diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Components/Shared/StatusBadge.razor b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Components/Shared/StatusBadge.razor
index e7e96a2..a160fad 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Components/Shared/StatusBadge.razor
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Components/Shared/StatusBadge.razor
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
         "Ready" or "Healthy" or "Active" => StatusState.Ok,
         "Creating" or "StartingWorker" or "WaitingForPipe" or "InitializingWorker" or "Closing"
             or "Stale" or "Degraded" or "Expiring" => StatusState.Warn,
-        "Faulted" or "Unavailable" or "Expired" => StatusState.Bad,
+        "Faulted" or "Unavailable" or "Expired" or "Unhealthy" => StatusState.Bad,
         _ => StatusState.Idle,
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshot.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshot.cs
index 4ed16d0..4a2f68d 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshot.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshot.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,33 @@
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Configuration;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Dashboard;
 
+/// <summary>
+/// One dashboard refresh: gateway status, sessions, workers, metrics, faults, API
+/// keys, the effective configuration, and the Galaxy summary.
+/// </summary>
+/// <remarks>
+/// <see cref="Configuration"/> is excluded from JSON serialization. It is
+/// startup-static, yet it is the largest part of the record, and the only wire this
+/// record crosses is the <c>/hubs/snapshot</c> tick sent every snapshot interval.
+/// Remote clients receive it once per connection instead, as
+/// <see cref="Hubs.DashboardSnapshotHub.ConfigurationMessage"/> (or on demand via
+/// <see cref="Hubs.DashboardSnapshotHub.GetConfiguration"/>). In-process pages read the
+/// property directly and are unaffected.
+/// </remarks>
+/// <param name="GeneratedAt">When the snapshot was built.</param>
+/// <param name="GatewayStartedAt">When the gateway process started.</param>
+/// <param name="GatewayUptime">Elapsed time since start.</param>
+/// <param name="GatewayStatus">Aggregate health-check status, or <c>Unknown</c>.</param>
+/// <param name="GatewayVersion">Server assembly version.</param>
+/// <param name="Sessions">Most recent sessions, newest first.</param>
+/// <param name="Workers">Workers that are not closed.</param>
+/// <param name="Metrics">Gateway counters and gauges.</param>
+/// <param name="Faults">Recent session and worker faults.</param>
+/// <param name="ApiKeys">API key summaries (no secrets).</param>
+/// <param name="Configuration">Effective configuration; not serialized on the hub tick.</param>
+/// <param name="Galaxy">Galaxy hierarchy cache summary.</param>
 public sealed record DashboardSnapshot(
     DateTimeOffset GeneratedAt,
     DateTimeOffset GatewayStartedAt,
@@ -13,5 +39,5 @@ public sealed record DashboardSnapshot(
     IReadOnlyList<DashboardMetricSummary> Metrics,
     IReadOnlyList<DashboardFaultSummary> Faults,
     IReadOnlyList<DashboardApiKeySummary> ApiKeys,
-    EffectiveGatewayConfiguration Configuration,
+    [property: JsonIgnore] EffectiveGatewayConfiguration Configuration,
     DashboardGalaxySummary Galaxy);
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotService.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotService.cs
index 25b2e42..f6b9750 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotService.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotService.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Diagnostics.HealthChecks;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Logging.Abstractions;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
@@ -14,7 +15,16 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Dashboard;
 
 public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
 {
-    private const string HealthyStatus = "Healthy";
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Status shown before the first health evaluation completes, when the health
+    /// evaluation fails, and when no <see cref="HealthCheckService"/> is registered.
+    /// Deliberately not "Healthy": claiming health that was never checked is how the
+    /// dashboard used to show a green gateway status throughout an outage.
+    /// </summary>
+    internal const string UnknownStatus = "Unknown";
+
+    /// <summary>Upper bound on one health evaluation, so a hung check cannot stall the snapshot tick.</summary>
+    private static readonly TimeSpan GatewayStatusRefreshTimeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2);
 
