diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 3da0b6c..48f941d 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- test the `-x` filesystem-boundary rejection branch by calling
+  `subdirJob` directly: reject across a boundary, bypass when the root
+  device is unknown, stat-error warning, and default crossing
+  (2026-09-21, branch `next`, closes
+  https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/sfdupes/issues/17)
+
 - fix the lint-image pin comments and `FROM` form in `Dockerfile` and
   `Dockerfile.lint` (2026-08-10, branch `next`, closes
   https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/sfdupes/issues/25): dropped the false
diff --git a/scan_test.go b/scan_test.go
index cc1fbf1..f41d43b 100644
--- a/scan_test.go
+++ b/scan_test.go
@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"database/sql"
 	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/fs"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
@@ -324,6 +326,152 @@ func TestDeviceOfInfo(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// dirEntryFor returns the fs.DirEntry for name within dir, obtained via
+// the same os.ReadDir the walk uses, so it carries a real Info().
+func dirEntryFor(t *testing.T, dir, name string) fs.DirEntry {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.Name() == name {
+			return e
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Fatalf("entry %q not found in %q", name, dir)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// callSubdirJob runs subdirJob against e under parent, collecting any
+// warning events it emits (subdirJob emits at most one).
+func callSubdirJob(t *testing.T, p string, e fs.DirEntry,
+	parent dirJob, oneFS bool,
+) (dirJob, bool, []walkEvent) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	events := make(chan walkEvent, 1)
+	job, ok := subdirJob(t.Context(), p, e, parent, oneFS, events)
+	close(events)
+
+	var evs []walkEvent
+	for ev := range events {
+		evs = append(evs, ev)
+	}
+
+	return job, ok, evs
+}
+
+// TestSubdirJobOneFilesystem exercises the -x boundary check in
+// subdirJob directly, so no second real filesystem is needed. The
+// subdirectory's real device is compared against a fabricated operand
+// device.
+func TestSubdirJobOneFilesystem(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+
+	sub := filepath.Join(dir, "sub")
+
+	err := os.Mkdir(sub, 0o750)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	info, err := os.Lstat(sub)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	dev, ok := deviceOfInfo(info)
+	if !ok {
+		t.Skip("platform exposes no device id")
+	}
+
+	// A device the subdirectory is not on, standing in for an operand
+	// rooted on a different filesystem.
+	otherDev := dev + 1
+	e := dirEntryFor(t, dir, "sub")
+
+	cases := []struct {
+		name   string
+		oneFS  bool
+		parent dirJob
+		wantOK bool
+	}{
+		// -x on, subdirectory on a different device than its operand:
+		// descent is refused.
+		{"reject across boundary", true,
+			dirJob{rootDev: otherDev, rootDevOK: true}, false},
+		// -x on but the operand's own device is unknown: the boundary
+		// check is bypassed and descent proceeds.
+		{"bypass when root device unknown", true,
+			dirJob{rootDev: otherDev, rootDevOK: false}, true},
+		// Default (no -x): boundaries are crossed even onto a different
+		// device.
+		{"cross by default", false,
+			dirJob{rootDev: otherDev, rootDevOK: true}, true},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			job, ok, evs := callSubdirJob(t, sub, e, tc.parent, tc.oneFS)
+			if ok != tc.wantOK {
+				t.Fatalf("accepted = %v, want %v", ok, tc.wantOK)
+			}
+
+			if len(evs) != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("unexpected events: %+v", evs)
+			}
+
+			if ok && job.path != sub {
+				t.Fatalf("job.path = %q, want %q", job.path, sub)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// errInfoUnavailable is returned by errDirEntry.Info().
+var errInfoUnavailable = errors.New("info unavailable")
+
+// errDirEntry is a directory entry whose Info() always fails, driving
+// subdirJob's stat-error branch deterministically.
+type errDirEntry struct{ name string }
+
+func (e errDirEntry) Name() string { return e.name }
+func (errDirEntry) IsDir() bool    { return true }
+func (errDirEntry) Type() fs.FileMode {
+	return fs.ModeDir
+}
+
+func (errDirEntry) Info() (fs.FileInfo, error) {
+	return nil, errInfoUnavailable
+}
+
+// TestSubdirJobStatError asserts that when a subdirectory's Info()
+// fails under -x, subdirJob warns and refuses descent.
+func TestSubdirJobStatError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	p := "/does/not/matter/sub"
+
+	_, ok, evs := callSubdirJob(t, p, errDirEntry{name: "sub"},
+		dirJob{rootDev: 1, rootDevOK: true}, true)
+	if ok {
+		t.Fatal("descent accepted after stat error, want refused")
+	}
+
+	if len(evs) != 1 || !evs[0].fail || !strings.Contains(evs[0].warn, p) {
+		t.Fatalf("want one warning naming the path, got %+v", evs)
+	}
+}
+
 // buildSmokeTree recreates the README smoke-test filesystem layout
 // with deterministic content and returns the tree root.
 func buildSmokeTree(t *testing.T) string {