diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 53ac828..f8a6c7f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # Letta Code local settings
 .letta/settings.local.json
-.letta
 
 # User-defined skills
 .skills
diff --git a/src/permissions/analyzer.ts b/src/permissions/analyzer.ts
index 647d0f6..2fd3f55 100644
--- a/src/permissions/analyzer.ts
+++ b/src/permissions/analyzer.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ function analyzeReadApproval(
     const displayPath = dirPath.replace(require("node:os").homedir(), "~");
 
     return {
-      recommendedRule: `Read(${dirPath}/**)`,
+      recommendedRule: `Read(/${dirPath}/**)`,
       ruleDescription: `reading from ${displayPath}/`,
       approveAlwaysText: `Yes, allow reading from ${displayPath}/ in this project`,
       defaultScope: "project",
@@ -98,9 +98,13 @@ function analyzeReadApproval(
     };
   }
 
-  // Inside working directory - shouldn't normally be asked, but offer session approval
+  // Inside working directory - use relative path
+  const relativePath = absolutePath.slice(workingDir.length + 1);
+  const relativeDir = dirname(relativePath);
+  const pattern = relativeDir === "." ? "**" : `${relativeDir}/**`;
+
   return {
-    recommendedRule: `Read(${workingDir}/**)`,
+    recommendedRule: `Read(${pattern})`,
     ruleDescription: "reading project files",
     approveAlwaysText: "Yes, allow reading project files during this session",
     defaultScope: "session",
@@ -139,12 +143,26 @@ function analyzeEditApproval(
   // Can offer project-level for specific directories
   const absolutePath = resolve(workingDir, filePath);
   const dirPath = dirname(absolutePath);
-  const relativeDirPath = dirPath.startsWith(workingDir)
-    ? dirPath.slice(workingDir.length + 1)
-    : dirPath;
+
+  // If outside working directory, use absolute path with // prefix
+  if (!dirPath.startsWith(workingDir)) {
+    const displayPath = dirPath.replace(require("node:os").homedir(), "~");
+    return {
+      recommendedRule: `Edit(/${dirPath}/**)`,
+      ruleDescription: `editing files in ${displayPath}/`,
+      approveAlwaysText: `Yes, allow editing files in ${displayPath}/ in this project`,
+      defaultScope: "project",
+      allowPersistence: true,
+      safetyLevel: "safe",
+    };
+  }
+
+  // Inside working directory, use relative path
+  const relativeDirPath = dirPath.slice(workingDir.length + 1);
+  const pattern = relativeDirPath === "" ? "**" : `${relativeDirPath}/**`;
 
   return {
-    recommendedRule: `Edit(${relativeDirPath}/**)`,
+    recommendedRule: `Edit(${pattern})`,
     ruleDescription: `editing files in ${relativeDirPath || "project"}/`,
     approveAlwaysText: `Yes, allow editing files in ${relativeDirPath || "project"}/ in this project`,
     defaultScope: "project",
@@ -307,7 +325,7 @@ function analyzeBashApproval(
   }
 
   // Handle complex piped/chained commands (cd /path && git diff | head)
-  // Extract the most significant command and generate a wildcard pattern
+  // Strip out cd commands and extract the actual command
   if (
     command.includes("&&") ||
     command.includes("|") ||
@@ -321,6 +339,11 @@ function analyzeBashApproval(
       const segmentBase = segmentParts[0] || "";
       const segmentArg = segmentParts[1] || "";
 
