diff --git a/packages/tool-server/src/tools/debugger/debugger-inspect-element.ts b/packages/tool-server/src/tools/debugger/debugger-inspect-element.ts
index 0ab93ef7..829afd00 100644
--- a/packages/tool-server/src/tools/debugger/debugger-inspect-element.ts
+++ b/packages/tool-server/src/tools/debugger/debugger-inspect-element.ts
@@ -224,6 +224,12 @@ Use when you need the source file and line for a component at a tap coordinate.
             if (resolved) {
               source = resolved;
               code = await api.sourceResolver.readSourceFragment(resolved, params.contextLines);
+            } else {
+              source = {
+                file: item.frame.file,
+                line: item.frame.line,
+                column: item.frame.col,
+              };
             }
           } else {
             source = {
diff --git a/packages/tool-server/src/utils/debugger/source-resolver.ts b/packages/tool-server/src/utils/debugger/source-resolver.ts
index 8862a24d..04ff371e 100644
--- a/packages/tool-server/src/utils/debugger/source-resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/tool-server/src/utils/debugger/source-resolver.ts
@@ -108,7 +108,11 @@ export function createSourceResolver(port: number, projectRoot: string): SourceR
       const frame = data.stack?.[0];
       if (!frame?.file) return null;
 
-      if (frame.file.includes("node_modules")) return null;
+      // A failed symbolication echoes the bundle URL back unchanged (an
+      // http(s) URL); reject those. A successful one yields a real file path,
+      // including legitimate node_modules sources (e.g. expo-router /
+      // react-navigation route components), which we keep.
+      if (/^https?:\/\//.test(frame.file)) return null;
 
       const relFile = frame.file.replace(projectRoot + "/", "").replace(/^\/+/, "");
 
diff --git a/packages/tool-server/test/debugger/inspect-element-filter.test.ts b/packages/tool-server/test/debugger/inspect-element-filter.test.ts
index 4f1f3692..5ab6e1a5 100644
--- a/packages/tool-server/test/debugger/inspect-element-filter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tool-server/test/debugger/inspect-element-filter.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
 import {
   filterInspectItems,
+  debuggerInspectElementTool,
   type InspectItem,
 } from "../../src/tools/debugger/debugger-inspect-element";
 
@@ -265,3 +266,90 @@ describe("filterInspectItems — includeSkipped=true", () => {
     expect(skippedCount).toBeGreaterThan(0);
   });
 });
+
+type RawFrame = {
+  fn: string;
+  file: string;
+  line: number;
+  col: number;
+  original?: boolean;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Builds a minimal fake JsRuntimeDebuggerApi that exercises the real
+ * `execute` resolution path without a live CDP connection. `symbolicate`
+ * returns whatever `symbolicateImpl` yields so we can simulate a failed
+ * symbolication (null) and assert the raw-frame fallback.
+ */
+function fakeServices(
+  rawItems: Array<{ name: string; frame: RawFrame | null }>,
+  symbolicateImpl: () => Promise<InspectItem["source"]>
+) {
+  const symbolicate = vi.fn(symbolicateImpl);
+  const readSourceFragment = vi.fn(async () => "  >  1 | code");
+  return {
+    services: {
+      debugger: {
+        deviceName: "iPhone 16",
+        appName: "MyApp",
+        logicalDeviceId: "device-1",
+        cdp: {
+          evaluateWithBinding: vi.fn(async () => ({ items: rawItems })),
+        },
+        sourceResolver: { symbolicate, readSourceFragment },
+      },
+    } as unknown as Record<string, unknown>,
+    symbolicate,
+    readSourceFragment,
+  };
+}
+
+const params = {
+  port: 8081,
+  device_id: "device-1",
+  x: 100,
+  y: 200,
+  contextLines: 3,
+  resolveSourceMaps: true,
+  maxItems: 35,
+  includeSkipped: false,
+};
+
+describe("debuggerInspectElementTool — raw fallback when symbolication fails", () => {
+  it("retains the raw bundled frame location when symbolicate returns null", async () => {
+    const { services, readSourceFragment } = fakeServices(
+      [{ name: "Screen", frame: { fn: "Screen", file: "http://localhost:8081/index.bundle", line: 4321, col: 17, original: false } }],
+      async () => null // symbolication failed / echoed bundle URL
+    );
+
+    const result = await debuggerInspectElementTool.execute(services, params);
+    if ("error" in result) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${result.error}`);
+
+    expect(result.items).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(result.items[0].name).toBe("Screen");
+    // Raw fallback mirrors the resolveSourceMaps:false shape: column <- frame.col
+    expect(result.items[0].source).toEqual({
+      file: "http://localhost:8081/index.bundle",
+      line: 4321,
+      column: 17,
+    });
+    // No source file was read because symbolication produced no mapped location.
+    expect(result.items[0].code).toBeNull();
+    expect(readSourceFragment).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("uses the mapped location when symbolicate succeeds", async () => {
+    const mapped = { file: "app/screen.tsx", line: 12, column: 4 };
+    const { services, readSourceFragment } = fakeServices(
+      [{ name: "Screen", frame: { fn: "Screen", file: "http://localhost:8081/index.bundle", line: 4321, col: 17, original: false } }],
+      async () => mapped
+    );
+
+    const result = await debuggerInspectElementTool.execute(services, params);
+    if ("error" in result) throw new Error(`unexpected error: ${result.error}`);
+
+    expect(result.items[0].source).toEqual(mapped);
+    expect(result.items[0].code).toBe("  >  1 | code");
+    expect(readSourceFragment).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/tool-server/test/metro/source-resolver.test.ts b/packages/tool-server/test/metro/source-resolver.test.ts
index 64cc1064..d6de0b03 100644
--- a/packages/tool-server/test/metro/source-resolver.test.ts
+++ b/packages/tool-server/test/metro/source-resolver.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, beforeAll, afterAll } from "vitest";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, beforeAll, afterAll } from "vitest";
 import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import * as os from "node:os";
 import * as path from "node:path";
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@ import {
   createSourceResolver,
 } from "../../src/utils/debugger/source-resolver";
 
