diff --git a/OpenNest.Data/NestDefaults.cs b/OpenNest.Data/NestDefaults.cs
index b0d4c20..66ae2ca 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Data/NestDefaults.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Data/NestDefaults.cs
@@ -88,13 +88,10 @@ public sealed class NestDefaults
             var json = File.ReadAllText(path);
             dto = JsonSerializer.Deserialize<NestDefaultsDto>(json, JsonOptions);
         }
-        catch (JsonException)
-        {
-            status = NestDefaultsStatus.Invalid;
-            return defaults;
-        }
-        catch (IOException)
+        catch (Exception ex) when (IsUnreadableFile(ex))
         {
+            // A file that exists but cannot be read (locked, access-denied)
+            // or parsed must never block creating a nest.
             status = NestDefaultsStatus.Invalid;
             return defaults;
         }
@@ -228,6 +225,14 @@ public sealed class NestDefaults
         }
     }
 
+    private static bool IsUnreadableFile(Exception ex) =>
+        ex
+            is JsonException
+                or IOException
+                or UnauthorizedAccessException
+                or NotSupportedException
+                or System.Security.SecurityException;
+
     private static bool IsValidSize(double width, double length) =>
         !double.IsNaN(width)
             && !double.IsNaN(length)
diff --git a/OpenNest.Tests/Data/NestDefaultsTests.cs b/OpenNest.Tests/Data/NestDefaultsTests.cs
index db44927..f6b1004 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Tests/Data/NestDefaultsTests.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Tests/Data/NestDefaultsTests.cs
@@ -75,6 +75,24 @@ public class NestDefaultsTests : IDisposable
         AssertFallback(loaded);
     }
 
+    [SkippableFact]
+    public void Load_ReadDeniedFile_ReturnsFallbackButReportsInvalid()
+    {
+        if (OperatingSystem.IsWindows())
+            throw new SkipException("Unix file modes deny the read on Linux/macOS");
+
+        new NestDefaults { PartSpacing = 4 }.Save(_path);
+        File.SetUnixFileMode(_path, UnixFileMode.None);
+        Skip.If(CanRead(_path), "Process can read a mode-000 file (running as root)");
+
+        // The file is visible to File.Exists, but reading it is denied.
+        Assert.True(File.Exists(_path));
+        var loaded = NestDefaults.Load(_path, out var status);
+
+        Assert.Equal(NestDefaultsStatus.Invalid, status);
+        AssertFallback(loaded);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void Load_PartialFile_MergesPerField()
     {
@@ -198,6 +216,19 @@ public class NestDefaultsTests : IDisposable
         Assert.Equal(new Size(48, 96), defaults.Size);
     }
 
+    private static bool CanRead(string path)
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            using var _ = File.OpenRead(path);
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch (UnauthorizedAccessException)
+        {
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     private static void AssertFallback(NestDefaults loaded)
     {
         Assert.Equal(Units.Inches, loaded.Units);