diff --git a/crates/treehouse/src/cli/fix.rs b/crates/treehouse/src/cli/fix.rs
index e6db536..b5e1342 100644
--- a/crates/treehouse/src/cli/fix.rs
+++ b/crates/treehouse/src/cli/fix.rs
@@ -146,16 +146,17 @@ pub fn fix_file_cli(fix_args: FixArgs, root: &dyn Dir) -> anyhow::Result<Edit> {
     let mut treehouse = Treehouse::new();
     let mut diagnostics = vec![];
     let file_id = treehouse.add_file(fix_args.file.clone(), Source::Other(file));
-    let edit_path = vfs::query::<EditPath>(root, &fix_args.file).ok_or_else(|| {
-        anyhow!(
-            "{} is not an editable file (perhaps it is not in a persistent path?)",
-            fix_args.file
-        )
-    })?;
 
     Ok(
         if let Ok(fixed) = fix_file(&mut treehouse, &mut diagnostics, file_id) {
             if fix_args.apply {
+                let edit_path = vfs::query::<EditPath>(root, &fix_args.file).ok_or_else(|| {
+                    anyhow!(
+                        "{} is not an editable file (perhaps it is not in a persistent path?)",
+                        fix_args.file
+                    )
+                })?;
+
                 // Try to write the backup first. If writing that fails, bail out without overwriting
                 // the source file.
                 if let Some(backup_path) = fix_args.backup {
diff --git a/crates/treehouse/src/main.rs b/crates/treehouse/src/main.rs
index 4ccd8b3..44c781c 100644
--- a/crates/treehouse/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/treehouse/src/main.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ async fn fallible_main(
             serve(sources, dirs, AsyncDir::new(target), serve_args.port).await?;
         }
 
-        Command::Fix(fix_args) => fix_file_cli(fix_args, &*dirs.content)?.apply().await?,
+        Command::Fix(fix_args) => fix_file_cli(fix_args, &*dirs.root)?.apply().await?,
         Command::FixAll(fix_args) => fix_all_cli(fix_args, &*dirs.content)?.apply().await?,
 
         Command::Wc(wc_args) => wc_cli(&dirs.content, wc_args)?,
diff --git a/crates/treehouse/src/vfs/physical.rs b/crates/treehouse/src/vfs/physical.rs
index 876333b..2cd9867 100644
--- a/crates/treehouse/src/vfs/physical.rs
+++ b/crates/treehouse/src/vfs/physical.rs
@@ -59,8 +59,9 @@ impl PhysicalDir {
 
     #[instrument("PhysicalDir::content", skip(self))]
     fn content(&self, path: &VPath) -> Option<Content> {
-        std::fs::read(self.root.join(physical_path(path)))
-            .inspect_err(|err| error!("{self:?} cannot read file at vpath {path:?}: {err:?}",))
+        let physical_path = self.root.join(physical_path(path));
+        std::fs::read(&physical_path)
+            .inspect_err(|err| error!("{self:?} cannot read file at vpath {path:?} / physical {physical_path:?}: {err:?}",))
             .ok()
             .map(|bytes| {
                 Content::new(