diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/fileio/load.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/fileio/load.rs
index 891a4307..da4cb9ad 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/fileio/load.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/fileio/load.rs
@@ -273,12 +273,17 @@ pub fn load_with(name: &str, bytes: &[u8], opts: &LoadOptions) -> Result<Loaded>
 /// own): rasters stay linked, SVG files become art, missing ones placeholders (see
 /// [`vectorcraft_svg::ImportOptions`]).
 pub(crate) fn import_svg(text: &str, folder: Option<&str>) -> Result<(Document, Vec<String>)> {
+    // The importer reads on a thread of its own (for its stack): what may be read is what may be
+    // read here.
+    let scope = crate::file_access::ScopeHandle::capture();
     let read = |path: &str| {
-        // Only files (not folders or devices) are read.
-        file_stamp(path)?;
-        let bytes = read_file(path).ok()?;
-        let link = crate::cmd::links::link_info(path, &bytes);
-        Some((bytes, link))
+        scope.clone().run(|| {
+            // Only files (not folders or devices) are read.
+            file_stamp(path)?;
+            let bytes = read_file(path).ok()?;
+            let link = crate::cmd::links::link_info(path, &bytes);
+            Some((bytes, link))
+        })
     };
     vectorcraft_svg::import_with(text, &vectorcraft_svg::ImportOptions { folder, read: Some(&read) }).map_err(err)
 }
diff --git a/crates/engine/src/tests_linkfiles.rs b/crates/engine/src/tests_linkfiles.rs
index a0e3a430..1c4cc530 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/tests_linkfiles.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/tests_linkfiles.rs
@@ -314,6 +314,32 @@ fn a_copy_stays_inside_the_write_root() {
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&root);
 }
 
+/// An SVG's linked files are read on the importer's own thread (it needs a deep stack): the roots
+/// in force on the thread that opens the SVG hold there too.
+#[test]
+fn an_svg_reads_its_links_within_the_read_root() {
+    let root = folder("svg-roots");
+    for dir in ["in", "out"] {
+        write(&root.join(dir).join("dot.png"), &png(4, 4, RED));
+    }
+    // What came of an SVG linking to the picture in `dir`: the pictures read, and the warnings.
+    let import = |dir: &str| {
+        let href = root.join(dir).join("dot.png").to_string_lossy().replace('\\', "/");
+        let svg =
+            format!("<svg xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\" width=\"10\" height=\"10\"><image width=\"4\" height=\"4\" href=\"{href}\"/></svg>");
+        let (doc, warnings) = crate::cmd::fileio::import_svg(&svg, None).unwrap();
+        (doc.images.len(), warnings)
+    };
+    let (inside, outside) = (import("in"), import("out"));
+    assert_eq!(inside, outside, "both are read with no roots in force");
+    let roots = crate::file_access::AutomationRoots::new(Some(&root.join("in")), None).unwrap();
+    crate::file_access::confine(roots.as_ref(), || {
+        assert_eq!(import("in"), inside, "inside the read root: read as before");
+        assert_ne!(import("out"), outside, "outside the read root: not read");
+    });
+    let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&root);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn junk_search_params_never_fail_internally() {
     let root = folder("junk");