diff --git a/langchain/tools/file_management/read.py b/langchain/tools/file_management/read.py
index 229bd63eb4..13d7dcb09d 100644
--- a/langchain/tools/file_management/read.py
+++ b/langchain/tools/file_management/read.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
-from typing import Type
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional, Type
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from langchain.tools.base import BaseTool
+from langchain.tools.file_management.utils import get_validated_relative_path
 
 
 class ReadFileInput(BaseModel):
@@ -15,10 +17,19 @@ class ReadFileTool(BaseTool):
     name: str = "read_file"
     args_schema: Type[BaseModel] = ReadFileInput
     description: str = "Read file from disk"
+    root_dir: Optional[str] = None
+    """Directory to read file from.
+
+    If specified, raises an error for file_paths oustide root_dir."""
 
     def _run(self, file_path: str) -> str:
+        read_path = (
+            get_validated_relative_path(Path(self.root_dir), file_path)
+            if self.root_dir
+            else Path(file_path)
+        )
         try:
-            with open(file_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            with read_path.open("r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 content = f.read()
             return content
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/langchain/tools/file_management/utils.py b/langchain/tools/file_management/utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6d3bb4c17d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/langchain/tools/file_management/utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def is_relative_to(path: Path, root: Path) -> bool:
+    """Check if path is relative to root."""
+    if sys.version_info >= (3, 9):
+        # No need for a try/except block in Python 3.8+.
+        return path.is_relative_to(root)
+    try:
+        path.relative_to(root)
+        return True
+    except ValueError:
+        return False
+
+
+def get_validated_relative_path(root: Path, user_path: str) -> Path:
+    """Resolve a relative path, raising an error if not within the root directory."""
+    # Note, this still permits symlinks from outside that point within the root.
+    # Further validation would be needed if those are to be disallowed.
+    root = root.resolve()
+    full_path = (root / user_path).resolve()
+
+    if not is_relative_to(full_path, root):
+        raise ValueError(f"Path {user_path} is outside of the allowed directory {root}")
+    return full_path
diff --git a/langchain/tools/file_management/write.py b/langchain/tools/file_management/write.py
index 4c3c1c0a34..ae4093b2ad 100644
--- a/langchain/tools/file_management/write.py
+++ b/langchain/tools/file_management/write.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import os
-from typing import Type
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional, Type
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from langchain.tools.base import BaseTool
+from langchain.tools.file_management.utils import get_validated_relative_path
 
 
 class WriteFileInput(BaseModel):
@@ -17,15 +18,22 @@ class WriteFileTool(BaseTool):
     name: str = "write_file"
     args_schema: Type[BaseModel] = WriteFileInput
     description: str = "Write file to disk"
+    root_dir: Optional[str] = None
+    """Directory to write file to.
+
+    If specified, raises an error for file_paths oustide root_dir."""
 
