diff --git a/docs/changes/unreleased/1703-standing-isolation-macos-root.md b/docs/changes/unreleased/1703-standing-isolation-macos-root.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a237be0dcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changes/unreleased/1703-standing-isolation-macos-root.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+kind: fixed
+title: the standing isolation test compares the canonical repository root, so it passes on macOS
+pr: 1703
+surface: [engine]
+invalidates: []
+---
+
+The recorded root was right all along; the test compared it with the raw temp
+directory, which macOS spells through the /var to /private/var symlink.
diff --git a/internal/session/standing_isolation_test.go b/internal/session/standing_isolation_test.go
index 8a30670d37..2ad1e2c80e 100644
--- a/internal/session/standing_isolation_test.go
+++ b/internal/session/standing_isolation_test.go
@@ -59,8 +59,12 @@ func TestStandingIsolationRecordsItsCopyBeforeWorkerInitialization(t *testing.T)
 	if _, err := runner.Run(context.Background(), item, runDir, ""); !errors.Is(err, want) {
 		t.Fatalf("initialization error changed: %v", err)
 	}
+	// The record keeps the repository's canonical root ([repositoryRoot]), so
+	// the comparison resolves symlinks too: on macOS t.TempDir() answers under
+	// /var/folders while the same directory's canonical spelling is under
+	// /private/var/folders, and a raw comparison fails a correct record.
 	trees := loadStandingTrees(runDir)
-	if len(trees) != 1 || trees[0].Root != repo || trees[0].Home == "" || trees[0].HomeSha == "" {
+	if len(trees) != 1 || trees[0].Root != canonicalPath(repo) || trees[0].Home == "" || trees[0].HomeSha == "" {
 		t.Fatalf("lost recovery identity: %+v", trees)
 	}
 	if got := currentBranch(trees[0].Dir); got != trees[0].Branch {