diff --git a/doc/HERMES_GATEWAY_SMOKE.md b/doc/HERMES_GATEWAY_SMOKE.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3bf9a103224
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/HERMES_GATEWAY_SMOKE.md
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+# Hermes Gateway Smoke
+
+This smoke validates the built-in `hermes_gateway` adapter against a fresh
+Hermes gateway. Keep real Hermes execution manual/local: the CI-safe checks only
+lint shell syntax and focused helper behavior.
+
+## CI-safe validation
+
+Run these from the repo root:
+
+```sh
+bash -n scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh
+pnpm test:hermes-gateway-smoke
+```
+
+`pnpm test:hermes-gateway-smoke` does not start Docker, Hermes, or Paperclip. It
+checks script help output, shell syntax, redaction helpers, URL slash handling,
+and the non-loopback HTTP guard.
+
+## Secrets and cleanup
+
+- Set the Hermes gateway key with `HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY` or `API_SERVER_KEY`.
+  The scripts print only `sha256=<prefix>` and length for secret identifiers.
+- Board/operator auth is required through `PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER`,
+  `PAPERCLIP_COOKIE`, or a board-capable `PAPERCLIP_API_KEY`.
+- Diagnostic files are redacted before they are written, except the join output
+  file intentionally contains the claimed Paperclip agent key and is written
+  `chmod 600`.
+- Successful runs remove the smoke issue, smoke agent, join request, Docker
+  container, and per-run local state.
+- Set `HERMES_SMOKE_KEEP=1` to preserve diagnostics, state, and the container.
+  Failed runs automatically preserve them and print the retained paths.
+
+## URL model
+
+The smoke has three URLs because different processes need different routes:
+
+- `PAPERCLIP_API_URL`: Paperclip URL used by the operator shell.
+- `PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES`: Paperclip URL used from inside the Hermes
+  container or remote Hermes host.
+- `HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL`: Hermes gateway URL stored on the Paperclip
+  adapter, reachable by the Paperclip server.
+- `HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL`: Hermes gateway URL used by the operator shell for
+  direct `/health`, `/v1/capabilities`, `/v1/runs`, and SSE checks.
+
+Loopback HTTP gateway URLs are allowed. Non-loopback HTTP gateway URLs require
+`HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1` and should only be used on local/private
+development networks. Use HTTPS for real remote gateways.
+
+## Docker Desktop or Linux host Paperclip
+
+Use this when Paperclip runs on the host at `127.0.0.1:3100` and Docker can
+reach the host through `host.docker.internal`.
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3100 \
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>' \
+pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e
+```
+
+Linux uses `--add-host=host.docker.internal:host-gateway` by default through
+`HERMES_DOCKER_ADD_HOST=1`. If your Docker setup already provides
+`host.docker.internal`, the same command works.
+
+## Same Docker network as Paperclip
+
+Use this when Paperclip is a container on a Docker network and the Hermes smoke
+container should be reachable by container DNS. The operator shell still probes
+the host-published loopback port.
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3100 \
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>' \
+HERMES_CONTAINER_NAME=paperclip-hermes-gateway-smoke \
+HERMES_SMOKE_NETWORK=paperclip_default \
+HERMES_DOCKER_ADD_HOST=0 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=http://paperclip-hermes-gateway-smoke:8642 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642 \
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES=http://paperclip:3100 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1 \
+pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e
+```
+
+Change `paperclip_default` and `paperclip` to your Compose network and service
+name. The unsafe HTTP flag is required because Paperclip stores a non-loopback
+`http://` gateway URL for private Docker DNS.
+
+## LAN or private-network Paperclip
+
+Use this when Paperclip is exposed on a private IP or tailnet address and the
+Hermes container can reach that address.
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://192.168.1.20:3100 \
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>' \
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES=http://192.168.1.20:3100 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=http://192.168.1.20:8642 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1 \
+pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e
+```
+
+Only use this on a trusted private network. For anything beyond local/private
+development, put the Hermes gateway behind TLS and use the reverse-proxy mode.
+
+## Reverse proxy / TLS
+
+Use this when Paperclip should talk to Hermes through a TLS hostname. The smoke
+container still publishes a local port, and your reverse proxy forwards the TLS
+hostname to that port.
+
+```sh
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL=https://paperclip.example.com \
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>' \
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES=https://paperclip.example.com \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=https://hermes-gateway.example.com \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642 \
+pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e
+```
+
+No unsafe HTTP escape hatch is needed because the adapter URL is HTTPS.
+
+## Join-only validation
+
+If a Hermes gateway is already running, use the join helper without building or
+starting a Docker container:
+
+```sh
+API_SERVER_ENABLED=true API_SERVER_KEY='<gateway-key>' hermes gateway run --replace --accept-hooks
+
+PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3100 \
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>' \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642 \
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY='<gateway-key>' \
+pnpm smoke:hermes-gateway-join
+```
+
+For non-loopback private HTTP join-only runs, set
+`HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1`. For Docker DNS or reverse-proxy setups,
+set `HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL` to the URL reachable from the operator shell and
+`HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL` to the URL Paperclip should store on the adapter.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index af788767985..71503daeaf5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@
     "check:tokens": "node scripts/check-forbidden-tokens.mjs",
     "check:no-git-push": "node scripts/check-no-git-push.mjs",
     "test:check-no-git-push": "node --test scripts/check-no-git-push.test.mjs",
+    "test:hermes-gateway-smoke": "node --test scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-smoke.test.mjs",
     "docs:dev": "cd docs && npx mintlify dev",
     "smoke:hermes-gateway-join": "./scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh",
+    "smoke:hermes-gateway-e2e": "./scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh",
     "smoke:openclaw-join": "./scripts/smoke/openclaw-join.sh",
     "smoke:openclaw-docker-ui": "./scripts/smoke/openclaw-docker-ui.sh",
     "smoke:openclaw-sse-standalone": "./scripts/smoke/openclaw-sse-standalone.sh",
diff --git a/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh
index a569434d479..da832f8e6f6 100755
--- a/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh
+++ b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-e2e.sh
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ HERMES_DOCKER_CONTEXT="${HERMES_DOCKER_CONTEXT:-docker/hermes-gateway-smoke}"
 HERMES_CONTAINER_NAME="${HERMES_CONTAINER_NAME:-paperclip-hermes-gateway-smoke-${RUN_SUFFIX}}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT="${HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT:-8642}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:${HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT}}"
+HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL="${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:${HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT}}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY:-${API_SERVER_KEY:-}}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP="${HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP:-0}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY="${HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY:-issue}"
@@ -54,6 +55,55 @@ CASE_TIMEOUT_SEC="${CASE_TIMEOUT_SEC:-420}"
 GATEWAY_READY_TIMEOUT_SEC="${GATEWAY_READY_TIMEOUT_SEC:-90}"
 STRICT_CASES="${STRICT_CASES:-1}"
 
