diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 7d5e80b..8ee5d08 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1780,7 +1780,7 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "proofline-cli"
-version = "0.1.6"
+version = "0.1.7"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "axum",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 9531048..60e3b72 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "proofline-cli"
-version = "0.1.6"
+version = "0.1.7"
 edition = "2024"
 rust-version = "1.95"
 description = "Proofline command-line client for the review API"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 917af23..f14c3a3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,6 +5,13 @@ The command-line client for the [Proofline review API](https://proofline.sh/docs
 Install with `curl -fsSL https://proofline.sh/cli | sh`, then run `proofline login`.
 See the [CLI documentation](https://proofline.sh/docs/cli/) for commands.
 
+`proofline review --path src/main.rs` reviews only that file's local changes
+against the normal merge-base. The path is literal and repository-relative;
+directories, globs and `..` are refused. Combine it with `--staged` to read
+the index, or `--include-untracked` to select a new, non-ignored file. The
+command preserves the real index and applies the usual secret preflight.
+It cannot be combined with pushed-commit, range or pull-request review.
+
 Read all recorded runs with `proofline history --repo owner/name --pr 7`.
 `proofline rerun REVIEW_ID` requests the original immutable subject and waits;
 `--no-wait` returns its link. Reruns require `reviews:rerun`.
diff --git a/src/git.rs b/src/git.rs
index 6df5fb8..9f700e4 100644
--- a/src/git.rs
+++ b/src/git.rs
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ pub enum GitError {
     NotRange(String),
     #[error("name between 1 and 20 exact repository-relative file paths")]
     FileCount,
+    #[error("{0:?} is not one exact repository-relative tracked file; no review was requested")]
+    InvalidLocalPath(String),
     #[error("{0:?} is not a regular tracked file at commit {1}; no review was requested")]
     NotTrackedFile(String, String),
 }
@@ -254,6 +256,7 @@ pub async fn local_changes(
     dir: &Path,
     remote: &str,
     selection: LocalSelection,
+    path: Option<&str>,
 ) -> Result<LocalChanges, GitError> {
     let root = line_in(dir, &["rev-parse", "--show-toplevel"]).await?;
     let root = Path::new(&root);
@@ -289,7 +292,46 @@ pub async fn local_changes(
         )
         .await?;
     }
-    diff(root, Some(&index), base_commit_sha, None).await
+    if let Some(path) = path {
+        if path.contains('\0') || path.split('/').any(|part| matches!(part, "" | "." | "..")) {
+            return Err(GitError::InvalidLocalPath(path.to_owned()));
+        }
+        let indexed = git_in(
+            root,
+            Some(&index),
+            &["--literal-pathspecs", "ls-files", "-z", "--", path],
+        )
+        .await?;
+        let base_paths = git_in(
+            root,
+            None,
+            &[
+                "--literal-pathspecs",
+                "ls-tree",
+                "-r",
+                "--name-only",
+                "-z",
+                &base_commit_sha,
+                "--",
+                path,
+            ],
+        )
+        .await?;
+        let exact = |entries: &[u8]| {
+            entries
+                .split(|byte| *byte == 0)
+                .any(|entry| entry == path.as_bytes())
+        };
+        let prefix = format!("{path}/");
+        let descendants = indexed
+            .split(|byte| *byte == 0)
+            .chain(base_paths.split(|byte| *byte == 0))
+            .any(|entry| entry.starts_with(prefix.as_bytes()));
+        if descendants || (!exact(&indexed) && !exact(&base_paths)) {
+            return Err(GitError::InvalidLocalPath(path.to_owned()));
+        }
+    }
+    diff(root, Some(&index), base_commit_sha, None, path).await
 }
 
 /// The commits a push sends: `head` against `base`, under the same fixed
@@ -298,7 +340,7 @@ pub async fn local_changes(
 pub async fn range_changes(dir: &Path, base: &str, head: &str) -> Result<LocalChanges, GitError> {
     let root = line_in(dir, &["rev-parse", "--show-toplevel"]).await?;
     let head = commit_sha(head)?;
-    diff(Path::new(&root), None, commit_sha(base)?, Some(&head)).await
+    diff(Path::new(&root), None, commit_sha(base)?, Some(&head), None).await
 }
 
 /// The base of a branch the remote does not have yet: its merge-base with
@@ -315,8 +357,10 @@ async fn diff(
     index: Option<&Path>,
     base_commit_sha: String,
     head: Option<&str>,
+    path: Option<&str>,
 ) -> Result<LocalChanges, GitError> {
     let mut args = vec![
+        "--literal-pathspecs",
         "-c",
         "core.quotePath=false",
         // The server accepts renames and refuses copies, whatever the
@@ -347,6 +391,7 @@ async fn diff(
     ]);
     args.extend(head);
     args.push("--");
+    args.extend(path);
     let output = git_in(root, index, &args).await?;
     let (paths, patch) = diff_paths(&output)?;
     if patch.len() > MAX_PATCH_BYTES {
@@ -628,7 +673,7 @@ mod tests {
             ],
         );
 
