diff --git a/‎.agents/skills/helm-dev-environment/SKILL.md‎
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diff --git a/‎architecture/gateway.md‎
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diff --git a/‎crates/openshell-server/src/certgen.rs‎
Lines changed: 194 additions & 2 deletions b/‎crates/openshell-server/src/certgen.rs‎
Lines changed: 194 additions & 2 deletions
diff --git a/‎crates/openshell-server/src/cli.rs‎
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@@ -225,6 +225,35 @@ Envoy Gateway is already installed by Skaffold (the `envoy-gateway` Helm release
 service for the proxy; klipper-lb binds it to hostPort 80, reachable via the
 `8080:80` load balancer port mapping.
 
+### BackendTLSPolicy (end-to-end TLS)
+
+To enable end-to-end TLS between the Gateway proxy and the gateway pod, add
+BackendTLSPolicy values to the Helm install:
+
+```bash
+helm upgrade --install openshell deploy/helm/openshell \
+  --set grpcRoute.enabled=true \
+  --set grpcRoute.backendTLSPolicy.enabled=true \
+  --set server.tls.enableMtls=false \
+  ...
+```
+
+This requires `server.tls.enableMtls=false` because ingress proxies cannot
+present client certificates to the backend. The certgen hook creates a backend
+CA ConfigMap from the server Secret's `ca.crt` key. With cert-manager, a
+separate post-install Job polls for the cert-manager-issued certificate (up to
+`pkiInitJob.timeoutSeconds`); with built-in PKI the ConfigMap is created in the
+same pre-install hook. The ConfigMap is reconciled on every upgrade so CA
+rotations propagate automatically.
+
+Key Helm values:
+- `grpcRoute.backendTLSPolicy.enabled`: create the BackendTLSPolicy resource
+- `grpcRoute.backendTLSPolicy.caCertificateConfigMapName`: override ConfigMap name
+- `grpcRoute.backendTLSPolicy.hostname`: override backend validation hostname
+- `server.tls.enableMtls`: must be `false` for BackendTLSPolicy
+- `pkiInitJob.timeoutSeconds`: polling duration for cert-manager mode
+- `pkiInitJob.failOnTimeout`: fail install if cert-manager times out
+
 ### Keycloak OIDC
 
 One-time setup — only needed once per cluster lifetime:
 
@@ -762,6 +762,25 @@ requested present -> generate and write. This guards continuity across restarts
 and upgrades while still recovering cleanly if an operator deletes everything
 and starts over.
 
+When `grpcRoute.backendTLSPolicy.enabled=true`, the certgen hook also creates a
+`ConfigMap` containing the CA certificate (`ca.crt`) used by the Gateway proxy
+to validate the backend pod's TLS certificate. The CA is always read from the
+authoritative server Secret (not the in-memory bundle) so that enabling
+BackendTLSPolicy on an existing release uses the CA that actually signed the
+server certificate. The ConfigMap is reconciled on every hook run: if the CA
+changes (rotation, re-issue), the ConfigMap is updated in place. In built-in PKI
+mode the ConfigMap is created in the same pre-install hook. In cert-manager
+mode, a separate post-install/post-upgrade hook Job polls for the cert-manager-
+issued server Secret and then creates or updates the ConfigMap, because
+cert-manager Certificate resources are regular release objects applied after
+pre-install hooks.
+
+The `server.tls.enableMtls` value controls whether the gateway requires client
+certificates. When `enableMtls` is `false`, the gateway runs HTTPS-only without
+client certificate verification (use OIDC for identity instead). BackendTLSPolicy
+requires `enableMtls=false` because the ingress proxy cannot present client
+certificates to the backend.
+
 Operators who manage TLS PKI with cert-manager enable `certManager.enabled`;
 cert-manager takes precedence over built-in TLS generation and the chart still
 renders the JWT-only hook. Operators who pre-create all TLS and JWT Secrets can
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 use clap::Args;
 use k8s_openapi::ByteString;
-use k8s_openapi::api::core::v1::Secret;
+use k8s_openapi::api::core::v1::{ConfigMap, Secret};
 use kube::Client;
 use kube::api::{Api, ObjectMeta, PostParams};
 use miette::{IntoDiagnostic, Result, WrapErr};
@@ -78,6 +78,33 @@ pub struct CertgenArgs {
     /// For local debugging.
     #[arg(long)]
     dry_run: bool,
+
+    /// Name of a `ConfigMap` to create containing the CA certificate (key: ca.crt)
+    /// for `BackendTLSPolicy` backend validation. The CA is always read from the
+    /// authoritative server Secret: --server-secret-name in full PKI mode,
+    /// --backend-ca-source-secret in --jwt-only mode.
+    #[arg(long, value_name = "NAME")]
+    backend_ca_configmap_name: Option<String>,
+
+    /// Name of an existing `Secret` containing a ca.crt key to populate the
+    /// backend CA `ConfigMap` from. Required with --jwt-only when
+    /// --backend-ca-configmap-name is set (typically the server TLS `Secret`
+    /// created by cert-manager).
+    #[arg(long, value_name = "NAME", requires = "backend_ca_configmap_name")]
+    backend_ca_source_secret: Option<String>,
+
+    /// Maximum time in seconds to poll for the backend CA source `Secret` when
+    /// using cert-manager. Defaults to 90 seconds. The Helm chart sets this to
+    /// (Job activeDeadlineSeconds - 30) to leave margin for `ConfigMap` creation.
+    #[arg(long, value_name = "SECONDS", default_value = "90")]
+    backend_ca_poll_timeout_seconds: u64,
+
+    /// Fail with an error if the backend CA source `Secret` is not found within
+    /// the polling timeout. When false (default), the hook succeeds with a warning
+    /// and the `ConfigMap` is not created. The Helm chart sets this based on
+    /// pkiInitJob.failOnTimeout.
+    #[arg(long)]
+    backend_ca_fail_on_timeout: bool,
 }
 
