diff --git a/.kotlin/sessions/kotlin-compiler-17775491840772701511.salive b/.kotlin/sessions/kotlin-compiler-17831070670597191982.salive
similarity index 100%
rename from .kotlin/sessions/kotlin-compiler-17775491840772701511.salive
rename to .kotlin/sessions/kotlin-compiler-17831070670597191982.salive
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/domain/sync/SyncEngine.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/domain/sync/SyncEngine.kt
index 45ead7f..853bd1d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/domain/sync/SyncEngine.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/domain/sync/SyncEngine.kt
@@ -34,6 +34,16 @@ class SyncEngine @Inject constructor(
     @ApplicationContext private val context: Context,
 ) {
     suspend fun sync(pair: SyncPair, provider: CloudProvider): SyncResult {
+        if (!pair.localPath.startsWith("content://")) {
+            val canonical = runCatching { File(pair.localPath).canonicalPath }.getOrElse { pair.localPath }
+            if (canonical == "/storage/emulated/0") {
+                val msg = "Local folder is the storage root — Android blocks writes here. Edit the pair and select a subfolder."
+                syncPairDao.updateSyncResult(pair.id, Instant.now(), SyncStatus.FAILED, 0)
+                logEvent(pair.id, SyncEventType.SYNC_FAILED, null, msg, 0)
+                return SyncResult(failedFiles = 1, error = Exception(msg))
+            }
+        }
+
         syncPairDao.updateStatus(pair.id, SyncStatus.SYNCING)
         logEvent(pair.id, SyncEventType.SYNC_STARTED, null, null, 0)
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/ui/browser/LocalBrowserDialog.kt b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/ui/browser/LocalBrowserDialog.kt
index 25d28b9..7dc21ef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/ui/browser/LocalBrowserDialog.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/kotlin/com/syncflow/ui/browser/LocalBrowserDialog.kt
@@ -263,22 +263,32 @@ fun LocalBrowserDialog(
                 }
 
                 // ── Select button ────────────────────────────────────────────
+                val isStorageRoot = currentPath.absolutePath == STORAGE_ROOT.absolutePath
                 Surface(tonalElevation = 4.dp, modifier = Modifier.fillMaxWidth()) {
                     Column {
-                    Button(
-                        onClick = { onSelect(currentPath.absolutePath) },
-                        modifier = Modifier
-                            .fillMaxWidth()
-                            .padding(start = 16.dp, top = 12.dp, end = 16.dp, bottom = 12.dp)
-                            .height(52.dp),
-                        shape = RoundedCornerShape(14.dp),
-                    ) {
-                        Icon(Icons.Default.CheckCircle, null, Modifier.size(20.dp))
-                        Spacer(Modifier.width(8.dp))
-                        Text("Select  \"$currentFolderName\"",
-                            style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall, fontWeight = FontWeight.SemiBold)
-                    }
-                    Spacer(Modifier.height(bottomInset))
+                        if (isStorageRoot) {
+                            Text(
+                                "Android blocks writes to the storage root — please open a subfolder first",
+                                style = MaterialTheme.typography.bodySmall,
+                                color = MaterialTheme.colorScheme.error,
+                                modifier = Modifier.padding(horizontal = 20.dp, vertical = 8.dp),
+                            )
+                        }
+                        Button(
+                            onClick = { onSelect(currentPath.absolutePath) },
+                            enabled = !isStorageRoot,
+                            modifier = Modifier
+                                .fillMaxWidth()
+                                .padding(start = 16.dp, top = 4.dp, end = 16.dp, bottom = 12.dp)
+                                .height(52.dp),
+                            shape = RoundedCornerShape(14.dp),
+                        ) {
+                            Icon(Icons.Default.CheckCircle, null, Modifier.size(20.dp))
+                            Spacer(Modifier.width(8.dp))
+                            Text("Select  \"$currentFolderName\"",
+                                style = MaterialTheme.typography.titleSmall, fontWeight = FontWeight.SemiBold)
+                        }
+                        Spacer(Modifier.height(bottomInset))
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/version.properties b/version.properties
index 22acddf..3a6c9f3 100644
--- a/version.properties
+++ b/version.properties
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
-VERSION_NAME=1.0.52
-VERSION_CODE=53
+VERSION_NAME=1.0.53
+VERSION_CODE=54