     def _run(self, file_path: str, text: str) -> str:
+        write_path = (
+            get_validated_relative_path(Path(self.root_dir), file_path)
+            if self.root_dir
+            else Path(file_path)
+        )
         try:
-            directory = os.path.dirname(file_path)
-            if not os.path.exists(directory) and directory:
-                os.makedirs(directory)
-            with open(file_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            write_path.parent.mkdir(exist_ok=True, parents=False)
+            with write_path.open("w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                 f.write(text)
-            return "File written to successfully."
+            return f"File written successfully to {file_path}."
         except Exception as e:
             return "Error: " + str(e)
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/__init__.py b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_read.py b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_read.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c080ff9c25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_read.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+"""Test the ReadFile tool."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+
+from langchain.tools.file_management.read import ReadFileTool
+
+
+def test_read_file_with_root_dir() -> None:
+    """Test the ReadFile tool."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        with (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").open("w") as f:
+            f.write("Hello, world!")
+        tool = ReadFileTool(root_dir=temp_dir)
+        result = tool.run("file.txt")
+        assert result == "Hello, world!"
+        # Check absolute files can still be passed if they lie within the root dir.
+        result = tool.run(str(Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt"))
+        assert result == "Hello, world!"
+
+
+def test_read_file() -> None:
+    """Test the ReadFile tool."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        with (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").open("w") as f:
+            f.write("Hello, world!")
+        tool = ReadFileTool()
+        result = tool.run(str(Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt"))
+        assert result == "Hello, world!"
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..31a6d01075
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+"""Test the File Management utils."""
+
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+
+import pytest
+
+from langchain.tools.file_management.utils import get_validated_relative_path
+
+
+def test_get_validated_relative_path_errs_on_absolute() -> None:
+    """Safely resolve a path."""
+    root = Path(__file__).parent
+    user_path = "/bin/bash"
+    matches = f"Path {user_path} is outside of the allowed directory {root}"
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=matches):
+        get_validated_relative_path(root, user_path)
+
+
+def test_get_validated_relative_path_errs_on_parent_dir() -> None:
+    """Safely resolve a path."""
+    root = Path(__file__).parent
+    user_path = "data/sub/../../../sibling"
+    matches = f"Path {user_path} is outside of the allowed directory {root}"
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=matches):
+        get_validated_relative_path(root, user_path)
+
+
+def test_get_validated_relative_path() -> None:
+    """Safely resolve a path."""
+    root = Path(__file__).parent
+    user_path = "data/sub/file.txt"
+    expected = root / user_path
+    result = get_validated_relative_path(root, user_path)
+    assert result == expected
+
+
+def test_get_validated_relative_path_errs_for_symlink_outside_root() -> None:
+    """Test that symlink pointing outside of root directory is not allowed."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        root = Path(temp_dir)
+        user_path = "symlink_outside_root"
+
+        outside_path = Path("/bin/bash")
+        symlink_path = root / user_path
+        symlink_path.symlink_to(outside_path)
+
+        matches = (
+            f"Path {user_path} is outside of the allowed directory {root.resolve()}"
+        )
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=matches):
+            get_validated_relative_path(root, user_path)
+
+        symlink_path.unlink()
+
+
+def test_get_validated_relative_path_for_symlink_inside_root() -> None:
+    """Test that symlink pointing inside the root directory is allowed."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        root = Path(temp_dir)
+        user_path = "symlink_inside_root"
+        target_path = "data/sub/file.txt"
+
+        symlink_path = root / user_path
+        target_path_ = root / target_path
+        symlink_path.symlink_to(target_path_)
+
+        expected = target_path_.resolve()
+        result = get_validated_relative_path(root, user_path)
+        assert result == expected
+        symlink_path.unlink()
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_write.py b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_write.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f6222ef89c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/tools/file_management/test_write.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+"""Test the WriteFile tool."""
+
+from pathlib import Path
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+
+import pytest
+
+from langchain.tools.file_management.write import WriteFileTool
+
+
+def test_write_file_with_root_dir() -> None:
+    """Test the WriteFile tool when a root dir is specified."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        tool = WriteFileTool(root_dir=temp_dir)
+        tool.run({"file_path": "file.txt", "text": "Hello, world!"})
+        assert (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").exists()
+        assert (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").read_text() == "Hello, world!"
+
+
+def test_write_file_errs_outside_root_dir() -> None:
+    """Test the WriteFile tool when a root dir is specified."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        tool = WriteFileTool(root_dir=temp_dir)
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+            tool.run({"file_path": "../file.txt", "text": "Hello, world!"})
+
+
+def test_write_file() -> None:
+    """Test the WriteFile tool."""
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        file_path = str(Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt")
+        tool = WriteFileTool()
+        tool.run({"file_path": file_path, "text": "Hello, world!"})
+        assert (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").exists()
+        assert (Path(temp_dir) / "file.txt").read_text() == "Hello, world!"