     /// <summary>
     /// Minimum spacing between API key list reads. The list is a SQLite query whose
@@ -39,7 +49,10 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
     private readonly int _recentFaultLimit;
     private readonly int _recentSessionLimit;
     private readonly ILogger<DashboardSnapshotService> _logger;
+    private readonly HealthCheckService? _healthCheckService;
     private readonly SemaphoreSlim _apiKeySummaryRefreshGate = new(1, 1);
+    private readonly SemaphoreSlim _gatewayStatusRefreshGate = new(1, 1);
+    private string _gatewayStatus = UnknownStatus;
     private IReadOnlyList<DashboardApiKeySummary> _apiKeySummaries = Array.Empty<DashboardApiKeySummary>();
     private long _apiKeySummariesRefreshedAtTicks = NeverRefreshedTicks;
     // The effective configuration is built from IOptions<GatewayOptions> and is startup-static:
@@ -65,6 +78,11 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
     /// <param name="options">Gateway configuration options.</param>
     /// <param name="timeProvider">Provider for current time; defaults to system time.</param>
     /// <param name="logger">Optional logger for the dashboard snapshot service.</param>
+    /// <param name="healthCheckService">
+    /// The gateway's registered health checks. <see cref="DashboardSnapshot.GatewayStatus"/>
+    /// is the aggregate status of one evaluation per snapshot tick; without it the
+    /// status stays <see cref="UnknownStatus"/>.
+    /// </param>
     public DashboardSnapshotService(
         ISessionRegistry sessionRegistry,
         GatewayMetrics metrics,
@@ -73,7 +91,8 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
         IApiKeyAdminStore apiKeyAdminStore,
         IOptions<GatewayOptions> options,
         TimeProvider? timeProvider = null,
-        ILogger<DashboardSnapshotService>? logger = null)
+        ILogger<DashboardSnapshotService>? logger = null,
+        HealthCheckService? healthCheckService = null)
     {
         _sessionRegistry = sessionRegistry ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(sessionRegistry));
         _metrics = metrics ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(metrics));
@@ -88,6 +107,7 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
         _recentFaultLimit = options.Value.Dashboard.RecentFaultLimit;
         _recentSessionLimit = options.Value.Dashboard.RecentSessionLimit;
         _logger = logger ?? NullLogger<DashboardSnapshotService>.Instance;
+        _healthCheckService = healthCheckService;
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
@@ -111,7 +131,7 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
             GeneratedAt: generatedAt,
             GatewayStartedAt: _gatewayStartedAt,
             GatewayUptime: generatedAt - _gatewayStartedAt,
-            GatewayStatus: HealthyStatus,
+            GatewayStatus: Volatile.Read(ref _gatewayStatus),
             GatewayVersion: typeof(DashboardSnapshotService).Assembly.GetName().Version?.ToString() ?? "unknown",
             Sessions: sessionSummaries,
             Workers: workerSummaries,
@@ -171,6 +191,7 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
         }
 
         await RefreshApiKeySummariesAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        await RefreshGatewayStatusAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
         yield return GetSnapshot();
 
         using PeriodicTimer timer = new(_snapshotInterval, _timeProvider);
@@ -192,10 +213,57 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotService : IDashboardSnapshotService
             }
 
             await RefreshApiKeySummariesAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            await RefreshGatewayStatusAsync(cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
             yield return GetSnapshot();
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Evaluates the registered health checks once and caches the aggregate status
+    /// for <see cref="GetSnapshot"/>, which is synchronous and also serves page seeds
+    /// and hub connects between ticks. One evaluation per tick, not per
+    /// <see cref="GetSnapshot"/> call: the checks include an auth-store query, and the
+    /// tick is already the cadence at which the dashboard refreshes.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="cancellationToken">Token to cancel the evaluation.</param>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    private async Task RefreshGatewayStatusAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken)
+    {
+        if (_healthCheckService is null)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Zero-timeout gate: a concurrent enumeration (the hub publisher and the page
+        // feed each run one) skips rather than queueing a second evaluation.
+        if (!await _gatewayStatusRefreshGate.WaitAsync(0, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        try
+        {
+            using CancellationTokenSource timeout = CancellationTokenSource.CreateLinkedTokenSource(cancellationToken);
+            timeout.CancelAfter(GatewayStatusRefreshTimeout);
+            HealthReport report = await _healthCheckService.CheckHealthAsync(timeout.Token).ConfigureAwait(false);
+            Volatile.Write(ref _gatewayStatus, report.Status.ToString());
+        }
+        catch (OperationCanceledException) when (cancellationToken.IsCancellationRequested)
+        {
+            throw;
+        }
+        catch (Exception exception)
+        {
+            // A health evaluation that cannot complete is not evidence of health.
+            Volatile.Write(ref _gatewayStatus, UnknownStatus);
+            _logger.LogDebug(exception, "Dashboard gateway health evaluation failed.");
+        }
+        finally
+        {
+            _gatewayStatusRefreshGate.Release();
+        }
+    }
+
     private static DashboardSessionSummary CreateSessionSummary(
         GatewaySession session,
         GatewayMetricsSnapshot metricsSnapshot)
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotHub.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotHub.cs
index 4f340be..aa70d7e 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotHub.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotHub.cs
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.Authorization;
 using Microsoft.AspNetCore.SignalR;
+using ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Configuration;
 
 namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Dashboard.Hubs;
 
 /// <summary>
 /// SignalR hub that pushes a fresh <see cref="DashboardSnapshot"/> on every
-/// snapshot refresh. New connections receive the current snapshot
-/// immediately via <see cref="OnConnectedAsync"/>; subsequent refreshes are
-/// broadcast by <see cref="DashboardSnapshotPublisher"/>.
+/// snapshot refresh. New connections receive the effective configuration and the
+/// current snapshot immediately via <see cref="OnConnectedAsync"/>; subsequent
+/// refreshes are broadcast by <see cref="DashboardSnapshotPublisher"/> without the
+/// configuration, which is startup-static and serialized only once per connection.
 /// </summary>
 /// <remarks>
 /// Connections are counted into <see cref="DashboardSnapshotHubConnectionCounter"/>
@@ -22,13 +24,28 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotHub(
     /// <summary>Method name used to push snapshot updates to clients.</summary>
     public const string SnapshotMessage = "SnapshotUpdated";
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Method name of the one-per-connection effective-configuration push. Snapshot
+    /// ticks omit the configuration, so a client keeps the copy it got here.
+    /// </summary>
+    public const string ConfigurationMessage = "ConfigurationUpdated";
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Returns the effective gateway configuration — the same object
+    /// <see cref="ConfigurationMessage"/> carries — for a client that needs it again.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>The effective configuration.</returns>
+    public EffectiveGatewayConfiguration GetConfiguration() => snapshotService.GetSnapshot().Configuration;
+
     /// <inheritdoc />
     public override async Task OnConnectedAsync()
     {
         // Count the viewer before seeding it, so the publisher resumes its tick
         // no later than the first snapshot this connection renders.
         connectionCounter.Increment();
-        await Clients.Caller.SendAsync(SnapshotMessage, snapshotService.GetSnapshot()).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        DashboardSnapshot snapshot = snapshotService.GetSnapshot();
+        await Clients.Caller.SendAsync(ConfigurationMessage, snapshot.Configuration).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        await Clients.Caller.SendAsync(SnapshotMessage, snapshot).ConfigureAwait(false);
         await base.OnConnectedAsync().ConfigureAwait(false);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotPublisher.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotPublisher.cs
index 85701b2..3ad8c5f 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotPublisher.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server/Dashboard/Hubs/DashboardSnapshotPublisher.cs
@@ -26,11 +26,20 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Server.Dashboard.Hubs;
 /// connected. While the count is zero the publisher does not advance the snapshot
 /// enumerator at all, so the producing iterator stays suspended and builds nothing.
 /// </para>
+/// <para>
+/// Each broadcast is bounded by a send timeout (one second by default, the default
+/// snapshot interval). A broadcast completes only once every connection accepted the
+/// frame, so awaiting it unbounded let one slow remote client delay every tick for
+/// everyone; a send that misses the bound is abandoned and the next tick goes out on
+/// time. The tick omits the effective configuration (see
+/// <see cref="DashboardSnapshot"/>), so each broadcast is the volatile state only.
+/// </para>
 /// </remarks>
 public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisher : BackgroundService
 {
     private static readonly TimeSpan DefaultReconnectDelay = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5);
     private static readonly TimeSpan DefaultIdlePollInterval = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1);
+    private static readonly TimeSpan DefaultSendTimeout = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1);
 
