diff --git a/server/routers/filesystem.py b/server/routers/filesystem.py
index cdf9bc536..819ddf84f 100644
--- a/server/routers/filesystem.py
+++ b/server/routers/filesystem.py
@@ -124,6 +124,23 @@ def get_blocked_paths() -> frozenset[Path]:
     return frozenset(blocked)
 
 
+@functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)
+def get_home_dir() -> Path | None:
+    """Get the resolved home directory of the user running the server."""
+    try:
+        return Path.home().resolve()
+    except (OSError, RuntimeError):
+        return None
+
+
+def _is_within(path: Path, parent: Path) -> bool:
+    try:
+        path.relative_to(parent)
+        return True
+    except ValueError:
+        return False
+
+
 def is_path_blocked(path: Path) -> bool:
     """Check if a path is in the blocked list."""
     try:
@@ -133,6 +150,17 @@ def is_path_blocked(path: Path) -> bool:
 
     blocked_paths = get_blocked_paths()
 
+    # The user's own home directory is always browsable, even when it lives
+    # under a blocked system path. This matters when the server runs as root
+    # (common in WSL and containers), where home is /root (issue #159).
+    # Inside home, only blocked paths nested within home (the sensitive
+    # credential directories such as ~/.ssh) apply.
+    home = get_home_dir()
+    if home is not None and _is_within(resolved, home):
+        blocked_paths = frozenset(
+            b for b in blocked_paths if b != home and _is_within(b, home)
+        )
+
     # Check if path is exactly a blocked path or inside one
     for blocked in blocked_paths:
         try:
diff --git a/test_filesystem_blocklist.py b/test_filesystem_blocklist.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d73d7f6d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_filesystem_blocklist.py
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+"""
+Tests for the filesystem browser blocklist (server/routers/filesystem.py).
+
+Regression coverage for issue #159: when the server runs as root (WSL,
+containers) the home directory is /root, which is also a blocked system
+path. The user's own home must stay browsable while sensitive
+subdirectories inside it remain blocked.
+"""
+
+import asyncio
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from server.routers import filesystem
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def fake_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Point Path.home() at a temp dir and register it as a blocked system path."""
+    home = tmp_path / "root"
+    home.mkdir()
+    (home / ".ssh").mkdir()
+    (home / "projects").mkdir()
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", classmethod(lambda cls: home))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(filesystem, "LINUX_BLOCKED", {str(home), str(tmp_path / "etc")})
+    monkeypatch.setattr(filesystem, "MACOS_BLOCKED", {str(home), str(tmp_path / "etc")})
+    monkeypatch.setattr(filesystem, "WINDOWS_BLOCKED", {str(home), str(tmp_path / "etc")})
+    filesystem.get_blocked_paths.cache_clear()
+    filesystem.get_home_dir.cache_clear()
+    yield home
+    filesystem.get_blocked_paths.cache_clear()
+    filesystem.get_home_dir.cache_clear()
+
+
+def test_home_is_not_blocked_even_if_listed_as_system_path(fake_home):
+    assert not filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home)
+
+
+def test_subdirectory_of_home_is_allowed(fake_home):
+    assert not filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home / "projects")
+    assert not filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home / "projects" / "new-app")
+
+
+def test_sensitive_directory_in_home_still_blocked(fake_home):
+    assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home / ".ssh")
+    assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home / ".ssh" / "keys")
+
+
+def test_other_system_paths_still_blocked(fake_home):
+    assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home.parent / "etc")
+    assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(fake_home.parent / "etc" / "passwd")
+
+
+def test_home_nested_under_blocked_path_is_allowed(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A home like /var/lib/svc under blocked /var must remain browsable."""
+    var = tmp_path / "var"
+    home = var / "lib" / "svc"
+    home.mkdir(parents=True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(Path, "home", classmethod(lambda cls: home))
+    attr = {"win32": "WINDOWS_BLOCKED", "darwin": "MACOS_BLOCKED"}.get(sys.platform, "LINUX_BLOCKED")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(filesystem, attr, {str(var)})
+    filesystem.get_blocked_paths.cache_clear()
+    filesystem.get_home_dir.cache_clear()
+    try:
+        assert not filesystem.is_path_blocked(home)
+        assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(var)
+        assert filesystem.is_path_blocked(var / "log")
+    finally:
+        filesystem.get_blocked_paths.cache_clear()
+        filesystem.get_home_dir.cache_clear()
+
+
+def test_list_directory_defaults_to_home(fake_home):
+    result = asyncio.run(filesystem.list_directory(path=None, show_hidden=False))
+    assert result.current_path == fake_home.as_posix()
+    names = [e.name for e in result.entries]
+    assert "projects" in names