diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_routers/files.py b/hermes_cli/web_routers/files.py
index 8d16f4f4fe..3e7bc3ad10 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_routers/files.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_routers/files.py
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ async def fs_list(path: str, request: Request, profile: Optional[str] = None):
 
 
 @router.get("/api/fs/read-text")
-async def fs_read_text(path: str, request: Request, profile: Optional[str] = None):
+async def fs_read_text(path: str, request: Request = None, profile: Optional[str] = None):
     backend = await asyncio.to_thread(_fs_backend, profile)
     if backend is not None:
         try:
@@ -929,7 +929,7 @@ async def fs_read_data_url(
 
 @router.get("/api/fs/download")
 async def fs_download(
-    path: str, request: Request, profile: Optional[str] = None, session_id: Optional[str] = None,
+    path: str, request: Request = None, profile: Optional[str] = None, session_id: Optional[str] = None,
 ):
     backend = await asyncio.to_thread(_fs_backend, profile)
     if backend is not None:
diff --git a/hermes_cli/web_server_files.py b/hermes_cli/web_server_files.py
index b44f49f48e..58372c29ab 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/web_server_files.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/web_server_files.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import urllib.request
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from fastapi import HTTPException, Request
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any, Dict
+from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
 
 _MANAGED_FILES_ROOT_ENV = "HERMES_DASHBOARD_FILES_ROOT"
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def _dashboard_local_update_managed_externally() -> bool:
     return True
 
 
-def _managed_files_policy(request: Request, *, create_root: bool = True) -> ManagedFilesPolicy:
+def _managed_files_policy(request: Optional[Request], *, create_root: bool = True) -> ManagedFilesPolicy:
     raw_forced_root = os.environ.get(_MANAGED_FILES_ROOT_ENV, "").strip()
     if raw_forced_root:
         root = _ensure_managed_root(raw_forced_root) if create_root else _canonical_path(Path(raw_forced_root))
@@ -205,8 +205,12 @@ def _hosted_fs_path_allowed(root: Path, target: Path) -> bool:
             and not _is_sensitive_path(target) and not _is_sensitive_path(resolved))
 
 
-def _hosted_fs_read_guard(target: Path, request: Request) -> Path | None:
-    """Preview and Git reads share managed-file restrictions on locked deployments."""
+def _hosted_fs_read_guard(target: Path, request: Optional[Request] = None) -> Path | None:
+    """Preview and Git reads share managed-file restrictions on locked deployments.
+
+    ``request`` is unused (the policy is env/home driven) and optional so the
+    route functions stay callable directly, e.g. from agent-side tests.
+    """
     root = _managed_files_policy(request, create_root=False).locked_root
     if root is not None and not _hosted_fs_path_allowed(root, target):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=403, detail="Path is outside the managed read boundary")