diff --git a/crates/bashkit/src/fs/memory.rs b/crates/bashkit/src/fs/memory.rs
index c93e8a029..37f3fced2 100644
--- a/crates/bashkit/src/fs/memory.rs
+++ b/crates/bashkit/src/fs/memory.rs
@@ -905,6 +905,50 @@ impl InMemoryFs {
         );
     }
 
+    /// Add a directory (and any missing parents) synchronously, for initial
+    /// setup.
+    ///
+    /// Used by [`BashBuilder`](crate::BashBuilder) to provision a home
+    /// directory for a configured username so writes to `$HOME` / `~` succeed.
+    /// For runtime use the async [`FileSystem::mkdir`] instead. Existing
+    /// entries are left untouched; a path that violates VFS limits is ignored.
+    ///
+    /// # Example
+    ///
+    /// ```rust
+    /// use bashkit::InMemoryFs;
+    ///
+    /// let fs = InMemoryFs::new();
+    /// fs.add_dir("/home/eval", 0o755);
+    /// ```
+    pub fn add_dir(&self, path: impl AsRef<Path>, mode: u32) {
+        let path = Self::normalize_path(path.as_ref());
+
+        if self.limits.validate_path(&path).is_err() {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let mut entries = self.entries.write().unwrap();
+
+        // Create each path component as a directory if it does not already
+        // exist, mirroring the parent-creation logic in `add_file`.
+        let mut current = PathBuf::from("/");
+        for component in path.components().skip(1) {
+            current.push(component);
+            entries
+                .entry(current.clone())
+                .or_insert_with(|| FsEntry::Directory {
+                    metadata: Metadata {
+                        file_type: FileType::Directory,
+                        size: 0,
+                        mode,
+                        modified: SystemTime::now(),
+                        created: SystemTime::now(),
+                    },
+                });
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Add a lazy file whose content is loaded on first read.
     ///
     /// The `loader` closure is called at most once when the file is first read.
diff --git a/crates/bashkit/src/lib.rs b/crates/bashkit/src/lib.rs
index 917bfc177..422534096 100644
--- a/crates/bashkit/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/bashkit/src/lib.rs
@@ -2653,11 +2653,22 @@ impl BashBuilder {
     /// # Ok(())
     /// # }
     /// ```
-    pub fn build(self) -> Bash {
+    pub fn build(mut self) -> Bash {
         let base_fs: Arc<dyn FileSystem> = if self.shell_profile.is_logic_only() {
             Arc::new(fs::DisabledFs)
+        } else if let Some(fs) = self.fs.take() {
+            fs
         } else {
-            self.fs.unwrap_or_else(|| Arc::new(InMemoryFs::new()))
+            // Default in-memory VFS. The interpreter sets `HOME` (and `~`) to
+            // `/home/<username>` (see `Interpreter::with_config`), but the VFS
+            // only pre-creates `/home/user`. Provision `/home/<username>` for a
+            // configured username so writes to `$HOME` / `~` succeed instead of
+            // failing with "parent directory not found" (issue #2128).
+            let mem = InMemoryFs::new();
+            if let Some(ref username) = self.username {
+                mem.add_dir(format!("/home/{username}"), 0o755);
+            }
+            Arc::new(mem)
         };
 
         // Layer 1: Apply real filesystem mounts (if any)
@@ -4690,6 +4701,43 @@ fn
         assert_eq!(result.stdout, "charlie\n");
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_username_provisions_home_dir() {
+        // issue #2128: a configured username must get an existing, writable
+        // home directory so writes to $HOME / ~ don't fail.
+        let mut bash = Bash::builder().username("eval").build();
+        let result = bash
+            .exec("echo hi > /home/eval/x.sh && cat /home/eval/x.sh")
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result.exit_code, 0, "stderr: {}", result.stderr);
+        assert_eq!(result.stdout, "hi\n");
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_username_home_tilde_write() {
+        // ~ and $HOME expand to /home/<username>; writes there must succeed.
+        let mut bash = Bash::builder().username("agent").build();
+        let result = bash
+            .exec("echo data > ~/script.sh && cat $HOME/script.sh")
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result.exit_code, 0, "stderr: {}", result.stderr);
+        assert_eq!(result.stdout, "data\n");
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_default_username_home_still_present() {
+        // The default user's home (/home/user) must remain provisioned.
+        let mut bash = Bash::new();
+        let result = bash
+            .exec("echo ok > /home/user/f && cat /home/user/f")
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(result.exit_code, 0, "stderr: {}", result.stderr);
+        assert_eq!(result.stdout, "ok\n");
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn test_default_ppid_is_sandboxed() {
         let mut bash = Bash::new();
diff --git a/specs/vfs.md b/specs/vfs.md
index ea4a38d87..b41234b46 100644
--- a/specs/vfs.md
+++ b/specs/vfs.md
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ Do you need a custom filesystem?
 #### InMemoryFs
 - `HashMap<PathBuf, FsEntry>`, thread-safe via `RwLock`; no persistence
 - Initial directories: `/`, `/tmp`, `/home`, `/home/user`, `/dev`
+- When `BashBuilder::username(name)` is set, the default VFS also provisions
+  `/home/<name>` (matching the interpreter's `HOME`/`~` default) so writes to
+  `$HOME` / `~` succeed; custom filesystems are responsible for their own home
+  dirs. See `InMemoryFs::add_dir`.
 - Special handling for `/dev/null`, `/dev/urandom`, `/dev/random`
 - Mount files at build time via `BashBuilder::mount_text()` /
   `mount_readonly_text()`