diff --git a/internal/validate/path_test.go b/internal/validate/path_test.go
index b99a16a85..61e63341f 100644
--- a/internal/validate/path_test.go
+++ b/internal/validate/path_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ func TestSafeOutputPath_RejectsPathTraversalAndDangerousInput(t *testing.T) {
 		{"unicode normal", "报告.xlsx", false},
 		{"dot-dot resolves to cwd", "subdir/..", false},
 
+		// ── GIVEN: empty or blank paths → THEN: rejected ──
+		{"empty path", "", true},
+		{"blank path", "   ", true},
+
 		// ── GIVEN: path traversal via .. → THEN: rejected ──
 		{"dot-dot escape", "../../.ssh/authorized_keys", true},
 		{"dot-dot mid path", "subdir/../../etc/passwd", true},
diff --git a/internal/vfs/localfileio/path.go b/internal/vfs/localfileio/path.go
index d02097373..1f343eeb6 100644
--- a/internal/vfs/localfileio/path.go
+++ b/internal/vfs/localfileio/path.go
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ func safePath(raw, flagName string) (string, error) {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
+	if strings.TrimSpace(raw) == "" {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("%s must not be empty", flagName)
+	}
+
 	if isAbsolutePath(raw) {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("%s must be a relative path within the current directory, got %q (hint: cd to the target directory first, or use a relative path like ./filename)", flagName, raw)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/vfs/localfileio/path_test.go b/internal/vfs/localfileio/path_test.go
index 3cfb8e740..9043fd78d 100644
--- a/internal/vfs/localfileio/path_test.go
+++ b/internal/vfs/localfileio/path_test.go
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ func TestSafeOutputPath_RejectsPathTraversalAndDangerousInput(t *testing.T) {
 		{"unicode normal", "报告.xlsx", false},
 		{"dot-dot resolves to cwd", "subdir/..", false},
 
+		// ── GIVEN: empty or blank paths → THEN: rejected ──
+		{"empty path", "", true},
+		{"blank path", "   ", true},
+
 		// ── GIVEN: path traversal via .. → THEN: rejected ──
 		{"dot-dot escape", "../../.ssh/authorized_keys", true},
 		{"dot-dot mid path", "subdir/../../etc/passwd", true},