 pub async fn run(args: CertgenArgs) -> Result<()> {
@@ -97,7 +124,13 @@ pub async fn run(args: CertgenArgs) -> Result<()> {
         run_local(dir, &args.server_sans)
     } else {
         let bundle = generate_pki(&args.server_sans)?;
-        run_kubernetes(&args, &bundle).await
+        run_kubernetes(&args, &bundle).await?;
+
+        if let Some(ref cm_name) = args.backend_ca_configmap_name {
+            create_backend_ca_configmap_if_needed(&args, cm_name).await?;
+        }
+
+        Ok(())
     }
 }
 
@@ -293,6 +326,165 @@ async fn create_tls_secrets(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+fn extract_ca_from_secret(secret: &Secret, name: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    let data = secret
+        .data
+        .as_ref()
+        .ok_or_else(|| miette::miette!("secret {name} has no data"))?;
+    let ca = data
+        .get("ca.crt")
+        .ok_or_else(|| miette::miette!("secret {name} has no ca.crt key"))?;
+    String::from_utf8(ca.0.clone())
+        .into_diagnostic()
+        .wrap_err("ca.crt is not valid UTF-8")
+}
+
+async fn create_backend_ca_configmap_if_needed(
+    args: &CertgenArgs,
+    configmap_name: &str,
+) -> Result<()> {
+    let namespace = args
+        .namespace
+        .as_deref()
+        .ok_or_else(|| miette::miette!("--namespace is required (or set POD_NAMESPACE)"))?;
+
+    let client = Client::try_default()
+        .await
+        .into_diagnostic()
+        .wrap_err("failed to construct Kubernetes client for backend CA ConfigMap")?;
+    let secret_api: Api<Secret> = Api::namespaced(client.clone(), namespace);
+    let cm_api: Api<ConfigMap> = Api::namespaced(client, namespace);
+
+    // Resolve the CA from the authoritative server Secret rather than the
+    // in-memory bundle so upgrades that enable BackendTLSPolicy on an
+    // existing release use the CA that actually signed the server cert.
+    let ca_pem = if let Some(source_secret) = &args.backend_ca_source_secret {
+        let poll_timeout = std::time::Duration::from_secs(args.backend_ca_poll_timeout_seconds);
+        let poll_interval = std::time::Duration::from_secs(2);
+        let start = std::time::Instant::now();
+
+        let secret = loop {
+            match secret_api
+                .get_opt(source_secret)
+                .await
+                .into_diagnostic()
+                .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to read secret {source_secret}"))?
+            {
+                Some(secret) => break secret,
+                None if start.elapsed() >= poll_timeout => {
+                    let msg = format!(
+                        "Backend CA source secret {source_secret} not found after {timeout_secs}s; \
+                         ConfigMap {configmap_name} not created. This is expected if cert-manager \
+                         is still issuing the certificate.",
+                        timeout_secs = poll_timeout.as_secs()
+                    );
+                    if args.backend_ca_fail_on_timeout {
+                        return Err(miette::miette!(
+                            "{msg} Install failed due to --backend-ca-fail-on-timeout."
+                        ));
+                    }
+                    warn!(
+                        secret = %source_secret,
+                        configmap = %configmap_name,
+                        timeout_secs = poll_timeout.as_secs(),
+                        "{msg} Run helm upgrade after the TLS secret exists or the BackendTLSPolicy \
+                         will remain non-functional until the ConfigMap is created manually."
+                    );
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+                None => {
+                    if start.elapsed().as_secs().is_multiple_of(10) {
+                        info!(
+                            secret = %source_secret,
+                            elapsed_secs = start.elapsed().as_secs(),
+                            "Waiting for cert-manager to issue TLS certificate..."
+                        );
+                    }
+                    tokio::time::sleep(poll_interval).await;
+                }
+            }
+        };
+
+        info!(
+            secret = %source_secret,
+            elapsed_secs = start.elapsed().as_secs(),
+            "cert-manager TLS certificate found."
+        );
+        extract_ca_from_secret(&secret, source_secret)?
+    } else if let Some(server_secret) = &args.server_secret_name {
+        let secret = secret_api
+            .get(server_secret)
+            .await
+            .into_diagnostic()
+            .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to read server secret {server_secret}"))?;
+        extract_ca_from_secret(&secret, server_secret)?
+    } else {
+        return Err(miette::miette!(
+            "--backend-ca-source-secret or --server-secret-name is required \
+             with --backend-ca-configmap-name"
+        ));
+    };
+
+    // Reconcile: create or update so the backend CA stays current across
+    // CA rotations and upgrades.
+    if let Some(existing) = cm_api
+        .get_opt(configmap_name)
+        .await
+        .into_diagnostic()
+        .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to read configmap {configmap_name}"))?
+    {
+        let up_to_date = existing
+            .data
+            .as_ref()
+            .and_then(|d| d.get("ca.crt"))
+            .map(String::as_str)
+            == Some(&ca_pem);
+        if up_to_date {
+            info!(
+                namespace = %namespace,
+                configmap = %configmap_name,
+                "Backend CA ConfigMap is up-to-date, skipping."
+            );
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+        let mut updated = existing;
+        updated.data = Some(BTreeMap::from([("ca.crt".to_string(), ca_pem)]));
+        cm_api
+            .replace(configmap_name, &PostParams::default(), &updated)
+            .await
+            .into_diagnostic()
+            .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to update configmap {configmap_name}"))?;
+        info!(
+            namespace = %namespace,
+            configmap = %configmap_name,
+            "Backend CA ConfigMap updated with current CA."
+        );
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    let configmap = ConfigMap {
+        metadata: ObjectMeta {
+            name: Some(configmap_name.to_string()),
+            ..Default::default()
+        },
+        data: Some(BTreeMap::from([("ca.crt".to_string(), ca_pem)])),
+        ..Default::default()
+    };
+
+    cm_api
+        .create(&PostParams::default(), &configmap)
+        .await
+        .into_diagnostic()
+        .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to create configmap {configmap_name}"))?;
+
+    info!(
+        namespace = %namespace,
+        configmap = %configmap_name,
+        "Backend CA ConfigMap created."
+    );
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 fn tls_secret(name: &str, crt_pem: &str, key_pem: &str, ca_pem: &str) -> Secret {
     let mut data = BTreeMap::new();
     data.insert(
 
