diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
index 45cd7c0e46c48..47d936f67a2d4 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/arborist/reify.js
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
   #sparseTreeDirs = new Set()
   #sparseTreeRoots = new Set()
   #linkedActualForDiff = null
+  // Under the linked strategy the audit runs against this non-isolated ideal tree.
+  // The isolated tree's inventory has no queryable indexes and its edges route through symlinks, so auditing it reports no vulnerabilities.
+  #linkedIdealForAudit = null
 
   constructor (options) {
     super(options)
@@ -123,21 +126,29 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
           this.idealTree, this.actualTree
         )
       }
+      // Keep the non-isolated tree so the quick audit can run against it.
+      this.#linkedIdealForAudit = oldTree
     }
-    await this[_diffTrees]()
-    await this.#reifyPackages()
-    if (linked) {
-      // The sweep mutates node_modules on disk, so skip it for dry runs and lockfile-only installs (those modes also short-circuit #reifyPackages).
-      // The sweep itself scopes to in-filter workspaces when a filter is active, so it's safe to run for filtered installs too.
-      if (!this.options.dryRun && !this.options.packageLockOnly) {
-        await this.#cleanOrphanedStoreEntries()
+    try {
+      await this[_diffTrees]()
+      await this.#reifyPackages()
+      if (linked) {
+        // The sweep mutates node_modules on disk, so skip it for dry runs and lockfile-only installs (those modes also short-circuit #reifyPackages).
+        // The sweep itself scopes to in-filter workspaces when a filter is active, so it's safe to run for filtered installs too.
+        if (!this.options.dryRun && !this.options.packageLockOnly) {
+          await this.#cleanOrphanedStoreEntries()
+        }
+      }
+    } finally {
+      // Restore the non-isolated tree so the lockfile is preserved and a reused Arborist never sees the isolated tree, even if reify throws.
+      if (linked) {
+        this.idealTree = oldTree
       }
-      // swap back in the idealTree
-      // so that the lockfile is preserved
-      this.idealTree = oldTree
+      // The quick audit has captured its tree synchronously by now, so drop the stashed references even on throw.
+      this.#linkedIdealForAudit = null
+      this.#linkedActualForDiff = null
     }
     await this[_saveIdealTree](options)
-    this.#linkedActualForDiff = null
     // clean inert
     for (const node of this.idealTree.inventory.values()) {
       if (node.inert) {
@@ -1169,7 +1180,8 @@ module.exports = cls => class Reifier extends cls {
     // with the reification, and be resolved at a later time.
     const timeEnd = time.start('reify:audit')
     const options = { ...this.options }
-    const tree = this.idealTree
+    // Under the linked strategy idealTree is the isolated tree, which the audit cannot traverse; audit the non-isolated tree instead.
+    const tree = this.#linkedIdealForAudit || this.idealTree
 
     // if we're operating on a workspace, only audit the workspace deps
     if (this.options.workspaces.length) {
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/lib/isolated-classes.js b/workspaces/arborist/lib/isolated-classes.js
index d451b605d8ca2..c5b7abbb64a3d 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/lib/isolated-classes.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/lib/isolated-classes.js
@@ -2,13 +2,6 @@
 const CaseInsensitiveMap = require('./case-insensitive-map.js')
 const { resolve } = require('node:path')
 
-// fake lib/inventory.js
-class IsolatedInventory extends Map {
-  query () {
-    return []
-  }
-}
-
 // fake lib/node.js
 class IsolatedNode {
   binPaths = []
@@ -17,7 +10,7 @@ class IsolatedNode {
   edgesOut = new CaseInsensitiveMap()
   fsChildren = new Set()
   integrity = null
-  inventory = new IsolatedInventory()
+  inventory = new Map()
   isInStore = false
   inBundle = false
   isRegistryDependency = false
diff --git a/workspaces/arborist/test/arborist/reify.js b/workspaces/arborist/test/arborist/reify.js
index e1f67033d4581..81d91f08f1d95 100644
--- a/workspaces/arborist/test/arborist/reify.js
+++ b/workspaces/arborist/test/arborist/reify.js
@@ -223,6 +223,21 @@ t.test('packageLockOnly with linked strategy in workspaces', async t => {
   t.throws(() => fs.statSync(path + '/node_modules'), { code: 'ENOENT' })
 })
 
+t.test('linked strategy audits the non-isolated tree', async t => {
+  // The isolated tree has no queryable inventory, so auditing it reports nothing. The install-time audit must run against the non-isolated tree, matching standalone npm audit. https://github.com/npm/cli/issues/9609
+  const src = resolve(fixtures, 'audit-one-vuln')
+  // Copy into a throwaway dir since packageLockOnly rewrites the lockfile.
+  const path = t.testdir({
+    'package.json': fs.readFileSync(join(src, 'package.json'), 'utf8'),
+    'package-lock.json': fs.readFileSync(join(src, 'package-lock.json'), 'utf8'),
+  })
+  const registry = createRegistry(t, true)
+  registry.audit({ convert: true, results: require(join(src, 'audit.json')) })
+  const arb = newArb({ path, audit: true, packageLockOnly: true, installStrategy: 'linked' })
+  await arb.reify()
+  t.ok(arb.auditReport.has('minimist'), 'vulnerable package reported under linked strategy')
+})
+
 t.test('malformed package.json should not be overwritten', async t => {
   t.plan(2)