diff --git a/.roo/rules/use-safeReadJson.md b/.roo/rules/use-safeReadJson.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5fdf23dfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.roo/rules/use-safeReadJson.md
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# JSON File Reading Must Be Safe and Atomic
+
+- You MUST use `safeReadJson(filePath: string, jsonPath?: string | string[]): Promise<any>` from `src/utils/safeReadJson.ts` to read JSON files
+- `safeReadJson` provides atomic file access to local files with proper locking to prevent race conditions and uses `stream-json` to read JSON files without buffering to a string
+- Test files are exempt from this rule
+
+## Correct Usage Example
+
+This pattern replaces all manual `fs` or `vscode.workspace.fs` reads.
+
+### ❌ Don't do this:
+
+```typescript
+// Anti-patterns: string buffering wastes memory
+const data = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(filePath, 'utf8'));
+const data = JSON.parse(await vscode.workspace.fs.readFile(fileUri));
+
+// Anti-pattern: Unsafe existence check
+if (await fileExists.. ) { /* then read */ }
+```
+
+### ✅ Use this unified pattern:
+
+```typescript
+let data
+try {
+	data = await safeReadJson(filePath)
+} catch (error) {
+	if (error.code !== "ENOENT") {
+		// Handle at least ENOENT
+	}
+}
+```
diff --git a/src/utils/__tests__/safeReadJson.spec.ts b/src/utils/__tests__/safeReadJson.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e14870fa00
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/__tests__/safeReadJson.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,256 @@
+import { vi, describe, test, expect, beforeAll, afterAll, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest"
+import { safeReadJson } from "../safeReadJson"
+import { Readable } from "stream" // For typing mock stream
+
+// First import the original modules to use their types
+import * as fsPromisesOriginal from "fs/promises"
+import * as fsOriginal from "fs"
+
+// Set up mocks before imports
+vi.mock("proper-lockfile", () => ({
+	lock: vi.fn(),
+	check: vi.fn(),
+	unlock: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock("fs/promises", async () => {
+	const actual = await vi.importActual<typeof import("fs/promises")>("fs/promises")
+	return {
+		...actual,
+		writeFile: vi.fn(actual.writeFile),
+		readFile: vi.fn(actual.readFile),
+		access: vi.fn(actual.access),
+		mkdir: vi.fn(actual.mkdir),
+		mkdtemp: vi.fn(actual.mkdtemp),
+		rm: vi.fn(actual.rm),
+	}
+})
+
+vi.mock("fs", async () => {
+	const actualFs = await vi.importActual<typeof import("fs")>("fs")
+	return {
+		...actualFs,
+		createReadStream: vi.fn((path: string, options?: any) => actualFs.createReadStream(path, options)),
+	}
+})
+
+// Now import the mocked versions
+import * as fs from "fs/promises"
+import * as fsSyncActual from "fs"
+import * as path from "path"
+import * as os from "os"
+import * as properLockfile from "proper-lockfile"
+
+describe("safeReadJson", () => {
+	let originalConsoleError: typeof console.error
+	let tempTestDir: string = ""
+	let currentTestFilePath = ""
+
+	beforeAll(() => {
+		// Store original console.error
+		originalConsoleError = console.error
+
+		// Replace with filtered version that suppresses output from the module
+		console.error = function (...args) {
+			// Check if call originated from safeReadJson.ts
+			if (new Error().stack?.includes("safeReadJson.ts")) {
+				// Suppress output but allow spy recording
+				return
+			}
+
+			// Pass through all other calls (from tests)
+			return originalConsoleError.apply(console, args)
+		}
+	})
+
+	afterAll(() => {
+		// Restore original behavior
+		console.error = originalConsoleError
+	})
+
+	vi.useRealTimers() // Use real timers for this test suite
+
+	beforeEach(async () => {
+		// Create a unique temporary directory for each test
+		const tempDirPrefix = path.join(os.tmpdir(), "safeReadJson-test-")
+		tempTestDir = await fs.mkdtemp(tempDirPrefix)
+		currentTestFilePath = path.join(tempTestDir, "test-data.json")
+	})
+
+	afterEach(async () => {
+		if (tempTestDir) {
+			try {
+				await fs.rm(tempTestDir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+			} catch (err) {
+				console.error("Failed to clean up temp directory", err)
+			}
+			tempTestDir = ""
+		}
+
+		// Reset all mocks
+		vi.resetAllMocks()
+	})
+
+	// Helper function to write a JSON file for testing
+	const writeJsonFile = async (filePath: string, data: any): Promise<void> => {
+		await fs.writeFile(filePath, JSON.stringify(data), "utf8")
+	}
+
+	// Success Scenarios
+	test("should successfully read a JSON file", async () => {
+		const testData = { message: "Hello, world!" }
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, testData)
+
+		const result = await safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)
+		expect(result).toEqual(testData)
+	})
+
+	test("should throw an error for a non-existent file", async () => {
+		const nonExistentPath = path.join(tempTestDir, "non-existent.json")
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(nonExistentPath)).rejects.toThrow(/ENOENT/)
+	})
+
+	test("should read a specific path from a JSON file", async () => {
+		const testData = {
+			user: {
