diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5cf91505b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+"""Messaging gateway infrastructure for external chat channels."""
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/accounts.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/accounts.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..727d616c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/accounts.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""Gateway account helpers."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
+from app.config import config
+from app.db import (
+    GatewayAccountMode,
+    GatewayHealthStatus,
+    GatewayPlatform,
+    GatewayPlatformAccount,
+)
+from app.utils.oauth_security import TokenEncryption
+
+
+def account_token(account: GatewayPlatformAccount) -> str | None:
+    if account.is_system_account and account.platform == GatewayPlatform.TELEGRAM:
+        return config.TELEGRAM_SHARED_BOT_TOKEN
+    if not account.encrypted_credentials:
+        return None
+    return TokenEncryption(config.SECRET_KEY or "").decrypt_token(
+        account.encrypted_credentials
+    )
+
+
+async def get_or_create_system_telegram_account(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+) -> GatewayPlatformAccount:
+    result = await session.execute(
+        select(GatewayPlatformAccount).where(
+            GatewayPlatformAccount.platform == GatewayPlatform.TELEGRAM,
+            GatewayPlatformAccount.is_system_account.is_(True),
+        )
+    )
+    account = result.scalars().first()
+    if account is not None:
+        return account
+    account = GatewayPlatformAccount(
+        platform=GatewayPlatform.TELEGRAM,
+        mode=GatewayAccountMode.CLOUD_SHARED,
+        is_system_account=True,
+        account_metadata={
+            "bot_username": config.TELEGRAM_SHARED_BOT_USERNAME,
+            "webhook_secret": config.TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_SECRET,
+        },
+        cursor_state={},
+        health_status=GatewayHealthStatus.UNKNOWN,
+    )
+    session.add(account)
+    await session.flush()
+    return account
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/auth_invariant.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/auth_invariant.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..414c69c5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/auth_invariant.py
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+"""Authorization invariants for gateway-routed turns."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from fastapi import HTTPException
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
+from app.db import GatewayConversationBinding, Permission, User
+from app.gateway.bindings import suspend_binding
+from app.observability.metrics import record_gateway_auth_invariant_failure
+from app.utils.rbac import check_permission, check_search_space_access
+
+
+class GatewaySuspendedError(RuntimeError):
+    def __init__(self, reason: str) -> None:
+        self.reason = reason
+        super().__init__(reason)
+
+
+async def _fail(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+    binding: GatewayConversationBinding,
+    reason: str,
+) -> None:
+    suspend_binding(binding, reason)
+    record_gateway_auth_invariant_failure(cause=reason)
+    await session.flush()
+    raise GatewaySuspendedError(reason)
+
+
+async def assert_authorization_invariant(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+    binding: GatewayConversationBinding,
+) -> User:
+    if binding.state != "bound":
+        await _fail(session, binding, "binding_not_bound")
+
+    user = await session.get(User, binding.user_id)
+    if user is None:
+        await _fail(session, binding, "owner_missing")
+
+    try:
+        await check_search_space_access(session, user, binding.search_space_id)
+        await check_permission(
+            session,
+            user,
+            binding.search_space_id,
+            Permission.CHATS_CREATE.value,
+            "Gateway owner no longer has permission to chat in this search space",
+        )
+    except HTTPException as exc:
+        await _fail(session, binding, f"rbac_{exc.status_code}")
+
+    return user
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/__init__.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..962d068b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+"""Base gateway interfaces."""
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/adapter.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/adapter.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..caf351c05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/adapter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Platform adapter interfaces for messaging gateways."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class ParsedInboundEvent:
+    platform: str
+    event_kind: str
+    external_peer_id: str | None
+    external_peer_kind: str
+    external_message_id: str | None
+    external_user_id: str | None
+    text: str | None
+    raw_payload: dict[str, Any]
+    display_name: str | None = None
+    username: str | None = None
+    metadata: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class PlatformSendResult:
+    external_message_id: str
+    raw_response: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+class BasePlatformAdapter(ABC):
+    platform: str
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def parse_inbound(self, raw_payload: dict[str, Any]) -> ParsedInboundEvent:
+        """Parse a provider webhook/update into the gateway's normalized shape."""
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def send_message(
+        self,
+        *,
+        external_peer_id: str,
+        text: str,
+        parse_mode: str | None = None,
+        reply_to_message_id: str | None = None,
+    ) -> PlatformSendResult:
+        """Send a new platform message."""
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def edit_message(
+        self,
+        *,
+        external_peer_id: str,
+        external_message_id: str,
+        text: str,
+        parse_mode: str | None = None,
+    ) -> PlatformSendResult:
+        """Edit an existing platform message."""
