diff --git a/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/adapters.py b/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/adapters.py
index ca39a2489b..4bd741b4a9 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/adapters.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/adapters.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 from ..._assets import _locate_core_pack, _repo_root
 from ..._download_security import MAX_JSON_CATALOG_BYTES, read_response_limited
 from .. import BundlerError
-from ..lib.yamlio import load_json, loads_json
+from ..lib.yamlio import loads_json
 from ..models.catalog import CatalogSource
 from ..models.manifest import ComponentRef
 
@@ -143,15 +143,21 @@ def fetch(source: CatalogSource) -> dict:
 
         if scheme == "file":
             path = _file_url_to_path(parsed)
-            if not path.exists():
-                raise BundlerError(f"Catalog file not found: {path}")
-            return load_json(path)
+            try:
+                return loads_json(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), origin=str(path))
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                raise BundlerError(f"Catalog file not found: {path}") from None
+            except (OSError, UnicodeError) as exc:
+                raise BundlerError(f"Could not read {path}: {exc}") from exc
 
         if scheme == "" or _is_windows_drive_path(url):
             path = Path(url)
-            if not path.exists():
-                raise BundlerError(f"Catalog file not found: {path}")
-            return load_json(path)
+            try:
+                return loads_json(path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), origin=str(path))
+            except FileNotFoundError:
+                raise BundlerError(f"Catalog file not found: {path}") from None
+            except (OSError, UnicodeError) as exc:
+                raise BundlerError(f"Could not read {path}: {exc}") from exc
 
         if scheme in ("http", "https"):
             if not allow_network:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_bundler_adapters.py b/tests/unit/test_bundler_adapters.py
index 854e60df3f..32f411af90 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_bundler_adapters.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_bundler_adapters.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """Unit tests for catalog-fetch adapters (auth + redirect safety)."""
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
 import pytest
 
 from specify_cli.bundler import BundlerError
@@ -201,3 +204,24 @@ def test_validate_remote_url_rejects_malformed_url_cleanly(url):
     caller. Bundler sibling of #3369."""
     with pytest.raises(BundlerError):
         adapters._validate_remote_url("team", url)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_file_url", [False, True], ids=["path", "file-url"])
+def test_local_catalog_toctou_race(tmp_path, use_file_url):
+    """A missing file at read time must retain the fetcher's BundlerError contract.
+
+    The mocked Path raises FileNotFoundError from read_text(), simulating a
+    deletion immediately before the catalog is opened while verifying that no
+    existence pre-check is needed."""
+    catalog_path = tmp_path / "catalog.json"
+    url = catalog_path.as_uri() if use_file_url else str(catalog_path)
+
+    mock_path = MagicMock(spec=Path)
+    mock_path.exists.return_value = True
+    mock_path.read_text.side_effect = FileNotFoundError(str(catalog_path))
+
+    fetcher = adapters.make_catalog_fetcher(allow_network=False)
+
+    with patch.object(adapters.Path, "__new__", return_value=mock_path):
+        with pytest.raises(BundlerError, match="Catalog file not found"):
+            fetcher(_source(url))