diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProvider.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProvider.cs
index bbd33ff..9fa8640 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProvider.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProvider.cs
@@ -146,9 +146,19 @@ public sealed class SelfSignedCertificateProvider
             HardenPermissions(temp);
 
             // Writing into an existing file truncates content but preserves its ACL/mode.
-            File.WriteAllBytes(temp, pfx);
-            File.Move(temp, path, overwrite: true);
-            HardenPermissions(path);
+            // If the write or move fails the hardened temp file (which may contain private-key
+            // material) must not be left on disk; delete it best-effort before rethrowing.
+            try
+            {
+                File.WriteAllBytes(temp, pfx);
+                File.Move(temp, path, overwrite: true);
+                HardenPermissions(path);
+            }
+            catch (Exception)
+            {
+                try { File.Delete(temp); } catch { /* best effort */ }
+                throw;
+            }
 
             X509Certificate2 loaded = X509CertificateLoader.LoadPkcs12FromFile(path, password: null, KeyStorageFlags());
             Log("Generated", loaded);
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProviderTests.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProviderTests.cs
index e75375e..7b8dfc8 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProviderTests.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Security/Tls/SelfSignedCertificateProviderTests.cs
@@ -116,6 +116,37 @@ public sealed class SelfSignedCertificateProviderTests
             () => CreateProvider(options, new FakeTimeProvider()).LoadOrCreate());
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Verifies that GenerateAndPersist cleans up the hardened .tmp file when persist fails.
+    /// The failure is induced by setting SelfSignedCertPath to a path whose parent directory
+    /// is an existing regular file, causing Directory.CreateDirectory (or the subsequent write)
+    /// to throw an IOException/UnauthorizedAccessException.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void LoadOrCreate_DeletesTempFile_WhenPersistFails()
+    {
+        string outerDir = Directory.CreateTempSubdirectory().FullName;
+        try
+        {
+            // Create a regular file at what would be the parent directory of the cert path.
+            // Any attempt to create that "directory" or write files into it must fail.
+            string fileActingAsDir = Path.Combine(outerDir, "notadir");
+            File.WriteAllText(fileActingAsDir, "block");
+
+            // Point the cert path inside the regular file — Directory.CreateDirectory will
+            // throw because the parent path component is a file, not a directory.
+            string certPath = Path.Combine(fileActingAsDir, "gw.pfx");
+            string expectedTemp = certPath + ".tmp";
+
+            TlsOptions options = new() { SelfSignedCertPath = certPath };
+            Assert.ThrowsAny<Exception>(() => CreateProvider(options, new FakeTimeProvider()).LoadOrCreate());
+
+            // The .tmp file must not be left behind.
+            Assert.False(File.Exists(expectedTemp), $"Leaked temp file: {expectedTemp}");
+        }
+        finally { Directory.Delete(outerDir, recursive: true); }
+    }
+
     private const string SubjectAltNameOid = "2.5.29.17";
 
     private static string ReadSubjectAltNames(X509Certificate2 cert)