diff --git a/internal/search/search.go b/internal/search/search.go
index 74d20c4..fd35a92 100644
--- a/internal/search/search.go
+++ b/internal/search/search.go
@@ -258,6 +258,17 @@ func (s *Searcher) validatePaths(paths []string) error {
 		WithRemediation("Provide paths within the workspace root")
 }
 
+// resultPathAllowed reports whether a ripgrep result path is within the
+// workspace root. ripgrep runs with Dir=WorkspaceRoot and emits paths relative
+// to it, so a relative path is joined to the root before the check; IsPathAllowed
+// then resolves symlinks, rejecting any path that --follow led outside the root.
+func (s *Searcher) resultPathAllowed(p string) bool {
+	if !filepath.IsAbs(p) {
+		p = filepath.Join(s.cfg.WorkspaceRoot, p)
+	}
+	return s.cfg.IsPathAllowed(p)
+}
+
 // parseOutput parses ripgrep JSON output.
 func (s *Searcher) parseOutput(output *bytes.Buffer, maxResults int) (*SearchResults, error) {
 	results := &SearchResults{
@@ -288,6 +299,14 @@ func (s *Searcher) parseOutput(output *bytes.Buffer, maxResults int) (*SearchRes
 				continue
 			}
 
+			// Defense in depth: never surface a file outside the workspace root.
+			// ripgrep with --follow (default on) can traverse a symlink whose
+			// target lives outside the root; dropping those matches keeps search
+			// from leaking external file content.
+			if !s.resultPathAllowed(match.Path.Text) {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			// Check max results
 			if maxResults > 0 && len(results.Results) >= maxResults {
 				results.Truncated = true
diff --git a/internal/search/search_test.go b/internal/search/search_test.go
index faacf2c..6f66d6a 100644
--- a/internal/search/search_test.go
+++ b/internal/search/search_test.go
@@ -402,3 +402,45 @@ func TestSearchEmptyPattern(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("expected error for empty pattern")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestSearchSymlinkEscapeNotLeaked is a security regression guard: with
+// FollowSymlinks on (the default), ripgrep can traverse a symlink whose target
+// is outside the workspace root. Such matches must never be returned — search
+// must not leak the content of files outside the workspace.
+func TestSearchSymlinkEscapeNotLeaked(t *testing.T) {
+	const secret = "SUPERSECRETLEAKCANARY"
+
+	outside := t.TempDir()
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(outside, "secret.txt"), []byte(secret+"\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	workspace := t.TempDir()
+	// A regular in-workspace file that does NOT contain the secret.
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(workspace, "ok.txt"), []byte("nothing here\n"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// A symlink inside the workspace pointing at the outside directory.
+	if err := os.Symlink(outside, filepath.Join(workspace, "escape")); err != nil {
+		t.Skipf("symlinks unsupported: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	cfg := config.Default()
+	cfg.WorkspaceRoot = workspace
+	if !cfg.FollowSymlinks {
+		t.Fatal("precondition: FollowSymlinks should default true so rg --follow is exercised")
+	}
+	logger := slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(os.Stderr, &slog.HandlerOptions{Level: slog.LevelError}))
+	s, err := New(cfg, logger)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Skip("ripgrep not installed")
+	}
+
+	results, err := s.Search(context.Background(), &Request{Pattern: secret})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("search: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, r := range results.Results {
+		t.Errorf("symlink escape leaked an out-of-workspace match: file=%q text=%q", r.File, r.MatchText)
+	}
+}