+print_usage() {
+  cat <<'EOF'
+Hermes gateway Docker E2E smoke
+
+Builds a fresh Hermes gateway container, verifies the gateway API directly,
+joins it to Paperclip as a hermes_gateway agent, wakes that agent on a smoke
+issue, verifies the issue result, captures redacted diagnostics, and cleans up
+Paperclip and Docker state unless HERMES_SMOKE_KEEP=1.
+
+Required:
+  PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3100
+  PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>'     # or PAPERCLIP_COOKIE
+
+Common flags:
+  COMPANY_ID=<uuid> or COMPANY_SELECTOR=<prefix|name|uuid>
+  HERMES_VERSION=0.17.0
+  HERMES_IMAGE=paperclip-hermes-gateway-smoke:local
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT=8642
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642
+  PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES=http://host.docker.internal:3100
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1             # dev-only non-loopback HTTP
+  HERMES_SMOKE_NETWORK=<docker-network>
+  HERMES_DOCKER_ADD_HOST=0|1
+  HERMES_SMOKE_KEEP=1                              # keep diagnostics/container
+  HERMES_SMOKE_DIAG_DIR=/tmp/hermes-gateway-diag
+
+Mode notes:
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL is the URL stored on the Paperclip adapter and
+  must be reachable by the Paperclip server. HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL is the URL
+  this operator shell uses for direct gateway checks. They can differ for Docker
+  network and reverse-proxy smoke runs.
+
+  Raw Hermes and Paperclip API keys are redacted from logs and diagnostic files.
+  The generated/claimed key material is kept only in the per-run state directory,
+  which is deleted on success unless HERMES_SMOKE_KEEP=1.
+
+See doc/HERMES_GATEWAY_SMOKE.md for Docker Desktop, Linux, same-network,
+LAN/private-network, and reverse-proxy/TLS examples.
+EOF
+}
+
+case "${1:-}" in
+  -h|--help)
+    print_usage
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+esac
+
 AUTH_HEADERS=()
 if [[ -n "${PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER:-}" ]]; then
   AUTH_HEADERS+=(-H "Authorization: ${PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER}")
@@ -118,6 +168,42 @@ redact_text() {
   printf "%s" "$text"
 }
 
