diff --git a/suites/clawbench/suite.py b/suites/clawbench/suite.py
index e85b366..122e093 100644
--- a/suites/clawbench/suite.py
+++ b/suites/clawbench/suite.py
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@
 CLAWBENCH_BROWSER = "/app/src/harbor/kernel-browser.py "
 HARBOR_BROWSER = "/app/src/harbor/harbor-browser.py "
 RUNTIME_BLOCK = re.compile(r"\n---\nHarbor browser runtime:\n.*?\n---\n", re.DOTALL)
+# ClawBench forbids command-line tools, but agents without a file-read tool
+# need a shell to read the task's files.
+FILE_ACCESS = (
+    "\n---\nReading files with shell commands (for example under `./my-info/`) is "
+    "allowed. Do everything else through the browser.\n---\n"
+)
 
 
 def preflight() -> None:
@@ -82,4 +88,4 @@ def _remove_tool_wiring(task_dir: Path) -> None:
     config["environment"].pop("mcp_servers", None)
     write_config(task_dir, config)
     for path in instructions(task_dir):
-        path.write_text(RUNTIME_BLOCK.sub("\n", path.read_text()))
+        path.write_text(RUNTIME_BLOCK.sub(FILE_ACCESS, path.read_text()))
diff --git a/tests/test_clawbench.py b/tests/test_clawbench.py
index 2e1fbd1..c21f0a6 100644
--- a/tests/test_clawbench.py
+++ b/tests/test_clawbench.py
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ def test_generate_runs_on_the_harbor_browser_without_tool_wiring(tmp_path):
     instruction = (task / "steps" / "run" / "instruction.md").read_text()
     assert "Harbor browser runtime" not in instruction
     assert "9223" not in instruction
+    assert "Reading files with shell commands" in instruction
diff --git a/toolsets/kernel-mcp-local/toolset.py b/toolsets/kernel-mcp-local/toolset.py
index 15c48aa..a1d8093 100644
--- a/toolsets/kernel-mcp-local/toolset.py
+++ b/toolsets/kernel-mcp-local/toolset.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 ## Browser tools
 
 - Use the `kernel` MCP server's `execute_playwright_code` tool for all browser interaction. Wait for the server to finish initializing before starting; in Claude Code, call `WaitForMcpServers` if it is still pending.
-- Before your first browser call, read your browser's session ID from the file `/run/kernel-mcp/session-id` (reading this one file with a shell command is allowed) and pass it as `session_id` on every call.
+- Before your first browser call, read your browser's session ID from the file `/run/kernel-mcp/session-id` and pass it as `session_id` on every call.
 - Do not create, list, update, or delete browsers, and do not use Kernel managed auth.
 - Interact through page navigation and DOM/UI actions. Do not call `fetch`, `XMLHttpRequest`, Playwright request APIs, or other HTTP clients inside `execute_playwright_code`.
 """