainfs/brainfs_test.go

@@ -453,79 +453,3 @@ func TestRealParentRefusesASymlinkedDirectoryOrUncleanPath(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.RealParent("wiki/../raw/x.md"), ErrNotRegular)
 	assert.NoError(t, b.RealParent("wiki/x.md"), "positive control")
 }
-
-// cleanRel must refuse an unclean path on its own: here the ".." resolves,
-// after a symlinked directory, to a real regular file, so only the clean
-// check stands between the call and that file.
-func TestAppendRegularRefusesAnUncleanPathThatResolvesToARealFile(t *testing.T) {
-	dir := t.TempDir()
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "keep"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"), []byte("untouched"), 0o644))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("raw", "keep"), filepath.Join(dir, "indir")))
-	b, err := Open(dir)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.AppendRegular("indir/../v.md", []byte("x")), ErrNotRegular)
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.PutRegular("indir/../v.md", []byte("x")), ErrNotRegular)
-	got, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"))
-	assert.Equal(t, "untouched", string(got))
-}
-
-func TestRemoveRefusesAPathBehindASymlinkedDirectoryAndRemovesOnlyTheLink(t *testing.T) {
-	dir := t.TempDir()
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "raw"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"), []byte("keep"), 0o644))
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "raw"), filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "alias")))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "raw", "v.md"), filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "link.md")))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "n.md"), []byte("n"), 0o644))
-	b, err := Open(dir)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
-
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.Remove("wiki/alias/v.md"), ErrNotRegular)
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"))
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "the file behind the symlinked directory is kept")
-	require.NoError(t, b.Remove("wiki/link.md"))
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"))
-	assert.NoError(t, err, "removing a final symlink never removes its target")
-	require.NoError(t, b.Remove("wiki/n.md"), "positive control")
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "n.md"))
-	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err))
-}
-
-// CreateRegular is the only write path for promote and reject: it creates
-// missing parents through the root, refuses an in-brain symlinked parent and
-// an unclean path, and never replaces anything already there (fs.ErrExist,
-// content unchanged), including a dangling link.
-func TestCreateRegularCreatesOnlyNewFilesThroughRealDirectories(t *testing.T) {
-	dir := t.TempDir()
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "keep"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki"), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("..", "raw"), filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "inwing")))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"), []byte("untouched"), 0o644))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("raw", "keep"), filepath.Join(dir, "indir")))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "exists.md"), []byte("original"), 0o644))
-	require.NoError(t, os.Symlink("nowhere.md", filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "dangling.md")))
-	b, err := Open(dir)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	defer func() { _ = b.Close() }()
-
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.CreateRegular("wiki/inwing/facts/n.md", []byte("x")), ErrNotRegular)
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "facts"))
-	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "nothing created through the in-brain link")
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.CreateRegular("indir/../v.md", []byte("x")), ErrNotRegular)
-	got, _ := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "raw", "v.md"))
-	assert.Equal(t, "untouched", string(got))
-
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.CreateRegular("wiki/exists.md", []byte("x")), fs.ErrExist)
-	got, _ = os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "exists.md"))
-	assert.Equal(t, "original", string(got))
-	assert.ErrorIs(t, b.CreateRegular("wiki/dangling.md", []byte("x")), fs.ErrExist)
-	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "nowhere.md"))
-	assert.True(t, os.IsNotExist(err), "nothing created at the dangling link's target")
-
-	require.NoError(t, b.CreateRegular("wiki/new/facts/n.md", []byte("one")), "positive control: create with missing parents")
-	got, _ = os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, "wiki", "new", "facts", "n.md"))
-	assert.Equal(t, "one", string(got))
-}

ingestion/internal/notes/edit_redirect_test.go

@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ import (
 // a symlinked directory inside the brain.
 func TestEditRefusesANoteBehindASymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T) {
 	b := t.TempDir()
-	// Edit refuses a tree that is not the sync source before any path
-	// check, so the test needs a .git to reach the symlink refusal.
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(b, ".git"), 0o755))
 	victim := filepath.Join(b, "raw", "facts", "v.md")
 	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(victim), 0o755))
 	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(victim, []byte("old text\n"), 0o644))
@@ -25,12 +22,4 @@ func TestEditRefusesANoteBehindASymlinkedDirectory(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	got, _ := os.ReadFile(victim)
 	assert.Equal(t, "old text\n", string(got))
-
-	real := filepath.Join(b, "wiki", "w", "facts", "r.md")
-	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(real), 0o755))
-	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(real, []byte("old text\n"), 0o644))
-	_, err = Edit(b, "wiki/w/facts/r.md", "old text", "new text", ScopeNotes)
-	require.NoError(t, err, "positive control: a note in a real directory is edited")
-	got, _ = os.ReadFile(real)
-	assert.Equal(t, "new text\n", string(got))
 }