+url_host() {
+  local url="$1"
+  local rest host_port host
+  rest="${url#http://}"
+  rest="${rest#https://}"
+  if [[ "$rest" == \[*\]* ]]; then
+    host="${rest#\[}"
+    host="${host%%\]*}"
+  else
+    host_port="${rest%%/*}"
+    host="${host_port%%:*}"
+  fi
+  printf "%s" "$host"
+}
+
+is_loopback_http_host() {
+  local host
+  host="$(printf "%s" "$1" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')"
+  case "$host" in
+    localhost|0.0.0.0|::1|0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1) return 0 ;;
+  esac
+  [[ "$host" =~ ^127\.([0-9]{1,3}\.){2}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]
+}
+
+is_remote_plain_http() {
+  local url="$1"
+  [[ "$url" == http://* ]] || return 1
+  ! is_loopback_http_host "$(url_host "$url")"
+}
+
+assert_gateway_api_base_url_allowed() {
+  if is_remote_plain_http "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" && [[ "$HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP" != "1" ]]; then
+    fail "HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL uses non-loopback http. Set HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1 for local-only unsafe HTTP, or use HTTPS."
+  fi
+}
+
 api_request() {
   local method="$1"
   local path="$2"
@@ -160,7 +246,7 @@ gateway_request() {
   local tmp
   tmp="$(mktemp)"
 
-  local url="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}${path}"
+  local url="${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}${path}"
   if [[ -n "$data" ]]; then
     RESPONSE_CODE="$(curl -s -o "$tmp" -w "%{http_code}" -X "$method" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}" -H "Content-Type: application/json" "$url" --data "$data" || true)"
   else
@@ -285,6 +371,7 @@ capture_diagnostics() {
     echo "container=${HERMES_CONTAINER_NAME}"
     echo "image=${HERMES_IMAGE}"
     echo "gateway=${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL}"
+    echo "gatewayProbe=${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL}"
     echo "paperclipApiUrl=${PAPERCLIP_API_URL}"
     echo "paperclipApiUrlForHermes=${PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES}"
     echo "apiServerKeySha256=$(hash_prefix "${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY:-}") len=${#HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}"
@@ -429,14 +516,17 @@ probe_container_to_paperclip() {
 }
 
 probe_gateway_readiness() {
-  log "waiting for Hermes gateway health at ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}/health"
-  wait_http_ready "${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}/health" "$GATEWAY_READY_TIMEOUT_SEC" || fail "Hermes gateway health did not become ready"
+  log "waiting for Hermes gateway health at ${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}/health"
+  if [[ "$HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL" != "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" ]]; then
+    log "Paperclip will store Hermes gateway URL ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL}"
+  fi
+  wait_http_ready "${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}/health" "$GATEWAY_READY_TIMEOUT_SEC" || fail "Hermes gateway health did not become ready"
 
   gateway_request "GET" "/health" "" "${HERMES_SMOKE_DIAG_DIR}/gateway-health.json"
   assert_status "200"
 