@@ -2314,6 +2314,59 @@ mod tests {
         .expect("complete package-generated TLS paths may not exist before certificate generation");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn generate_certs_backend_ca_configmap_flags_parse() {
+        let _lock = ENV_LOCK
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap_or_else(std::sync::PoisonError::into_inner);
+        let _g1 = EnvVarGuard::remove("OPENSHELL_DB_URL");
+        let _g2 = EnvVarGuard::remove("POD_NAMESPACE");
+
+        let cli = Cli::try_parse_from([
+            "openshell-gateway",
+            "generate-certs",
+            "--namespace",
+            "openshell",
+            "--jwt-only",
+            "--jwt-secret-name",
+            "openshell-jwt-keys",
+            "--backend-ca-configmap-name",
+            "openshell-backend-ca",
+            "--backend-ca-source-secret",
+            "openshell-server-tls",
+        ])
+        .expect("backend CA ConfigMap flags should parse with --jwt-only");
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            cli.command,
+            Some(super::Commands::GenerateCerts(_))
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generate_certs_backend_ca_source_secret_requires_configmap_name() {
+        let _lock = ENV_LOCK
+            .lock()
+            .unwrap_or_else(std::sync::PoisonError::into_inner);
+        let _g1 = EnvVarGuard::remove("OPENSHELL_DB_URL");
+        let _g2 = EnvVarGuard::remove("POD_NAMESPACE");
+
+        let err = Cli::try_parse_from([
+            "openshell-gateway",
+            "generate-certs",
+            "--namespace",
+            "openshell",
+            "--jwt-only",
+            "--jwt-secret-name",
+            "openshell-jwt-keys",
+            "--backend-ca-source-secret",
+            "openshell-server-tls",
+        ])
+        .expect_err("--backend-ca-source-secret should require --backend-ca-configmap-name");
+
+        assert_eq!(err.kind(), clap::error::ErrorKind::MissingRequiredArgument);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn bare_invocation_with_no_db_url_parses_for_runtime_defaults() {
         // db_url is Option<String> at the clap level so subcommand parsing