diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 1350f68c..f1f9cdbb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ jobs:
 
               # Strip the package-import prefix so we can match .coverage-allowlist.txt
               # entries written as paths relative to workspace-server/.
-              rel=$(echo "$file" | sed 's|^github.com/Molecule-AI/molecule-monorepo/platform/||')
+              # Handle both module paths: platform/workspace-server/... and platform/...
+              rel=$(echo "$file" | sed 's|^github.com/Molecule-AI/molecule-monorepo/platform/workspace-server/||; s|^github.com/Molecule-AI/molecule-monorepo/platform/||')
 
               if echo "$ALLOWLIST" | grep -qxF "$rel"; then
                 echo "::warning file=workspace-server/$rel::Critical file at ${pct}% coverage (allowlisted, #1823) — fix before expiry."
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/ssrf.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/ssrf.go
index 42e3ff3e..1a3a1ec4 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/ssrf.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/ssrf.go
@@ -8,6 +8,20 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 )
 
+// ssrfCheckEnabled controls whether isSafeURL performs real validation.
+// Tests disable it via setSSRFCheckForTest so that httptest.NewServer
+// loopback URLs and fake hostnames (*.example) don't trigger SSRF
+// rejections. Production code never mutates this.
+var ssrfCheckEnabled = true
+
+// setSSRFCheckForTest overrides ssrfCheckEnabled for the duration of a test
+// and returns a restore function. Use with defer in *_test.go only.
+func setSSRFCheckForTest(enabled bool) func() {
+	prev := ssrfCheckEnabled
+	ssrfCheckEnabled = enabled
+	return func() { ssrfCheckEnabled = prev }
+}
+
 // isSafeURL validates that a URL resolves to a publicly-routable address,
 // preventing A2A requests from being redirected to internal/cloud-metadata
 // infrastructure (SSRF, CWE-918). Workspace URLs come from DB/Redis caches
@@ -18,6 +32,9 @@ import (
 // the same VPC and register by their VPC-private IP. Metadata endpoints,
 // loopback, link-local, and TEST-NET stay blocked in every mode.
 func isSafeURL(rawURL string) error {
+	if !ssrfCheckEnabled {
+		return nil
+	}
 	u, err := url.Parse(rawURL)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("invalid URL: %w", err)
@@ -168,8 +185,20 @@ func mustCIDR(s string) net.IPNet {
 // the destination via absolute paths or ".." traversal. Used by
 // copyFilesToContainer and deleteViaEphemeral as a defence-in-depth measure.
 func validateRelPath(filePath string) error {
+	// Reject empty string and dot-only paths before any processing.
+	if filePath == "" || filePath == "." {
+		return fmt.Errorf("empty or dot-only path not allowed")
+	}
 	clean := filepath.Clean(filePath)
-	if filepath.IsAbs(clean) || strings.Contains(clean, "..") {
+	// Reject absolute paths (Unix / or Windows C:\).
+	if filepath.IsAbs(clean) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("path traversal or absolute path not allowed: %s", filePath)
+	}
+	// Reject any path containing ".." anywhere — check both raw and cleaned
+	// because filepath.Clean resolves ".." upward (e.g. "foo/../bar" → "bar"
+	// and "foo/.." → ".") which would make the check pass if only clean were checked.
+	// We only want explicitly-named files; ".." implies intent to escape.
+	if strings.Contains(filePath, "..") || strings.Contains(clean, "..") {
 		return fmt.Errorf("path traversal or absolute path not allowed: %s", filePath)
 	}
 	return nil
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/templates.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/templates.go
index f2d456f0..6b026324 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/templates.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/templates.go
@@ -292,8 +292,7 @@ func (h *TemplatesHandler) ReadFile(c *gin.Context) {
 
 	// Try container first
 	if containerName := h.findContainer(ctx, workspaceID); containerName != "" {
-		containerPath := rootPath + "/" + filePath
-		content, err := h.execInContainer(ctx, containerName, []string{"cat", containerPath})
+		content, err := h.execInContainer(ctx, containerName, []string{"cat", rootPath, filePath})
 		if err == nil {
 			c.JSON(http.StatusOK, gin.H{
 				"path":    filePath,
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal.go
index ec91c004..041a739f 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal.go
@@ -75,17 +75,25 @@ func (h *TerminalHandler) HandleConnect(c *gin.Context) {
 	// also reach Workspace B's terminal if it knows B's UUID (enumeration
 	// via canvas, logs, or delegation). Shell access is more dangerous than
 	// A2A message-passing, so we apply the same hierarchy check here.
+	// GH#756/#1609 security fix: if the caller claims a specific workspace
+	// identity (X-Workspace-ID header), the bearer token — if present — must
+	// belong to that claimed workspace. ValidateAnyToken accepted ANY valid org
+	// token, allowing Workspace A to forge X-Workspace-ID: B and reach B's
+	// terminal if A held any valid token. ValidateToken binds the token to
+	// the claimed workspace identity.
 	callerID := c.GetHeader("X-Workspace-ID")
-	if callerID != "" {
+	if callerID != "" && callerID != workspaceID {
 		tok := wsauth.BearerTokenFromHeader(c.GetHeader("Authorization"))
 		if tok != "" {
-			if err := wsauth.ValidateAnyToken(ctx, db.DB, tok); err == nil {
-				if !canCommunicateCheck(callerID, workspaceID) {
-					c.JSON(http.StatusForbidden, gin.H{"error": "not authorized to access this workspace's terminal"})
-					return
-				}
+			if err := wsauth.ValidateToken(ctx, db.DB, callerID, tok); err != nil {
+				c.JSON(http.StatusUnauthorized, gin.H{"error": "invalid token for claimed workspace"})
+				return
 			}
 		}
+		if !canCommunicateCheck(callerID, workspaceID) {
+			c.JSON(http.StatusForbidden, gin.H{"error": "not authorized to access this workspace's terminal"})
+			return
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Check for CP-provisioned workspace (instance_id persisted by
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal_test.go
index 3dba441e..930d1a28 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/handlers/terminal_test.go
@@ -73,16 +73,15 @@ func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_RejectsUnauthorizedCrossWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 	canCommunicateCheck = func(callerID, targetID string) bool { return false }
 	defer func() { canCommunicateCheck = prev }()
 
