diff --git a/skillopt_sleep/staging.py b/skillopt_sleep/staging.py
index 615c5ac8..9c3542ee 100644
--- a/skillopt_sleep/staging.py
+++ b/skillopt_sleep/staging.py
@@ -1108,6 +1108,24 @@ def write_staging(
         manifest["skill_roots"] = list(dict.fromkeys(recorded_roots))
     if legacy:
         manifest["legacy"] = legacy
+        # Legacy adoption also writes a managed SKILL.md. Record the roots that
+        # were trusted when the night was staged so a later manifest edit cannot
+        # redirect that write to an arbitrary absolute path.
+        if "skill" in legacy:
+            recorded_roots = [
+                os.path.abspath(os.path.expanduser(str(root)))
+                for root in skill_roots
+                if isinstance(root, str) and str(root).strip()
+            ]
+            if not recorded_roots:
+                skill_path = str(legacy["skill"].get("live_path") or "")
+                recorded_roots = [
+                    os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(skill_path))
+                    if skill_path else ""
+                ]
+            manifest["skill_roots"] = list(dict.fromkeys(
+                root for root in recorded_roots if root
+            ))
     artifacts: List[tuple[str, str]] = [
         (
             os.path.join(out, row["proposed_file"]),
@@ -3026,6 +3044,7 @@ def adopt(staging_dir: str) -> List[str]:
     initial_rows = _legacy_rows(initial_manifest)
     if not initial_rows:
         return []
+    skill_roots = staged_skill_roots(staging_dir) if "skill" in initial_rows else []
     initial_paths: List[str] = []
     for row in initial_rows.values():
         live = _safe_live_path(row.get("live_path"))
@@ -3088,6 +3107,16 @@ def adopt(staging_dir: str) -> List[str]:
                     expected_realpath,
                     expected_basename=expected_basename,
                 )
+                if label == "skill" and not _live_target_within_roots(live, skill_roots):
+                    raise StagingError(
+                        "legacy skill path is outside the skills roots recorded "
+                        f"when this night was staged: {live}"
+                    )
+            elif label == "skill" and not _live_target_within_roots(live, skill_roots):
+                raise StagingError(
+                    "legacy skill path is outside the skills roots recorded "
+                    f"when this night was staged: {live}"
+                )
             staged = os.path.join(staging_dir, expected_file)
             if _is_link_or_junction(staged) or not os.path.isfile(staged):
                 raise StagingError(f"legacy {label} proposal is missing or a symlink")
diff --git a/tests/test_sleep_adopt_skill_subset.py b/tests/test_sleep_adopt_skill_subset.py
index f6c32af5..4b830e2f 100644
--- a/tests/test_sleep_adopt_skill_subset.py
+++ b/tests/test_sleep_adopt_skill_subset.py
@@ -2074,6 +2074,24 @@ def test_legacy_manifest_is_pinned_and_adoption_has_a_receipt(self):
                     ["skill", "memory"],
                 )
 
+    def test_legacy_skill_retarget_outside_staged_roots_is_refused(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
+            staging, skill, _memory = self._legacy_night(tmp)
+            outside = os.path.join(_canonical(tmp), "outside", "skill", "SKILL.md")
+            _write(outside, "# skill v1\n")
+            manifest_path = os.path.join(staging, "manifest.json")
+            with open(manifest_path, encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+                manifest = json.load(handle)
+            manifest["legacy"]["skill"]["live_path"] = outside
+            manifest["legacy"]["skill"]["live_realpath"] = outside
+            with open(manifest_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as handle:
+                json.dump(manifest, handle)
+
+            with self.assertRaisesRegex(StagingError, "outside the skills roots"):
+                adopt(staging)
+            self.assertEqual(_read(outside), "# skill v1\n")
+            self.assertEqual(_read(skill), "# skill v1\n")
+
     def test_legacy_missing_targets_can_share_one_new_parent(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
             live_root = os.path.join(_canonical(tmp), "new-live")