diff --git a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/preflight_windows.go b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/preflight_windows.go
index 57a6989d..fe571bdb 100644
--- a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/preflight_windows.go
+++ b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/preflight_windows.go
@@ -16,15 +16,17 @@ func preflightPrivateDirectory(path string) (bool, error) {
 	handle, err := openWindowsRelativeComponent(parents.handles[len(parents.handles)-1], target, true, windows.GENERIC_READ)
 	if err != nil {
 		if isWindowsRelativeNotFound(err) {
-			writableParent, accessErr := openWindowsComponentWithAccess(
-				parents.directory,
-				true,
+			// A read-only retained handle cannot be upgraded. Re-traverse with the
+			// directory FILE_ADD_SUBDIRECTORY right, still using RootDirectory-relative
+			// opens for every component rather than reopening parents by absolute path.
+			writableParents, _, accessErr := openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(
+				path,
 				windows.FILE_APPEND_DATA, // FILE_ADD_SUBDIRECTORY for a directory handle
 			)
-			if accessErr != nil {
+			if accessErr != nil || writableParents == nil {
 				return false, ErrUnsafeFile
 			}
-			_ = windows.CloseHandle(writableParent)
+			writableParents.Close()
 			return false, nil
 		}
 		return false, ErrUnsafeFile
diff --git a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_root_windows.go b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_root_windows.go
index 2d38e11a..0a3181b7 100644
--- a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_root_windows.go
+++ b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_root_windows.go
@@ -48,26 +48,22 @@ func openPrivateDirectory(path string, ensure bool) (PrivateDirectoryHandle, boo
 		// The final root is absent. The retained canonical parent must prove that the same
 		// ensure operation could create it; validation itself must remain side-effect free.
 		// FILE_APPEND_DATA is the Win32 spelling of directory FILE_ADD_SUBDIRECTORY.
-		probe, probeErr := openWindowsComponentWithAccess(anchors.directory, true, windows.FILE_APPEND_DATA)
-		if probeErr != nil {
-			anchors.Close()
+		anchors.Close()
+		writableAnchors, writableTarget, probeErr := openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(path, windows.FILE_APPEND_DATA)
+		if probeErr != nil || writableAnchors == nil || len(writableAnchors.handles) == 0 {
+			if writableAnchors != nil {
+				writableAnchors.Close()
+			}
 			return nil, false, ErrUnsafeFile
 		}
-		_ = windows.CloseHandle(probe)
 		if !ensure {
-			anchors.Close()
+			writableAnchors.Close()
 			return nil, false, nil
 		}
-		// The canonical parent chain remains pinned by anchors; this extra handle supplies
-		// FILE_ADD_SUBDIRECTORY for the one initial root creation without reopening a child
-		// beneath the private root lexically.
-		writableParent, writableErr := openWindowsComponentWithAccess(anchors.directory, true, windows.FILE_APPEND_DATA)
-		if writableErr != nil {
-			anchors.Close()
-			return nil, false, ErrUnsafeFile
-		}
-		handle, found, err = openWindowsPrivateDirectoryAt(writableParent, target, true)
-		_ = windows.CloseHandle(writableParent)
+		anchors = writableAnchors
+		target = writableTarget
+		parent = anchors.handles[len(anchors.handles)-1]
+		handle, found, err = openWindowsPrivateDirectoryAt(parent, target, true)
 		if err != nil || !found {
 			anchors.Close()
 			return nil, false, ErrUnsafeFile
diff --git a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_windows.go b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_windows.go
index 5376aeda..b8af531a 100644
--- a/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_windows.go
+++ b/tools/tht/internal/safeio/private_windows.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func createPrivateDirectory(path string) error {
-	parents, target, err := openCanonicalWindowsParent(path)
+	parents, target, err := openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(path, windows.FILE_APPEND_DATA)
 	if err != nil || parents == nil || len(parents.handles) == 0 {
 		if parents != nil {
 			parents.Close()
@@ -112,7 +112,10 @@ func createCanonicalNewPrivateParentReadWriteFile(path string, mode os.FileMode)
 }
 
 func createCanonicalNewFile(path string, mode os.FileMode, requirePrivateParent bool, access uint32) (*os.File, error) {
-	parents, target, err := openCanonicalWindowsParent(path)
+	// FILE_WRITE_DATA is FILE_ADD_FILE when the retained handle names a directory. Request it
+	// while that final parent is opened, rather than reopening its lexical path later to gain
+	// create permission.
+	parents, target, err := openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(path, windows.FILE_WRITE_DATA)
 	if err != nil || parents == nil || len(parents.handles) == 0 || (requirePrivateParent && validateOwnerOnlyDACL(parents.handles[len(parents.handles)-1]) != nil) {
 		if parents != nil {
 			parents.Close()
@@ -172,6 +175,13 @@ func (parents *windowsParentHandles) Close() {
 // target parent without FILE_SHARE_DELETE. Every component after the volume root is resolved
 // through the prior retained handle's NT RootDirectory, never by re-opening an absolute prefix.
 func openCanonicalWindowsParent(path string) (*windowsParentHandles, string, error) {
+	return openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(path, 0)
+}
+
+// openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess gives only the final retained parent the requested
+// child-operation capability. It is the Windows openat traversal for a later relative create;
+// reopening that parent by its reconstructed path would recreate the ancestor-swap race.
+func openCanonicalWindowsParentWithFinalAccess(path string, finalParentAccess uint32) (*windowsParentHandles, string, error) {
 	if err := ValidateCanonicalPath(path); err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
@@ -182,13 +192,21 @@ func openCanonicalWindowsParent(path string) (*windowsParentHandles, string, err
 		return nil, "", ErrUnsafeFile
 	}
 	parents := &windowsParentHandles{directory: root}
-	rootHandle, err := openWindowsComponent(root, true)
+	rootAccess := uint32(windows.GENERIC_READ)
+	if len(components) == 1 {
+		rootAccess |= finalParentAccess
+	}
+	rootHandle, err := openWindowsComponentWithAccess(root, true, rootAccess)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
 	parents.handles = append(parents.handles, rootHandle)
-	for _, component := range components[:len(components)-1] {
-		handle, err := openWindowsRelativeComponent(parents.handles[len(parents.handles)-1], component, true, windows.GENERIC_READ)
+	for index, component := range components[:len(components)-1] {
+		componentAccess := uint32(windows.GENERIC_READ)
+		if index == len(components)-2 {
+			componentAccess |= finalParentAccess
+		}
+		handle, err := openWindowsRelativeComponent(parents.handles[len(parents.handles)-1], component, true, componentAccess)
 		if err != nil {
 			parents.Close()
 			return nil, "", err