diff --git a/apps/ignis-server/server/routes/fs.js b/apps/ignis-server/server/routes/fs.js
index e547ab6..10ddb3e 100644
--- a/apps/ignis-server/server/routes/fs.js
+++ b/apps/ignis-server/server/routes/fs.js
@@ -392,22 +392,6 @@ router.get("/access", async (req, res) => {
   }
 });
 
-router.get("/realpath", async (req, res) => {
-  const resolved = guardPath(req, res);
-
-  if (!resolved) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  try {
-    const real = await fs.promises.realpath(resolved);
-
-    res.json({ path: path.relative(req._vaultRoot, real) });
-  } catch (e) {
-    res.status(500).json({ error: e.code || "internal", code: e.code });
-  }
-});
-
 // POST /api/fs/utimes { path, atime, mtime, vault? }
 router.post("/utimes", async (req, res) => {
   const resolved = guardPath(req, res, "body");
diff --git a/packages/shim/src/fs/promises.js b/packages/shim/src/fs/promises.js
index 7b059aa..391ed3a 100644
--- a/packages/shim/src/fs/promises.js
+++ b/packages/shim/src/fs/promises.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import {
   resolvePath,
 } from "./transforms.js";
 import { hasVirtualFile, getVirtualFile } from "./virtual-files.js";
+import { realpathSync } from "./realpath.js";
 
 export function createFsPromises(metadataCache, contentCache, transport) {
   return {
@@ -260,7 +261,8 @@ export function createFsPromises(metadataCache, contentCache, transport) {
         return "/";
       }
 
-      return transport.realpath(path);
+      // No symlinks in the vault FS, so realpath is the identity.
+      return realpathSync(path);
     },
 
     async utimes(path, atime, mtime) {
diff --git a/packages/shim/src/fs/realpath.test.js b/packages/shim/src/fs/realpath.test.js
index bc3c9eb..a5cbed3 100644
--- a/packages/shim/src/fs/realpath.test.js
+++ b/packages/shim/src/fs/realpath.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
 import { realpath } from "./realpath.js";
+import { createFsPromises } from "./promises.js";
 
 describe("fs realpath shim", () => {
   it("realpath invokes the callback with the path", async () => {
@@ -18,3 +19,18 @@ describe("fs realpath shim", () => {
     expect(result).toBe("/a/b.md");
   });
 });
+
+describe("fs.promises realpath", () => {
+  it("answers locally without touching the transport", async () => {
+    const fs = createFsPromises({}, {}, {});
+
+    expect(await fs.realpath("/a/b.md")).toBe("/a/b.md");
+  });
+
+  it("maps empty and root paths to /", async () => {
+    const fs = createFsPromises({}, {}, {});
+
+    expect(await fs.realpath("")).toBe("/");
+    expect(await fs.realpath(".")).toBe("/");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/shim/src/fs/transport.js b/packages/shim/src/fs/transport.js
index 1298720..1975d9e 100644
--- a/packages/shim/src/fs/transport.js
+++ b/packages/shim/src/fs/transport.js
@@ -177,13 +177,6 @@ export const transport = {
     return requestJson("GET", "/access", { path: normPath(path) });
   },
 
-  async realpath(path) {
-    const result = await requestJson("GET", "/realpath", {
-      path: normPath(path),
-    });
-    return result.path;
-  },
-
   async utimes(path, atime, mtime) {
     return requestJson("POST", "/utimes", {
       path: normPath(path),