     private readonly IDashboardSnapshotService _snapshotService;
     private readonly IHubContext<DashboardSnapshotHub> _hubContext;
@@ -38,6 +47,7 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisher : BackgroundService
     private readonly ILogger<DashboardSnapshotPublisher> _logger;
     private readonly TimeSpan _reconnectDelay;
     private readonly TimeSpan _idlePollInterval;
+    private readonly TimeSpan _sendTimeout;
 
     /// <summary>Initializes a new instance of the DashboardSnapshotPublisher class.</summary>
     /// <param name="snapshotService">The snapshot service to subscribe to.</param>
@@ -64,13 +74,15 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisher : BackgroundService
     /// <param name="logger">The logger instance.</param>
     /// <param name="reconnectDelay">The delay before reconnecting after a subscription failure.</param>
     /// <param name="idlePollInterval">How often the idle publisher re-checks for a connected viewer.</param>
+    /// <param name="sendTimeout">Upper bound on one broadcast; defaults to one second.</param>
     internal DashboardSnapshotPublisher(
         IDashboardSnapshotService snapshotService,
         IHubContext<DashboardSnapshotHub> hubContext,
         DashboardSnapshotHubConnectionCounter connectionCounter,
         ILogger<DashboardSnapshotPublisher> logger,
         TimeSpan reconnectDelay,
-        TimeSpan idlePollInterval)
+        TimeSpan idlePollInterval,
+        TimeSpan? sendTimeout = null)
     {
         _snapshotService = snapshotService;
         _hubContext = hubContext;
@@ -78,6 +90,7 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisher : BackgroundService
         _logger = logger;
         _reconnectDelay = reconnectDelay;
         _idlePollInterval = idlePollInterval;
+        _sendTimeout = sendTimeout ?? DefaultSendTimeout;
     }
 
     /// <inheritdoc />
@@ -117,10 +130,19 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisher : BackgroundService
 
                     try
                     {
-                        await _hubContext.Clients
-                            .All
-                            .SendAsync(DashboardSnapshotHub.SnapshotMessage, snapshot, stoppingToken)
+                        bool sent = await BoundedHubSend.SendAsync(
+                                _hubContext.Clients.All,
+                                DashboardSnapshotHub.SnapshotMessage,
+                                snapshot,
+                                _sendTimeout,
+                                stoppingToken)
                             .ConfigureAwait(false);
+                        if (!sent)
+                        {
+                            _logger.LogDebug(
+                                "Snapshot broadcast exceeded {Timeout} and was abandoned; the next tick proceeds.",
+                                _sendTimeout);
+                        }
                     }
                     catch (Exception ex) when (ex is not OperationCanceledException)
                     {
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests.cs
index 02607fc..b983377 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests.cs
@@ -138,6 +138,35 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests
         Assert.True(snapshotService.PullCount >= 1);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// A broadcast that never completes — one remote client whose transport is wedged —
+    /// is abandoned at the send timeout, so later ticks still go out instead of every
+    /// viewer waiting on the slowest one.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task ExecuteAsync_WhenABroadcastNeverCompletes_LaterTicksStillGoOut()
+    {
+        CountingSnapshotService snapshotService = new();
+        RecordingHubContext hubContext = new();
+        hubContext.Proxy.StallFirstSend = true;
+        DashboardSnapshotPublisher publisher = new(
+            snapshotService,
+            hubContext,
+            ConnectedCounter(),
+            NullLogger<DashboardSnapshotPublisher>.Instance,
+            TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50),
+            IdlePollInterval,
+            sendTimeout: TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(50));
+
+        using CancellationTokenSource cts = new();
+        await publisher.StartAsync(cts.Token).WaitAsync(TestTimeout);
+        await WaitUntilAsync(() => hubContext.SendCount >= 3);
+
+        await cts.CancelAsync();
+        await publisher.StopAsync(CancellationToken.None);
+    }
+
     /// <summary>Creates a connection counter that already has one live viewer.</summary>
     /// <returns>A counter reporting a single connection.</returns>
     private static DashboardSnapshotHubConnectionCounter ConnectedCounter()
@@ -271,6 +300,9 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests
         /// <summary>Gets the group manager.</summary>
         public IGroupManager Groups { get; } = new NoopGroupManager();
 
