diff --git a/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md b/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
index 15699da..6a2bc8c 100644
--- a/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
+++ b/docs/TEST_INTEGRITY.md
@@ -2858,3 +2858,29 @@ test_integrity_note:
     did_relax_any_assertion: false
     if_true_explain_spec_basis: ""
 ```
+
+# Self-host active-pointer privacy correction (2026-10-01)
+
+```yaml
+test_integrity_note:
+  change_type: new_tests
+  scenarios:
+    - id: SCN-runtime-metadata-invalid-active-pointer-target-privacy
+      given: "A bounded reader fixture has a fixed active symlink with an absolute host target or an escaping relative target"
+      when: "The no-argument reader observes runtime metadata and the complete result is serialized"
+      then: "The active pointer is refused with RUNTIME_METADATA_ACTIVE_POINTER_TARGET_INVALID and a null target; the raw target, fixture root, file URLs, and absolute host paths are absent while unrelated package, source-commit, candidate-consistency, and Console disk observations remain visible"
+  observable_outcomes:
+    - "Malformed active-pointer targets are not returned as display data"
+    - "Pointer refusal does not erase independent local metadata observations or imply authentication, loaded-memory, delivered-byte, or native authority"
+    - "All earlier eight runtime-metadata scenarios and their assertions remain unchanged and strict"
+  determinism_controls:
+    - "Fixed absolute and escaping symlink target strings; canonical temporary package and data-home fixtures; recursive JSON serialization"
+  anti_cheat_rationale:
+    prevents:
+      - "An invalid symlink target exposing host paths through an otherwise redacted metadata response"
+      - "A privacy test that checks only module identity while missing nested runtime fields"
+      - "Malformed runtime state suppressing unrelated useful observations or manufacturing authority"
+  relaxation:
+    did_relax_any_assertion: false
+    if_true_explain_spec_basis: ""
+```
diff --git a/src/self-host/runtime-metadata.mjs b/src/self-host/runtime-metadata.mjs
index 6d5a1d5..9a5bd4b 100644
--- a/src/self-host/runtime-metadata.mjs
+++ b/src/self-host/runtime-metadata.mjs
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ function readActivePointer(issues) {
   const version = match ? versionValue(match[1]) : null;
   if (!version) {
     issues.push(issue('RUNTIME_METADATA_ACTIVE_POINTER_TARGET_INVALID', 'runtime/active'));
-    return { status: 'refused', target: link.text, version: null };
+    return { status: 'refused', target: null, version: null };
   }
   return { status: 'observed', target: link.text, version };
 }
diff --git a/test/fleet/runtime-metadata.test.mjs b/test/fleet/runtime-metadata.test.mjs
index c16bb63..dc663e6 100644
--- a/test/fleet/runtime-metadata.test.mjs
+++ b/test/fleet/runtime-metadata.test.mjs
@@ -643,6 +643,43 @@ test('SCN-runtime-metadata-partial-journal', async () => {
   } finally { cleanup(fixture); }
 });
 
+test('SCN-runtime-metadata-invalid-active-pointer-target-privacy', async () => {
+  const invalidTargets = [
+    '/host/qa-private-runtime',
+    '../../../../outside/qa-private-runtime',
+  ];
+  for (const target of invalidTargets) {
+    const fixture = makeFixture();
+    try {
+      writeValidation(fixture, ALPHA2_COMMIT);
+      const active = join(fixture.dataHome, 'torch', 'runtime', 'active');
+      rmSync(active);
+      symlinkSync(target, active);
+
+      const { value } = await runReader(fixture);
+      const pointer = value.currentActiveRuntime.activePointer;
+      assert.equal(pointer.status, 'refused');
+      assert.equal(pointer.target, null);
+      assert.equal(pointer.version, null);
+      assert.ok(value.currentActiveRuntime.issues.some((entry) => (
+        entry.code === 'RUNTIME_METADATA_ACTIVE_POINTER_TARGET_INVALID'
+      )));
+      assert.equal(value.readerModuleEvaluation.packageVersion.value, '0.1.0-alpha.2');
+      assert.equal(value.readerModuleEvaluation.declaredSourceCommit.value, ALPHA2_COMMIT);
+      assert.equal(value.readerModuleEvaluation.candidateTree.consistency, 'match');
+      assert.equal(value.currentConsoleDisk.status, 'observed');
+      assert.equal(value.authenticationConfidence, 'unknown');
+      assert.equal(value.loadedMemoryCodeDigest, null);
+      assert.equal(value.deliveredBytesProof, null);
+      assert.equal(value.nativeAuthority, null);
+
+      const serialized = JSON.stringify(value);
+      assert.equal(serialized.includes(target), false);
+      assertNoAbsolutePathLeak(value, fixture.temporaryRoot);
+    } finally { cleanup(fixture); }
+  }
+});
+
 test('SCN-runtime-metadata-read-only-no-native-authority', async () => {
   const fixture = makeFixture();
   try {