+      // Skip cd commands - we want the actual command
+      if (segmentBase === "cd") {
+        continue;
+      }
+
       // Check if this segment is git command
       if (segmentBase === "git") {
         const gitSubcommand = segmentArg;
@@ -331,15 +354,10 @@ function analyzeBashApproval(
           safeGitCommands.includes(gitSubcommand) ||
           writeGitCommands.includes(gitSubcommand)
         ) {
-          // Generate wildcard pattern that includes the leading commands
-          // e.g., "cd /path && git diff:*"
-          const beforeGit = command.substring(0, command.indexOf("git"));
-          const pattern = `${beforeGit}git ${gitSubcommand}:*`;
-
           return {
-            recommendedRule: `Bash(${pattern})`,
-            ruleDescription: `'${beforeGit}git ${gitSubcommand}' commands`,
-            approveAlwaysText: `Yes, and don't ask again for '${beforeGit}git ${gitSubcommand}' commands in this project`,
+            recommendedRule: `Bash(git ${gitSubcommand}:*)`,
+            ruleDescription: `'git ${gitSubcommand}' commands`,
+            approveAlwaysText: `Yes, and don't ask again for 'git ${gitSubcommand}' commands in this project`,
             defaultScope: "project",
             allowPersistence: true,
             safetyLevel: safeGitCommands.includes(gitSubcommand)
@@ -438,7 +456,7 @@ function analyzeSearchApproval(
     const displayPath = absolutePath.replace(require("node:os").homedir(), "~");
 
     return {
-      recommendedRule: `${toolName}(${absolutePath}/**)`,
+      recommendedRule: `${toolName}(/${absolutePath}/**)`,
       ruleDescription: `searching in ${displayPath}/`,
       approveAlwaysText: `Yes, allow searching in ${displayPath}/ in this project`,
       defaultScope: "project",
@@ -448,7 +466,7 @@ function analyzeSearchApproval(
   }
 
   return {
-    recommendedRule: `${toolName}(${workingDir}/**)`,
+    recommendedRule: `${toolName}(**)`,
     ruleDescription: "searching project files",
     approveAlwaysText: "Yes, allow searching project files during this session",
     defaultScope: "session",
diff --git a/src/tests/permissions-analyzer.test.ts b/src/tests/permissions-analyzer.test.ts
index 8f6d597..2d05ac4 100644
--- a/src/tests/permissions-analyzer.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/permissions-analyzer.test.ts
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ test("Read outside working directory suggests directory pattern", () => {
     "/Users/test/project",
   );
 
-  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe("Read(/Users/test/docs/**)");
+  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe("Read(//Users/test/docs/**)");
   expect(context.approveAlwaysText).toContain("/Users/test/docs/");
   expect(context.defaultScope).toBe("project");
   expect(context.safetyLevel).toBe("safe");
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ test("Glob outside working directory suggests directory pattern", () => {
     "/Users/test/project",
   );
 
-  expect(context.recommendedRule).toContain("Glob(/Users/test/docs/**)");
+  expect(context.recommendedRule).toContain("Glob(//Users/test/docs/**)");
   expect(context.approveAlwaysText).toContain("/Users/test/docs/");
 });
 
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ test("Grep outside working directory suggests directory pattern", () => {
     "/Users/test/project",
   );
 
-  expect(context.recommendedRule).toContain("Grep(/Users/test/docs/**)");
+  expect(context.recommendedRule).toContain("Grep(//Users/test/docs/**)");
   expect(context.approveAlwaysText).toContain("/Users/test/docs/");
 });
 
@@ -373,9 +373,7 @@ test("Long complex bash commands should generate smart wildcard patterns", () =>
   );
 
   // Should extract "git diff" pattern, not save full command
-  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe(
-    "Bash(cd /Users/test/project && git diff:*)",
-  );
+  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe("Bash(git diff:*)");
   // Button text should reflect the wildcard pattern
   expect(context.approveAlwaysText).not.toContain("...");
 });
diff --git a/src/tests/permissions.test.ts b/src/tests/permissions.test.ts
index 3228d83..be2a494 100644
--- a/src/tests/permissions.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/permissions.test.ts
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ test("Read outside working directory suggests directory pattern", () => {
     "/Users/test/project",
   );
 
-  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe("Read(/Users/test/docs/**)");
+  expect(context.recommendedRule).toBe("Read(//Users/test/docs/**)");
   expect(context.approveAlwaysText).toContain("/Users/test/docs/");
   expect(context.defaultScope).toBe("project");
 });