diff --git a/doc/manual/rl-next/socket-only-daemon.md b/doc/manual/rl-next/socket-only-daemon.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..02b3e111c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/manual/rl-next/socket-only-daemon.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+synopsis: "Nix daemon can serve store paths over sockets without filesystem access"
+---
+
+The Nix daemon can now serve store paths purely over Unix domain sockets without
+requiring the client to have filesystem access to the store directory. This can be
+useful for VM setups where the host serves store paths to the guest via socket,
+with the guest having no direct access to the host's `/nix/store`.
+
+This works for copying paths, substitution, and building.
diff --git a/src/libstore/daemon.cc b/src/libstore/daemon.cc
index e6efd6c09..937946134 100644
--- a/src/libstore/daemon.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/daemon.cc
@@ -896,7 +896,7 @@ static void performOp(
         auto path = WorkerProto::Serialise<StorePath>::read(*store, rconn);
         logger->startWork();
         logger->stopWork();
-        dumpPath(store->toRealPath(path), conn.to);
+        store->narFromPath(path, conn.to);
         break;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libstore/include/nix/store/uds-remote-store.hh b/src/libstore/include/nix/store/uds-remote-store.hh
index 764e8768a..1f3b16966 100644
--- a/src/libstore/include/nix/store/uds-remote-store.hh
+++ b/src/libstore/include/nix/store/uds-remote-store.hh
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ struct UDSRemoteStore : virtual IndirectRootStore, virtual RemoteStore
 
     void narFromPath(const StorePath & path, Sink & sink) override
     {
-        Store::narFromPath(path, sink);
+        RemoteStore::narFromPath(path, sink);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/tests/functional/meson.build b/tests/functional/meson.build
index 6f649c836..bc5414010 100644
--- a/tests/functional/meson.build
+++ b/tests/functional/meson.build
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ suites = [
       'referrers.sh',
       'optimise-store.sh',
       'substitute-with-invalid-ca.sh',
+      'socket-only-daemon.sh',
+      'socket-only-daemon-binary-cache.sh',
       'signing.sh',
       'hash-convert.sh',
       'hash-path.sh',
diff --git a/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon-binary-cache.sh b/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon-binary-cache.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..78d300f6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon-binary-cache.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Run the socket-only-daemon test with a binary cache backend
+# This tests that
+# - The daemon can serve a binary cache store; not just a local store
+# - Client's store operations do not reach into the file system secretly,
+#   because the files don't exist in the places where a local store would
+#   put them. (We have NARs instead)
+
+daemon_backing_store_is_binary_cache=1
+source socket-only-daemon.sh
diff --git a/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon.sh b/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon.sh
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..7d3cfd569
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/functional/socket-only-daemon.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,149 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+# Test that a daemon can serve store paths purely over the socket,
+# without requiring filesystem access to the store directory.
+# This is important for VM setups where the host serves paths to
+# the guest via socket, but the store directory is not shared.
+#
+# Can be called with daemon_backing_store_is_binary_cache=1 to test with a binary cache
+# instead of a regular local store. See socket-only-daemon-binary-cache.sh.
+
+source common.sh
+
+needLocalStore "This test requires starting a separate daemon"
+
+# Create state and cache locations
+# Note: We use the same NIX_STORE_DIR (logical store path) as the test environment so paths are compatible
+remote_cache_dir="$TEST_ROOT/remote-cache-$RANDOM"
+remote_state_dir="$TEST_ROOT/remote-state-$RANDOM"
+remote_real_store_dir="$TEST_ROOT/remote-real-store-$RANDOM"
+remote_socket="$TEST_ROOT/remote-socket-initial"
+moved_socket="$TEST_ROOT/moved-socket"
+
+# Set up the remote store URI based on store type
+if [[ "${daemon_backing_store_is_binary_cache:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
+    echo "Using binary cache store"
+    mkdir -p "$remote_cache_dir"
+    remote_full_store_uri="file://$remote_cache_dir"
+else
+    echo "Using local store with different physical location"
+    mkdir -p "$remote_state_dir"
+    mkdir -p "$remote_real_store_dir"
+    remote_full_store_uri="local?store=$NIX_STORE_DIR&real=$remote_real_store_dir&state=$remote_state_dir"
+fi
+
+# Create a test derivation file
+cat > "$TEST_ROOT/test-derivation.nix" <<EOF
+with import ${config_nix};
+mkDerivation {
+    name = "socket-test-path";
+    buildCommand = "echo hello-from-remote > \$out";
+}
+EOF
+
+# Build a test path in our local store
+out=$(nix-build --no-out-link "$TEST_ROOT/test-derivation.nix")
+
+echo "Built path: $out"
+
+# Copy the path to the remote store
+nix copy --to "$remote_full_store_uri" --no-check-sigs "$out"
+
+# Verify it exists in the remote store
+if [[ "${daemon_backing_store_is_binary_cache:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
+    cache_hash=$(basename "$out" | cut -d- -f1)
+    [[ -f "$remote_cache_dir/$cache_hash.narinfo" ]] || fail "Path not in binary cache"
+else
+    [[ -f "$out" ]] || fail "Path not in remote store"
+fi
+
+# Start a daemon for the remote store
+rm -f "$remote_socket"
+NIX_DAEMON_SOCKET_PATH="$remote_socket" \
+    nix --extra-experimental-features 'nix-command' daemon --store "$remote_full_store_uri" &
+remote_daemon_pid=$!
