diff --git a/tests/tools/test_approval.py b/tests/tools/test_approval.py
index 4f61dd2a..22ad88a8 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_approval.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_approval.py
@@ -464,3 +464,40 @@ class TestForkBombDetection:
         dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command("echo hello:world")
         assert dangerous is False
 
+
+class TestGatewayProtection:
+    """Prevent agents from starting the gateway outside systemd management."""
+
+    def test_gateway_run_with_disown_detected(self):
+        cmd = "kill 1605 && cd ~/.hermes/hermes-agent && source venv/bin/activate && python -m hermes_cli.main gateway run --replace &disown; echo done"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+        assert "systemctl" in desc
+
+    def test_gateway_run_with_ampersand_detected(self):
+        cmd = "python -m hermes_cli.main gateway run --replace &"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+
+    def test_gateway_run_with_nohup_detected(self):
+        cmd = "nohup python -m hermes_cli.main gateway run --replace"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+
+    def test_gateway_run_with_setsid_detected(self):
+        cmd = "hermes_cli.main gateway run --replace &disown"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is True
+
+    def test_gateway_run_foreground_not_flagged(self):
+        """Normal foreground gateway run (as in systemd ExecStart) is fine."""
+        cmd = "python -m hermes_cli.main gateway run --replace"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is False
+
+    def test_systemctl_restart_not_flagged(self):
+        """Using systemctl to manage the gateway is the correct approach."""
+        cmd = "systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway"
+        dangerous, key, desc = detect_dangerous_command(cmd)
+        assert dangerous is False
+
diff --git a/tools/approval.py b/tools/approval.py
index 44029a8c..233df07a 100644
--- a/tools/approval.py
+++ b/tools/approval.py
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ DANGEROUS_PATTERNS = [
     (r'\bxargs\s+.*\brm\b', "xargs with rm"),
     (r'\bfind\b.*-exec\s+(/\S*/)?rm\b', "find -exec rm"),
     (r'\bfind\b.*-delete\b', "find -delete"),
+    # Gateway protection: never start gateway outside systemd management
+    (r'gateway\s+run\b.*(&\s*$|&\s*;|\bdisown\b|\bsetsid\b)', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
+    (r'\bnohup\b.*gateway\s+run\b', "start gateway outside systemd (use 'systemctl --user restart hermes-gateway')"),
 ]