+				name: "John",
+				age: 30,
+				address: {
+					city: "New York",
+					zip: "10001",
+				},
+			},
+			settings: {
+				theme: "dark",
+				notifications: true,
+			},
+		}
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, testData)
+
+		// Test reading a specific path
+		const result = await safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath, "user.address.city")
+		expect(result).toBe("New York")
+	})
+
+	test("should read multiple paths from a JSON file", async () => {
+		const testData = {
+			user: {
+				name: "John",
+				age: 30,
+			},
+			settings: {
+				theme: "dark",
+				notifications: true,
+			},
+		}
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, testData)
+
+		// Test reading multiple paths
+		const result = await safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath, ["user.name", "settings.theme"])
+		expect(result).toEqual(["John", "dark"])
+	})
+
+	// Failure Scenarios
+	test("should handle JSON parsing errors", async () => {
+		// Write invalid JSON
+		await fs.writeFile(currentTestFilePath, "{ invalid: json", "utf8")
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow()
+	})
+
+	test("should handle file access errors", async () => {
+		const accessSpy = vi.spyOn(fs, "access")
+		accessSpy.mockImplementationOnce(async () => {
+			const err = new Error("Simulated EACCES Error") as NodeJS.ErrnoException
+			err.code = "EACCES" // Simulate a permissions error
+			throw err
+		})
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow("Simulated EACCES Error")
+
+		accessSpy.mockRestore()
+	})
+
+	test("should handle stream errors", async () => {
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, { test: "data" })
+
+		// Mock createReadStream to simulate a failure during streaming
+		;(fsSyncActual.createReadStream as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementationOnce(
+			(_path: any, _options: any) => {
+				const stream = new Readable({
+					read() {
+						this.emit("error", new Error("Simulated Stream Error"))
+					},
+				})
+				return stream as fsSyncActual.ReadStream
+			},
+		)
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow("Simulated Stream Error")
+	})
+
+	test("should handle lock acquisition failures", async () => {
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, { test: "data" })
+
+		// Mock proper-lockfile to simulate a lock acquisition failure
+		const lockSpy = vi.spyOn(properLockfile, "lock").mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("Failed to get lock"))
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow("Failed to get lock")
+
+		expect(lockSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining(currentTestFilePath), expect.any(Object))
+
+		lockSpy.mockRestore()
+	})
+
+	test("should release lock even if an error occurs during reading", async () => {
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, { test: "data" })
+
+		// Mock createReadStream to simulate a failure during streaming
+		;(fsSyncActual.createReadStream as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockImplementationOnce(
+			(_path: any, _options: any) => {
+				const stream = new Readable({
+					read() {
+						this.emit("error", new Error("Simulated Stream Error"))
+					},
+				})
+				return stream as fsSyncActual.ReadStream
+			},
+		)
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow("Simulated Stream Error")
+
+		// Lock should be released, meaning the .lock file should not exist
+		const lockPath = `${path.resolve(currentTestFilePath)}.lock`
+		await expect(fs.access(lockPath)).rejects.toThrow(expect.objectContaining({ code: "ENOENT" }))
+	})
+
+	// Edge Cases
+	test("should handle empty JSON files", async () => {
+		await fs.writeFile(currentTestFilePath, "", "utf8")
+
+		await expect(safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)).rejects.toThrow()
+	})
+
+	test("should handle large JSON files", async () => {
+		// Create a large JSON object
+		const largeData: Record<string, number> = {}
+		for (let i = 0; i < 10000; i++) {
+			largeData[`key${i}`] = i
+		}
+
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, largeData)
+
+		const result = await safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath)
+		expect(result).toEqual(largeData)
+	})
+
+	test("should handle path selection for non-existent paths", async () => {
+		const testData = { user: { name: "John" } }
+		await writeJsonFile(currentTestFilePath, testData)
+
+		// Test reading a non-existent path
+		const result = await safeReadJson(currentTestFilePath, "user.address")
+		expect(result).toBeUndefined()
+	})
+})
diff --git a/src/utils/safeReadJson.ts b/src/utils/safeReadJson.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..80ca645fa7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/safeReadJson.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+import * as fs from "fs/promises"
+import * as fsSync from "fs"
+import * as path from "path"
+import * as Parser from "stream-json/Parser"
+import * as Pick from "stream-json/filters/Pick"
+import * as StreamValues from "stream-json/streamers/StreamValues"
+
+import { _acquireLock } from "./safeWriteJson"
+
+/**
+ * Safely reads JSON data from a file using streaming.
