diff --git a/lib/src/platform/io/model_download_manager_io.dart b/lib/src/platform/io/model_download_manager_io.dart
index 1376513ce..c5eb430ba 100644
--- a/lib/src/platform/io/model_download_manager_io.dart
+++ b/lib/src/platform/io/model_download_manager_io.dart
@@ -798,6 +798,10 @@ class DefaultModelDownloadManager implements ModelDownloadManager {
     }
   }
 
+  // A path whose resolution is denied (errno 5) and whose type also reads as
+  // `notFound` (for example a parent ACL denial) is walked past like a missing
+  // one. The operation then fails later, as an access denial on create or
+  // write, or a cache miss for cacheOnly; it never reports success.
   String _cacheLockKey(Directory cacheDirectory) {
     var ancestor = path.normalize(path.absolute(cacheDirectory.path));
     final missing = <String>[];
@@ -1861,7 +1865,8 @@ enum _Removal { removed, inUse, skipped }
 /// with `ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED`, and so does the attribute query behind
 /// [FileSystemEntity.type], which reports that failure as
 /// [FileSystemEntityType.notFound]; callers tell it from a real denial by
-/// that type.
+/// that type. A different ACL denial can read as `notFound` too; see
+/// `_cacheLockKey` for what happens then.
 bool _mayBeWindowsDeletePending(FileSystemException error) =>
     Platform.isWindows && error.osError?.errorCode == 5;
 
diff --git a/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_concurrency_test.dart b/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_concurrency_test.dart
index 99022b5ed..b2930f12c 100644
--- a/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_concurrency_test.dart
+++ b/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_concurrency_test.dart
@@ -35,7 +35,10 @@ void main() {
   });
 
   setUp(() async {
-    root = await Directory.systemTemp.createTemp('llamadart_cache_lock_');
+    final created = await Directory.systemTemp.createTemp(
+      'llamadart_cache_lock_',
+    );
+    root = Directory(await created.resolveSymbolicLinks());
     addTearDown(() => root.delete(recursive: true));
     server = await _HoldingServer.start();
     addTearDown(server.close);
diff --git a/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_removal_test.dart b/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_removal_test.dart
index 8f866ee6d..912edffc9 100644
--- a/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_removal_test.dart
+++ b/test/unit/platform/io/model_download_manager_io_removal_test.dart
@@ -136,13 +136,15 @@ void main() {
       return finishDelete;
     }
 
-    Future<void> clear() =>
-        IOOverrides.runWithIOOverrides(manager.clear, overrides);
+    Future<T> withOverrides<T>(Future<T> Function() body) =>
+        IOOverrides.runWithIOOverrides(body, overrides);
 
-    /// Starts [clear] and holds it at the removal lock, after it has checked
-    /// the entry, until the returned function runs.
+    Future<void> clear() => withOverrides(manager.clear);
+
+    /// Starts [operation] and holds it at the removal lock, after it has
+    /// checked the entry, until the returned function runs.
     Future<({Future<void> clearing, void Function() proceed})>
-    clearHeldAtRemovalLock() async {
+    heldAtRemovalLock(Future<void> Function() operation) async {
       final waiting = Completer<void>();
       final proceed = Completer<void>();
       modelCacheEntryLocker = (lockPath, {required throwIfCancelled}) async {
@@ -163,15 +165,24 @@ void main() {
         }
       }
 
-      final clearing = clear();
+      final clearing = withOverrides(operation);
       addTearDown(() async {
         release();
         await clearing.then<void>((_) {}, onError: (Object _) {});
       });
-      await waiting.future;
+      await waiting.future.timeout(
+        const Duration(seconds: 10),
+        onTimeout: () => throw StateError(
+          'The operation never reached the .removal.lock: it no longer takes '
+          'the lock this test holds it at.',
+        ),
+      );
       return (clearing: clearing, proceed: release);
     }
 
+    Future<({Future<void> clearing, void Function() proceed})>
+    clearHeldAtRemovalLock() => heldAtRemovalLock(manager.clear);
+
     void expectOnlyLocksLeftOnceDeleted(void Function() finishDelete) {
       finishDelete();
       expect(
@@ -212,6 +223,29 @@ void main() {
       expectOnlyLocksLeftOnceDeleted(finishDelete);
     });
 
+    test('is skipped by remove when the deletion happens while it waits for '
+        'the removal lock', () async {
+      final cacheKey = (await manager.list()).single.cacheKey;
+      final held = await heldAtRemovalLock(() => manager.remove(cacheKey));
+      final finishDelete = markPendingDelete();
+      held.proceed();
+
+      await held.clearing;
+      expectOnlyLocksLeftOnceDeleted(finishDelete);
+    });
+
+    test('is skipped by prune when the deletion happens while it waits for '
+        'the removal lock', () async {
+      final held = await heldAtRemovalLock(
+        () => manager.prune(maxAge: Duration.zero),
+      );
+      final finishDelete = markPendingDelete();
+      held.proceed();
+
+      await held.clearing;
+      expectOnlyLocksLeftOnceDeleted(finishDelete);
+    });
+
     test('is not skipped when the entry still reads as a directory: clear '
         'reports the access denial', () async {
       markPendingDelete();