diff --git a/crates/aft/src/commands/edit_match.rs b/crates/aft/src/commands/edit_match.rs
index 3741fc1e..c43c99e6 100644
--- a/crates/aft/src/commands/edit_match.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/src/commands/edit_match.rs
@@ -82,8 +82,12 @@ pub fn handle_edit_match(req: &RawRequest, ctx: &AppContext) -> Response {
     // sequences before the string reaches us. Adding unescape_str on top caused
     // double-interpretation that corrupted source code with literal escapes.
 
-    // Detect glob pattern
-    if is_glob_pattern(file) {
+    // Detect glob pattern. Prefer the literal interpretation when the path
+    // already exists on disk, even if its name contains glob metacharacters
+    // such as `[`, `]`, `*`, `?`, or `{`. This prevents files in directories
+    // with brackets (e.g. `src/[another]/file.rs`) from being misclassified as
+    // globs.
+    if should_treat_as_glob(file, ctx) {
         return handle_glob_edit_match(req, ctx, file, match_str, replacement, &op_id);
     }
 
@@ -368,6 +372,36 @@ fn is_glob_pattern(path: &str) -> bool {
     path.contains('*') || path.contains('?') || path.contains('{') || path.contains('[')
 }
 
+/// Returns true when `file` should be treated as a glob pattern rather than a
+/// literal path. A path that exists on disk is always treated literally, even
+/// if its name contains glob metacharacters such as `[`, `]`, `*`, `?`, or `{`.
+/// This defends against directories or files with brackets in their
+/// names being misclassified as glob patterns (see issue #132).
+///
+/// Resolution mirrors `ctx.validate_path` so the literal-vs-glob decision stays
+/// consistent with the single-file path handler's interpretation.
+fn should_treat_as_glob(file: &str, ctx: &AppContext) -> bool {
+    if !is_glob_pattern(file) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    match ctx.validate_path("literal-check", Path::new(file)) {
+        Ok(candidate) => !candidate.exists(),
+        Err(resp)
+            if resp.data.get("code").and_then(|c| c.as_str()) == Some("path_outside_root") =>
+        {
+            false
+        }
+        Err(resp) => {
+            log::debug!(
+                "edit_match: validate_path failed for '{}', deferring to single-file handler: {:?}",
+                file,
+                resp.data
+            );
+            false
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Handle a glob-based multi-file edit_match.
 fn handle_glob_edit_match(
     req: &RawRequest,
diff --git a/crates/aft/tests/integration/edit_test.rs b/crates/aft/tests/integration/edit_test.rs
index 201e2a10..c7cab808 100644
--- a/crates/aft/tests/integration/edit_test.rs
+++ b/crates/aft/tests/integration/edit_test.rs
@@ -814,6 +814,150 @@ fn edit_match_no_match() {
     assert!(status.success());
 }
 
+// Regression for #132: edit_match must treat literal paths with brackets as
+// single-file edits, not glob patterns. Brackets (`[]`) are glob metacharacters,
+// so the old character-detection heuristic misclassified real file paths.
+#[test]
+fn edit_match_handles_brackets_in_literal_path() {
+    let mut aft = AftProcess::spawn();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let subdir = dir.path().join("[another]");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&subdir).unwrap();
+    let target = subdir.join("file.ts");
+    fs::write(&target, "const value = OLD;\n").unwrap();
+
+    let req = serde_json::json!({
+        "id": "em-brackets",
+        "command": "edit_match",
+        "file": target.display().to_string(),
+        "match": "OLD",
+        "replacement": "NEW"
+    });
+    let resp = aft.send(&serde_json::to_string(&req).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        resp["success"], true,
+        "edit_match should succeed for path with brackets: {:?}",
+        resp
+    );
+    assert_eq!(resp["replacements"], 1);
+    let content = fs::read_to_string(&target).unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        content.contains("NEW"),
+        "replacement should apply: {}",
+        content
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !content.contains("OLD"),
+        "original text should be gone: {}",
+        content
+    );
+
+    let status = aft.shutdown();
+    assert!(status.success());
+}
+
+// Sanity check: parentheses are also called out in the issue, but they are
+// not glob metacharacters, so they were never misclassified. This test only
+// ensures literal paths containing them remain single-file edits.
+#[test]
+fn edit_match_handles_parentheses_in_literal_path() {
+    let mut aft = AftProcess::spawn();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let subdir = dir.path().join("(something)");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&subdir).unwrap();
+    let target = subdir.join("file.ts");
+    fs::write(&target, "const value = OLD;\n").unwrap();
+
+    let req = serde_json::json!({
+        "id": "em-parens",
+        "command": "edit_match",
+        "file": target.display().to_string(),
+        "match": "OLD",
+        "replacement": "NEW"
+    });
+    let resp = aft.send(&serde_json::to_string(&req).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        resp["success"], true,
+        "edit_match should succeed for path with parentheses: {:?}",
+        resp
+    );
+    assert_eq!(resp["replacements"], 1);
+    let content = fs::read_to_string(&target).unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        content.contains("NEW"),
+        "replacement should apply: {}",
+        content
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !content.contains("OLD"),
+        "original text should be gone: {}",
+        content
+    );
+
+    let status = aft.shutdown();
+    assert!(status.success());
+}
+
+// Regression for #132: relative paths with brackets must also be treated as
+// literal single-file edits when resolved against the configured project root.
+#[test]
+fn edit_match_handles_brackets_in_relative_literal_path() {
+    let mut aft = AftProcess::spawn();
+    let dir = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let root = dir.path();
+    let subdir = root.join("[another]");
+    fs::create_dir_all(&subdir).unwrap();
+    let target = subdir.join("file.ts");
+    fs::write(&target, "const value = OLD;\n").unwrap();
+
+    let configure = aft.send(
+        &serde_json::json!({
+            "id": "cfg-restrict",
+            "command": "configure",
+            "harness": "opencode",
+            "project_root": root.to_string_lossy(),
+            "config": user_config(serde_json::json!({ "restrict_to_project_root": true }))
+        })
+        .to_string(),
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        configure["success"], true,
+        "configure should succeed: {configure:?}"
+    );
+
+    let req = serde_json::json!({
+        "id": "em-brackets-relative",
+        "command": "edit_match",
+        "file": "[another]/file.ts",
+        "match": "OLD",
+        "replacement": "NEW"
+    });
+    let resp = aft.send(&serde_json::to_string(&req).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        resp["success"], true,
+        "edit_match should succeed for relative path with brackets: {:?}",
+        resp
+    );
+    assert_eq!(resp["replacements"], 1);
+    let content = fs::read_to_string(&target).unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        content.contains("NEW"),
+        "replacement should apply: {}",
+        content
+    );
+    assert!(
+        !content.contains("OLD"),
+        "original text should be gone: {}",
+        content
+    );
+
+    let status = aft.shutdown();
+    assert!(status.success());
+}
+
 // ============================================================================
 // batch command tests
 // ============================================================================