+        /// <summary>Gets the recording proxy every client lookup resolves to.</summary>
+        public RecordingClientProxy Proxy => _clients.AllProxy;
+
         /// <summary>Gets the number of send calls recorded.</summary>
         public int SendCount => _clients.AllProxy.SendCount;
     }
@@ -329,6 +361,12 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests
     {
         private int _sendCount;
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets a value indicating whether the first send never completes and
+        /// ignores its cancellation token — a wedged client transport.
+        /// </summary>
+        public bool StallFirstSend { get; set; }
+
         /// <summary>Gets the number of send calls recorded.</summary>
         public int SendCount => Volatile.Read(ref _sendCount);
 
@@ -339,8 +377,8 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotPublisherTests
         /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
         public Task SendCoreAsync(string method, object?[] args, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
         {
-            Interlocked.Increment(ref _sendCount);
-            return Task.CompletedTask;
+            int count = Interlocked.Increment(ref _sendCount);
+            return StallFirstSend && count == 1 ? new TaskCompletionSource().Task : Task.CompletedTask;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotServiceTests.cs b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotServiceTests.cs
index 09efbf6..81b3357 100644
--- a/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotServiceTests.cs
+++ b/src/ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests/Gateway/Dashboard/DashboardSnapshotServiceTests.cs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 using System.Globalization;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using Microsoft.Extensions.Diagnostics.HealthChecks;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Options;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Time.Testing;
 using ZB.MOM.WW.Auth.Abstractions.ApiKeys;
@@ -18,7 +20,8 @@ namespace ZB.MOM.WW.MxGateway.Tests.Gateway.Dashboard;
 public sealed class DashboardSnapshotServiceTests
 {
     /// <summary>
-    /// Verifies snapshot returns empty collections and healthy status when registry is empty.
+    /// Verifies snapshot returns empty collections when registry is empty, and an
+    /// <c>Unknown</c> status when no health check service is available to evaluate.
     /// </summary>
     [Fact]
     public void GetSnapshot_WhenRegistryEmpty_ReturnsEmptyOperationalState()
@@ -32,10 +35,76 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotServiceTests
         Assert.Empty(snapshot.Workers);
         Assert.Empty(snapshot.Faults);
         Assert.Contains(snapshot.Metrics, metric => metric.Name == "mxgateway.sessions.open" && metric.Value == 0);
-        Assert.Equal("Healthy", snapshot.GatewayStatus);
+        Assert.Equal(DashboardSnapshotService.UnknownStatus, snapshot.GatewayStatus);
         Assert.NotNull(snapshot.Configuration);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// SEC-27: the gateway status is the aggregate of the registered health checks,
+    /// evaluated on the snapshot tick, not a hardcoded "Healthy".
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <param name="status">The aggregate status the health checks report.</param>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData(HealthStatus.Healthy)]
+    [InlineData(HealthStatus.Degraded)]
+    [InlineData(HealthStatus.Unhealthy)]
+    public async Task WatchSnapshotsAsync_ReportsTheHealthCheckStatus(HealthStatus status)
+    {
+        using GatewayMetrics metrics = new();
+        StubHealthCheckService health = new(status);
+        DashboardSnapshotService service = CreateService(new SessionRegistry(), metrics, healthCheckService: health);
+        using CancellationTokenSource cancellation = new();
+        await using IAsyncEnumerator<DashboardSnapshot> enumerator = service
+            .WatchSnapshotsAsync(cancellation.Token)
+            .GetAsyncEnumerator(cancellation.Token);
+
+        Assert.True(await enumerator.MoveNextAsync().AsTask().WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5)));
+
+        Assert.Equal(status.ToString(), enumerator.Current.GatewayStatus);
+
+        // Cached for the synchronous seed path too, without a second evaluation.
