diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 89c3cf908..9eef4bfdb 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Before a PR run `bun run check`, `bun run format`, `bun run test:unit`, and `bun
 - Across package/app boundaries import the owning package's public exports, never workspace internals or forwarding-only shims. `@open-pencil/scene-graph` owns graph types and primitives; `@open-pencil/kiwi` owns low-level Kiwi/FIG helpers; `@open-pencil/core` provides the compatibility barrel plus the subpaths listed in `packages/core/package.json`.
 - `bun run check:arch` enforces: public workspace exports, framework-neutral Core, no app services in views or shared UI, property-panel internals scoped to that panel.
 - Package aliases are `#core/*`, `#fig/*`, `#vue/*`, `#cli/*`, `#mcp/*`, `#dom-css/*`, `#design-jsx/*`, `#emit/*`; a package's own tests use `#core-tests/*` and `#fig-tests/*`; the app uses `@/`. Prefer clear relative imports nearby. Never escape an alias root with `../` (for example `#tests/../vite`); fix module ownership instead.
-- Never drill with `../../`: one `../` to a sibling folder is fine, two or more means an alias. This holds in tests as much as in source — a test reaches its package's source through `#<pkg>/*` and its own helpers through `#<pkg>-tests/*`. `open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-imports` enforces it; a new test directory must be added to `lint:structure` so the rule reaches it.
+- Never drill with `../../`: one `../` to a sibling folder is fine, two or more means an alias. This holds in tests as much as in source — a test reaches its package's source through `#<pkg>/*` and its own helpers through `#<pkg>-tests/*`. `open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-imports` enforces it for imports and `open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-paths` for paths built from `import.meta`; a new test directory must be added to `lint:structure` so the rules reach it.
 - Reuse named types from `@open-pencil/scene-graph`; do not respell `Color`, `Vector`, `SceneNode`, `Effect`, `Fill`, or `Stroke`.
 
 ## Code conventions
diff --git a/oxlint.json b/oxlint.json
index a45e5fd19..9cfa6caac 100644
--- a/oxlint.json
+++ b/oxlint.json
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@
     "open-pencil/no-core-framework-imports": "error",
     "open-pencil/no-direct-storage-access": "error",
     "open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-imports": "error",
+    "open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-paths": "error",
     "open-pencil/no-broad-double-cast": "error",
     "open-pencil/no-unknown-record-double-cast": "error",
     "open-pencil/no-broad-unknown-type-assertions": "error",
diff --git a/packages/cli/tests/helpers/paths.ts b/packages/cli/tests/helpers/paths.ts
index b01f3bb6f..59ba6458d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/tests/helpers/paths.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/tests/helpers/paths.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,17 @@
-import { resolve } from 'node:path'
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 
 /** The CLI entry point, for tests that run it as a subprocess. */
 export const CLI_ENTRY = Bun.resolveSync('#cli/index.ts', import.meta.dir)
 
+/** The workspace root, found by its lockfile rather than by counting directories. */
+export function workspaceRoot(from = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))): string {
+  for (let dir = from; ; dir = dirname(dir)) {
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, 'bun.lock'))) return dir
+    if (dirname(dir) === dir) throw new Error(`No workspace root above ${from}`)
+  }
+}
+
 /** Fixtures shared across the repository; a module import would escape the package root. */
-export const FIXTURES = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../../tests/fixtures')
+export const FIXTURES = join(workspaceRoot(), 'tests/fixtures')
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts b/packages/core/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
index 76159eb21..be2cedcc3 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
@@ -10,9 +10,11 @@ import {
 import type { NodeChange } from '@open-pencil/kiwi/fig/codec'
 import * as v from 'valibot'
 
+import { FIXTURES } from '../paths'
+
 import { collectAllNodes } from './traversal'
 
