diff --git a/arbiter-core/src/lib.rs b/arbiter-core/src/lib.rs
index 84a835d..cdf8b17 100644
--- a/arbiter-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/arbiter-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -18,3 +18,46 @@ pub mod presence;
 pub mod signet;
 
 pub mod filter;
+
+pub fn normalize_windows_path(path: &str) -> String {
+    fn is_drive_root(p: &str) -> bool {
+        let b = p.as_bytes();
+        b.len() == 3 && b[1] == b':' && b[2] == b'\\'
+    }
+    let mut out = path.trim().replace('/', "\\");
+
+    while out.ends_with('\\') && !is_drive_root(&out) {
+        out.pop();
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+    use super::normalize_windows_path;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn removes_trailing_slash() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            normalize_windows_path(r"C\:temp\folder\"),
+            r"C\:temp\folder"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn preserve_drive_root() {
+        assert_eq!(normalize_windows_path(r"C:\"), r"C:\");
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn normalizes_forward_slashes() {
+        assert_eq!(normalize_windows_path("C:/temp/test/  "), r"C:\temp\test");
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn trim_whitespace() {
+        assert_eq!(normalize_windows_path("  C:/temp/test/  "), r"C:\temp\test");
+    }
+    #[test]
+    fn preserve_drive_root_after_normalization() {
+        assert_eq!(normalize_windows_path("C:/"), r"C:\");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/arbiter-forge/src/main.rs b/arbiter-forge/src/main.rs
index f9e0b86..2789331 100644
--- a/arbiter-forge/src/main.rs
+++ b/arbiter-forge/src/main.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ use arbiter_core::decree::{
     Action, ActionType, DecreeId, DecreeNode, NodeId, NodeKind, PresenceConfig,
 };
 use arbiter_core::ledger::SummonsDef;
+use arbiter_core::normalize_windows_path;
 use arbiter_core::protocol::ForgeCommand;
 
 thread_local! {
@@ -54,19 +55,6 @@ fn generate_step_id() -> String {
     format!("step-{epoch}-{n}")
 }
 
-fn normalize_windows_path(path: &str) -> String {
-    fn is_drive_root(p: &str) -> bool {
-        let b = p.as_bytes();
-        b.len() == 3 && b[1] == b':' && b[2] == b'\\'
-    }
-
-    let mut out = path.trim().replace('/', "\\");
-    while out.ends_with('\\') && !is_drive_root(&out) {
-        out.pop();
-    }
-    out
-}
-
 fn collect_decree_from_ui(ui: &ArbiterForge) -> arbiter_core::ledger::DecreeDef {
     let label = ui.get_active_decree_label().to_string();
     let id_str = ui.get_active_decree_id().to_string();