diff --git a/tests/tools/test_credential_files.py b/tests/tools/test_credential_files.py
index 32b4c7664df..ac2fb53f3a2 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_credential_files.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_credential_files.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from tools.credential_files import (
     get_skills_directory_mount,
     iter_cache_files,
     iter_skills_files,
+    map_cache_path_to_container,
     register_credential_file,
     register_credential_files,
 )
@@ -423,6 +424,48 @@ class TestCacheDirectoryMounts:
         assert get_cache_directory_mounts() == []
 
 
+class TestMapCachePathToContainer:
+    """Tests for map_cache_path_to_container() — the backend-agnostic mapper."""
+
+    def test_maps_path_under_cache_dir(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        img_dir = hermes_home / "cache" / "images"
+        img_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        host_path = str(img_dir / "generated.png")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        assert (
+            map_cache_path_to_container(host_path)
+            == "/root/.hermes/cache/images/generated.png"
+        )
+
+    def test_custom_container_base_for_remote_home(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        img_dir = hermes_home / "cache" / "images"
+        img_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        host_path = str(img_dir / "remote.png")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        assert (
+            map_cache_path_to_container(host_path, container_base="/home/agent/.hermes")
+            == "/home/agent/.hermes/cache/images/remote.png"
+        )
+
+    def test_returns_none_when_outside_cache_dirs(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        (hermes_home / "cache" / "images").mkdir(parents=True)
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        assert map_cache_path_to_container(str(tmp_path / "elsewhere.png")) is None
+
+    def test_returns_none_when_no_cache_dirs_exist(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        hermes_home.mkdir()
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(hermes_home))
+
+        assert map_cache_path_to_container(str(hermes_home / "cache" / "images" / "x.png")) is None
+
+
 class TestIterCacheFiles:
     """Tests for iter_cache_files()."""
 
diff --git a/tools/credential_files.py b/tools/credential_files.py
index 381115e0955..5fbd27bd077 100644
--- a/tools/credential_files.py
+++ b/tools/credential_files.py
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
 import os
+import posixpath
 from contextvars import ContextVar
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Dict, List
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional
 from hermes_cli.config import cfg_get
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -374,6 +375,30 @@ def get_cache_directory_mounts(
     return mounts
 
 
+def map_cache_path_to_container(
+    host_path: str,
+    container_base: str = "/root/.hermes",
+) -> Optional[str]:
+    """Map a host cache path to its mounted path under *container_base*.
+
+    Returns the POSIX container path when *host_path* lives under one of the
+    auto-mounted cache directories, otherwise ``None``.  Backend-agnostic: the
+    caller decides which ``container_base`` applies (Docker ``/root/.hermes``,
+    SSH ``<remote_home>/.hermes``, etc.) and whether translation is wanted.
+    Always joins with ``posixpath`` because container/remote paths are POSIX
+    regardless of the host OS.
+    """
+    path = Path(host_path)
+    for mount in get_cache_directory_mounts(container_base=container_base):
+        host_dir = Path(mount["host_path"])
+        try:
+            rel = path.relative_to(host_dir)
+        except ValueError:
+            continue
+        return posixpath.join(mount["container_path"], rel.as_posix())
+    return None
+
+
 def to_agent_visible_cache_path(
     host_path: str,
     container_base: str = "/root/.hermes",
@@ -391,15 +416,8 @@ def to_agent_visible_cache_path(
     if os.environ.get("TERMINAL_ENV", "local") != "docker":
         return host_path
 
-    path = Path(host_path)
-    for mount in get_cache_directory_mounts(container_base=container_base):
-        host_dir = Path(mount["host_path"])
-        try:
-            rel = path.relative_to(host_dir)
-            return str(Path(mount["container_path"]) / rel)
-        except ValueError:
-            continue
-    return host_path
+    mapped = map_cache_path_to_container(host_path, container_base=container_base)
+    return mapped if mapped is not None else host_path
 
 
 def iter_cache_files(
diff --git a/tools/image_generation_tool.py b/tools/image_generation_tool.py
index 7e2080a7a16..d7eeb30d175 100644
--- a/tools/image_generation_tool.py
+++ b/tools/image_generation_tool.py
@@ -23,11 +23,9 @@ update when it's noticed.
 import json
 import logging
 import os
-import posixpath
 import datetime
 import threading
 import uuid
-from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
 # fal_client is imported lazily — see _load_fal_client(). Pulling it
@@ -631,6 +629,10 @@ def _active_terminal_env(task_id: str | None):
 
 def _agent_cache_base_for_env(env: Any) -> str | None:
     if env is not None:
+        # Forward-looking optional override: an environment may expose its own
+        # agent-visible cache root via this callable. No backend defines it yet
+        # — it's an extension hook, not a typo. The getattr/callable guards make
+        # it a safe no-op until a producer exists.
         explicit = getattr(env, "agent_visible_cache_base", None)
         if callable(explicit):
             try:
@@ -669,16 +671,9 @@ def _agent_visible_cache_path(host_path: str, env: Any) -> str | None:
         return None
 
     try:
-        from tools.credential_files import get_cache_directory_mounts
+        from tools.credential_files import map_cache_path_to_container
 
-        path = Path(host_path)
-        for mount in get_cache_directory_mounts(container_base=cache_base):
-            host_dir = Path(mount["host_path"])
-            try:
-                rel = path.relative_to(host_dir)
-            except ValueError:
-                continue
-            return posixpath.join(mount["container_path"], rel.as_posix())
+        return map_cache_path_to_container(host_path, container_base=cache_base)
     except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001
         logger.debug("Could not translate image cache path for backend: %s", exc)
     return None