-export const FIXTURES = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../../../tests/fixtures')
+export { FIXTURES }
 
 export const VALID_NODE_TYPES = new Set<string>([
   'CANVAS',
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/helpers/paths.ts b/packages/core/tests/helpers/paths.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4c7c3231
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/tests/helpers/paths.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+/** The workspace root, found by its lockfile rather than by counting directories. */
+export function workspaceRoot(from = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))): string {
+  for (let dir = from; ; dir = dirname(dir)) {
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, 'bun.lock'))) return dir
+    if (dirname(dir) === dir) throw new Error(`No workspace root above ${from}`)
+  }
+}
+
+/** Fixtures shared across the repository; a module import would escape the package root. */
+export const FIXTURES = join(workspaceRoot(), 'tests/fixtures')
+
+/** A file inside this package, for assets that are not modules. */
+export function corePackagePath(...segments: string[]): string {
+  return join(dirname(Bun.resolveSync('@open-pencil/core/package.json', import.meta.dir)), ...segments)
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/roundtrip/glyph-blob.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/roundtrip/glyph-blob.test.ts
index 069a67bdb..1c7d87f4b 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/roundtrip/glyph-blob.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/roundtrip/glyph-blob.test.ts
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ import { expectDefined } from '#core-tests/helpers/assert'
 import { HEAVY_TEST_TIMEOUT_MS } from '#core-tests/helpers/test-utils'
 
 import { FIXTURES } from '#core-tests/helpers/fig/fixtures'
+import { corePackagePath } from '#core-tests/helpers/paths'
 
-const INTER_ASSETS = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../../../assets')
+const INTER_ASSETS = corePackagePath('assets')
 
 function countGlyphBlobs(bytes: Uint8Array) {
   const parsed = parseFigBuffer(new Uint8Array(bytes).buffer)
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/session/worker-reader.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/session/worker-reader.test.ts
index 14581d5d1..bb1ba40fe 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/session/worker-reader.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/io/formats/fig/session/worker-reader.test.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ test.each(['first-page', 'none'] as const)(
     graph.createNode('TEXT', graph.addPage('Second').id, { text: 'Second' })
     const bytes = await exportFigFile(graph)
     const worker = new Worker(
-      new URL('../../../../../src/kiwi/fig/session/worker.ts', import.meta.url),
+      import.meta.resolve('#core/kiwi/fig/session/worker'),
       { type: 'module' }
     )
     const channel = new MessageChannel()
diff --git a/packages/fig/tests/helpers/fig-fixtures.ts b/packages/fig/tests/helpers/fig-fixtures.ts
index 217973085..75a351f9e 100644
--- a/packages/fig/tests/helpers/fig-fixtures.ts
+++ b/packages/fig/tests/helpers/fig-fixtures.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { resolve } from 'node:path'
 
-/** Shared archives live outside the package; this is the only path that reaches them. */
-export const FIXTURES = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../../tests/fixtures')
+import { FIXTURES } from './paths'
+
+export { FIXTURES }
 
 export function readFixtureBytes(name: string): Uint8Array {
   return readFileSync(resolve(FIXTURES, name))
diff --git a/packages/fig/tests/helpers/paths.ts b/packages/fig/tests/helpers/paths.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d0b248dbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/fig/tests/helpers/paths.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
+
+/** The workspace root, found by its lockfile rather than by counting directories. */
+export function workspaceRoot(from = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))): string {
+  for (let dir = from; ; dir = dirname(dir)) {
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, 'bun.lock'))) return dir
+    if (dirname(dir) === dir) throw new Error(`No workspace root above ${from}`)
+  }
+}
+
+/** Shared archives live outside the package; this is the only path that reaches them. */
+export const FIXTURES = join(workspaceRoot(), 'tests/fixtures')
diff --git a/tests/AGENTS.md b/tests/AGENTS.md
index c26f27dc4..a2f49daec 100644
--- a/tests/AGENTS.md
+++ b/tests/AGENTS.md
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 - Package-local tests mirror source domains under `packages/<owner>/tests/`; central app tests mirror `src/app/**` under `tests/app/`; `tests/integration/` requires a genuinely cross-owner contract; E2E under `tests/e2e/` follows user workflows; native and Figma acceptance are explicit exceptions.
 - Existing `tests/engine/**` domains migrate together with runner discovery: `tools/dev/unit-tests/src/shards.ts` lists each owner's canonical home and its current `tests/engine` directories, so a move is a `git mv` plus imports. `bun run check:test-homes` rejects any test added under `tests/engine` and any stale entry in `tools/checks/test-homes/engine-baseline.txt`; new tests go to the canonical home, and a moved file is removed from the baseline (`--write` regenerates it). Scene Graph has migrated to `packages/scene-graph/tests` and the editor domain to `packages/core/tests/editor`; put new Core tests there, mirroring `packages/core/src`.
 - Address a package's source by `#<pkg>/*` and its own helpers by `#<pkg>-tests/*` (`#core-tests/*`, `#fig-tests/*`); never drill with `../../`. Registering a new alias means `imports` in the package manifest and `PACKAGE_ALIASES`/`PACKAGE_ALIAS_OWNERS` in `tools/checks/architecture/src/steiger-rules/support.ts`.
+- Reach repository files, such as `tests/fixtures`, through `repoPath`/`testPath` in `tests/helpers/paths.ts`, or a package helper's `workspaceRoot()`, which finds the root by its lockfile; never climb from `import.meta` (`open-pencil/no-deep-parent-relative-paths`).
 - Owner-local helpers and fixtures stay local; only genuinely shared support goes under central `tests/helpers/<domain>/` and `tests/fixtures/`. MCP transport tests: `tests/engine/mcp/{server,stdio,transport}` with `tests/helpers/mcp`.
 - Never commit temporary, diagnostic, or profile specs; keep them in ignored `scratch/`.
 