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def validate_credentials(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        """Validate configured credentials and return account metadata."""
+
+    async def fetch_updates(self, *, offset: int | None) -> AsyncIterator[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Yield provider updates for long-polling adapters."""
+        if False:
+            yield {}  # pragma: no cover
+        raise NotImplementedError("This adapter does not support long-polling")
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/identity.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/identity.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..608ae41c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/identity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+"""Gateway identity helpers."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import hashlib
+
+
+def normalize_external_peer_id(value: str | int | None) -> str | None:
+    if value is None:
+        return None
+    return str(value).strip()
+
+
+def hash_external_id(value: str | int | None) -> str | None:
+    normalized = normalize_external_peer_id(value)
+    if not normalized:
+        return None
+    return hashlib.sha256(normalized.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/translator.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/translator.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..af72188e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/base/translator.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+"""Base stream translator for platform-specific outbound UX."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from collections.abc import AsyncIterator
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+from typing import Any
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class GatewayStreamEvent:
+    """Small provider-neutral event shape consumed by translators.
+
+    The existing chat stack emits Vercel/assistant-ui events.  Gateway code
+    normalizes the subset it needs into this shape before handing it to the
+    platform translator.
+    """
+
+    type: str
+    data: dict[str, Any] = field(default_factory=dict)
+
+
+class BaseStreamTranslator(ABC):
+    @abstractmethod
+    async def translate(self, events: AsyncIterator[GatewayStreamEvent]) -> None:
+        """Consume agent stream events and emit platform messages."""
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/bindings.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/bindings.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6f2b641f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/bindings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+"""Gateway binding helpers."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import UTC, datetime
+
+from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
+from app.db import (
+    ChatVisibility,
+    GatewayBindingState,
+    GatewayConversationBinding,
+    NewChatThread,
+)
+
+
+async def get_or_create_thread_for_binding(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+    binding: GatewayConversationBinding,
+) -> NewChatThread:
+    if binding.active_thread_id is not None:
+        result = await session.execute(
+            select(NewChatThread).where(NewChatThread.id == binding.active_thread_id)
+        )
+        thread = result.scalars().first()
+        if thread is not None and not thread.archived:
+            return thread
+
+    thread = NewChatThread(
+        title="Telegram chat",
+        search_space_id=binding.search_space_id,
+        created_by_id=binding.user_id,
+        visibility=ChatVisibility.PRIVATE,
+        source="telegram",
+        binding_id=binding.id,
+    )
+    session.add(thread)
+    await session.flush()
+    binding.active_thread_id = thread.id
+    return thread
+
+
+def suspend_binding(binding: GatewayConversationBinding, reason: str) -> None:
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    binding.state = GatewayBindingState.SUSPENDED
+    binding.suspended_at = now
+    binding.suspended_reason = reason
+
+
+def revoke_binding(binding: GatewayConversationBinding) -> None:
+    now = datetime.now(UTC)
+    binding.state = GatewayBindingState.REVOKED
+    binding.revoked_at = now
+    binding.active_thread_id = None
+
+
+def resume_binding(binding: GatewayConversationBinding) -> None:
+    binding.state = GatewayBindingState.BOUND
+    binding.suspended_at = None
+    binding.suspended_reason = None
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/hitl_filter.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/hitl_filter.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e3acc6d42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/hitl_filter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+"""Filter approval-required tools from gateway agent invocations."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from collections.abc import Iterable
+from typing import Any
+
+DEFAULT_HITL_TOOL_NAMES = {
+    "delete_document",
+    "delete_folder",
+    "delete_note",
+    "delete_report",
+    "delete_connector",
+    "send_email",
+    "share_chat",
+}
+
+
+def _tool_name(tool: Any) -> str | None:
+    if isinstance(tool, str):
+        return tool
+    return getattr(tool, "name", None) or getattr(tool, "__name__", None)
+
+
+def filter_hitl_tools(
+    toolkit: Iterable[Any] | None,
+    *,
+    blocked_names: set[str] | None = None,
+) -> list[Any] | None:
+    """Return a toolkit with known approval-required tools removed."""