+        Assert.Equal(status.ToString(), service.GetSnapshot().GatewayStatus);
+        Assert.Equal(1, health.CheckCount);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>A health evaluation that throws is reported as Unknown, never as Healthy.</summary>
+    /// <returns>A task that represents the asynchronous operation.</returns>
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task WatchSnapshotsAsync_WhenHealthEvaluationThrows_ReportsUnknown()
+    {
+        using GatewayMetrics metrics = new();
+        StubHealthCheckService health = new(HealthStatus.Healthy) { Throw = true };
+        DashboardSnapshotService service = CreateService(new SessionRegistry(), metrics, healthCheckService: health);
+        using CancellationTokenSource cancellation = new();
+        await using IAsyncEnumerator<DashboardSnapshot> enumerator = service
+            .WatchSnapshotsAsync(cancellation.Token)
+            .GetAsyncEnumerator(cancellation.Token);
+
+        Assert.True(await enumerator.MoveNextAsync().AsTask().WaitAsync(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5)));
+
+        Assert.Equal(DashboardSnapshotService.UnknownStatus, enumerator.Current.GatewayStatus);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The startup-static configuration is not part of the serialized snapshot, so the
+    /// hub tick carries only volatile state; the hub sends it once per connection.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void GetSnapshot_WhenSerialized_OmitsTheConfiguration()
+    {
+        using GatewayMetrics metrics = new();
+        DashboardSnapshotService service = CreateService(new SessionRegistry(), metrics);
+
+        DashboardSnapshot snapshot = service.GetSnapshot();
+        using JsonDocument json = JsonDocument.Parse(JsonSerializer.Serialize(snapshot, JsonSerializerOptions.Web));
+
+        Assert.NotNull(snapshot.Configuration);
+        Assert.False(json.RootElement.TryGetProperty("configuration", out _));
+        Assert.True(json.RootElement.TryGetProperty("gatewayStatus", out _));
+        Assert.True(json.RootElement.TryGetProperty("sessions", out _));
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Verifies snapshot projects active, faulted, and closed session states with worker and metrics data.
     /// </summary>
@@ -615,7 +684,8 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotServiceTests
         GatewayOptions? options = null,
         IGalaxyHierarchyCache? galaxyHierarchyCache = null,
         IApiKeyAdminStore? apiKeyAdminStore = null,
-        TimeProvider? timeProvider = null)
+        TimeProvider? timeProvider = null,
+        HealthCheckService? healthCheckService = null)
     {
         GatewayOptions resolvedOptions = options ?? new GatewayOptions
         {
@@ -633,7 +703,38 @@ public sealed class DashboardSnapshotServiceTests
             galaxyHierarchyCache ?? new StubGalaxyHierarchyCache(GalaxyHierarchyCacheEntry.Empty),
             apiKeyAdminStore ?? new FakeApiKeyAdminStore(),
             Options.Create(resolvedOptions),
-            timeProvider);
+            timeProvider,
+            healthCheckService: healthCheckService);
+    }
+
+    private sealed class StubHealthCheckService(HealthStatus status) : HealthCheckService
+    {
+        private int _checkCount;
+
+        /// <summary>Gets or sets a value indicating whether the evaluation throws.</summary>
+        public bool Throw { get; set; }
+
+        /// <summary>Gets the number of evaluations requested.</summary>
+        public int CheckCount => Volatile.Read(ref _checkCount);
+
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        public override Task<HealthReport> CheckHealthAsync(
+            Func<HealthCheckRegistration, bool>? predicate,
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+        {
+            Interlocked.Increment(ref _checkCount);
+            if (Throw)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidOperationException("health evaluation failed");
+            }
+
+            return Task.FromResult(new HealthReport(
+                new Dictionary<string, HealthReportEntry>
+                {
+                    ["stub"] = new(status, null, TimeSpan.Zero, null, null),
+                },
+                TimeSpan.Zero));
+        }
     }
 
     private sealed class StubGalaxyHierarchyCache(GalaxyHierarchyCacheEntry current) : IGalaxyHierarchyCache