diff --git a/tests/e2e/app/closed-documents.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/app/closed-documents.spec.ts
index 7648348e6..d0b2fb291 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/app/closed-documents.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/app/closed-documents.spec.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
-
 import { expect, test } from '@playwright/test'
 
 import type * as AppTabs from '@/app/tabs'
 
 import { CanvasHelper } from '#tests/helpers/canvas'
+import { testPath } from '#tests/helpers/paths'
 
 const FIXTURE = 'gold-preview.fig'
 
@@ -14,7 +13,7 @@ const FIXTURE = 'gold-preview.fig'
 test('documents closed in tabs are released', async ({ page }) => {
   test.setTimeout(90_000)
   await page.route(`**/__fixtures/${FIXTURE}`, (route) =>
-    route.fulfill({ path: fileURLToPath(new URL(`../../fixtures/${FIXTURE}`, import.meta.url)) })
+    route.fulfill({ path: testPath('fixtures', FIXTURE) })
   )
   await page.goto('/?test')
   await new CanvasHelper(page).waitForInit()
diff --git a/tests/e2e/canvas/live-editing.spec.ts b/tests/e2e/canvas/live-editing.spec.ts
index 12a4df1f8..ed1f0df7c 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/canvas/live-editing.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/e2e/canvas/live-editing.spec.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
-import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
-
 import type { Page } from '@playwright/test'
 
 import { expect, test } from '#tests/e2e/fixtures'
 import { expectDefined } from '#tests/helpers/assert'
 import { CanvasHelper } from '#tests/helpers/canvas'
+import { testPath } from '#tests/helpers/paths'
 
 // This size exceeds the 3x overscan budget and previously produced fractional
 // raster offsets, even though the live scene itself was pixel-aligned.
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ for (const imported of [false, true]) {
       test.setTimeout(45_000)
       await page.route('**/__fixtures/gold-preview.fig', (route) =>
         route.fulfill({
-          path: fileURLToPath(new URL('../../fixtures/gold-preview.fig', import.meta.url)),
+          path: testPath('fixtures/gold-preview.fig'),
           contentType: 'application/octet-stream'
         })
       )
diff --git a/tests/engine/io/fig/export/worker.test.ts b/tests/engine/io/fig/export/worker.test.ts
index 0a8176bbe..a5de6ff5b 100644
--- a/tests/engine/io/fig/export/worker.test.ts
+++ b/tests/engine/io/fig/export/worker.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, test, expect, beforeAll, setDefaultTimeout } from 'bun:test'
 import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { resolve } from 'node:path'
+import { pathToFileURL } from 'node:url'
 
 import { unzipSync } from 'fflate'
 
@@ -12,11 +13,12 @@ import {
   SceneGraph
 } from '@open-pencil/core'
 
+import { coreSourcePath, testPath } from '#tests/helpers/paths'
 import { heavy } from '#tests/helpers/test-utils'
 
 setDefaultTimeout(30_000)
 