   local wrong_code
-  wrong_code="$(curl -sS -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -H "Authorization: Bearer wrong-smoke-key" "${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}/v1/capabilities" || true)"
+  wrong_code="$(curl -sS -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -H "Authorization: Bearer wrong-smoke-key" "${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}/v1/capabilities" || true)"
   if [[ "$wrong_code" == "200" ]]; then
     fail "Hermes protected endpoint accepted a wrong API key"
   fi
@@ -494,7 +584,7 @@ assert_direct_gateway_run() {
   local events_file="${HERMES_SMOKE_DIAG_DIR}/direct-run-${DIRECT_RUN_ID}-events.sse"
   curl -sS --max-time 20 -N \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}" \
-    "${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}/v1/runs/${DIRECT_RUN_ID}/events" \
+    "${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}/v1/runs/${DIRECT_RUN_ID}/events" \
     > "${events_file}.raw" || true
   redact_text "$(cat "${events_file}.raw")" > "$events_file"
   rm -f "${events_file}.raw"
@@ -562,6 +652,7 @@ join_hermes_agent() {
   local join_log="${HERMES_SMOKE_DIAG_DIR}/hermes-gateway-join.log"
   HERMES_AGENT_NAME="$HERMES_AGENT_NAME" \
   HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL="$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" \
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL="$HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL" \
   HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY="$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY" \
   HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP="$HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP" \
   HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY="$HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY" \
@@ -773,6 +864,7 @@ main() {
     HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY="$(generate_key)"
   fi
   log "Hermes API key sha256=$(hash_prefix "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY") len=${#HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}"
+  assert_gateway_api_base_url_allowed
 
   api_request "GET" "/health"
   assert_status "200"
diff --git a/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh
index aa6d51128c3..b646d970431 100755
--- a/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh
+++ b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-join.sh
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ COMPANY_SELECTOR="${COMPANY_SELECTOR:-}"
 
 HERMES_AGENT_NAME="${HERMES_AGENT_NAME:-Hermes Gateway Smoke Agent}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:${HERMES_GATEWAY_PORT:-8642}}"
+HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL="${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL:-$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY:-${API_SERVER_KEY:-}}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP="${HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP:-0}"
 HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY="${HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY:-issue}"
@@ -37,6 +38,49 @@ PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES="${PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES:-}"
 GATEWAY_PROBE_TIMEOUT_SEC="${GATEWAY_PROBE_TIMEOUT_SEC:-4}"
 HERMES_JOIN_OUTPUT_FILE="${HERMES_JOIN_OUTPUT_FILE:-}"
 
+print_usage() {
+  cat <<'EOF'
+Hermes gateway join smoke
+
+Creates a Hermes gateway agent from an agent-only Paperclip invite, approves the
+join request, claims the one-time Paperclip API key, and verifies the stored
+adapter config without printing raw secrets.
+
+Required:
+  PAPERCLIP_API_URL=http://127.0.0.1:3100
+  PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER='Bearer <board-token>'     # or PAPERCLIP_COOKIE
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY=<API_SERVER_KEY>
+
+Common flags:
+  COMPANY_ID=<uuid> or COMPANY_SELECTOR=<prefix|name|uuid>
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL=http://127.0.0.1:8642
+  PAPERCLIP_API_URL_FOR_HERMES=http://host.docker.internal:3100
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1             # dev-only non-loopback HTTP
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_SESSION_KEY_STRATEGY=issue|agent|run|none
+  HERMES_JOIN_OUTPUT_FILE=/secure/path/join-output.json
+
+Notes:
+  HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL is stored on the Paperclip adapter and must be
+  reachable by the Paperclip server. HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL is only used by
+  this operator shell to preflight /health, which is useful when Paperclip talks
+  to the gateway over a Docker network name but the operator probes localhost.
+
+  Raw API keys are redacted from logs. HERMES_JOIN_OUTPUT_FILE contains the
+  claimed Paperclip agent API key and is written chmod 600.
+
+See doc/HERMES_GATEWAY_SMOKE.md for Docker Desktop, Linux, same-network,
+LAN/private-network, and reverse-proxy/TLS examples.
+EOF
+}
+
+case "${1:-}" in
+  -h|--help)
+    print_usage
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+esac
+
 AUTH_HEADERS=()
 if [[ -n "${PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER:-}" ]]; then
   AUTH_HEADERS+=(-H "Authorization: ${PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER}")
@@ -141,12 +185,31 @@ EOF
 is_remote_plain_http() {
   local url="$1"
   [[ "$url" == http://* ]] || return 1
-  case "$url" in
-    http://localhost|http://localhost/*|http://localhost:*) return 1 ;;
-    http://127.*|http://0.0.0.0|http://0.0.0.0/*|http://0.0.0.0:*) return 1 ;;
-    http://\[::1\]|http://\[::1\]/*|http://\[::1\]:*) return 1 ;;
+  ! is_loopback_http_host "$(url_host "$url")"
+}
+
+url_host() {
+  local url="$1"
+  local rest host_port host
+  rest="${url#http://}"
+  rest="${rest#https://}"
+  if [[ "$rest" == \[*\]* ]]; then
+    host="${rest#\[}"
+    host="${host%%\]*}"
+  else
+    host_port="${rest%%/*}"
+    host="${host_port%%:*}"
+  fi
+  printf "%s" "$host"
+}
+
+is_loopback_http_host() {
+  local host
+  host="$(printf "%s" "$1" | tr '[:upper:]' '[:lower:]')"
+  case "$host" in
+    localhost|0.0.0.0|::1|0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1) return 0 ;;
   esac
-  return 0
+  [[ "$host" =~ ^127\.([0-9]{1,3}\.){2}[0-9]{1,3}$ ]]
 }
 