-        let unchanged = local_changes(dir, "origin", LocalSelection::Tracked)
+        let unchanged = local_changes(dir, "origin", LocalSelection::Tracked, None)
             .await
             .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(
@@ -668,7 +713,7 @@ mod tests {
                 ],
             ),
         ] {
-            let changes = local_changes(dir, "origin", selection).await.unwrap();
+            let changes = local_changes(dir, "origin", selection, None).await.unwrap();
             assert_eq!(changes.base_commit_sha, base);
             let mut expected = vec![
                 "diff --git a/committed.txt b/committed.txt",
diff --git a/src/hooks.rs b/src/hooks.rs
index df17a55..3c79631 100644
--- a/src/hooks.rs
+++ b/src/hooks.rs
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ async fn subjects(hook: Hook, here: &Path, remote: &str) -> anyhow::Result<(Vec<
         Hook::PreCommit => Ok((
             vec![Subject {
                 label: "the staged changes".to_owned(),
-                changes: git::local_changes(here, remote, LocalSelection::Staged).await,
+                changes: git::local_changes(here, remote, LocalSelection::Staged, None).await,
             }],
             0,
         )),
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 352f36f..6096711 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,9 @@ struct ReviewArgs {
         conflicts_with_all = ["pr", "staged", "include_untracked", "allow_path"]
     )]
     range: Option<String>,
+    /// Review only this literal repository-relative file in the local patch.
+    #[arg(long, value_name = "PATH", conflicts_with_all = ["pr", "commit", "range", "files"])]
+    path: Option<String>,
     /// Re-verify these open findings of one pull request against the local
     /// changes, and print each one's outcome. The outcome is local: the pull
     /// request's findings are unchanged. Needs an API token.
@@ -804,6 +807,7 @@ async fn review_local(api: &Api, args: &ReviewArgs) -> anyhow::Result<Verdict> {
         std::path::Path::new("."),
         &args.repository.remote,
         selection,
+        args.path.as_deref(),
     )
     .await?;
     let files = changes.files();
diff --git a/tests/local_patch.rs b/tests/local_patch.rs
index 6704439..5c704a7 100644
--- a/tests/local_patch.rs
+++ b/tests/local_patch.rs
@@ -786,3 +786,111 @@ async fn a_local_override_still_requires_repository_authorization() {
     assert_eq!(checkout.index().await, index);
     server.close().await;
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn local_path_selects_one_literal_file_and_preserves_the_index() {
+    let checkout = Checkout::new(&[("[file].txt", "base\n"), ("f.txt", "other\n")]).await;
+    checkout.write("[file].txt", "staged\n").await;
+    checkout.git(&["add", "--all"]).await;
+    checkout.write("[file].txt", "working\n").await;
+    checkout.write("f.txt", "excluded\n").await;
+    let index = checkout.index().await;
+    for (flags, expected) in [
+        (vec!["--path", "[file].txt"], "+working"),
+        (vec!["--path", "[file].txt", "--staged"], "+staged"),
+    ] {
+        let server = Server::start(true).await;
+        let output = checkout.review(&server, &[], &flags).await;
+        assert!(
+            output.status.success(),
+            "{}",
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+        );
+        {
+            let uploads = server.fixture.uploads.lock().unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(uploads.len(), 1);
+            assert_eq!(uploads[0]["base_commit_sha"], checkout.base);
+            let patch = uploads[0]["patch"].as_str().unwrap();
+            assert!(patch.contains(expected), "{patch}");
+            assert!(!patch.contains("excluded"), "{patch}");
+            assert_eq!(patch.matches("diff --git ").count(), 1);
+        }
+        assert_eq!(checkout.index().await, index);
+        server.close().await;
+    }
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn local_path_refuses_directory_glob_and_traversal_before_http() {
+    let checkout = Checkout::new(&[("nested/file.txt", "base\n")]).await;
+    checkout.write("nested/file.txt", "changed\n").await;
+    let server = Server::start(true).await;
+    for path in [
+        "nested",
+        "nested/*.txt",
+        "../file.txt",
+        "nested/../nested/file.txt",
+        "missing.txt",
+    ] {
+        let output = checkout.review(&server, &[], &["--path", path]).await;
+        assert!(!output.status.success(), "{path}");
+        assert!(
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+                .contains("exact repository-relative tracked file")
+        );
+    }
+    server.assert_no_requests();
+    server.close().await;
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn local_path_keeps_secret_preflight_and_can_select_a_deleted_file() {
+    let checkout = Checkout::new(&[("selected.txt", "base\n"), ("other.txt", "base\n")]).await;
+    let server = Server::start(true).await;
+    let secret = "-----BEGIN PRIVATE KEY-----";
+    checkout.write("selected.txt", secret).await;
+    let refused = checkout
+        .review(&server, &[], &["--path", "selected.txt"])
+        .await;
+    assert!(!refused.status.success());
+    assert!(!String::from_utf8_lossy(&refused.stderr).contains(secret));
+    server.assert_no_requests();
+    tokio::fs::remove_file(checkout.root().join("selected.txt"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    checkout.write("other.txt", "excluded\n").await;
+    let result = checkout
+        .review(&server, &[], &["--path", "selected.txt"])
+        .await;
+    assert!(
+        result.status.success(),
+        "{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&result.stderr)
+    );
+    {
+        let uploads = server.fixture.uploads.lock().unwrap();
+        let patch = uploads[0]["patch"].as_str().unwrap();
+        assert!(patch.contains("deleted file mode"));
+        assert!(!patch.contains("excluded"));
+    }
+    server.close().await;
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn local_path_never_expands_a_file_replaced_by_a_directory() {
+    let checkout = Checkout::new(&[("selected", "base\n")]).await;
+    tokio::fs::remove_file(checkout.root().join("selected"))
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    checkout
+        .write("selected/other.txt", "must not leave the checkout\n")
+        .await;
+    checkout.git(&["add", "--all"]).await;
+    let index = checkout.index().await;
+    let server = Server::start(true).await;
+    let output = checkout.review(&server, &[], &["--path", "selected"]).await;
+    assert!(!output.status.success());
+    server.assert_no_requests();
+    assert_eq!(checkout.index().await, index);
+    server.close().await;
+}