diff --git a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.e2e.test.ts b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.e2e.test.ts
index 6ebb3e92ef9..b5dc52b769a 100644
--- a/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.e2e.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/tools/memory-tool.e2e.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ let searchImpl: () => Promise<unknown[]> = async () => [
     source: "memory" as const,
   },
 ];
-let readFileImpl: () => Promise<string> = async () => "";
+let readFileImpl: () => Promise<unknown> = async () => "";
 
 const stubManager = {
   search: vi.fn(async () => await searchImpl()),
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
       source: "memory" as const,
     },
   ];
-  readFileImpl = async () => "";
+  readFileImpl = async () => ""; // default: return empty string
   vi.clearAllMocks();
 });
 
@@ -189,4 +189,23 @@ describe("memory tools", () => {
       error: "path required",
     });
   });
+
+  it("returns empty text without error when file does not exist (ENOENT)", async () => {
+    readFileImpl = async () => {
+      return { text: "", path: "memory/2026-02-19.md" };
+    };
+
+    const cfg = { agents: { list: [{ id: "main", default: true }] } };
+    const tool = createMemoryGetTool({ config: cfg });
+    expect(tool).not.toBeNull();
+    if (!tool) {
+      throw new Error("tool missing");
+    }
+
+    const result = await tool.execute("call_enoent", { path: "memory/2026-02-19.md" });
+    expect(result.details).toEqual({
+      text: "",
+      path: "memory/2026-02-19.md",
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/memory/manager.ts b/src/memory/manager.ts
index a0124e1b726..dc159f2afc5 100644
--- a/src/memory/manager.ts
+++ b/src/memory/manager.ts
@@ -437,7 +437,19 @@ export class MemoryIndexManager extends MemoryManagerEmbeddingOps implements Mem
     if (!absPath.endsWith(".md")) {
       throw new Error("path required");
     }
-    const stat = await fs.lstat(absPath);
+    let stat;
+    try {
+      stat = await fs.lstat(absPath);
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      if (
+        err instanceof Error &&
+        "code" in err &&
+        (err as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "ENOENT"
+      ) {
+        return { text: "", path: relPath };
+      }
+      throw err;
+    }
     if (stat.isSymbolicLink() || !stat.isFile()) {
       throw new Error("path required");
     }