diff --git a/src/agents/sandbox/remote_mount_policy.py b/src/agents/sandbox/remote_mount_policy.py
index 7a7687b812..f183a5f051 100644
--- a/src/agents/sandbox/remote_mount_policy.py
+++ b/src/agents/sandbox/remote_mount_policy.py
@@ -38,11 +38,7 @@ def build_remote_mount_policy_instructions(manifest: Manifest) -> str | None:
     allowlist_text = ", ".join(
         f"`{command}`" for command in manifest.remote_mount_command_allowlist
     )
-    edit_instructions = (
-        "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits. "
-        "For shell-based edits, first `cp` the mounted file to a normal local workspace path, "
-        "edit the local copy there, then `cp` it back. "
-    )
+    edit_instructions = _remote_mount_edit_instructions(remote_mounts)
     return REMOTE_MOUNT_POLICY.format(
         path_lines=path_lines,
         REMOTE_MOUNT_COMMAND_ALLOWLIST_TEXT=allowlist_text,
@@ -50,6 +46,27 @@ def build_remote_mount_policy_instructions(manifest: Manifest) -> str | None:
     )
 
 
+def _remote_mount_edit_instructions(remote_mounts: list[tuple[Path, bool]]) -> str:
+    has_read_write = any(not read_only for _, read_only in remote_mounts)
+    has_read_only = any(read_only for _, read_only in remote_mounts)
+
+    instructions: list[str] = []
+    if has_read_write:
+        instructions.append(
+            "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits on read+write mounts. "
+            "For shell-based edits on read+write mounts, first `cp` the mounted file "
+            "to a normal local workspace path, edit the local copy there, then copy "
+            "it back."
+        )
+    if has_read_only:
+        instructions.append(
+            "Do not edit paths marked read-only in place, including with `apply_patch`, "
+            "and do not write edited files back to them. Copy read-only files to a "
+            "normal local workspace path only if you need an editable scratch copy."
+        )
+    return " ".join(instructions)
+
+
 def _format_remote_mount_line(path: Path, read_only: bool) -> str:
     if read_only:
         return f"- {path.as_posix()} (mounted in read-only mode)"
diff --git a/tests/sandbox/test_remote_mount_policy.py b/tests/sandbox/test_remote_mount_policy.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..396e726b41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/sandbox/test_remote_mount_policy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from agents.sandbox.entries import BaseEntry, DockerVolumeMountStrategy, S3Mount
+from agents.sandbox.manifest import Manifest
+from agents.sandbox.remote_mount_policy import build_remote_mount_policy_instructions
+
+
+def _s3_mount(*, read_only: bool) -> S3Mount:
+    return S3Mount(
+        bucket="example-bucket",
+        mount_strategy=DockerVolumeMountStrategy(driver="rclone"),
+        read_only=read_only,
+    )
+
+
+def _policy_for(entries: dict[str | Path, BaseEntry]) -> str:
+    policy = build_remote_mount_policy_instructions(Manifest(entries=entries))
+    assert policy is not None
+    return policy
+
+
+def test_remote_mount_policy_does_not_suggest_direct_edits_for_read_only_mounts() -> None:
+    policy = _policy_for({"data": _s3_mount(read_only=True)})
+
+    assert "/workspace/data (mounted in read-only mode)" in policy
+    assert "`apply_patch` directly" not in policy
+    assert "copy it back" not in policy
+    assert "Do not edit paths marked read-only in place" in policy
+    assert "including with `apply_patch`" in policy
+    assert "do not write edited files back" in policy
+
+
+def test_remote_mount_policy_keeps_direct_and_copy_back_guidance_for_read_write_mounts() -> None:
+    policy = _policy_for({"data": _s3_mount(read_only=False)})
+
+    assert "/workspace/data (mounted in read+write mode)" in policy
+    assert "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits on read+write mounts." in policy
+    assert "For shell-based edits on read+write mounts" in policy
+    assert "copy it back" in policy
+    assert "Do not edit paths marked read-only" not in policy
+
+
+def test_remote_mount_policy_handles_mixed_read_only_and_read_write_mounts() -> None:
+    policy = _policy_for(
+        {
+            "input": _s3_mount(read_only=True),
+            "output": _s3_mount(read_only=False),
+        }
+    )
+
+    assert "/workspace/input (mounted in read-only mode)" in policy
+    assert "/workspace/output (mounted in read+write mode)" in policy
+    assert "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits on read+write mounts." in policy
+    assert "For shell-based edits on read+write mounts" in policy
+    assert "Do not edit paths marked read-only in place" in policy
+    assert "including with `apply_patch`" in policy
+    assert "do not write edited files back" in policy
diff --git a/tests/sandbox/test_runtime.py b/tests/sandbox/test_runtime.py
index b0b9f7b687..f455f26635 100644
--- a/tests/sandbox/test_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/sandbox/test_runtime.py
@@ -1220,9 +1220,9 @@ async def test_runner_adds_remote_mount_policy_instructions() -> None:
     expected_policy_pattern = expected_policy_pattern.replace(
         re.escape("{edit_instructions}"),
         re.escape(
-            "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits. "
-            "For shell-based edits, first `cp` the mounted file to a normal local workspace "
-            "path, edit the local copy there, then `cp` it back. "
+            "Do not edit paths marked read-only in place, including with `apply_patch`, "
+            "and do not write edited files back to them. Copy read-only files to a normal "
+            "local workspace path only if you need an editable scratch copy."
         ),
     )
     assert isinstance(re.search(expected_policy_pattern, system_instructions), re.Match)
@@ -1338,10 +1338,10 @@ async def test_runner_marks_writable_remote_mounts_in_policy() -> None:
     system_instructions = model.first_turn_args["system_instructions"]
     assert isinstance(system_instructions, str)
     assert "- /workspace/remote (mounted in read+write mode)" in system_instructions
-    assert "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits." in system_instructions
+    assert "Use `apply_patch` directly for text edits on read+write mounts." in system_instructions
     assert (
-        "For shell-based edits, first `cp` the mounted file to a normal local workspace path, "
-        "edit the local copy there, then `cp` it back." in system_instructions
+        "For shell-based edits on read+write mounts, first `cp` the mounted file to a normal "
+        "local workspace path, edit the local copy there, then copy it back." in system_instructions
     )