diff --git a/src/gateway/client.test.ts b/src/gateway/client.test.ts
index 0d2346efb85..04ddc5027d4 100644
--- a/src/gateway/client.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/client.test.ts
@@ -402,6 +402,26 @@ describe("GatewayClient connect auth payload", () => {
     client.stop();
   });
 
+  it("uses explicit shared password and does not inject stored device token", () => {
+    loadDeviceAuthTokenMock.mockReturnValue({ token: "stored-device-token" });
+    const client = new GatewayClient({
+      url: "ws://127.0.0.1:18789",
+      password: "shared-password", // pragma: allowlist secret
+    });
+
+    client.start();
+    const ws = getLatestWs();
+    ws.emitOpen();
+    emitConnectChallenge(ws);
+
+    expect(connectFrameFrom(ws)).toMatchObject({
+      password: "shared-password", // pragma: allowlist secret
+    });
+    expect(connectFrameFrom(ws).token).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(connectFrameFrom(ws).deviceToken).toBeUndefined();
+    client.stop();
+  });
+
   it("uses stored device token when shared token is not provided", () => {
     loadDeviceAuthTokenMock.mockReturnValue({ token: "stored-device-token" });
     const client = new GatewayClient({
diff --git a/src/gateway/client.ts b/src/gateway/client.ts
index a22d3471bb4..4641545ea8e 100644
--- a/src/gateway/client.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/client.ts
@@ -254,9 +254,12 @@ export class GatewayClient {
       ? loadDeviceAuthToken({ deviceId: this.opts.deviceIdentity.deviceId, role })?.token
       : null;
     // Keep shared gateway credentials explicit. Persisted per-device tokens only
-    // participate when no explicit shared token is provided.
+    // participate when no explicit shared token/password is provided.
     const resolvedDeviceToken =
-      explicitDeviceToken ?? (!explicitGatewayToken ? (storedToken ?? undefined) : undefined);
+      explicitDeviceToken ??
+      (!(explicitGatewayToken || this.opts.password?.trim())
+        ? (storedToken ?? undefined)
+        : undefined);
     // Legacy compatibility: keep `auth.token` populated for device-token auth when
     // no explicit shared token is present.
     const authToken = explicitGatewayToken ?? resolvedDeviceToken;