+ * - Uses 'proper-lockfile' for advisory locking to prevent concurrent access
+ * - Streams the file contents to efficiently handle large JSON files
+ *
+ * @param {string} filePath - The path to the file to read
+ * @returns {Promise<any>} - The parsed JSON data
+ *
+ * @example
+ * // Read entire JSON file
+ * const data = await safeReadJson('config.json');
+ */
+async function safeReadJson(filePath: string): Promise<any> {
+	const absoluteFilePath = path.resolve(filePath)
+	let releaseLock = async () => {} // Initialized to a no-op
+
+	try {
+		// Check if file exists
+		await fs.access(absoluteFilePath)
+
+		// Acquire lock
+		try {
+			releaseLock = await _acquireLock(absoluteFilePath)
+		} catch (lockError) {
+			console.error(`Failed to acquire lock for reading ${absoluteFilePath}:`, lockError)
+			throw lockError
+		}
+
+		// Stream and parse the file
+		return await _streamDataFromFile(absoluteFilePath)
+	} finally {
+		// Release the lock in the finally block
+		try {
+			await releaseLock()
+		} catch (unlockError) {
+			console.error(`Failed to release lock for ${absoluteFilePath}:`, unlockError)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to stream JSON data from a file.
+ * @param sourcePath The path to read the stream from.
+ * @returns Promise<any> The parsed JSON data.
+ */
+async function _streamDataFromFile(sourcePath: string): Promise<any> {
+	// Create a readable stream from the file
+	const fileReadStream = fsSync.createReadStream(sourcePath, { encoding: "utf8" })
+
+	// Set up the pipeline components
+	const jsonParser = Parser.parser()
+
+	// Create the base pipeline
+	let pipeline = fileReadStream.pipe(jsonParser)
+
+	// Add value collection
+	const valueStreamer = StreamValues.streamValues()
+	pipeline = pipeline.pipe(valueStreamer)
+
+	return new Promise<any>((resolve, reject) => {
+		let errorOccurred = false
+		const result: any[] = []
+
+		const handleError = (streamName: string) => (err: unknown) => {
+			if (!errorOccurred) {
+				errorOccurred = true
+				if (!fileReadStream.destroyed) {
+					fileReadStream.destroy(err instanceof Error ? err : new Error(String(err)))
+				}
+				reject(err instanceof Error ? err : new Error(`${streamName} error: ${String(err)}`))
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Set up error handlers for all stream components
+		fileReadStream.on("error", handleError("FileReadStream"))
+		jsonParser.on("error", handleError("Parser"))
+		valueStreamer.on("error", handleError("StreamValues"))
+
+		// Collect data
+		valueStreamer.on("data", (data: any) => {
+			result.push(data.value)
+		})
+
+		// Handle end of stream
+		valueStreamer.on("end", () => {
+			if (!errorOccurred) {
+				resolve(result.length === 1 ? result[0] : result)
+			}
+		})
+	})
+}
+
+export { safeReadJson, _streamDataFromFile }
diff --git a/src/utils/safeWriteJson.ts b/src/utils/safeWriteJson.ts
index 719bbd7216..80863a80db 100644
--- a/src/utils/safeWriteJson.ts
+++ b/src/utils/safeWriteJson.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,34 @@ import * as lockfile from "proper-lockfile"
 import Disassembler from "stream-json/Disassembler"
 import Stringer from "stream-json/Stringer"
 
+/**
+ * Acquires a lock on a file.
+ *
+ * @param {string} filePath - The path to the file to lock
+ * @param {lockfile.LockOptions} [options] - Optional lock options
+ * @returns {Promise<() => Promise<void>>} - The lock release function
+ */
+export async function _acquireLock(filePath: string, options?: lockfile.LockOptions): Promise<() => Promise<void>> {
+	const absoluteFilePath = path.resolve(filePath)
+
+	return await lockfile.lock(absoluteFilePath, {
+		stale: 31000, // Stale after 31 seconds
+		update: 10000, // Update mtime every 10 seconds
+		realpath: false, // The file may not exist yet
+		retries: {
+			retries: 5,
+			factor: 2,
+			minTimeout: 100,
+			maxTimeout: 1000,
+		},
+		onCompromised: (err) => {
+			console.error(`Lock at ${absoluteFilePath} was compromised:`, err)
+			throw err
+		},
+		...options,
+	})
+}
+
 /**
  * Safely writes JSON data to a file.
  * - Creates parent directories if they don't exist
@@ -39,22 +67,7 @@ async function safeWriteJson(filePath: string, data: any): Promise<void> {
 
 	// Acquire the lock before any file operations
 	try {
-		releaseLock = await lockfile.lock(absoluteFilePath, {
-			stale: 31000, // Stale after 31 seconds
-			update: 10000, // Update mtime every 10 seconds to prevent staleness if operation is long
-			realpath: false, // the file may not exist yet, which is acceptable
-			retries: {
-				// Configuration for retrying lock acquisition
-				retries: 5, // Number of retries after the initial attempt
-				factor: 2, // Exponential backoff factor (e.g., 100ms, 200ms, 400ms, ...)
-				minTimeout: 100, // Minimum time to wait before the first retry (in ms)
-				maxTimeout: 1000, // Maximum time to wait for any single retry (in ms)
-			},
-			onCompromised: (err) => {
-				console.error(`Lock at ${absoluteFilePath} was compromised:`, err)
-				throw err
-			},
-		})
+		releaseLock = await _acquireLock(absoluteFilePath)
 	} catch (lockError) {
 		// If lock acquisition fails, we throw immediately.
 		// The releaseLock remains a no-op, so the finally block in the main file operations