diff --git a/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py b/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
index 5d1fdea3..d7908cae 100644
--- a/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
+++ b/tests/ipc/test_each_tpt.py
@@ -3,14 +3,17 @@ Unit-ish tests for specific IPC transport protocol backends.
 
 '''
 from __future__ import annotations
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
+import stat
+import sys
 
 import pytest
 import trio
 import tractor
 from tractor import Actor
-from tractor.runtime import _state
 from tractor.discovery import _addr
+from tractor.runtime import _state
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -31,6 +34,69 @@ def bindspace_dir_str() -> str:
         bs_dir.rmdir()
 
 
+def test_macos_rt_dir_fits_uds_path_limit(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+):
+    '''
+    Keep the default Darwin UDS bindpath below its 104-byte limit.
+
+    `platformdirs` normally places the runtime directory below the
+    long `~/Library/Caches/TemporaryItems` path. Pytest also assigns
+    a deeply nested temporary home, so appending a registry socket
+    name made every macOS UDS listener fail with `AF_UNIX path too
+    long`. This test simulates Darwin and an intentionally long
+    platformdirs result, then proves `get_rt_dir()` uses the short
+    system temporary directory and leaves room for the socket name.
+
+    '''
+    long_rt_dir: Path = tmp_path / ('long' * 30)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, 'platform', 'darwin')
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        'platformdirs.user_runtime_dir',
+        lambda appname: str(long_rt_dir / appname),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_state, '_DARWIN_TMPDIR', tmp_path)
+    rt_dir: Path = _state.get_rt_dir()
+    sockpath: Path = (
+        Path('/tmp')
+        / f'tractor-{os.getuid()}'
+        / 'registry@1616.sock'
+    )
+
+    assert rt_dir == tmp_path / f'tractor-{os.getuid()}'
+    assert len(os.fsencode(sockpath)) < 104
+    assert stat.S_IMODE(rt_dir.stat().st_mode) == 0o700
+
+
+def test_macos_rt_dir_rejects_symlink(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch,
+    tmp_path: Path,
+):
+    '''
+    Reject a pre-created symlink at the Darwin runtime path.
+
+    Darwin uses the predictable `/tmp/tractor-<uid>` path to stay
+    below its `AF_UNIX` limit. A hostile local user could otherwise
+    point that path at a victim-owned directory and make
+    `get_rt_dir()` chmod or place sockets in the symlink target. The
+    test replaces `/tmp` with a controlled directory, installs the
+    malicious link, and proves non-following validation rejects it.
+
+    '''
+    runtime_link: Path = tmp_path / f'tractor-{os.getuid()}'
+    target_dir: Path = tmp_path / 'target'
+    target_dir.mkdir(mode=0o755)
+    runtime_link.symlink_to(target_dir, target_is_directory=True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, 'platform', 'darwin')
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_state, '_DARWIN_TMPDIR', tmp_path)
+
+    with pytest.raises(PermissionError, match='Unsafe Darwin'):
+        _state.get_rt_dir()
+
+    assert stat.S_IMODE(target_dir.stat().st_mode) == 0o755
+
+
 def test_uds_bindspace_created_implicitly(
     debug_mode: bool,
     bindspace_dir_str: str,
diff --git a/tractor/runtime/_state.py b/tractor/runtime/_state.py
index 0020fd8d..df012cca 100644
--- a/tractor/runtime/_state.py
+++ b/tractor/runtime/_state.py
@@ -22,7 +22,10 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 from contextvars import (
     ContextVar,
 )
+import os
 from pathlib import Path
+import stat
+import sys
 from typing import (
     Any,
     Callable,
@@ -42,6 +45,9 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from .._context import Context
 
 
+_DARWIN_TMPDIR: Path = Path('/tmp')
+
+
 # default IPC transport protocol settings
 TransportProtocolKey = Literal[
     'tcp',
@@ -335,11 +341,44 @@ def get_rt_dir(
     # `import tractor` path (gh #470).
     import platformdirs
 
-    rt_dir: Path = Path(
-        platformdirs.user_runtime_dir(
-            appname=appname,
-        ),
-    )
+    rt_root: Path|None = None
+    if sys.platform == 'darwin':
+        # Darwin's AF_UNIX path limit is 104 bytes. The standard
+        # platformdirs path can consume that before the sock name.
+        rt_root = (
+            _DARWIN_TMPDIR
+            / f'{appname}-{os.getuid()}'
+        )
+        try:
+            rt_stat: os.stat_result = rt_root.lstat()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            try:
+                rt_root.mkdir(mode=0o700)
+            except FileExistsError:
+                pass
+            rt_stat = rt_root.lstat()
+
+        if (
+            not stat.S_ISDIR(rt_stat.st_mode)
+            or
+            rt_stat.st_uid != os.getuid()
+        ):
+            raise PermissionError(
+                f'Unsafe Darwin runtime directory!\n'
+                f'path: {rt_root}\n'
+                f'owner uid: {rt_stat.st_uid}\n'
+                f'mode: {stat.filemode(rt_stat.st_mode)}\n'
+            )
+        if stat.S_IMODE(rt_stat.st_mode) != 0o700:
+            rt_root.chmod(0o700)
+
+        rt_dir: Path = rt_root
+    else:
+        rt_dir = Path(
+            platformdirs.user_runtime_dir(
+                appname=appname,
+            ),
+        )
 
     # Normalize and validate that `subdir` is a relative path
     # without any parent-directory ("..") components, to prevent
@@ -363,11 +402,30 @@ def get_rt_dir(
 
         rt_dir: Path = rt_dir / subdir_path
 
-    if not rt_dir.is_dir():
+    try:
+        dir_stat: os.stat_result = rt_dir.lstat()
+    except FileNotFoundError:
         rt_dir.mkdir(
+            mode=0o700,
             parents=True,
             exist_ok=True,  # avoid `FileExistsError` from conc calls
         )
+        dir_stat = rt_dir.lstat()
+
+    if rt_root is not None:
+        if (
+            not stat.S_ISDIR(dir_stat.st_mode)
+            or
+            dir_stat.st_uid != os.getuid()
+        ):
+            raise PermissionError(
+                f'Unsafe Darwin runtime directory!\n'
+                f'path: {rt_dir}\n'
+                f'owner uid: {dir_stat.st_uid}\n'
+                f'mode: {stat.filemode(dir_stat.st_mode)}\n'
+            )
+        if rt_dir != rt_root:
+            rt_dir.relative_to(rt_root)
 
     return rt_dir