diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index c29bc915..46d5886c 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 # --- Gateway (required) ---
 GOCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN=
 GOCLAW_ENCRYPTION_KEY=
+POSTGRES_PASSWORD=
 
 # --- Database (only for non-Docker deployments) ---
 # Docker Compose auto-builds this from POSTGRES_USER/PASSWORD/DB.
diff --git a/cmd/gateway.go b/cmd/gateway.go
index bf892adf..bfed853e 100644
--- a/cmd/gateway.go
+++ b/cmd/gateway.go
@@ -1059,6 +1059,14 @@ func runGateway() {
 		slog.Info("Tailscale enabled. Consider setting GOCLAW_HOST=127.0.0.1 for localhost-only + Tailscale access")
 	}
 
+	// Security warnings
+	if strings.Contains(cfg.Database.PostgresDSN, ":goclaw@") {
+		slog.Warn("security.default_db_password: using default Postgres password — run ./prepare-env.sh to generate a strong one")
+	}
+	if len(cfg.Gateway.AllowedOrigins) == 0 {
+		slog.Warn("security.cors_open: no allowed_origins configured — all WebSocket origins accepted. Set gateway.allowed_origins for production")
+	}
+
 	if err := server.Start(ctx); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("gateway error", "error", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/internal/gateway/server.go b/internal/gateway/server.go
index 16c60379..5e0c57b4 100644
--- a/internal/gateway/server.go
+++ b/internal/gateway/server.go
@@ -312,17 +312,22 @@ func (s *Server) BuildMux() *http.ServeMux {
 
 	// MCP bridge: expose GoClaw tools to Claude CLI via streamable-http.
 	// Only listens on localhost (CLI runs on the same machine).
-	// Protected by gateway token when configured.
-	// Agent context (X-Agent-ID, X-User-ID) is injected from request headers.
+	// Protected by gateway token; disabled when no token is configured to
+	// prevent unauthenticated tool invocations if port is exposed.
 	if s.tools != nil {
-		bridgeHandler := mcpbridge.NewBridgeServer(s.tools, "1.0.0", s.msgBus)
-		var handler http.Handler = bridgeContextMiddleware(s.cfg.Gateway.Token, bridgeHandler)
 		if s.cfg.Gateway.Token != "" {
-			handler = tokenAuthMiddleware(s.cfg.Gateway.Token, handler)
+			bridgeHandler := mcpbridge.NewBridgeServer(s.tools, "1.0.0", s.msgBus)
+			handler := tokenAuthMiddleware(s.cfg.Gateway.Token,
+				bridgeContextMiddleware(s.cfg.Gateway.Token, bridgeHandler))
+			mux.Handle("/mcp/bridge", handler)
 		} else {
-			slog.Warn("security.mcp_bridge: no gateway token configured, MCP bridge tools are unauthenticated")
+			slog.Warn("security.mcp_bridge_disabled: no gateway token configured, MCP bridge is disabled")
+			mux.HandleFunc("/mcp/bridge", func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+				w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusForbidden)
+				_, _ = w.Write([]byte(`{"error":"mcp bridge disabled: set GOCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN to enable"}`))
+			})
 		}
-		mux.Handle("/mcp/bridge", handler)
 	}
 
 	s.mux = mux