diff --git a/crates/engine/src/export/params.rs b/crates/engine/src/export/params.rs
index 795d8f3672..34397fad3c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/export/params.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/export/params.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use super::options::{Conflict, DestinationMode, ExportFormat, HdrCurve, MetadataPolicy, Resize, ResizeMode, SharpenAmount, SharpenFor};
+use super::place::clean_subfolder;
 use super::prepare::DngCompression;
 use super::watermark::{Anchor, Watermark};
 use super::{ExportOptions, JxlColour, JxlEffort, JxlOptions, OutputDepth, OutputSpace, TiffCompression};
@@ -429,7 +430,7 @@ impl ExportOptions {
             naming: s("naming").map_or(d.naming, str::to_string),
             start_number: u("startNumber").map_or(d.start_number, |v| v.min(999_999) as u32),
             destination_mode: s("destinationMode").and_then(DestinationMode::parse).unwrap_or(d.destination_mode),
-            subfolder: s("subfolder").map_or(d.subfolder, |v| v.trim().replace(['\\', ':', '\0'], "_")),
+            subfolder: s("subfolder").map_or(d.subfolder, clean_subfolder),
             conflict: s("conflict").and_then(Conflict::parse).unwrap_or(d.conflict),
             tiff_compression: match s("tiffCompression").map(str::to_ascii_lowercase).as_deref() {
                 Some("none") => TiffCompression::None,
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/export/place.rs b/crates/engine/src/export/place.rs
index d223a3a791..c36f5e26bc 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/export/place.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/export/place.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,14 @@ fn join_path(a: &str, b: &str) -> String {
     if a.is_empty() { b.to_string() } else { format!("{}/{b}", a.trim_end_matches('/')) }
 }
 
+/// A subfolder that stays inside the destination folder (issue #2571): `\`, `:` and NUL become `_`
+/// (so no drive, root or Windows separator), and empty, `.` and `..` parts are dropped; `a/b` still
+/// nests. Applied where the folder is used, so presets and the Export dialog's field are covered too.
+pub(super) fn clean_subfolder(s: &str) -> String {
+    let s = s.trim().replace(['\\', ':', '\0'], "_");
+    s.split('/').map(str::trim).filter(|p| !p.is_empty() && *p != "." && *p != "..").collect::<Vec<_>>().join("/")
+}
+
 impl<'a> Placer<'a> {
     pub(super) fn new(
         o: &'a ExportOptions,
@@ -89,7 +97,8 @@ impl<'a> Placer<'a> {
                 d.to_string()
             }
         };
-        Ok(if self.o.subfolder.is_empty() { base } else { join_path(&base, &self.o.subfolder) })
+        let sub = clean_subfolder(&self.o.subfolder);
+        Ok(if sub.is_empty() { base } else { join_path(&base, &sub) })
     }
 
     /// Place photo `photo`'s export result (file `name`, its original in `source_dir`): write it
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests/export.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests/export.rs
index 27268e463a..531f1d652c 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests/export.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests/export.rs
@@ -189,6 +189,40 @@ fn presets_conflicts_and_subfolders() {
     assert_eq!(written, ["out/Sub/LC01347.png"]);
 }
 
+/// Issue #2571: a subfolder with `..`, a root or a drive wrote outside the chosen folder. It is
+/// cleaned where the folder is used, so a preset or the Export dialog's field (which set it
+/// without `from_json`) are covered as well as command parameters.
+#[test]
+fn a_subfolder_never_leaves_the_destination_folder() {
+    use crate::export::{Destination, export_batch};
+    let mut s = Session::with_demo();
+    let id = s.active().unwrap();
+    let to = Destination { dir: "out".into(), exact: None };
+    let written_to = |s: &mut Session, sub: &str| {
+        let o = ExportOptions { subfolder: sub.into(), naming: "x".into(), ..ExportOptions::from_json(&json!({"format": "png", "width": 16})) };
+        let mut written: Vec<String> = Vec::new();
+        let mut write = |p: &str, _: &[u8]| {
+            written.push(p.to_string());
+            Ok(())
+        };
+        export_batch(s, &[id], &o, &to, &mut write, &|_| false).unwrap();
+        written
+    };
+    for (sub, want) in [
+        ("../../escaped", "out/escaped/x.png"),
+        ("..", "out/x.png"),
+        ("/etc", "out/etc/x.png"),
+        ("C:\\Windows", "out/C__Windows/x.png"),
+        ("a/./b/../c", "out/a/b/c/x.png"),
+        (" Client / Jobs ", "out/Client/Jobs/x.png"),
+    ] {
+        assert_eq!(written_to(&mut s, sub), [want], "{sub:?}");
+    }
+    // command parameters get the same cleaning
+    let o = ExportOptions::from_json(&json!({"subfolder": "../up"}));
+    assert_eq!(o.subfolder, "up");
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn prepared_exports_run_on_another_thread() {
     fn send<T: Send>(_: &T) {}
diff --git a/docs/whats-new.md b/docs/whats-new.md
index 31e08c6008..8d040d8892 100644
--- a/docs/whats-new.md
+++ b/docs/whats-new.md
@@ -362,6 +362,12 @@
 
 ## 2026-10-23
 
+### Export subfolders stay inside the export folder
+- An export subfolder (typed in the Export dialog, saved in a preset or passed to `export`) can no longer lead
+  outside the chosen folder (issue #2571). `..` and `.` parts and a leading `/` are dropped, and `\` and `:` become
+  `_`, so a shared preset with `../..` in its subfolder writes inside your folder instead of elsewhere on disk.
+  Nested subfolders such as `Client/Jobs` still work.
+
 ### Videos in the grid are no longer sent to the image decoders
 - A video in the library (an MP4 or MOV brought in from a Lightroom catalog) no longer asks the image decoders for a
   grid thumbnail (issue #2682). They can't read one, so each video failed with "unrecognised image format", showed a