diff --git a/docs/chapter_6.md b/docs/chapter_6.md
index 2686a5c..5ee4cb4 100644
--- a/docs/chapter_6.md
+++ b/docs/chapter_6.md
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ The regression file stores failures grouped by test type (property-based tests v
       "seed": 901717247,
       "dial": "example/sip010.cjs",
       "numRuns": 15,
+      "counterexamplePath": "2:1:0",
       "timestamp": 1767886534833
     },
     {
@@ -341,6 +342,8 @@ Each failure record includes:
 - `numRuns` – Number of test iterations needed for the failure to occur
 - `timestamp` – When the failure was discovered (Unix timestamp in milliseconds)
 - `dial` (optional) – Path to the dialer file used during the test
+- `counterexamplePath` (optional) – fast-check shrink metadata for diagnostics;
+  it is not an exact replay trace
 
 Failures are sorted by timestamp in descending order, with the most recent failures first.
 
diff --git a/heatstroke.tests.ts b/heatstroke.tests.ts
index 731d4ef..0c1b4a9 100644
--- a/heatstroke.tests.ts
+++ b/heatstroke.tests.ts
@@ -290,6 +290,7 @@ describe("Custom reporter logging", () => {
             });
 
             const runDetails = {
+              counterexamplePath: `${r.path}:preferred`,
               path: r.path,
               failed: r.failed,
               numRuns: r.numRuns,
@@ -320,7 +321,7 @@ describe("Custom reporter logging", () => {
             const expectedMessages = [
               `\nError: Property failed after ${r.numRuns} tests.`,
               `Seed : ${r.seed}`,
-              `Path : ${r.path}`,
+              `Path : ${r.path}:preferred`,
               `\nCounterexample:`,
               `- Contract : ${getContractNameFromContractId(
                 rendezvousContractId,
diff --git a/heatstroke.ts b/heatstroke.ts
index f137940..e5859bc 100644
--- a/heatstroke.ts
+++ b/heatstroke.ts
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ import { getContractNameFromContractId } from "./shared";
  * @property `runDetails.counterexample`: The input that caused the failure.
  * @property `runDetails.numRuns`: The number of test cases that were run.
  * @property `runDetails.seed`: The replay seed for reproducing the failure.
- * @property `runDetails.path`: The replay path for reproducing the failure.
+ * @property `runDetails.counterexamplePath`: Fast-check shrink metadata for
+ * diagnostics; it is not an exact replay trace.
+ * @property `runDetails.path`: The legacy path fallback for older callers.
  * @property `runDetails.error`: The error thrown during the test.
  * @param radio The event emitter to log messages.
  * @param type The type of test that failed: invariant or property.
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ export const reporter = (
 
   if (failed) {
     const error = runDetails.errorInstance || runDetails.error;
+    const counterexamplePathValue = runDetails.counterexamplePath ?? path;
 
     // Extract the actual Clarity error once for both error types.
     const clarityError =
@@ -56,8 +59,8 @@ export const reporter = (
       `\nError: Property failed after ${numRuns} tests.`,
     );
     radio.emit("logFailure", `Seed : ${seed}`);
-    if (path) {
-      radio.emit("logFailure", `Path : ${path}`);
+    if (counterexamplePathValue) {
+      radio.emit("logFailure", `Path : ${counterexamplePathValue}`);
     }
     switch (type) {
       case "invariant": {
diff --git a/heatstroke.types.ts b/heatstroke.types.ts
index 6cd73c0..0acdbd3 100644
--- a/heatstroke.types.ts
+++ b/heatstroke.types.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ export interface RunDetails {
   counterexample: CounterExample[];
   numRuns: number;
   seed: number;
+  counterexamplePath?: string | null;
   path?: string;
   error?: Error;
   errorInstance?: Error;
diff --git a/persistence.tests.ts b/persistence.tests.ts
index 508508f..26b329a 100644
--- a/persistence.tests.ts
+++ b/persistence.tests.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { mkdirSync, rmSync, statSync } from "node:fs";
+import { mkdirSync, rmSync, statSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join, resolve } from "node:path";
 
@@ -409,6 +409,51 @@ describe("Failure Persistence", () => {
         ),
       );
     });
+
+    it("persists paths and reads records from older files", () => {
+      const customBaseDir = createTemporaryCustomTestBaseDir("paths");
+      const options = { baseDir: customBaseDir };
+
+      try {
+        persistFailure(
+          {
+            ...createMockRunDetails(1),
+            counterexamplePath: "0:1",
+            path: "legacy",
+          },
+          "test",
+          TEST_CONTRACT_ID,
+          undefined,
+          options,
+        );
+        persistFailure(
+          { ...createMockRunDetails(2), path: "legacy" },
+          "test",
+          TEST_CONTRACT_ID,
+          undefined,
+          options,
+        );
+
+        const failures = loadFailures(TEST_CONTRACT_ID, "test", options);
+        expect(
+          failures.find(({ seed }) => seed === 1)?.counterexamplePath,
+        ).toBe("0:1");
+        expect(
+          failures.find(({ seed }) => seed === 2)?.counterexamplePath,
+        ).toBe("legacy");
+
+        const record = { seed: 17, numRuns: 20, timestamp: 123 };
+        writeFileSync(
+          getFailureFilePath(TEST_CONTRACT_ID, customBaseDir),
+          JSON.stringify({ invariant: [record], test: [] }),
+        );
+        expect(loadFailures(TEST_CONTRACT_ID, "invariant", options)).toEqual([
+          record,
+        ]);
+      } finally {
+        rmSync(customBaseDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+      }
+    });
   });
 
   describe("Loading Failures", () => {
diff --git a/persistence.ts b/persistence.ts
index a7d0956..5631992 100644
--- a/persistence.ts
+++ b/persistence.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ interface FailureRecord {
   seed: number;
   /** The number of runs needed to reproduce the failure*/
   numRuns: number;
+  /** The fast-check path to the counterexample */
+  counterexamplePath?: string | null;
   /** The path to the dialer file used for this test run */
   dial: string | undefined;
   /** Timestamp when the failure was recorded */
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ export const persistFailure = (
     seed: runDetails.seed,
     dial: dial,
     numRuns: runDetails.numRuns,
+    counterexamplePath: runDetails.counterexamplePath ?? runDetails.path,
     timestamp: Date.now(),
   };