diff --git a/src/app_controller.py b/src/app_controller.py
index b3c12f92..2505b27c 100644
--- a/src/app_controller.py
+++ b/src/app_controller.py
@@ -3524,7 +3524,7 @@ class AppController:
   `self._last_request_errors` for sub-track 4 GUI display."""
   try:
    symbols = parse_symbols(user_msg)
-   file_paths = [f.path for f in file_items]
+   file_paths = [f["path"] if isinstance(f, dict) else f.path for f in file_items]
    for symbol in symbols:
     res = get_symbol_definition(symbol, file_paths)
     if res:
diff --git a/tests/test_arch_boundary_phase2.py b/tests/test_arch_boundary_phase2.py
index e04e4c2f..8a3726be 100644
--- a/tests/test_arch_boundary_phase2.py
+++ b/tests/test_arch_boundary_phase2.py
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ class TestArchBoundaryPhase2(unittest.TestCase):
     with patch("src.shell_runner.run_powershell") as mock_run:
      controller.test_hooks_enabled = False # Force manual approval (dialog)
      res = controller._confirm_and_run("script", ".")
-     self.assertIsNone(res)
+     # Empty-string sentinel signals "no dispatch happened" without
+     # using Optional[str] in the production signature.
+     self.assertEqual(res, "")
      self.assertFalse(mock_run.called)
 
  def test_non_mutating_tool_skips_callback(self) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/test_hot_reload_integration.py b/tests/test_hot_reload_integration.py
index 035bbe19..ce69c41c 100644
--- a/tests/test_hot_reload_integration.py
+++ b/tests/test_hot_reload_integration.py
@@ -136,13 +136,14 @@ class TestHotReloadTriggerIntegration:
   mock_app.ui_crt_filter = False
   mock_app.show_windows = {}
   with patch('src.gui_2.imgui', mock_imgui), \
-             patch('src.gui_2.theme') as mock_theme, \
-             patch('src.gui_2.bg_shader') as mock_bg, \
-             patch('src.gui_2.render_custom_title_bar'), \
-             patch('src.gui_2.render_shader_live_editor'), \
-             patch('src.gui_2.render_history_window'), \
-             patch('src.gui_2.render_main_interface'):
-   mock_bg.get_bg.return_value.enabled = False
+              patch('src.gui_2.theme') as mock_theme, \
+              patch('src.gui_2.get_bg') as mock_get_bg, \
+              patch('src.gui_2.render_custom_title_bar'), \
+              patch('src.gui_2.render_shader_live_editor'), \
+              patch('src.gui_2.render_history_window'), \
+              patch('src.gui_2.render_main_interface'):
+   mock_bg = mock_get_bg.return_value
+   mock_bg.enabled = False
    mock_theme.is_nerv_active.return_value = False
    App._gui_func(mock_app)
   mock_app._trigger_hot_reload.assert_called_once()