diff --git a/src/gateway/server-runtime-services.ts b/src/gateway/server-runtime-services.ts
index 0b79f3e02fc..dd5cf2460df 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-runtime-services.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-runtime-services.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/types.openclaw.js";
+import { isVitestRuntimeEnv } from "../infra/env.js";
 import { startHeartbeatRunner, type HeartbeatRunner } from "../infra/heartbeat-runner.js";
 import type { ChannelHealthMonitor } from "./channel-health-monitor.js";
 import { startChannelHealthMonitor } from "./channel-health-monitor.js";
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ export function startGatewayRuntimeServices(params: {
     heartbeatRunner: createNoopHeartbeatRunner(),
     channelHealthMonitor,
     stopModelPricingRefresh:
-      !params.minimalTestGateway && process.env.VITEST !== "1"
+      !params.minimalTestGateway && !isVitestRuntimeEnv()
         ? startGatewayModelPricingRefresh({ config: params.cfgAtStart })
         : () => {},
   };
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-runtime-subscriptions.ts b/src/gateway/server-runtime-subscriptions.ts
index 5ef062d071e..c442133a32e 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-runtime-subscriptions.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-runtime-subscriptions.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
 } from "./server-session-events.js";
 
 export function startGatewayEventSubscriptions(params: {
-  minimalTestGateway: boolean;
   broadcast: (event: string, payload: unknown, opts?: { dropIfSlow?: boolean }) => void;
   broadcastToConnIds: (
     event: string,
@@ -33,47 +32,39 @@ export function startGatewayEventSubscriptions(params: {
   sessionMessageSubscribers: SessionMessageSubscriberRegistry;
   chatAbortControllers: Map<string, unknown>;
 }) {
-  const agentUnsub = params.minimalTestGateway
-    ? null
-    : onAgentEvent(
-        createAgentEventHandler({
-          broadcast: params.broadcast,
-          broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
-          nodeSendToSession: params.nodeSendToSession,
-          agentRunSeq: params.agentRunSeq,
-          chatRunState: params.chatRunState,
-          resolveSessionKeyForRun: params.resolveSessionKeyForRun,
-          clearAgentRunContext: params.clearAgentRunContext,
-          toolEventRecipients: params.toolEventRecipients,
-          sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
-          isChatSendRunActive: (runId) => params.chatAbortControllers.has(runId),
-        }),
-      );
+  const agentUnsub = onAgentEvent(
+    createAgentEventHandler({
+      broadcast: params.broadcast,
+      broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
+      nodeSendToSession: params.nodeSendToSession,
+      agentRunSeq: params.agentRunSeq,
+      chatRunState: params.chatRunState,
+      resolveSessionKeyForRun: params.resolveSessionKeyForRun,
+      clearAgentRunContext: params.clearAgentRunContext,
+      toolEventRecipients: params.toolEventRecipients,
+      sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
+      isChatSendRunActive: (runId) => params.chatAbortControllers.has(runId),
+    }),
+  );
 
-  const heartbeatUnsub = params.minimalTestGateway
-    ? null
-    : onHeartbeatEvent((evt) => {
-        params.broadcast("heartbeat", evt, { dropIfSlow: true });
-      });
+  const heartbeatUnsub = onHeartbeatEvent((evt) => {
+    params.broadcast("heartbeat", evt, { dropIfSlow: true });
+  });
 
-  const transcriptUnsub = params.minimalTestGateway
-    ? null
-    : onSessionTranscriptUpdate(
-        createTranscriptUpdateBroadcastHandler({
-          broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
-          sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
-          sessionMessageSubscribers: params.sessionMessageSubscribers,
-        }),
-      );
+  const transcriptUnsub = onSessionTranscriptUpdate(
+    createTranscriptUpdateBroadcastHandler({
+      broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
+      sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
+      sessionMessageSubscribers: params.sessionMessageSubscribers,
+    }),
+  );
 
-  const lifecycleUnsub = params.minimalTestGateway
-    ? null
-    : onSessionLifecycleEvent(
-        createLifecycleEventBroadcastHandler({
-          broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
-          sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
-        }),
-      );
+  const lifecycleUnsub = onSessionLifecycleEvent(
+    createLifecycleEventBroadcastHandler({
+      broadcastToConnIds: params.broadcastToConnIds,
+      sessionEventSubscribers: params.sessionEventSubscribers,
+    }),
+  );
 
   return {
     agentUnsub,
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.auth.control-ui.suite.ts b/src/gateway/server.auth.control-ui.suite.ts
index 0c7598c5e1e..9eec1d8aa6b 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.auth.control-ui.suite.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.auth.control-ui.suite.ts
@@ -310,33 +310,36 @@ export function registerControlUiAndPairingSuite(): void {
     });
   });
 
