diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/files/FileBrowserPanel.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/files/FileBrowserPanel.tsx
index 446da2559270..bc6cdf243cad 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/files/FileBrowserPanel.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/files/FileBrowserPanel.tsx
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import { joinHostPath } from "./filePath";
 import { createFileTreeDragMentionController } from "./fileTreeDragMention";
 import { areAllDirectoriesExpanded, setAllDirectoriesExpanded } from "./fileTreeExpansion";
 import { buildFileTreePathUpdates } from "./fileTreePathReconciliation";
+import { loadFileAncestors } from "./loadFileAncestors";
 import { useDirectoryEntries } from "./useDirectoryEntries";
 import { useProjectPathSearch } from "~/state/queries";
 
@@ -366,12 +367,7 @@ export default function FileBrowserPanel({
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!selectedPath) return;
     const controller = new AbortController();
-    void (async () => {
-      const segments = selectedPath.split("/");
-      for (let index = 0; index < segments.length && !controller.signal.aborted; index++) {
-        await load(segments.slice(0, index).join("/"));
-      }
-    })();
+    void loadFileAncestors(selectedPath, load, { signal: controller.signal });
     return () => {
       controller.abort();
     };
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.test.ts b/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..1fd165a790ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import { expect, it } from "vite-plus/test";
+import { loadFileAncestors } from "./loadFileAncestors";
+
+function queuedLoader() {
+  const paths: string[] = [];
+  const resolve: Array<() => void> = [];
+  const load = (path: string) => {
+    paths.push(path);
+    return new Promise<void>((done) => resolve.push(done));
+  };
+  return { paths, resolve, load };
+}
+
+it("bounds loads to four and finishes children even when parents finish last", async () => {
+  const queue = queuedLoader();
+  const loading = loadFileAncestors("a/b/c/d/e/f/file.ts", queue.load, new AbortController());
+  for (let index = 3; index < 6; index++) {
+    queue.resolve[index]?.();
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(queue.paths).toHaveLength(index + 2);
+  }
+  expect(queue.paths).toEqual(["", "a", "a/b", "a/b/c", "a/b/c/d", "a/b/c/d/e", "a/b/c/d/e/f"]);
+  for (const resolve of queue.resolve) resolve();
+  await loading;
+});
+
+it("stops aborted reveals while a new selection loads independently", async () => {
+  const old = queuedLoader();
+  const controller = new AbortController();
+  const oldReveal = loadFileAncestors("old/a/b/c/d/file.ts", old.load, controller);
+  controller.abort();
+  const fresh = queuedLoader();
+  const newReveal = loadFileAncestors("new/file.ts", fresh.load, new AbortController());
+  for (const resolve of [...old.resolve, ...fresh.resolve]) resolve();
+  await Promise.all([oldReveal, newReveal]);
+  await loadFileAncestors("aborted/path/file.ts", old.load, controller);
+  expect(old.paths).toEqual(["", "old", "old/a", "old/a/b"]);
+  expect(fresh.paths).toEqual(["", "new"]);
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.ts b/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..126bf35b3770
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/files/loadFileAncestors.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+/** The loader owns deduplication and the shared request cap, including other tree loads. */
+export async function loadFileAncestors(
+  selectedPath: string,
+  load: (directoryPath: string) => Promise<void>,
+  options: { readonly signal: AbortSignal },
+) {
+  const segments = selectedPath.split("/");
+  let next = 0;
+  const worker = async () => {
+    while (next < segments.length && !options.signal.aborted) {
+      await load(segments.slice(0, next++).join("/"));
+    }
+  };
+  await Promise.all(Array.from({ length: Math.min(4, segments.length) }, worker));
+}