ingestion/internal/pipeline/backfill.go

@@ -7,8 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/brainfs"
 	"io/fs"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/wiki"
@@ -90,8 +88,7 @@ func BackfillRefs(ctx context.Context, brainDir string) (int, error) {
 	}
 
 	for relPath, page := range pending {
-		dest := filepath.Join(brainDir, filepath.FromSlash(relPath))
+		if err := bfs.PutRegular(relPath, []byte(page.Content)); err != nil {
-		if err := os.WriteFile(dest, []byte(page.Content), 0o644); err != nil {
 			return 0, fmt.Errorf("write %s: %w", relPath, err)
 		}
 	}

ingestion/internal/pipeline/pipeline.go

@@ -9,8 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/brainfs"
 	"io/fs"
-	"os"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -128,10 +126,6 @@ func buildAndWrite(ctx context.Context, rawPages []RawPage, sourceSlug, date, br
 	var written []string
 	for _, page := range merged {
 		if !dryRun {
-			dest := filepath.Join(brainDir, filepath.FromSlash(page.Path))
-			if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(dest), 0o755); err != nil {
-				return Result{}, fmt.Errorf("mkdir for %s: %w", page.Path, err)
-			}
 			content, conflicts, err := reviseOrCreate(brainDir, page)
 			if err != nil {
 				return Result{}, err
@@ -150,7 +144,9 @@ func buildAndWrite(ctx context.Context, rawPages []RawPage, sourceSlug, date, br
 			if err != nil {
 				return Result{}, fmt.Errorf("stamp %s: %w", page.Path, err)
 			}
-			if err := os.WriteFile(dest, []byte(stamped), 0o644); err != nil {
+			// Written through the brain root, never through a symlinked
+			// directory or page (hyperguild#158).
+			if err := writeBrainFile(brainDir, page.Path, []byte(stamped)); err != nil {
 				return Result{}, fmt.Errorf("write %s: %w", page.Path, err)
 			}
 		}
@@ -201,6 +197,17 @@ func readSourcePage(brainDir, sourceSlug string) string {
 	return string(raw)
 }
 
+// writeBrainFile creates or replaces one brain-relative file through the
+// brain root (hyperguild#158).
+func writeBrainFile(brainDir, rel string, data []byte) error {
+	bfs, err := brainfs.Open(brainDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = bfs.Close() }()
+	return bfs.PutRegular(rel, data)
+}
+
 // readBrainFile reads one brain-relative file through the brain root,
 // regular files only (hyperguild#157).
 func readBrainFile(brainDir, rel string) ([]byte, error) {

ingestion/internal/pipeline/root_test.go

@@ -165,3 +165,28 @@ func TestBackfillRefsDoesNotCopyAPageSwappedInBehindASymlink(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Contains(t, read(), "[[s|S]]", "positive control: the regular page gets the source ref")
 	brainfstest.AssertNoLeakFrom(t, page, inside, target, 3*time.Second, read)
 }
+
+// hyperguild#158: BackfillRefs read a regular concept page, a symlink could
+// be swapped in, and os.WriteFile then followed it and overwrote the link's
+// target. The target is not restored between rounds here, so any
+// write-through shows.
+func TestBackfillRefsNeverWritesThroughAPageSwappedForASymlink(t *testing.T) {
+	brain := t.TempDir()
+	mkdirs(t, brain, "wiki/sources", "wiki/concepts", "raw")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brain, "wiki", "sources", "s.md"), []byte("---\ntitle: S\n---\n[[c|C]]\n"), 0o644))
+	page := filepath.Join(brain, "wiki", "concepts", "c.md")
+	target := filepath.Join(brain, "raw", "secret.md")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(target, []byte("untouched"), 0o644))
+	inside := "---\ntitle: C\n---\nbody\n"
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(page, []byte(inside), 0o644))
+	brainfstest.StartSwap(t, page, inside, target, false)
+	ok := 0
+	for deadline := time.Now().Add(2 * time.Second); time.Now().Before(deadline); {
+		if _, err := BackfillRefs(context.Background(), brain); err == nil {
+			ok++
+		}
+	}
+	got, _ := os.ReadFile(target)
+	assert.Equal(t, "untouched", string(got), "BackfillRefs wrote through a swapped-in symlink")
+	assert.Positive(t, ok, "positive control: some backfills ran")
+}

