diff --git a/scripts/lib/inspection.js b/scripts/lib/inspection.js
index 21d89a7b4..2150ccf83 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/inspection.js
+++ b/scripts/lib/inspection.js
@@ -21,7 +21,11 @@ function normalizeFailureReason(reason) {
     .replace(/\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}[t ]\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}[.\dz]*/g, '<timestamp>')
     // Strip UUIDs (already lowercased)
     .replace(/[0-9a-f]{8}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{4}-[0-9a-f]{12}/g, '<uuid>')
-    // Strip file paths
+    // Quoting disambiguates spaces in the final Windows path component.
+    .replace(/(["'])(?:[a-z]:[\\/]|\\\\)[^\r\n]*?\1/gu, '$1<path>$1')
+    // Directories may contain spaces, but trailing whitespace separates diagnostic prose.
+    .replace(/(?:\b[a-z]:|\\)[\\/](?:[^\\/:*?"<>|\r\n]*[^\s\\/:*?"<>|][\\/])*[^\s\\/:*?"<>|(),;]+/gu, '<path>')
+    // Strip remaining file paths
     .replace(/(?:\b[a-z]:)?[\\/][\w./\\-]+/g, '<path>')
     // Collapse whitespace
     .replace(/\s+/g, ' ')
diff --git a/tests/lib/inspection.test.js b/tests/lib/inspection.test.js
index bf948cf8f..f354ef6d6 100644
--- a/tests/lib/inspection.test.js
+++ b/tests/lib/inspection.test.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const {
   normalizeFailureReason,
   groupFailures,
   detectPatterns,
+  inspect,
   generateReport,
   suggestAction,
   DEFAULT_FAILURE_THRESHOLD,
@@ -63,6 +64,8 @@ async function runTests() {
       String.raw`File not found: C:\project-a\src\one.js`,
       'File not found: D:/project-b/src/two.js',
       String.raw`File not found: \\server\share\three.js`,
+      String.raw`File not found: C:/project-a\src\one.js`,
+      String.raw`File not found: D:\project-b/src/two.js`,
     ]) {
       assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(reason), 'file not found: <path>');
     }
@@ -73,6 +76,38 @@ async function runTests() {
     assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(null), 'unknown');
     assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(''), 'unknown');
     assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(undefined), 'unknown');
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(123), 'unknown');
+  })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
+
+  if (await test('normalizeFailureReason strips quoted Windows paths with spaces and Unicode', async () => {
+    for (const filePath of [
+      String.raw`C:\Usuarios\José Pérez\mi archivo.js`,
+      String.raw`D:\用户\张三\我的 文件.js`,
+      String.raw`\\servidor\recurso compartido\José\mi archivo.js`,
+    ]) {
+      for (const quote of ['"', "'"]) {
+        assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(`Cannot open ${quote}${filePath}${quote}: permission denied`),
+          `cannot open ${quote}<path>${quote}: permission denied`);
+      }
+    }
+  })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
+
+  if (await test('normalizeFailureReason preserves diagnostics after unquoted Windows paths', async () => {
+    for (const filePath of [
+      String.raw`C:\Program Files\node`,
+      'D:/Program Files/node',
+      String.raw`\\server\shared files\node`,
+    ]) {
+      assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason(`${filePath}: permission denied`), '<path>: permission denied');
+    }
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason('Request failed: https://example.com/node'), 'request failed: https:<path>');
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason('Cannot run /usr/local/bin/node: permission denied'), 'cannot run <path>: permission denied');
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason('Cannot open D:/Users/Alice Smith/one.js permission denied in /tmp/log'),
+      'cannot open <path> permission denied in <path>');
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason('Cannot run C:/tools/node failed to open /tmp/log'),
+      'cannot run <path> failed to open <path>');
+    assert.strictEqual(normalizeFailureReason('D:/Program Files/node permission denied in /tmp/log'),
+      '<path> permission denied in <path>');
   })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
 
   if (await test('groupFailures groups by skillId and normalized reason', async () => {
@@ -179,15 +214,15 @@ async function runTests() {
 
   if (await test('detectPatterns groups failures from different Windows paths', async () => {
     const runs = [
-      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r1', failureReason: String.raw`File not found: C:\project-a\one.js` }),
-      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r2', failureReason: 'File not found: D:/project-b/two.js' }),
-      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r3', failureReason: String.raw`File not found: E:\project-c\three.js` }),
+      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r1', failureReason: String.raw`Cannot open C:\Users\Alice Smith\one.js: permission denied` }),
+      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r2', failureReason: 'Cannot open D:/Users/Bob Jones/two.js: permission denied' }),
+      makeSkillRun({ id: 'r3', failureReason: String.raw`Cannot open E:\Users\Carol White\three.js: permission denied` }),
     ];
     const patterns = detectPatterns(runs);
     assert.strictEqual(patterns.length, 1);
     assert.strictEqual(patterns[0].count, 3);
-    assert.strictEqual(patterns[0].normalizedReason, 'file not found: <path>');
-    assert.strictEqual(generateReport(patterns).status, 'attention_needed');
+    assert.strictEqual(patterns[0].normalizedReason, 'cannot open <path>: permission denied');
+    assert.strictEqual(inspect({ getStatus: () => ({ skillRuns: { recent: runs } }) }).status, 'attention_needed');
   })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
 
   if (await test('detectPatterns tracks unique session IDs and versions', async () => {
@@ -209,6 +244,7 @@ async function runTests() {
     assert.strictEqual(report.patternCount, 0);
     assert.ok(report.summary.includes('No recurring'));
     assert.ok(report.generatedAt);
+    assert.strictEqual(inspect({ getStatus: () => ({ skillRuns: {} }) }, { threshold: 1, windowSize: 1 }).status, 'clean');
   })) passed += 1; else failed += 1;
 
   if (await test('generateReport produces structured report from patterns', async () => {