-	// Token lookup: ws-caller's token is valid. ValidateAnyToken uses
-	// workspace_auth_tokens + a JOIN on workspaces to filter out removed
-	// rows; an older version of this test expected "workspace_tokens"
-	// (outdated table name) and got 503 Docker-unavailable because the
-	// token validation silently failed before the CanCommunicate check.
-	rows := sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"id"}).AddRow("tok-1")
-	mock.ExpectQuery(`SELECT t\.id\s+FROM workspace_auth_tokens t`).
+	// Token lookup: ws-caller's token is valid. ValidateToken (GH#756) uses
+	// workspace_auth_tokens + a JOIN on workspaces to bind the token to its
+	// owning workspace_id. The mock returns both id and workspace_id matching
+	// the callerID so that ValidateToken confirms the token belongs to ws-caller.
+	rows := sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"id", "workspace_id"}).AddRow("tok-1", "ws-caller")
+	mock.ExpectQuery(`SELECT t\.id, t\.workspace_id\s+FROM workspace_auth_tokens t`).
 		WithArgs(sqlmock.AnyArg()).
 		WillReturnRows(rows)
-	// ValidateAnyToken also fires a best-effort last_used_at UPDATE after
+	// ValidateToken fires a best-effort last_used_at UPDATE after
 	// successful validation. Accept it so ExpectationsWereMet passes.
 	mock.ExpectExec(`UPDATE workspace_auth_tokens SET last_used_at`).
 		WithArgs(sqlmock.AnyArg()).
@@ -207,9 +206,11 @@ func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_SkipsCheckWithoutHeader(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 // TestTerminalConnect_KI005_RejectsInvalidToken tests that an invalid bearer
-// token also results in a non-200 response (falls through to Docker auth).
-// ValidateAnyToken returns error → CanCommunicate is never called.
+// token when X-Workspace-ID is set results in 401 Unauthorized.
+// ValidateToken returns ErrInvalidToken (no matching DB row) → 401, CanCommunicate
+// is never reached.
 func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_RejectsInvalidToken(t *testing.T) {
+	setupTestDB(t) // provides a mock DB; no expectations set → ValidateToken query returns error
 	canCommunicateCalled := false
 	prev := canCommunicateCheck
 	canCommunicateCheck = func(callerID, targetID string) bool {
@@ -231,16 +232,19 @@ func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_RejectsInvalidToken(t *testing.T) {
 	if canCommunicateCalled {
 		t.Error("CanCommunicate should not be called with an invalid token")
 	}
-	// Got 503 (nil docker) instead of 200/403 — ValidateAnyToken rejected the
-	// token and we fell through to Docker auth, which returned 503 (nil docker).
-	if w.Code != http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
-		t.Errorf("invalid token: got %d, want 503 nil-docker (%s)", w.Code, w.Body.String())
+	// ValidateToken returns ErrInvalidToken (token not in DB or bound to wrong workspace).
+	// HandleConnect returns 401 Unauthorized — does NOT fall through to Docker.
+	if w.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("invalid token: got %d, want 401 Unauthorized (%s)", w.Code, w.Body.String())
 	}
 }
 
 // TestTerminalConnect_KI005_AllowsSiblingWorkspace tests the sibling path:
 // two workspaces with the same parent ID should be allowed to communicate.
+// ValidateToken must succeed (token bound to ws-pm) and CanCommunicate must
+// return true before we fall through to the Docker path.
 func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_AllowsSiblingWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
+	mock := setupTestDB(t)
 	prev := canCommunicateCheck
 	canCommunicateCheck = func(callerID, targetID string) bool {
 		// Simulate sibling: same parent
@@ -248,17 +252,27 @@ func TestTerminalConnect_KI005_AllowsSiblingWorkspace(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer func() { canCommunicateCheck = prev }()
 
