diff --git a/local/scripts/build-preflight.sh b/local/scripts/build-preflight.sh
index ce26a19d33..28522acb7d 100755
--- a/local/scripts/build-preflight.sh
+++ b/local/scripts/build-preflight.sh
@@ -33,6 +33,20 @@ cd "$PROJECT_ROOT"
 
 echo ">>> Build preflight: $CONFIG"
 
+# Defensive: detect and repair broken recipe.toml symlinks in local/recipes/.
+# These are tracked as regular files in git — a broken symlink means corruption.
+broken_recipes=$(find local/recipes -name "recipe.toml" -xtype l 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [ "$broken_recipes" -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo ">>> WARNING: $broken_recipes broken recipe.toml symlinks detected — auto-repairing from git..." >&2
+    find local/recipes -name "recipe.toml" -xtype l -exec git checkout -q -- {} \; 2>/dev/null
+    remaining=$(find local/recipes -name "recipe.toml" -xtype l 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+    if [ "$remaining" -gt 0 ]; then
+        echo ">>> ERROR: $remaining recipe.toml files could not be restored. Build may fail." >&2
+    else
+        echo ">>> Repaired: all recipe.toml files restored from git."
+    fi
+fi
+
 if [ -x "$SCRIPT_DIR/verify-overlay-integrity.sh" ]; then
     if ! "$SCRIPT_DIR/verify-overlay-integrity.sh" --quiet; then
         echo ">>> Preflight note: overlay integrity script reported legacy issues; continuing with build-focused checks."