-  test("allows localhost control ui without device identity when insecure auth is enabled", async () => {
+  test("allows localhost ui clients without device identity when insecure auth is enabled", async () => {
     testState.gatewayControlUi = { allowInsecureAuth: true };
-    const { server, ws, prevToken } = await startControlUiServerWithClient("secret", {
+    const { server, ws, port, prevToken } = await startControlUiServerWithClient("secret", {
       wsHeaders: { origin: "http://127.0.0.1" },
     });
-    await connectControlUiWithoutDeviceAndExpectOk({ ws, token: "secret" });
-    ws.close();
-    await server.close();
-    restoreGatewayToken(prevToken);
-  });
+    let tuiWs: WebSocket | undefined;
+    try {
+      await connectControlUiWithoutDeviceAndExpectOk({ ws, token: "secret" });
 
-  test("allows localhost tui without device identity when insecure auth is enabled", async () => {
-    testState.gatewayControlUi = { allowInsecureAuth: true };
-    const { server, ws, prevToken } = await startControlUiServerWithClient("secret");
-    await connectControlUiWithoutDeviceAndExpectOk({
-      ws,
-      token: "secret",
-      client: {
-        id: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.TUI,
-        version: "1.0.0",
-        platform: "darwin",
-        mode: GATEWAY_CLIENT_MODES.UI,
-      },
-    });
-    ws.close();
-    await server.close();
-    restoreGatewayToken(prevToken);
+      tuiWs = await openWs(port);
+      await connectControlUiWithoutDeviceAndExpectOk({
+        ws: tuiWs,
+        token: "secret",
+        client: {
+          id: GATEWAY_CLIENT_NAMES.TUI,
+          version: "1.0.0",
+          platform: "darwin",
+          mode: GATEWAY_CLIENT_MODES.UI,
+        },
+      });
+    } finally {
+      ws.close();
+      tuiWs?.close();
+      await Promise.all([
+        waitForWsClose(ws, 1_000),
+        ...(tuiWs ? [waitForWsClose(tuiWs, 1_000)] : []),
+      ]);
+      await server.close();
+      restoreGatewayToken(prevToken);
+    }
   });
 
   test("allows control ui password-only auth on localhost when insecure auth is enabled", async () => {
@@ -1322,16 +1325,35 @@ export function registerControlUiAndPairingSuite(): void {
     }
   });
 
-  test("allows local gateway backend shared-auth connections without device pairing", async () => {
-    const { server, ws, prevToken } = await startControlUiServerWithClient("secret");
+  test("allows gateway backend loopback shared-auth connections without device pairing", async () => {
+    const { server, ws, port, prevToken } = await startControlUiServerWithClient("secret");
+    const sockets = [ws];
     try {
-      const localBackend = await connectReq(ws, {
-        token: "secret",
-        client: BACKEND_GATEWAY_CLIENT,
-      });
-      expect(localBackend.ok).toBe(true);
+      const backendCases: Array<{
+        name: string;
+        headers?: Record<string, string>;
+        socket?: WebSocket;
+      }> = [
+        { name: "default host", socket: ws },
+        { name: "remote-looking host", headers: { host: "gateway.example" } },
+        { name: "private host", headers: { host: "172.17.0.2:18789" } },
+      ];
+
+      for (const backendCase of backendCases) {
+        const socket = backendCase.socket ?? (await openWs(port, backendCase.headers));
+        if (!backendCase.socket) {
+          sockets.push(socket);
+        }
+        const backendConnect = await connectReq(socket, {
+          token: "secret",
+          client: BACKEND_GATEWAY_CLIENT,
+        });
+        expect(backendConnect.ok, backendCase.name).toBe(true);
+      }
     } finally {
-      ws.close();
+      for (const socket of sockets) {
+        socket.close();
+      }
       await server.close();
       restoreGatewayToken(prevToken);
     }
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
index df43a301298..2bbc3367c0a 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.impl.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import { applyPluginAutoEnable } from "../config/plugin-auto-enable.js";
 import { resolveMainSessionKey } from "../config/sessions.js";
 import { clearAgentRunContext } from "../infra/agent-events.js";
 import { isDiagnosticsEnabled } from "../infra/diagnostic-events.js";
-import { logAcceptedEnvOption } from "../infra/env.js";
+import { isVitestRuntimeEnv, logAcceptedEnvOption } from "../infra/env.js";
 import { ensureOpenClawCliOnPath } from "../infra/path-env.js";
 import { setGatewaySigusr1RestartPolicy, setPreRestartDeferralCheck } from "../infra/restart.js";
 import { enqueueSystemEvent } from "../infra/system-events.js";
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
   opts: GatewayServerOptions = {},
 ): Promise<GatewayServer> {
   const minimalTestGateway =
-    process.env.VITEST === "1" && process.env.OPENCLAW_TEST_MINIMAL_GATEWAY === "1";
+    isVitestRuntimeEnv() && process.env.OPENCLAW_TEST_MINIMAL_GATEWAY === "1";
 