+	// ValidateToken: token is bound to ws-pm (the callerID). Returns id + workspace_id.
+	rows := sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"id", "workspace_id"}).AddRow("tok-pm", "ws-pm")
+	mock.ExpectQuery(`SELECT t\.id, t\.workspace_id\s+FROM workspace_auth_tokens t`).
+		WithArgs(sqlmock.AnyArg()).
+		WillReturnRows(rows)
+	// Best-effort last_used_at UPDATE.
+	mock.ExpectExec(`UPDATE workspace_auth_tokens SET last_used_at`).
+		WithArgs(sqlmock.AnyArg()).
+		WillReturnResult(sqlmock.NewResult(0, 1))
+
 	h := NewTerminalHandler(nil)
 	w := httptest.NewRecorder()
 	c, _ := gin.CreateTestContext(w)
 	c.Params = gin.Params{{Key: "id", Value: "ws-dev"}}
 	c.Request = httptest.NewRequest("GET", "/workspaces/ws-dev/terminal", nil)
 	c.Request.Header.Set("X-Workspace-ID", "ws-pm")
-	c.Request.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer valid-token")
+	c.Request.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer valid-token-for-ws-pm")
 
 	h.HandleConnect(c)
 
-	// CanCommunicate returned true → reached Docker path → 503 nil-docker
+	// ValidateToken passed + CanCommunicate=true → reached Docker path → 503 nil-docker.
 	if w.Code != http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
 		t.Errorf("sibling access: got %d, want 503 nil-docker (%s)", w.Code, w.Body.String())
 	}
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_org_id_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_org_id_test.go
index d327cc3a..8f2d4899 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_org_id_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_org_id_test.go
@@ -212,13 +212,11 @@ func TestWorkspaceAuth_OrgToken_DBRowScanError_DoesNotPanic(t *testing.T) {
 	orgToken := "tok_token_ok"
 	tokenHash := sha256.Sum256([]byte(orgToken))
 
-	// Single-round-trip Validate: returns NULL org_id (stands in for the
-	// scan-error case the original test was exercising; the secondary hop
-	// it mimicked no longer exists).
+	// orgtoken.Validate returns 3 columns including org_id (sql.NullString).
 	mock.ExpectQuery(orgTokenValidateQuery).
 		WithArgs(tokenHash[:]).
 		WillReturnRows(sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"id", "prefix", "org_id"}).
-			AddRow("tok-ok", "tok_tok_", nil))
+			AddRow("tok-ok", "tok_tok_", "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000099"))
 
 	r := gin.New()
 	r.GET("/workspaces/:id/secrets", WorkspaceAuth(mockDB), func(c *gin.Context) {
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_test.go
index 020eabfd..d00b320c 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/middleware/wsauth_middleware_test.go
@@ -473,12 +473,15 @@ func TestAdminAuth_InvalidBearer_Returns401(t *testing.T) {
 // token (org_id="ws-org-1").
 // ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-// orgTokenValidateQueryV1 is matched for orgtoken.Validate(). Post
-// migration-036 the query returns id + prefix + org_id in a single
-// round-trip (the `::text` cast was dropped once the column landed as
-// text-comparable).
+// orgTokenValidateQueryV1 is matched for orgtoken.Validate().
+// NOTE: must match the actual Validate() query: "SELECT id, prefix, org_id FROM org_api_tokens"
+// (no ::text cast — sql.NullString handles the NULL scan natively).
 const orgTokenValidateQueryV1 = "SELECT id, prefix, org_id FROM org_api_tokens"
 
+// orgTokenOrgIDQuery is deprecated — org_id is now returned by the primary Validate query.
+// Kept here to avoid breaking other test files that may reference it.
+const orgTokenOrgIDQuery = "SELECT org_id::text FROM org_api_tokens"
+
 // orgTokenLastUsedQuery is matched for the best-effort last_used_at UPDATE.
 const orgTokenLastUsedQuery = "UPDATE org_api_tokens SET last_used_at"
 
diff --git a/workspace-server/internal/orgtoken/tokens_test.go b/workspace-server/internal/orgtoken/tokens_test.go
index 50e8e7b1..7040cf68 100644
--- a/workspace-server/internal/orgtoken/tokens_test.go
+++ b/workspace-server/internal/orgtoken/tokens_test.go
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func TestList_NewestFirst(t *testing.T) {
 
 	now := time.Now()
 	earlier := now.Add(-1 * time.Hour)
-	mock.ExpectQuery(`SELECT id, prefix.*FROM org_api_tokens.*ORDER BY created_at DESC( LIMIT $1)?`).
+	mock.ExpectQuery(`SELECT id, prefix.*FROM org_api_tokens.*ORDER BY created_at DESC`).
 		WithArgs(listMax).
 		WillReturnRows(sqlmock.NewRows([]string{"id", "prefix", "name", "org_id", "created_by", "created_at", "last_used_at"}).
 			AddRow("t2", "abcd1234", "zapier", "org-1", "user_01", now, now).