 strip_trailing_slash() {
@@ -195,14 +258,18 @@ assert_onboarding_contains() {
 
 probe_hermes_gateway() {
   [[ -n "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" ]] || fail "HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL is required"
+  [[ -n "$HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL" ]] || fail "HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL is required"
   [[ -n "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY" ]] || fail "HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY or API_SERVER_KEY is required before any Paperclip state is mutated"
 
   if is_remote_plain_http "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" && [[ "$HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP" != "1" ]]; then
     fail "HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL uses non-loopback http. Set HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP=1 for local-only unsafe HTTP, or use HTTPS."
   fi
 
-  local health_url="${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL%/}/health"
+  local health_url="${HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL%/}/health"
   log "probing Hermes gateway health at ${health_url} with apiKey sha256=$(hash_prefix "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY") len=${#HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}"
+  if [[ "$HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL" != "$HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL" ]]; then
+    log "Paperclip will store Hermes gateway URL ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL}"
+  fi
   local code
   code="$(curl -sS -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" --max-time "$GATEWAY_PROBE_TIMEOUT_SEC" -H "Authorization: Bearer ${HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY}" "$health_url" || true)"
   if [[ "$code" != "200" ]]; then
diff --git a/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-smoke.test.mjs b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-smoke.test.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..04cc44144e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/smoke/hermes-gateway-smoke.test.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { spawnSync } from "node:child_process";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+import { fileURLToPath } from "node:url";
+import test from "node:test";
+
+const repoRoot = path.resolve(path.dirname(fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)), "..", "..");
+const joinScript = path.join(repoRoot, "scripts", "smoke", "hermes-gateway-join.sh");
+const e2eScript = path.join(repoRoot, "scripts", "smoke", "hermes-gateway-e2e.sh");
+const entrypointScript = path.join(repoRoot, "docker", "hermes-gateway-smoke", "entrypoint.sh");
+
+function run(command, args, options = {}) {
+  return spawnSync(command, args, {
+    cwd: repoRoot,
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    ...options,
+  });
+}
+
+function assertSuccess(result, label) {
+  assert.equal(
+    result.status,
+    0,
+    `${label} failed\nstdout:\n${result.stdout}\nstderr:\n${result.stderr}`,
+  );
+}
+
+function extractFunction(scriptText, name) {
+  const lines = scriptText.split("\n");
+  const start = lines.findIndex((line) => line.trim() === `${name}() {`);
+  assert.notEqual(start, -1, `missing function ${name}`);
+
+  const collected = [];
+  for (let index = start; index < lines.length; index += 1) {
+    collected.push(lines[index]);
+    if (index > start && lines[index].trim() === "}") {
+      return collected.join("\n");
+    }
+  }