   // Ensure all default port derivations (browser/canvas) see the actual runtime port.
   process.env.OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT = String(port);
@@ -599,7 +599,6 @@ export async function startGatewayServer(
     Object.assign(
       runtimeState,
       startGatewayEventSubscriptions({
-        minimalTestGateway,
         broadcast,
         broadcastToConnIds,
         nodeSendToSession,
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.models-voicewake-misc.test.ts b/src/gateway/server.models-voicewake-misc.test.ts
index d6f3ec8c0af..fba65ecdc16 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.models-voicewake-misc.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.models-voicewake-misc.test.ts
@@ -542,9 +542,11 @@ describe("gateway server misc", () => {
       "utf-8",
     );
 
-    const autoPort = await getFreePort();
-    const autoServer = await startGatewayServer(autoPort);
-    await autoServer.close();
+    await withEnvAsync({ OPENCLAW_TEST_MINIMAL_GATEWAY: undefined }, async () => {
+      const autoPort = await getFreePort();
+      const autoServer = await startGatewayServer(autoPort);
+      await autoServer.close();
+    });
 
     const updated = JSON.parse(await fs.readFile(configPath, "utf-8")) as Record<string, unknown>;
     const channels = updated.channels as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
diff --git a/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts b/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
index 765562bd61a..b8ad945c47f 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server.reload.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { WebSocket } from "ws";
 import { resolveMainSessionKeyFromConfig } from "../config/sessions.js";
 import { drainSystemEvents } from "../infra/system-events.js";
+import { withEnvAsync } from "../test-utils/env.js";
 import {
   TALK_TEST_PROVIDER_API_KEY_PATH,
   TALK_TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
@@ -369,8 +370,16 @@ describe("gateway hot reload", () => {
     );
   }
 
+  async function withNonMinimalGatewayServer(
+    fn: Parameters<typeof withGatewayServer>[0],
+  ): ReturnType<typeof withGatewayServer> {
+    return await withEnvAsync({ OPENCLAW_TEST_MINIMAL_GATEWAY: undefined }, async () =>
+      withGatewayServer(fn),
+    );
+  }
+
   it("applies hot reload actions and emits restart signal", async () => {
-    await withGatewayServer(async () => {
+    await withNonMinimalGatewayServer(async () => {
       const onHotReload = hoisted.getOnHotReload();
       expect(onHotReload).toBeTypeOf("function");
 
@@ -473,7 +482,7 @@ describe("gateway hot reload", () => {
     await writeEnvRefConfig();
     process.env.OPENAI_API_KEY = "sk-startup"; // pragma: allowlist secret
 
-    await withGatewayServer(async () => {
+    await withNonMinimalGatewayServer(async () => {
       const onHotReload = hoisted.getOnHotReload();
       expect(onHotReload).toBeTypeOf("function");
       const sessionKey = resolveMainSessionKeyFromConfig();
diff --git a/src/infra/env.ts b/src/infra/env.ts
index 1b87d730e9c..716f67e18ae 100644
--- a/src/infra/env.ts
+++ b/src/infra/env.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,16 @@ export function isTruthyEnvValue(value?: string): boolean {
   }
 }
 
+export function isVitestRuntimeEnv(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): boolean {
+  return (
+    env.VITEST === "true" ||
+    env.VITEST === "1" ||
+    env.VITEST_POOL_ID !== undefined ||
+    env.VITEST_WORKER_ID !== undefined ||
+    env.NODE_ENV === "test"
+  );
+}
+
 export function normalizeEnv(): void {
   normalizeZaiEnv();
 }