diff --git a/jest.config.js b/jest.config.js
index 5435ffa..fa73ac1 100644
--- a/jest.config.js
+++ b/jest.config.js
@@ -10,10 +10,23 @@ module.exports = {
   // Root directory
   rootDir: '.',
 
-  // Test file patterns
+  // Test file patterns — scoped to ./tests/ only so dist/ artifacts like
+  // .snap packages don't get matched as test suites.
   testMatch: [
-    '**/tests/**/*.test.js',
-    '**/tests/**/*.spec.js'
+    '<rootDir>/tests/**/*.test.js',
+    '<rootDir>/tests/**/*.spec.js'
+  ],
+
+  // Ignore build outputs so .snap packages and bundled .asar contents
+  // never enter jest's file discovery.
+  testPathIgnorePatterns: [
+    '/node_modules/',
+    '/dist/',
+    '/\\.git/'
+  ],
+  modulePathIgnorePatterns: [
+    '/node_modules/',
+    '/dist/'
   ],
 
   // Coverage configuration
diff --git a/src/main/files/list-directory.js b/src/main/files/list-directory.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc4e41c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/files/list-directory.js
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+/**
+ * List a directory's entries (excluding dotfiles), sorted directories-first
+ * then alphabetically. Returns a flat array of FileEntry-shaped objects,
+ * matching the renderer type declaration in `src/renderer/lib/ipc.ts`.
+ *
+ * Skips entries that cannot be stat'd (permission errors, broken symlinks)
+ * instead of throwing — keeps the UI responsive on partially-readable dirs.
+ */
+function listDirectoryEntries(dirPath) {
+  const dirents = fs.readdirSync(dirPath, { withFileTypes: true });
+  const entries = [];
+  for (const d of dirents) {
+    if (d.name.startsWith('.')) continue;
+    const full = path.join(dirPath, d.name);
+    let size = 0;
+    let modified = 0;
+    try {
+      const s = fs.statSync(full);
+      size = d.isDirectory() ? 0 : s.size;
+      modified = s.mtimeMs;
+    } catch (_err) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    entries.push({
+      name: d.name,
+      isDirectory: d.isDirectory(),
+      size,
+      modified,
+      path: full,
+    });
+  }
+  entries.sort((a, b) => {
+    if (a.isDirectory && !b.isDirectory) return -1;
+    if (!a.isDirectory && b.isDirectory) return 1;
+    return a.name.localeCompare(b.name);
+  });
+  return entries;
+}
+
+module.exports = { listDirectoryEntries };
diff --git a/src/main/index.js b/src/main/index.js
index 64a4cc1..5cc50c4 100644
--- a/src/main/index.js
+++ b/src/main/index.js
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const WordTemplateExporter = require('./word-template');
 const PDFOperations = require('./PDFOperations');
 const { validatePath, resolveWritablePath, isPathAccessible } = require('./utils/paths');
 const fileOps = require('./files');
+const { listDirectoryEntries } = require('./files/list-directory');
 const menu = require('./menu');
 const { createMainWindow } = require('./window');
 const MonospaceFontConfig = require('./MonospaceFontConfig');
@@ -3522,22 +3523,7 @@ ipcMain.handle('list-directory', async (event, dirPath) => {
       return null;
     }
 
-    const entries = fs
-      .readdirSync(validation.resolved, { withFileTypes: true })
-      .filter((e) => !e.name.startsWith('.'))
-      .sort((a, b) => {
-        if (a.isDirectory() && !b.isDirectory()) return -1;
-        if (!a.isDirectory() && b.isDirectory()) return 1;
-        return a.name.localeCompare(b.name);
-      })
-      .map((e) => ({
-        name: e.name,
-        isDirectory: e.isDirectory(),
-        size: e.isDirectory() ? 0 : fs.statSync(path.join(validation.resolved, e.name)).size,
-        modified: fs.statSync(path.join(validation.resolved, e.name)).mtimeMs,
-        path: path.join(validation.resolved, e.name),
-      }));
-    return { path: validation.resolved, entries };
+    return listDirectoryEntries(validation.resolved);
   } catch (err) {
     console.error('list-directory error:', err);
     return null;
diff --git a/src/renderer/stores/file-store.ts b/src/renderer/stores/file-store.ts
index e555f8d..6a0f529 100644
--- a/src/renderer/stores/file-store.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/stores/file-store.ts
@@ -86,8 +86,7 @@ export const useFileStore = create<FileState>()(
           return;
         }
 
-        const raw: any = result.data!;
-        const entries: any[] = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : raw.entries;
+        const entries = result.data ?? [];
         const children: FileNode[] = entries.map(entryToNode);
 
         set((s) => {
@@ -119,8 +118,7 @@ export const useFileStore = create<FileState>()(
 
         set((s) => {
           updateNode(s.tree!, dirPath, (node) => {
-            const raw: any = result.data!;
-            const items: any[] = Array.isArray(raw) ? raw : raw.entries;
+            const items = result.data ?? [];
             node.children = items.map(entryToNode);
             node.loaded = true;
           });
diff --git a/tests/unit/main/files/list-directory.test.js b/tests/unit/main/files/list-directory.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a68a82c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/main/files/list-directory.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const os = require('os');
+
+const { listDirectoryEntries } = require('../../../../src/main/files/list-directory');
+
+describe('listDirectoryEntries', () => {
+  let tmpDir;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    tmpDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'list-dir-'));
+  });
+  afterEach(() => {
+    fs.rmSync(tmpDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  test('returns a flat array (not wrapped in { entries })', () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'a.md'), 'hello');
+    const result = listDirectoryEntries(tmpDir);
+    expect(Array.isArray(result)).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(result[0]).toMatchObject({
+      name: 'a.md',
+      isDirectory: false,
+      size: 5,
+      path: path.join(tmpDir, 'a.md'),
+    });
+  });
+
+  test('excludes dotfiles', () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.hidden'), 'x');
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'visible.md'), 'y');
+    const result = listDirectoryEntries(tmpDir);
+    expect(result.map((e) => e.name)).toEqual(['visible.md']);
+  });
+
+  test('sorts directories first then alphabetically', () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'zebra.md'), 'z');
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'aaa'));
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'bbb'));
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'apple.md'), 'a');
+    const result = listDirectoryEntries(tmpDir);
+    expect(result.map((e) => e.name)).toEqual(['aaa', 'bbb', 'apple.md', 'zebra.md']);
+  });
+
+  test('marks directories with isDirectory: true and size: 0', () => {
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'sub'));
+    const result = listDirectoryEntries(tmpDir);
+    expect(result[0]).toMatchObject({ name: 'sub', isDirectory: true, size: 0 });
+  });
+
+  test('skips entries that cannot be stat\'d (broken symlinks)', () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'good.md'), 'ok');
+    try {
+      fs.symlinkSync(path.join(tmpDir, 'nonexistent'), path.join(tmpDir, 'broken-link'));
+    } catch (_) {
+      // symlinks not supported in env — skip
+    }
+    const result = listDirectoryEntries(tmpDir);
+    expect(result.find((e) => e.name === 'good.md')).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(result.find((e) => e.name === 'broken-link')).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});