diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/runner.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/runner.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1e56ff25d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/runner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Long-lived messaging gateway runner."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+import hashlib
+import logging
+
+from sqlalchemy import select, text
+
+from app.db import GatewayPlatform, GatewayPlatformAccount, async_session_maker, engine
+from app.gateway.accounts import account_token
+from app.gateway.inbox import persist_inbound_event, telegram_event_dedupe_key
+from app.gateway.inbox_processor import claim_next_inbound_event, process_inbound_event
+from app.gateway.telegram.adapter import TelegramAdapter
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def _lock_key(token: str) -> int:
+    digest = hashlib.sha256(f"gateway:telegram:{token}".encode()).digest()
+    return int.from_bytes(digest[:8], "big", signed=True)
+
+
+class GatewayRunner:
+    async def run(self) -> None:
+        print("Gateway runner started. Waiting for inbound events...", flush=True)
+        tasks = [asyncio.create_task(self._process_inbox_forever())]
+
+        async with async_session_maker() as session:
+            result = await session.execute(
+                select(GatewayPlatformAccount).where(
+                    GatewayPlatformAccount.platform == GatewayPlatform.TELEGRAM,
+                    GatewayPlatformAccount.is_system_account.is_(False),
+                    GatewayPlatformAccount.suspended_at.is_(None),
+                )
+            )
+            accounts = list(result.scalars())
+
+        for account in accounts:
+            token = account_token(account)
+            if not token:
+                continue
+            logger.info("Starting Telegram long-poll loop for account_id=%s", account.id)
+            tasks.append(asyncio.create_task(self._run_telegram_account(account.id, token)))
+
+        await asyncio.gather(*tasks)
+
+    async def _process_inbox_forever(self) -> None:
+        logger.info("Gateway inbox processor started")
+        while True:
+            try:
+                inbox_id = await claim_next_inbound_event()
+                if inbox_id is None:
+                    await asyncio.sleep(0.5)
+                    continue
+                logger.info("Gateway processing inbox_id=%s", inbox_id)
+                await process_inbound_event(inbox_id)
+                logger.info("Gateway processed inbox_id=%s", inbox_id)
+            except Exception:
+                logger.exception("Gateway inbox processor failed one iteration")
+                await asyncio.sleep(1)
+
+    async def _run_telegram_account(self, account_id: int, token: str) -> None:
+        async with engine.connect() as conn:
+            got_lock = await conn.scalar(
+                text("SELECT pg_try_advisory_lock(:key)"),
+                {"key": _lock_key(token)},
+            )
+            if not got_lock:
+                logger.warning("Another Telegram gateway runner is active; exiting")
+                return
+
+            adapter = TelegramAdapter(token)
+            async with async_session_maker() as session:
+                account = await session.get(GatewayPlatformAccount, account_id)
+                offset = None
+                if account is not None:
+                    offset = int((account.cursor_state or {}).get("last_update_id", 0)) + 1
+
+            async for update in adapter.fetch_updates(offset=offset):
+                async with async_session_maker() as session:
+                    parsed = adapter.parse_inbound(update)
+                    inbox_id = await persist_inbound_event(
+                        session,
+                        account_id=account_id,
+                        platform=GatewayPlatform.TELEGRAM,
+                        event_dedupe_key=telegram_event_dedupe_key(update["update_id"]),
+                        external_event_id=str(update["update_id"]),
+                        external_message_id=parsed.external_message_id,
+                        event_kind=parsed.event_kind,
+                        raw_payload=update,
+                    )
+                    await session.commit()
+                    if inbox_id is not None:
+                        logger.debug("Persisted Telegram polling update inbox_id=%s", inbox_id)
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/gateway_runner.py b/surfsense_backend/gateway_runner.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72a1749a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/gateway_runner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+"""Entrypoint for SERVICE_ROLE=gateway."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+
+from app.gateway.runner import GatewayRunner
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    asyncio.run(GatewayRunner().run())
+