diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 150f567..f18aed7 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -5,9 +5,15 @@ test:
 	@echo Running tests...
 	go test -v $(TEST)
 
+# Gateway-focused E2E tests assume gateway and nodes are already running
+# Configure via env:
+#   GATEWAY_BASE_URL (default http://127.0.0.1:8080)
+#   GATEWAY_API_KEY  (required for auth-protected routes)
 .PHONY: test-e2e
 test-e2e:
-	@echo Running E2E tests...
+	@echo "Running gateway E2E tests (HTTP/WS only)..."
+	@echo "Base URL: $${GATEWAY_BASE_URL:-http://127.0.0.1:8080}"
+	@test -n "$$GATEWAY_API_KEY" || (echo "GATEWAY_API_KEY must be set" && exit 1)
 	go test -v -tags e2e ./e2e
 
 # Network - Distributed P2P Database System
@@ -37,11 +43,6 @@ clean:
 	rm -rf data/
 	@echo "Clean complete!"
 
-# Run tests
-test:
-	@echo "Running tests..."
-	go test -v ./...
-
 # Run bootstrap node (auto-selects identity and data dir)
 run-node:
 	@echo "Starting bootstrap node with config..."
@@ -151,30 +152,6 @@ dev-setup: deps
 	@mkdir -p data/test-bootstrap data/test-node1 data/test-node2
 	@echo "Development setup complete!"
 
-# Multi-node testing
-test-multinode: build
-	@echo "🧪 Starting comprehensive multi-node test..."
-	@chmod +x scripts/test-multinode.sh
-	@./scripts/test-multinode.sh
-
-test-peer-discovery: build
-	@echo "🔍 Testing peer discovery (requires running nodes)..."
-	@echo "Connected peers:"
-	@./bin/network-cli peers --timeout 10s
-
-test-replication: build
-	@echo "🔄 Testing data replication (requires running nodes)..."
-	@./bin/network-cli storage put "replication:test:$$(date +%s)" "Test data - $$(date)"
-	@sleep 2
-	@echo "Retrieving replicated data:"
-	@./bin/network-cli storage list replication:test:
-
-test-consensus: build
-	@echo "🗄️ Testing database consensus (requires running nodes)..."
-	@./bin/network-cli query "CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS consensus_test (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY, test_data TEXT, timestamp TEXT)"
-	@./bin/network-cli query "INSERT INTO consensus_test (test_data, timestamp) VALUES ('Makefile test', '$$(date)')"
-	@./bin/network-cli query "SELECT * FROM consensus_test ORDER BY id DESC LIMIT 5"
-
 # Start development cluster (requires multiple terminals)
 dev-cluster:
 	@echo "To start a development cluster, run these commands in separate terminals:"
diff --git a/e2e/gateway_e2e_test.go b/e2e/gateway_e2e_test.go
index 58d5955..bb3dc2e 100644
--- a/e2e/gateway_e2e_test.go
+++ b/e2e/gateway_e2e_test.go
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@
 package e2e
 
 import (
-	"context"
-	"crypto/rand"
+    "crypto/rand"
 	"encoding/base64"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+    "io"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
@@ -111,11 +111,10 @@ func TestGateway_Storage_PutGetListExistsDelete(t *testing.T) {
 		if err != nil { t.Fatalf("get do: %v", err) }
 		defer resp.Body.Close()
 		if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusOK { t.Fatalf("get status: %d", resp.StatusCode) }
-		got := make([]byte, len(payload))
-		n, _ := resp.Body.Read(got)
-		if n == 0 || string(got[:n]) != string(payload[:n]) {
-			t.Fatalf("payload mismatch: want %q got %q", string(payload), string(got[:n]))
-		}
+    got, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+    if string(got) != string(payload) {
+        t.Fatalf("payload mismatch: want %q got %q", string(payload), string(got))
+    }
 	}
 