+
+# Ensure daemon is cleaned up on exit
+cleanup_daemon() {
+    if [[ -n "${remote_daemon_pid:-}" ]]; then
+        kill "$remote_daemon_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+        wait "$remote_daemon_pid" 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+}
+trap cleanup_daemon EXIT
+
+# Wait for socket to appear
+for ((i = 0; i < 60; i++)); do
+    if [[ -S "$remote_socket" ]]; then
+        daemon_started=1
+        break
+    fi
+    if ! kill -0 "$remote_daemon_pid"; then
+        fail "Remote daemon died unexpectedly"
+    fi
+    sleep 0.1
+done
+[[ -n "${daemon_started:-}" ]] || fail "Remote daemon didn't start"
+
+echo "Remote daemon started with PID $remote_daemon_pid"
+
+# Move the socket to a different location to prevent any path-based
+# assumptions from accidentally working (mildly paranoid, mildly effective;
+# ideally we'd use a namespace, but that level of complexity is not actually
+# needed)
+mv "$remote_socket" "$moved_socket"
+
+echo "Socket moved to: $moved_socket"
+
+# Clear our local store so we need to substitute
+clearStore
+
+# Try to copy the path from the daemon via the moved socket
+# NOTE: We do NOT pass the store location to the client - only the socket!
+# The daemon must be able to serve paths knowing only what's in its own configuration.
+nix copy --from "unix://$moved_socket" --no-require-sigs "$out"
+
+# Verify the content
+[[ -f "$out" ]] || fail "Output path doesn't exist"
+[[ "$(cat "$out")" == "hello-from-remote" ]] || fail "Output content is wrong"
+
+echo "Socket-only copy test PASSED"
+
+# Clear the store again to test substituters mechanism
+clearStore
+
+# First verify that --max-jobs 0 without substituters fails (test our assumption)
+if nix-build --max-jobs 0 --no-out-link "$TEST_ROOT/test-derivation.nix" 2>/dev/null; then
+    fail "Building with --max-jobs 0 should have failed without substituters"
+fi
+
+echo "Confirmed: --max-jobs 0 without substituters fails as expected"
+
+# Now test using the socket as a substituter with --max-jobs 0 (no building allowed)
+# This ensures the substituter mechanism works, not just nix copy
+nix-build --max-jobs 0 \
+    --option substituters "unix://$moved_socket" \
+    --option require-sigs false \
+    --no-out-link \
+    "$TEST_ROOT/test-derivation.nix"
+
+echo "Socket-only substituter test PASSED"
+
+# Test builders mechanism (only on Linux with daemon backed by local store)
+# - Builders need sandboxing with namespace support to mount the correct store path
+# - Binary cache stores can't build, only serve files
+if [[ $(uname) == Linux && "${daemon_backing_store_is_binary_cache:-0}" == "0" ]]; then
+    # Clear the store again to test builders mechanism
+    clearStore
+
+    # Test using the socket as a remote builder
+    # This ensures the builders mechanism can also use socket-only connections
+    nix-build \
+        --option builders "unix://$moved_socket" \
+        --option require-sigs false \
+        --max-jobs 0 \
+        --no-out-link \
+        "$TEST_ROOT/test-derivation.nix"
+
+    echo "Socket-only builder test PASSED"
+fi