diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/src/postgres.rs b/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/src/postgres.rs
index cbb6bbcc263..fd8b7dd094e 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/src/postgres.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/src/postgres.rs
@@ -2384,6 +2384,8 @@ const POSTGRES_ROOT_FILESYSTEM_SCHEMA: &str = concat!(
     include_str!("../../../migrations/V32__root_filesystem_sequences.sql"),
     "\n",
     include_str!("../../../migrations/V33__root_filesystem_ordered_index_rows.sql"),
+    "\n",
+    include_str!("../../../migrations/V34__root_filesystem_ordered_index_path_collation.sql"),
 );
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/tests/db_root_filesystem_contract.rs b/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/tests/db_root_filesystem_contract.rs
index 7aab64ddcd4..1ce05e53070 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/tests/db_root_filesystem_contract.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_filesystem/tests/db_root_filesystem_contract.rs
@@ -2592,10 +2592,7 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         let rows = fs
             .query_ordered(
                 &tenant_prefix,
-                &Filter::Eq {
-                    key: status.clone(),
-                    value: IndexValue::Text("queued".into()),
-                },
+                &Filter::All,
                 &ironclaw_filesystem::OrderedPage::new(
                     index_name,
                     status,
diff --git a/migrations/V34__root_filesystem_ordered_index_path_collation.sql b/migrations/V34__root_filesystem_ordered_index_path_collation.sql
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..cb62ca716c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/V34__root_filesystem_ordered_index_path_collation.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+-- Keep ordered-projection path ranges bytewise, matching the authoritative
+-- root_filesystem_entries.path column.
+--
+-- Ordered queries use half-open descendant ranges. The database-default
+-- collation can order '/' and '0' differently from bytewise ordering, making
+-- an existing projected row invisible on databases initialized with locales
+-- such as en_US.utf8.
+--
+-- Compatibility: this changes only comparison/index ordering. Stored paths and
+-- projection rows are unchanged.
+--
+-- Rollback plan:
+-- 1. Stop writers and ordered readers.
+-- 2. Revert the column to the database-default collation:
+--      ALTER TABLE root_filesystem_ordered_index_rows
+--          ALTER COLUMN path TYPE TEXT COLLATE "default";
+-- 3. Recreate dependent indexes if PostgreSQL reports they were rebuilt or
+--    invalidated by the ALTER COLUMN operation.
+
+DO $$
+BEGIN
+    IF to_regclass('root_filesystem_ordered_index_rows') IS NOT NULL
+        AND EXISTS (
+            SELECT 1
+            FROM pg_attribute
+            WHERE attrelid = to_regclass('root_filesystem_ordered_index_rows')
+                AND attname = 'path'
+                AND NOT attisdropped
+                AND attcollation <> 'pg_catalog."C"'::regcollation
+        )
+    THEN
+        ALTER TABLE root_filesystem_ordered_index_rows
+            ALTER COLUMN path TYPE TEXT COLLATE "C";
+    END IF;
+END $$;
diff --git a/tests/e2e/scenarios/test_reborn_v2_file_download.py b/tests/e2e/scenarios/test_reborn_v2_file_download.py
index d459c78a5bc..e5b75db82ba 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/scenarios/test_reborn_v2_file_download.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/scenarios/test_reborn_v2_file_download.py
@@ -315,7 +315,9 @@ async def serve_stat(route):
     await expect(report).to_have_attribute("aria-selected", "true")
     await expect(report).to_have_attribute("tabindex", "0")
     assert await tree.locator('[role="treeitem"][tabindex="0"]').count() == 1
-    await expect(guide).to_have_count(0)
+    await expect(guide).to_be_visible()
+    await expect(guide).to_have_attribute("aria-selected", "false")
+    await expect(guide).to_have_attribute("tabindex", "-1")
 
     # Directory-load errors are live alerts, so they are announced without a
     # separate pointer interaction.