+  assert.fail(`unterminated function ${name}`);
+}
+
+function runBashFunctions(scriptPath, functionNames, body) {
+  const scriptText = fs.readFileSync(scriptPath, "utf8");
+  const functions = functionNames.map((name) => extractFunction(scriptText, name)).join("\n\n");
+  return run("bash", ["-c", `set -euo pipefail\n${functions}\n${body}`]);
+}
+
+test("Hermes gateway smoke shell scripts pass bash syntax validation", () => {
+  const result = run("bash", ["-n", joinScript, e2eScript, entrypointScript]);
+  assertSuccess(result, "bash -n");
+});
+
+test("Hermes gateway smoke help documents operator safety flags", () => {
+  for (const script of [joinScript, e2eScript]) {
+    const result = run("bash", [script, "--help"]);
+    assertSuccess(result, `${path.basename(script)} --help`);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /HERMES_GATEWAY_API_BASE_URL/);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /HERMES_GATEWAY_PROBE_URL/);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /HERMES_GATEWAY_ALLOW_INSECURE_HTTP/);
+    assert.match(result.stdout, /redact|redacted|Raw .*keys are redacted/i);
+  }
+
+  const e2eHelp = run("bash", [e2eScript, "--help"]).stdout;
+  assert.match(e2eHelp, /HERMES_SMOKE_KEEP/);
+  assert.match(e2eHelp, /HERMES_SMOKE_NETWORK/);
+  assert.match(e2eHelp, /Docker/);
+});
+
+test("join helper redacts known secrets without exposing raw key material", () => {
+  const result = runBashFunctions(
+    joinScript,
+    ["redact_text"],
+    `
+HERMES_GATEWAY_API_KEY="gateway-secret"
+CLAIM_SECRET="claim-secret"
+AGENT_API_KEY="agent-secret"
+PAPERCLIP_API_KEY="paperclip-secret"
+PAPERCLIP_AUTH_HEADER="Bearer board-secret"
+PAPERCLIP_COOKIE="session=board-cookie"
+output="$(redact_text "gateway-secret claim-secret agent-secret paperclip-secret Bearer board-secret session=board-cookie")"
+[[ "$output" != *"gateway-secret"* ]]
+[[ "$output" != *"claim-secret"* ]]
+[[ "$output" != *"agent-secret"* ]]
+[[ "$output" != *"paperclip-secret"* ]]
+[[ "$output" != *"board-secret"* ]]
+[[ "$output" != *"board-cookie"* ]]
+[[ "$output" == *"[redacted len=14]"* ]]
+`,
+  );
+  assertSuccess(result, "redact_text");
+});
+
+test("URL helpers distinguish loopback HTTP from unsafe remote HTTP", () => {
+  for (const script of [joinScript, e2eScript]) {
+    const result = runBashFunctions(
+      script,
+      ["url_host", "is_loopback_http_host", "is_remote_plain_http"],
+      `
+is_remote_plain_http "http://192.168.1.20:8642"
+is_remote_plain_http "http://hermes-gateway.local:8642"
+is_remote_plain_http "http://127.example.com:8642"
+is_remote_plain_http "http://localhost.evil:8642"
+! is_remote_plain_http "https://192.168.1.20:8642"
+! is_remote_plain_http "http://127.0.0.1:8642"
+! is_remote_plain_http "http://127.44.55.66:8642"
+! is_remote_plain_http "http://localhost:8642"
+! is_remote_plain_http "http://[::1]:8642"
+[[ "$(url_host "http://[::1]:8642/health")" == "::1" ]]
+[[ "$(url_host "http://127.example.com:8642/health")" == "127.example.com" ]]
+`,
+    );
+    assertSuccess(result, `${path.basename(script)} URL helpers`);
+  }
+});
+
+test("join helper normalizes trailing slashes for URL comparisons", () => {
+  const result = runBashFunctions(
+    joinScript,
+    ["strip_trailing_slash"],
+    `
+[[ "$(strip_trailing_slash "http://127.0.0.1:8642///")" == "http://127.0.0.1:8642" ]]
+[[ "$(strip_trailing_slash "https://gateway.example.com/")" == "https://gateway.example.com" ]]
+[[ "$(strip_trailing_slash "https://gateway.example.com/path/")" == "https://gateway.example.com/path" ]]
+`,
+  );
+  assertSuccess(result, "strip_trailing_slash");
+});