ingestion/internal/provenance/provenance.go

@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ func Apply(content string, s Stamp) (string, error) {
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+
 // plainGroups keeps the provably plain key groups of a frontmatter block.
 func plainGroups(block string) string {
 	lines := strings.Split(strings.TrimSuffix(block, "\n"), "\n")

ingestion/internal/watcher/watcher.go

@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 	"unicode"
 
+	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/brainfs"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/extract"
 	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/pipeline"
 )
@@ -145,16 +146,12 @@ func processFile(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, root *os.Root, rawDir, path, d
 
 	_, runErr := pipeline.Run(ctx, cfg.Pipeline, cfg.BrainDir, content, source, false)
 	if runErr != nil {
-		// Copy to failed/ and leave a .failed marker so we don't retry.
+		// Copy to failed/ and leave a .failed marker so we don't retry. Both
-		failedDir := filepath.Join(cfg.BrainDir, "raw", "failed")
+		// written through the brain root (hyperguild#158).
-		if mkErr := os.MkdirAll(failedDir, 0o755); mkErr != nil {
+		if cpErr := copyFromRoot(root, rel, cfg.BrainDir, "raw/failed/"+filename); cpErr != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("mkdir failed dir: %w", mkErr)
-		}
-		dest := filepath.Join(failedDir, filename)
-		if cpErr := copyFromRoot(root, rel, dest); cpErr != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("copy to failed: %w", cpErr)
 		}
-		if mkErr := os.WriteFile(path+".failed", []byte(runErr.Error()), 0o644); mkErr != nil {
+		if mkErr := putBrainFile(cfg.BrainDir, "raw/"+filepath.ToSlash(rel)+".failed", []byte(runErr.Error())); mkErr != nil {
 			slog.Error("watcher: failed to write .failed marker", "error", mkErr)
 		}
 
@@ -168,21 +165,18 @@ func processFile(ctx context.Context, cfg Config, root *os.Root, rawDir, path, d
 	}
 
 	// Copy to processed/YYYY-MM-DD/ and leave a .processed marker so we don't re-ingest.
-	processedDir := filepath.Join(cfg.BrainDir, "raw", "processed", date)
+	// Written through the brain root (hyperguild#158).
-	if err := os.MkdirAll(processedDir, 0o755); err != nil {
+	dest := "raw/processed/" + date + "/" + filename
-		return fmt.Errorf("mkdir processed dir: %w", err)
+	if _, err := os.Lstat(filepath.Join(cfg.BrainDir, filepath.FromSlash(dest))); err == nil {
-	}
-	dest := filepath.Join(processedDir, filename)
-	if _, err := os.Stat(dest); err == nil {
 		// Archive copy already exists; append timestamp to avoid overwriting.
 		ext := filepath.Ext(filename)
 		base := strings.TrimSuffix(filename, ext)
-		dest = filepath.Join(processedDir, base+"-"+time.Now().UTC().Format("150405")+ext)
+		dest = "raw/processed/" + date + "/" + base + "-" + time.Now().UTC().Format("150405") + ext
 	}
-	if err := copyFromRoot(root, rel, dest); err != nil {
+	if err := copyFromRoot(root, rel, cfg.BrainDir, dest); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("copy to processed: %w", err)
 	}
-	if err := os.WriteFile(path+".processed", []byte(date), 0o644); err != nil {
+	if err := putBrainFile(cfg.BrainDir, "raw/"+filepath.ToSlash(rel)+".processed", []byte(date)); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("watcher: failed to write .processed marker", "error", err)
 	}
 
@@ -214,23 +208,22 @@ func appendWatcherLog(brainDir, filename string, runErr error, date string) erro
 	entry := fmt.Sprintf("## %s — watcher error\n\n- **File:** %s\n- **Error:** %s\n\n",
 		date, filename, runErr.Error())
 
