diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3479a11..4768fda 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -347,10 +347,16 @@ Capture your entire dev environment and restore it on a new machine. An AI agent
 ```bash
 crab env snapshot              # Agent explores machine → encrypted bundle
 crab env snapshot --dry-run    # Preview what would be captured
+crab env encrypt STAGING_DIR   # Retry encryption without rerunning the agent
 crab env restore --from FILE   # Decrypt + agent sets up new machine
 crab env restore --from URL    # Download and restore from URL
 ```
 
+If snapshot encryption fails, retry with the staging directory printed by the
+command. An optional second argument selects the output file. The output must
+be a new file outside the staging directory. Successful encryption removes the
+staging directory; a failed attempt preserves it for retry.
+
 The snapshot captures: Homebrew packages, Node/Python/Go versions, shell config, git identity, editor settings, database schemas, Docker config, cloud tools, project inventory, .env files, and API tokens — all encrypted with a password.
 
 ## Setup Flow
diff --git a/src/crabcode b/src/crabcode
index c0e4420..f377c2e 100755
--- a/src/crabcode
+++ b/src/crabcode
@@ -11306,11 +11306,15 @@ handle_env_command() {
     "restore")
       env_restore "$@"
       ;;
+    "encrypt")
+      env_encrypt "$@"
+      ;;
     ""|"help"|"-h"|"--help")
       echo -e "${BOLD}crab env${NC} - Environment snapshot & restore"
       echo ""
       echo -e "  ${CYAN}crab env snapshot${NC}              Capture environment recipe"
       echo -e "  ${CYAN}crab env snapshot --dry-run${NC}    Preview what would be captured"
+      echo -e "  ${CYAN}crab env encrypt <staging-dir> [output-file]${NC} Retry snapshot encryption"
       echo -e "  ${CYAN}crab env restore --from FILE${NC}   Restore from snapshot"
       echo ""
       echo "Snapshot launches an AI agent to explore your machine and build"
@@ -11492,7 +11496,30 @@ PROMPT_EOF
     ${EDITOR:-vim} "$staging_dir/recipe.md"
   fi
 
-  # Package and encrypt
+  env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$output_path"
+}
+
+# Encrypt a staging directory into a portable .enc bundle
+env_encrypt() {
+  local staging_dir="${1:-}"
+  local output_path="${2:-}"
+
+  if [ -z "$staging_dir" ] || [ ! -d "$staging_dir" ]; then
+    error "Staging directory not found: ${staging_dir:-<none>}"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  if [ ! -f "$staging_dir/recipe.md" ]; then
+    error "No recipe.md found in $staging_dir — is this a valid snapshot?"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  staging_dir=$(cd "$staging_dir" && pwd -P) || return 1
+  if [ "$staging_dir" = / ]; then
+    error "The filesystem root cannot be a staging directory"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
   echo ""
   echo -e "${CYAN}Encrypting snapshot...${NC}"
   echo -e "${GRAY}Choose a password to protect this snapshot.${NC}"
@@ -11501,13 +11528,31 @@ PROMPT_EOF
 
   # Determine output path
   if [ -z "$output_path" ]; then
+    local timestamp=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
     output_path="$ENV_SNAPSHOT_DIR/env-snapshot-$timestamp.enc"
   fi
-  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$output_path")"
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$output_path")" || return 1
+  local output_dir
+  output_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$output_path")" && pwd -P) || return 1
+  output_path="$output_dir/$(basename "$output_path")"
+  case "$output_path" in
+    "$staging_dir"/*)
+      error "Output file must be outside the staging directory"
+      return 1
+      ;;
+  esac
+  if [ -e "$output_path" ] || [ -L "$output_path" ]; then
+    error "Output file already exists: $output_path"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  local encrypted_tmp
+  encrypted_tmp=$(mktemp "$output_dir/.crab-env-XXXXXX") || return 1
 
   # Encrypt with openssl (use pipefail to catch tar or openssl failures)
-  if ( set -o pipefail; tar czf - -C "$(dirname "$staging_dir")" "$(basename "$staging_dir")" \
-    | openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -salt -out "$output_path" ); then
+  if ( set -o pipefail; tar czf - -C "$(dirname "$staging_dir")" -- "$(basename "$staging_dir")" \
+    | openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -salt -out "$encrypted_tmp" ) \
+    && mv "$encrypted_tmp" "$output_path"; then
     # Clean up staging
     rm -rf "$staging_dir"
 
