diff --git a/bin/bullpen-grinder b/bin/bullpen-grinder
index 5f8773c..f076427 100755
--- a/bin/bullpen-grinder
+++ b/bin/bullpen-grinder
@@ -511,11 +511,11 @@ def _resolve_test_rel(body, repo):
     the grind host, but this parser only knew tests/*.py and *_test.go, so every @jsdev ticket
     was silently bounced. An absolute match fully specifies the grind — serve() derives the repo
     from its directory (2026-07-24)."""
-    m = (re.search(r"/[\w./-]+\.(?:test|spec)\.(?:js|ts)\b", body or "")   # absolute JS/TS spec
-         or re.search(r"/[\w./-]+_test\.(?:js|ts|go|py)\b", body or "")    # absolute *_test.*
-         or re.search(r"/[\w./-]+\.py\b", body or "")                      # absolute py
+    m = (re.search(r"(?<!\w)/[\w./-]+\.(?:test|spec)\.(?:js|ts)\b", body or "")   # absolute JS/TS spec (guarded)
+         or re.search(r"(?<!\w)/[\w./-]+_test\.(?:js|ts|go|py)\b", body or "")    # absolute *_test.* (guarded)
+         or re.search(r"tests/[\w./-]+\.py", body or "")                          # tests/ relative py
+         or re.search(r"(?<!\w)/[\w./-]+\.py\b", body or "")                     # absolute py (guarded)
          or re.search(r"[\w./-]*(?:\.test|\.spec|_test)\.(?:js|ts)\b", body or "")  # relative JS/TS
-         or re.search(r"tests/[\w./-]+\.py", body or "")
          or re.search(r"[\w./-]+_test\.go", body or ""))
     if m:
         return m.group(0), None