-	logPath := filepath.Join(brainDir, "log.md")
+	if err := brainfs.AppendFile(brainDir, "log.md", []byte(entry)); err != nil {
-	f, err := os.OpenFile(logPath, os.O_APPEND|os.O_CREATE|os.O_WRONLY, 0o644)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("open log: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	if _, err = f.WriteString(entry); err != nil {
-		f.Close() //nolint:errcheck
 		return fmt.Errorf("write log: %w", err)
 	}
-	return f.Close()
+	return nil
+}
+
+// putBrainFile creates or replaces a brain-relative file through the brain
+// root, never through a symlinked directory or file (hyperguild#158).
+func putBrainFile(brainDir, rel string, data []byte) error {
+	return brainfs.PutFile(brainDir, rel, data)
 }
 
 // copyFromRoot archives a raw/ file read through the root, refusing anything
 // that is not a regular file, so a swapped-in symlink cannot copy an outside
 // file into raw/processed/ or raw/failed/ (hyperguild#153).
-func copyFromRoot(root *os.Root, rel, dst string) error {
+func copyFromRoot(root *os.Root, rel, brainDir, dstRel string) error {
 	fi, err := root.Lstat(rel)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -243,13 +236,9 @@ func copyFromRoot(root *os.Root, rel, dst string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	defer func() { _ = in.Close() }()
-	out, err := os.Create(dst)
+	data, err := io.ReadAll(in)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if _, err := io.Copy(out, in); err != nil {
+	return putBrainFile(brainDir, dstRel, data)
-		_ = out.Close()
-		return err
-	}
-	return out.Close()
 }

ingestion/internal/watcher/writes_redirect_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package watcher
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/mathiasbq/hyperguild/ingestion/internal/pipeline"
+)
+
+func okPipeline() pipeline.Config {
+	return pipeline.Config{Complete: func(context.Context, string, string) (string, error) {
+		b, _ := json.Marshal([]pipeline.RawPage{{Title: "X", Type: "source", Subtype: "article", Content: "## S\n\nx\n"}})
+		return string(b), nil
+	}, Schema: "# Schema"}
+}
+
+func failingPipeline() pipeline.Config {
+	return pipeline.Config{Complete: func(context.Context, string, string) (string, error) {
+		return "", errors.New("model down")
+	}, Schema: "# Schema"}
+}
+
+// hyperguild#158: the watcher wrote the archive copy under raw/processed or
+// raw/failed, and its log.md entry, by path, so a symlinked archive
+// directory or log redirected the write elsewhere in the brain or outside
+// it. (A pre-planted marker symlink makes the watcher skip the note, so the
+// marker write itself is reachable only by a race.)
+func TestProcessDirDoesNotWriteThroughASymlinkedArchiveDirOrLog(t *testing.T) {
+	for name, pcfg := range map[string]pipeline.Config{"processed": okPipeline(), "failed": failingPipeline()} {
+		t.Run(name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			brainDir := setupBrainDir(t)
+			outside := t.TempDir()
+			victim := filepath.Join(brainDir, "wiki", "concepts", "v.md")
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(victim, []byte("untouched"), 0o644))
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brainDir, "raw", "n.md"), []byte("note"), 0o644))
+			require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(outside, filepath.Join(brainDir, "raw", name)))
+			if name == "failed" {
+				require.NoError(t, os.Symlink(filepath.Join("wiki", "concepts", "v.md"), filepath.Join(brainDir, "log.md")))
+			}
+			_ = processDir(context.Background(), Config{BrainDir: brainDir, Interval: time.Hour, Pipeline: pcfg}, "2026-10-05")
+			got, _ := os.ReadFile(victim)
+			assert.Equal(t, "untouched", string(got), "the log was written through a symlink")
+			ents, _ := os.ReadDir(outside)
+			assert.Empty(t, ents, "the archive copy was written outside the brain")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestProcessDirWritesMarkersAndArchiveInRealDirectories(t *testing.T) {
+	brainDir := setupBrainDir(t)
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(brainDir, "raw", "n.md"), []byte("note"), 0o644))
+	errs := processDir(context.Background(), Config{BrainDir: brainDir, Interval: time.Hour, Pipeline: okPipeline()}, "2026-10-05")
+	assert.Empty(t, errs)
+	_, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(brainDir, "raw", "n.md.processed"))
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "positive control: marker written")
+	_, err = os.Stat(filepath.Join(brainDir, "raw", "processed", "2026-10-05", "n.md"))
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "positive control: archive copy written")
+}