-const FIXTURES = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../../fixtures')
+const FIXTURES = testPath('fixtures')
 const CUSTOM_FIG_KIWI_VERSION = 77
 
 function canvasFigVersion(figData: Uint8Array): number {
@@ -38,10 +40,9 @@ function compressInWorker(message: {
   figKiwiVersion?: number
 }): Promise<Uint8Array> {
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    const worker = new Worker(
-      new URL('../../../../../packages/core/src/io/formats/fig/export-worker.ts', import.meta.url),
-      { type: 'module' }
-    )
+    const worker = new Worker(pathToFileURL(coreSourcePath('io/formats/fig/export-worker.ts')), {
+      type: 'module'
+    })
     worker.onmessage = (event: MessageEvent<Uint8Array>) => {
       worker.terminate()
       resolve(event.data)
diff --git a/tests/engine/io/fig/page-manifest.test.ts b/tests/engine/io/fig/page-manifest.test.ts
index 790cfbc31..a82d3e4d7 100644
--- a/tests/engine/io/fig/page-manifest.test.ts
+++ b/tests/engine/io/fig/page-manifest.test.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 import { expect, test } from 'bun:test'
 import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs'
-import { resolve } from 'node:path'
 
 import { parseFigBuffer } from '@open-pencil/fig'
 import type { FigPageManifestEntry } from '@open-pencil/kiwi/fig'
 
-const fixturePath = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../fixtures/gold-preview.fig')
+import { testPath } from '#tests/helpers/paths'
+
+const fixturePath = testPath('fixtures/gold-preview.fig')
 
 test('reports FIG pages before materializing NodeChange objects', () => {
   const bytes = readFileSync(fixturePath)
diff --git a/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts b/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
index cfe052e4c..a728cea60 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers/fig/fixtures.ts
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ import {
   type SceneNode
 } from '@open-pencil/core'
 
+import { testPath } from '../paths'
 import { collectAllNodes } from './traversal'
 
-export const FIXTURES = resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../fixtures')
+export const FIXTURES = testPath('fixtures')
 
 export const VALID_NODE_TYPES = new Set<string>([
   'CANVAS',
diff --git a/tests/helpers/paths.ts b/tests/helpers/paths.ts
index 3c6d868b7..e360bd8b9 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/paths.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers/paths.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,16 @@
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
-import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path'
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url'
 
-const repoRoot = join(import.meta.dir, '..', '..')
+/** The workspace root, found by its lockfile rather than by counting directories. */
+export function workspaceRoot(from = dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))): string {
+  for (let dir = from; ; dir = dirname(dir)) {
+    if (existsSync(join(dir, 'bun.lock'))) return dir
+    if (dirname(dir) === dir) throw new Error(`No workspace root above ${from}`)
+  }
+}
+
+const repoRoot = workspaceRoot()
 
 export function repoPath(...segments: string[]): string {
   return join(repoRoot, ...segments)
diff --git a/tools/checks/lint/src/plugin.ts b/tools/checks/lint/src/plugin.ts
index 4db9cd867..3b6d15af7 100644
--- a/tools/checks/lint/src/plugin.ts
+++ b/tools/checks/lint/src/plugin.ts
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ import {
   noVueSelfPackageImports,
   noCrossPackageSourceImports,
   noDeepParentRelativeImports,
+  noDeepParentRelativePaths,
   noCoreParentRelativeImports,
   noMcpParentRelativeImports,
   noVueParentRelativeImports,
@@ -452,6 +453,7 @@ const plugin = {
     'no-vue-self-package-imports': noVueSelfPackageImports,
     'no-cross-package-source-imports': noCrossPackageSourceImports,
     'no-deep-parent-relative-imports': noDeepParentRelativeImports,
+    'no-deep-parent-relative-paths': noDeepParentRelativePaths,
     'no-core-parent-relative-imports': noCoreParentRelativeImports,
     'no-mcp-parent-relative-imports': noMcpParentRelativeImports,
     'no-vue-parent-relative-imports': noVueParentRelativeImports,
diff --git a/tools/checks/lint/src/rules/imports.ts b/tools/checks/lint/src/rules/imports.ts
index 992bb432b..f41fdcc97 100644
--- a/tools/checks/lint/src/rules/imports.ts
+++ b/tools/checks/lint/src/rules/imports.ts
@@ -88,6 +88,71 @@ const noDeepParentRelativeImports = createParentRelativeImportRule({
   minDepth: 2
 })
 
