diff --git a/plugins/relay/scripts/hooks/relay-guard.mjs b/plugins/relay/scripts/hooks/relay-guard.mjs
index 4b8d9796..612d25eb 100644
--- a/plugins/relay/scripts/hooks/relay-guard.mjs
+++ b/plugins/relay/scripts/hooks/relay-guard.mjs
@@ -62,6 +62,14 @@ import { SCHEMA_SENTENCE } from "../lib/harness/workflow.mjs";
 const SCRIPT_DIR = path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url));
 const PLUGIN_ROOT = path.resolve(SCRIPT_DIR, "../..");
 const COMPANION = path.join(SCRIPT_DIR, "..", "companion.mjs");
+
+/**
+ * A path with its symlinks resolved. Node gives this module its real path, while Claude Code may run the hook and
+ * the relay may name the companion through a symlinked plugin folder; paths are compared resolved.
+ */
+function realPath(file) {
+  try { return fs.realpathSync(file); } catch { return path.resolve(file); }
+}
 const SUBCOMMANDS = new Set(["start", "wait", "result", "status", "cancel"]);
 const JOB_ID = /^[0-9A-Za-z][0-9A-Za-z._-]*$/;
 const SHOWN = 'node "${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}/scripts/companion.mjs"';
@@ -112,7 +120,7 @@ export function parseCompanionCommand(command) {
     return null;
   }
   const script = tokens[1].replace("${CLAUDE_PLUGIN_ROOT}", PLUGIN_ROOT);
-  if (path.resolve(script) !== COMPANION) {
+  if (realPath(script) !== realPath(COMPANION)) {
     return null;
   }
   const subcommand = tokens[2];
@@ -465,7 +473,7 @@ async function main() {
   }
 }
 
-if (process.argv[1] && path.resolve(process.argv[1]) === fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)) {
+if (process.argv[1] && realPath(process.argv[1]) === realPath(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url))) {
   main().catch((error) => {
     // Fail open: a broken hook must never trap the relay or any other agent.
     process.stderr.write(`relay guard: ${error instanceof Error ? error.stack ?? error.message : String(error)}\n`);
diff --git a/tests/relay-guard.test.mjs b/tests/relay-guard.test.mjs
index 7c0bb186..7308f116 100644
--- a/tests/relay-guard.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/relay-guard.test.mjs
@@ -1287,3 +1287,19 @@ test("a relay that never runs start gets its job started by the hook: at its han
     assert.equal(updated(handback).message, resultOf(ctx, jobId), `${what}: the hand-back is the job's result`);
   }
 });
+
+test("a plugin reached through a symlinked folder: the hook runs, and knows the companion by either path", () => {
+  // Claude Code can install a plugin through a symlinked config folder. Node gives the hook its real path, while the
+  // hook is run and the relay names the companion through the symlink.
+  const link = path.join(makeTempDir("relay-link-"), "plugin");
+  fs.symlinkSync(PLUGIN_ROOT, link);
+  assert.deepEqual(parseCompanionCommand(`node "${path.join(link, "scripts", "companion.mjs")}" start --from-relay`),
+    { subcommand: "start", jobId: null, fromRelay: true });
+
+  const ctx = relayContext("job");
+  const input = hookInput(ctx, "PreToolUse", { tool_name: "Bash", tool_input: { command: "sw_vers -productVersion" } });
+  const r = spawnSync("node", [path.join(link, "scripts", "hooks", "relay-guard.mjs")],
+    { input: JSON.stringify(input), env: ctx.env, encoding: "utf8" });
+  assert.equal(r.status, 0, r.stderr);
+  assert.equal(JSON.parse(r.stdout).hookSpecificOutput.permissionDecision, "deny");
+});