+const mockFetch = vi.fn();
+vi.stubGlobal("fetch", mockFetch);
+
+function symbolicateResponse(frame: { file?: string; lineNumber?: number; column?: number }) {
+  return new Response(JSON.stringify({ stack: [frame] }), {
+    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+  });
+}
+
 describe("parseDebugStack", () => {
   it("parses stack frames correctly", () => {
     const stack = `Error: react-stack-top-frame
@@ -113,3 +122,69 @@ describe("readSourceFragment containment + extension allowlist", () => {
     expect(out).toBeNull();
   });
 });
+
+describe("createSourceResolver — symbolicate", () => {
+  const projectRoot = "/Users/dev/myapp";
+  const bundleUrl = "http://localhost:8081/index.bundle?platform=ios&dev=true";
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mockFetch.mockReset();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps genuinely-mapped node_modules sources", async () => {
+    // A route component (expo-router / react-navigation) legitimately resolves
+    // into node_modules. Metro returns a real file path — it must be kept.
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      symbolicateResponse({
+        file: `${projectRoot}/node_modules/expo-router/build/views/Navigator.js`,
+        lineNumber: 42,
+        column: 7,
+      })
+    );
+
+    const resolver = createSourceResolver(8081, projectRoot);
+    const result = await resolver.symbolicate(bundleUrl, 100, 20, "Navigator");
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      file: "node_modules/expo-router/build/views/Navigator.js",
+      line: 42,
+      column: 7,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("rejects unmapped bundle URLs echoed back by Metro", async () => {
+    // A failed symbolication echoes the bundle URL back unchanged.
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      symbolicateResponse({ file: bundleUrl, lineNumber: 100, column: 20 })
+    );
+
+    const resolver = createSourceResolver(8081, projectRoot);
+    const result = await resolver.symbolicate(bundleUrl, 100, 20, "App");
+
+    expect(result).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("maps real app source paths relative to the project root", async () => {
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      symbolicateResponse({
+        file: `${projectRoot}/app/index.tsx`,
+        lineNumber: 12,
+        column: 4,
+      })
+    );
+
+    const resolver = createSourceResolver(8081, projectRoot);
+    const result = await resolver.symbolicate(bundleUrl, 100, 20, "Index");
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({ file: "app/index.tsx", line: 12, column: 4 });
+  });
+
+  it("returns null when the symbolicate request throws", async () => {
+    mockFetch.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("network down"));
+
+    const resolver = createSourceResolver(8081, projectRoot);
+    const result = await resolver.symbolicate(bundleUrl, 100, 20, "App");
+
+    expect(result).toBeNull();
+  });
+});