+    if toolkit is None:
+        return None
+    blocked = blocked_names or DEFAULT_HITL_TOOL_NAMES
+    return [tool for tool in toolkit if (_tool_name(tool) or "") not in blocked]
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/inbox.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/inbox.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c98ee5977
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/inbox.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+"""Durable gateway inbox helpers."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from sqlalchemy.dialects.postgresql import insert
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
+from app.db import GatewayInboundEvent, GatewayPlatform
+
+
+def telegram_event_dedupe_key(update_id: int | str) -> str:
+    return f"update:{update_id}"
+
+
+async def persist_inbound_event(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+    *,
+    account_id: int,
+    platform: GatewayPlatform,
+    event_dedupe_key: str,
+    event_kind: str,
+    raw_payload: dict,
+    external_event_id: str | None = None,
+    external_message_id: str | None = None,
+) -> int | None:
+    stmt = (
+        insert(GatewayInboundEvent)
+        .values(
+            account_id=account_id,
+            platform=platform,
+            event_dedupe_key=event_dedupe_key,
+            external_event_id=external_event_id,
+            external_message_id=external_message_id,
+            event_kind=event_kind,
+            raw_payload=raw_payload,
+        )
+        .on_conflict_do_nothing(
+            index_elements=["account_id", "event_dedupe_key"],
+        )
+        .returning(GatewayInboundEvent.id)
+    )
+    result = await session.execute(stmt)
+    return result.scalar_one_or_none()
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/pairing.py b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/pairing.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55232022e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/app/gateway/pairing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+"""Pairing code lifecycle for gateway bindings."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import secrets
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
+
+from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
+from app.db import GatewayBindingState, GatewayConversationBinding
+
+PAIRING_CODE_TTL = timedelta(minutes=10)
+
+
+def generate_pairing_code() -> str:
+    return secrets.token_urlsafe(6)
+
+
+def pairing_expires_at() -> datetime:
+    return datetime.now(UTC) + PAIRING_CODE_TTL
+
+
+async def redeem_pairing_code(
+    session: AsyncSession,
+    *,
+    code: str,
+    external_peer_id: str,
+    external_peer_kind: str,
+    external_display_name: str | None,
+    external_username: str | None,
+    external_metadata: dict | None = None,
+) -> GatewayConversationBinding | None:
+    result = await session.execute(
+        select(GatewayConversationBinding).where(
+            GatewayConversationBinding.pairing_code == code,
+            GatewayConversationBinding.state == GatewayBindingState.PENDING,
+            GatewayConversationBinding.pairing_code_expires_at > datetime.now(UTC),
+        )
+    )
+    binding = result.scalars().first()
+    if binding is None:
+        return None
+
+    binding.state = GatewayBindingState.BOUND
+    binding.pairing_code = None
+    binding.pairing_code_expires_at = None
+    binding.external_peer_id = external_peer_id
+    binding.external_peer_kind = external_peer_kind
+    binding.external_display_name = external_display_name
+    binding.external_username = external_username
+    binding.external_metadata = external_metadata or {}
+    return binding
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_hitl_filter.py b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_hitl_filter.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..90f94b6ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_hitl_filter.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from app.gateway.hitl_filter import filter_hitl_tools
+
+
+class Tool:
+    def __init__(self, name: str) -> None:
+        self.name = name
+
+
+def test_filter_hitl_tools_removes_known_approval_tools():
+    tools = [Tool("delete_document"), Tool("search"), "send_email", "summarize"]
+
+    filtered = filter_hitl_tools(tools)
+
+    assert [getattr(tool, "name", tool) for tool in filtered] == ["search", "summarize"]
+
diff --git a/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_pairing.py b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_pairing.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c50bd6b7c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/surfsense_backend/tests/unit/gateway/test_pairing.py
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
+
+import pytest
+
+from app.db import GatewayBindingState
+from app.gateway.pairing import generate_pairing_code, redeem_pairing_code
+
+
+def test_generate_pairing_code_is_short_display_token():
+    code = generate_pairing_code()
+
+    assert len(code) >= 8
+    assert "\n" not in code
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_redeem_pairing_code_binds_pending_row(mocker):
+    binding = mocker.Mock()
+    binding.state = GatewayBindingState.PENDING
+    binding.pairing_code_expires_at = datetime.now(UTC) + timedelta(minutes=1)
+    scalars = mocker.Mock()
+    scalars.first.return_value = binding
+    result = mocker.Mock()
+    result.scalars.return_value = scalars
+    session = mocker.AsyncMock()
+    session.execute.return_value = result
+
+    redeemed = await redeem_pairing_code(
+        session,
+        code="abc",
+        external_peer_id="telegram:123",
+        external_peer_kind="direct",
+        external_display_name="Anish",
+        external_username="anish",
+    )
+
+    assert redeemed is binding
+    assert binding.state == GatewayBindingState.BOUND
+    assert binding.external_peer_id == "telegram:123"
+    assert binding.pairing_code is None
+