+/**
+ * A path that climbs two or more directories, written as `../..`, `..\\..`, or `'..', '..'`.
+ * An unknown part, such as a template expression, ends the run of parent segments.
+ */
+function climbsTwoLevels(values: (string | null)[]): boolean {
+  const joined = values
+    .map((value) => value ?? '\u0000')
+    .join('/')
+    .replaceAll('\\', '/')
+  return /(^|\/)\.\.\/+\.\.(\/|$)/.test(joined)
+}
+
+function staticString(node: TSESTree.Node): string | null {
+  if (node.type === 'Literal' && typeof node.value === 'string') return node.value
+  if (node.type === 'TemplateLiteral') {
+    const head = node.quasis[0]?.value.cooked ?? null
+    return head !== null && node.expressions.length ? `${head}\u0000` : head
+  }
+  return null
+}
+
+/** `import.meta.url`, `.dir`, or `.dirname`, directly or wrapped, as in `dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))`. */
+function isImportMetaLocation(node: TSESTree.Node): boolean {
+  if (node.type === 'MemberExpression') {
+    if (node.object.type === 'MetaProperty') {
+      return (
+        node.property.type === 'Identifier' &&
+        ['url', 'dir', 'dirname'].includes(node.property.name)
+      )
+    }
+    return isImportMetaLocation(node.object)
+  }
+  if (node.type === 'CallExpression') return node.arguments.some(isImportMetaLocation)
+  return false
+}
+
+const noDeepParentRelativePaths: RuleDefinition = {
+  meta: {
+    docs: {
+      description:
+        'Disallow climbing two or more directories from import.meta — use a path helper or alias'
+    }
+  },
+  create(context: RuleContext) {
+    const message =
+      'Resolve the file through a path helper such as repoPath() or an import alias instead of climbing with ../..'
+    function check(node: TSESTree.Node, relative: TSESTree.CallExpressionArgument[]) {
+      if (relative.length && climbsTwoLevels(relative.map(staticString))) {
+        context.report({ node, message })
+      }
+    }
+    return {
+      NewExpression(node) {
+        if (node.callee.type !== 'Identifier' || node.callee.name !== 'URL') return
+        if (!node.arguments[1] || !isImportMetaLocation(node.arguments[1])) return
+        check(node, node.arguments.slice(0, 1))
+      },
+      CallExpression(node) {
+        const start = node.arguments.findIndex(isImportMetaLocation)
+        if (start !== -1) check(node, node.arguments.slice(start + 1))
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 const noCoreParentRelativeImports = createParentRelativeImportRule({
   description: 'Disallow parent-relative imports in core internals — use #core/* aliases',
   applies: (file) =>
@@ -214,6 +279,7 @@ export {
   noVueSelfPackageImports,
   noCrossPackageSourceImports,
   noDeepParentRelativeImports,
+  noDeepParentRelativePaths,
   noCoreParentRelativeImports,
   noMcpParentRelativeImports,
   noVueParentRelativeImports,
diff --git a/tools/checks/lint/tests/deep-paths.test.ts b/tools/checks/lint/tests/deep-paths.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a9b13599e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/checks/lint/tests/deep-paths.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from 'bun:test'
+
+import { lint, ruleDiagnostics } from './helpers/lint.ts'
+
+const rule = 'no-deep-parent-relative-paths'
+const rules = { [`open-pencil/${rule}`]: 'error' }
+// A template that climbs one level and then names a folder, assembled so it stays source text.
+const oneLevelTemplate = ['join(import.meta.dir, `../', '$', "{folder}`, '..', 'assets')"].join('')
+
+describe('no-deep-parent-relative-paths', () => {
+  test.each([
+    "new URL('../../fixtures/a.fig', import.meta.url)",
+    'new URL(`../../fixtures/a.fig`, import.meta.url)',
+    "resolve(import.meta.dir, '../../../tests/fixtures')",
+    "join(import.meta.dirname, '..', '..', 'assets')",
+    "path.resolve(import.meta.dir, '../..')",
+    "join(import.meta.dir, '..\\\\..\\\\assets')",
+    "join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '../../fixtures')"
+  ])('rejects %s', async (source) => {
+    expect(ruleDiagnostics(await lint(source, rules), rule)).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+
+  test.each([
+    "new URL('../fixtures/a.fig', import.meta.url)",
+    "new URL('./worker.ts', import.meta.url)",
+    "join(import.meta.dir, '..', 'fixtures')",
+    "credentialRef('../../other-app', 'api-key')",
+    "resolve(root, '../../somewhere')",
+    "join(dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), '..', 'fixtures')",
+    oneLevelTemplate
+  ])('accepts %s', async (source) => {
+    expect(ruleDiagnostics(await lint(source, rules), rule)).toHaveLength(0)
+  })
+})