 	// LIST (prefix)
diff --git a/pkg/gateway/middleware.go b/pkg/gateway/middleware.go
index f4f9160..4400395 100644
--- a/pkg/gateway/middleware.go
+++ b/pkg/gateway/middleware.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"git.debros.io/DeBros/network/pkg/client"
 	"git.debros.io/DeBros/network/pkg/logging"
 	"git.debros.io/DeBros/network/pkg/storage"
 	"go.uber.org/zap"
@@ -95,12 +96,13 @@ func (g *Gateway) authMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// Look up API key in DB and derive namespace
-		db := g.client.Database()
-		ctx := r.Context()
-		// Join to namespaces to resolve name in one query
-		q := "SELECT namespaces.name FROM api_keys JOIN namespaces ON api_keys.namespace_id = namespaces.id WHERE api_keys.key = ? LIMIT 1"
-		res, err := db.Query(ctx, q, key)
+        // Look up API key in DB and derive namespace
+        db := g.client.Database()
+        // Use internal auth for DB validation (auth not established yet)
+        internalCtx := client.WithInternalAuth(r.Context())
+        // Join to namespaces to resolve name in one query
+        q := "SELECT namespaces.name FROM api_keys JOIN namespaces ON api_keys.namespace_id = namespaces.id WHERE api_keys.key = ? LIMIT 1"
+        res, err := db.Query(internalCtx, q, key)
 		if err != nil || res == nil || res.Count == 0 || len(res.Rows) == 0 || len(res.Rows[0]) == 0 {
 			w.Header().Set("WWW-Authenticate", "Bearer error=\"invalid_token\"")
 			writeError(w, http.StatusUnauthorized, "invalid API key")
@@ -121,10 +123,10 @@ func (g *Gateway) authMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// Attach auth metadata to context for downstream use
-		ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, ctxKeyAPIKey, key)
-		ctx = storage.WithNamespace(ctx, ns)
-		next.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(ctx))
+        // Attach auth metadata to context for downstream use
+        reqCtx := context.WithValue(r.Context(), ctxKeyAPIKey, key)
+        reqCtx = storage.WithNamespace(reqCtx, ns)
+        next.ServeHTTP(w, r.WithContext(reqCtx))
 	})
 }
 
@@ -224,22 +226,23 @@ func (g *Gateway) authorizationMiddleware(next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// Check ownership in DB
-		db := g.client.Database()
-		// Ensure namespace exists and get id
-		if _, err := db.Query(ctx, "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO namespaces(name) VALUES (?)", ns); err != nil {
+        // Check ownership in DB using internal auth context
+        db := g.client.Database()
+        internalCtx := client.WithInternalAuth(ctx)
+        // Ensure namespace exists and get id
+        if _, err := db.Query(internalCtx, "INSERT OR IGNORE INTO namespaces(name) VALUES (?)", ns); err != nil {
 			writeError(w, http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 			return
 		}
-		nres, err := db.Query(ctx, "SELECT id FROM namespaces WHERE name = ? LIMIT 1", ns)
+        nres, err := db.Query(internalCtx, "SELECT id FROM namespaces WHERE name = ? LIMIT 1", ns)
 		if err != nil || nres == nil || nres.Count == 0 || len(nres.Rows) == 0 || len(nres.Rows[0]) == 0 {
 			writeError(w, http.StatusForbidden, "namespace not found")
 			return
 		}
 		nsID := nres.Rows[0][0]
 
-		q := "SELECT 1 FROM namespace_ownership WHERE namespace_id = ? AND owner_type = ? AND owner_id = ? LIMIT 1"
-		res, err := db.Query(ctx, q, nsID, ownerType, ownerID)
+        q := "SELECT 1 FROM namespace_ownership WHERE namespace_id = ? AND owner_type = ? AND owner_id = ? LIMIT 1"
+        res, err := db.Query(internalCtx, q, nsID, ownerType, ownerID)
 		if err != nil || res == nil || res.Count == 0 {
 			writeError(w, http.StatusForbidden, "forbidden: not an owner of namespace")
 			return