@@ -11520,6 +11565,7 @@ PROMPT_EOF
     echo -e "  2. Install crabcode: ${CYAN}curl -fsSL <install-url> | bash${NC}"
     echo -e "  3. Run: ${CYAN}crab env restore --from $output_path${NC}"
   else
+    rm -f "$encrypted_tmp"
     error "Encryption failed"
     echo "Unencrypted snapshot remains at: $staging_dir"
     return 1
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_env_encrypt.bats b/tests/unit/test_env_encrypt.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0e3bfea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_env_encrypt.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+
+load '../test_helper/bats-support/load'
+load '../test_helper/bats-assert/load'
+
+setup() {
+  TEST_TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
+  source "${BATS_TEST_DIRNAME}/../../src/crabcode"
+  ENV_SNAPSHOT_DIR="$TEST_TMPDIR/snapshots"
+  staging_dir="$TEST_TMPDIR/staging"
+  mkdir -p "$staging_dir"
+  printf 'Fixture recipe\n' > "$staging_dir/recipe.md"
+  output_file="$TEST_TMPDIR/snapshot.enc"
+
+  # Use a fixture password so tests exercise real encryption without a prompt.
+  openssl() { command openssl "$@" -pass pass:crabcode-test-fixture; }
+}
+
+teardown() {
+  rm -rf "$TEST_TMPDIR"
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt rejects missing staging directories and recipes" {
+  run env_encrypt
+  assert_failure
+  assert_output --partial 'Staging directory not found'
+  rm "$staging_dir/recipe.md"
+  run env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$output_file"
+  assert_failure
+  assert_output --partial 'No recipe.md'
+  [ ! -e "$output_file" ]
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt round-trips a relative staging path and removes it after success" {
+  cd "$TEST_TMPDIR"
+  run handle_env_command encrypt ./staging ./snapshot.enc
+  assert_success
+  [ ! -e "$staging_dir" ]
+  mkdir "$TEST_TMPDIR/restored"
+  openssl enc -d -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -in "$output_file" \
+    | tar xzf - -C "$TEST_TMPDIR/restored"
+  run cat "$TEST_TMPDIR/restored/staging/recipe.md"
+  assert_output 'Fixture recipe'
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt supports staging names that begin with a dash" {
+  mv "$staging_dir" "$TEST_TMPDIR/--fixture"
+  run env_encrypt "$TEST_TMPDIR/--fixture" "$output_file"
+  assert_success
+  run bash -c 'openssl enc -d -aes-256-cbc -pbkdf2 -in "$1" -pass pass:crabcode-test-fixture | tar tzf -' _ "$output_file"
+  assert_success
+  assert_output --partial '--fixture/recipe.md'
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt preserves an existing output file" {
+  printf 'Previous backup\n' > "$output_file"
+  run env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$output_file"
+  assert_failure
+  assert_output --partial 'already exists'
+  [ -f "$staging_dir/recipe.md" ]
+  run cat "$output_file"
+  assert_output 'Previous backup'
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt rejects output inside staging including symlinked directories" {
+  ln -s "$staging_dir" "$TEST_TMPDIR/link"
+  for destination in "$staging_dir/snapshot.enc" "$TEST_TMPDIR/link/snapshot.enc"; do
+    run env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$destination"
+    assert_failure
+    assert_output --partial 'outside the staging directory'
+    [ -f "$staging_dir/recipe.md" ]
+    [ ! -e "$destination" ]
+  done
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt preserves staging and removes partial output on encryption failure" {
+  openssl() { cat >/dev/null; return 1; }
+  run env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$output_file"
+  assert_failure
+  [ -f "$staging_dir/recipe.md" ]
+  [ ! -e "$output_file" ]
+  run find "$TEST_TMPDIR" -name '.crab-env-*'
+  assert_output ''
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt preserves staging when tar fails" {
+  tar() { return 1; }
+  run env_encrypt "$staging_dir" "$output_file"
+  assert_failure
+  [ -f "$staging_dir/recipe.md" ]
+  [ ! -e "$output_file" ]
+}
+
+@test "env encrypt uses the default snapshot directory when output is omitted" {
+  run handle_env_command encrypt "$staging_dir"
+  assert_success
+  [ ! -e "$staging_dir" ]
+  run find "$ENV_SNAPSHOT_DIR" -name 'env-snapshot-*.enc'
+  assert_success
+  [ -n "$output" ]
+}