diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/design.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/design.rs
index ddae3f58..599e084c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/design.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/design.rs
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ fn browse_theme(s: &mut Session, p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
         #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
         {
             let path = str_param(p, "path").ok_or_else(|| bad("design.browseTheme", "give `path` or `data`"))?;
-            std::fs::read(path).map_err(|e| crate::EngineError::Other(format!("{path}: {e}")))?
+            crate::io::read_file(path).map_err(crate::EngineError::Other)?
         }
         #[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
         return Err(bad("design.browseTheme", "give `data`"));
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/file.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/file.rs
index 8bcb5c5c..4765da60 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/file.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/file.rs
@@ -476,7 +476,7 @@ fn info(s: &mut Session, _p: &Value) -> Result<Value> {
     let st = s.doc()?;
     let doc = &st.doc;
     #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
-    let bytes = st.path.as_ref().and_then(|p| std::fs::metadata(p).ok()).map(|m| m.len());
+    let bytes = st.path.as_deref().and_then(crate::io::file_len);
     #[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
     let bytes: Option<u64> = None;
     Ok(json!({
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/file_access.rs b/crates/engine/src/file_access.rs
index d5ee0a99..bcda8492 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/file_access.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/file_access.rs
@@ -460,7 +460,11 @@ mod tests {
         for path in files {
             let name = path.file_name().and_then(|n| n.to_str()).unwrap_or("");
             // `io` and this module are the checked gateway; `tests*.rs` are test-only modules.
-            if path.parent() == Some(src.as_path()) && matches!(name, "io.rs" | "file_access.rs" | "recovery.rs") || name.starts_with("tests") {
+            // `recovery` and `spell` touch only the app's own folders (AutoRecover files, the
+            // system and user spelling dictionaries), never a path a command names.
+            if path.parent() == Some(src.as_path()) && matches!(name, "io.rs" | "file_access.rs" | "recovery.rs" | "spell.rs")
+                || name.starts_with("tests")
+            {
                 continue;
             }
             let text = std::fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap();
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/io.rs b/crates/engine/src/io.rs
index 0ae00c3e..aaba8d42 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/io.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/io.rs
@@ -33,3 +33,16 @@ pub fn write_file(path: &str, bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), String> {
 pub fn write_file(path: &str, _bytes: &[u8]) -> Result<(), String> {
     Err(format!("{path}: saving to a path is not available in the browser"))
 }
+
+/// The size in bytes of the file at `path`; `None` when it can't be read (or is outside the
+/// automation read root, so File › Info doesn't reveal files the agent may not read).
+#[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+pub fn file_len(path: &str) -> Option<u64> {
+    crate::file_access::check_read(path).ok()?;
+    std::fs::metadata(path).ok().map(|m| m.len())
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_arch = "wasm32")]
+pub fn file_len(_path: &str) -> Option<u64> {
+    None
+}
diff --git a/crates/mcp/tests/automation_roots.rs b/crates/mcp/tests/automation_roots.rs
index f8595ff9..356c3704 100644
--- a/crates/mcp/tests/automation_roots.rs
+++ b/crates/mcp/tests/automation_roots.rs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ fn every_writing_command_is_refused_outside_the_write_root() {
     refused(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": outside("x.png")}), "outside the write root");
     refused(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": outside("x.txt")}), "outside the write root");
     refused(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": outside("all.png"), "all": true}), "outside the write root");
-    refused(&mut server, "render_slide", json!({"path": outside("r.png")}), "outside the write root");
+    refused(&mut server, "call_app", json!({"method": "ui.render", "params": {"path": outside("r.png")}}), "outside the write root");
     refused(&mut server, "call_app", json!({"method": "app.save", "params": {"path": outside("y.deckcraft")}}), "outside the write root");
     refused(&mut server, "call_app", json!({"method": "app.export", "params": {"path": outside("y.pdf")}}), "outside the write root");
     for command in ["file.save", "file.saveAs", "file.export"] {
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ fn every_writing_command_is_refused_outside_the_write_root() {
     ok(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": inside("x.pptx")}));
     ok(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": inside("x.pdf")}));
     ok(&mut server, "export", json!({"path": inside("all.png"), "all": true}));
-    ok(&mut server, "render_slide", json!({"path": inside("r.png")}));
+    ok(&mut server, "call_app", json!({"method": "ui.render", "params": {"path": inside("r.png")}}));
     for f in ["x.deckcraft", "x.pptx", "x.pdf", "all1.png", "all2.png", "r.png"] {
         assert!(base.join("out").join(f).exists(), "{f}");
     }
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ fn one_root_grants_only_its_own_access() {
     ok(&mut read_only, "open_presentation", json!({"path": s(&base.join("in/a.txt"))}));
     refused(&mut read_only, "save_presentation", json!({"path": s(&base.join("out/x.deckcraft"))}), "write authority is absent");
     refused(&mut read_only, "export", json!({"path": s(&base.join("out/x.pdf"))}), "write authority is absent");
-    refused(&mut read_only, "render_slide", json!({"path": s(&base.join("out/r.png"))}), "write authority is absent");
+    refused(&mut read_only, "call_app", json!({"method": "ui.render", "params": {"path": s(&base.join("out/r.png"))}}), "write authority is absent");
     // Calls that return bytes instead of writing a path keep working.
     let (error, _) = call(&mut read_only, "render_slide", json!({"scale": 0.25}));
     assert!(!error);