diff --git a/src/NATS.Server/Configuration/ConfigReloader.cs b/src/NATS.Server/Configuration/ConfigReloader.cs
index 5815a20..3379997 100644
--- a/src/NATS.Server/Configuration/ConfigReloader.cs
+++ b/src/NATS.Server/Configuration/ConfigReloader.cs
@@ -498,6 +498,37 @@ public static class ConfigReloader
 
     // ─── Comparison helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Derives the effective log-level string from Debug/Trace flags.
+    /// Trace takes precedence: Trace=true → "Trace", Debug=true → "Debug", else "Information".
+    /// </summary>
+    private static string EffectiveLogLevel(NatsOptions opts)
+    {
+        if (opts.Trace) return "Trace";
+        if (opts.Debug) return "Debug";
+        return "Information";
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Flattens all gateway remote URLs into a single list.</summary>
+    private static List<string> FlattenGatewayUrls(GatewayOptions? gw)
+    {
+        if (gw is null) return [];
+        var urls = new List<string>(gw.Remotes);
+        foreach (var remote in gw.RemoteGateways)
+            urls.AddRange(remote.Urls);
+        return urls;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Flattens all leaf-node remote URLs into a single list.</summary>
+    private static List<string> FlattenLeafUrls(LeafNodeOptions? leaf)
+    {
+        if (leaf is null) return [];
+        var urls = new List<string>(leaf.Remotes);
+        foreach (var remote in leaf.RemoteLeaves)
+            urls.AddRange(remote.Urls);
+        return urls;
+    }
+
     private static void CompareAndAdd<T>(List<IConfigChange> changes, string name, T oldVal, T newVal)
     {
         if (!Equals(oldVal, newVal))
@@ -601,6 +632,41 @@ public static class ConfigReloader
     }
 
     /// <summary>
+    /// Compares TLS certificate paths between old and new config.
+    /// If changed, validates the new cert is loadable.
+    /// Go reference: server/reload.go — tlsConfigReload.
+    /// </summary>
+    public static TlsReloadResult ReloadTlsCertificates(NatsOptions oldOpts, NatsOptions newOpts)
+    {
+        var result = new TlsReloadResult();
+
+        var oldCert = oldOpts.TlsCert ?? string.Empty;
+        var newCert = newOpts.TlsCert ?? string.Empty;
+
+        if (string.Equals(oldCert, newCert, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+            return result; // No change
+
+        result.CertificateChanged = true;
+        result.CertificatePath = newCert;
+
+        if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(newCert))
+        {
+            result.CertificateLoaded = true; // TLS being disabled
+            return result;
+        }
+
+        // Validate the file exists (actual X509 loading would require the key file too)
+        if (!File.Exists(newCert))
+        {
+            result.Error = $"TLS certificate file not found: {newCert}";
+            return result;
+        }
+
+        result.CertificateLoaded = true;
+        return result;
+    }
+
+        /// <summary>
     /// Reloads TLS certificates from the current options and atomically swaps them
     /// into the certificate provider. New connections will use the new certificate;
     /// existing connections keep their original certificate.
@@ -740,3 +806,25 @@ public sealed class AuthChangeResult
     /// <summary>True when the Authorization token string changed.</summary>
     public bool TokenChanged { get; set; }
 }
+/// <summary>
+/// Result of a TLS certificate path comparison and validation during config hot-reload.
+/// Returned by <see cref="ConfigReloader.ReloadTlsCertificates"/>.
+/// Go reference: server/reload.go — tlsConfigReload.
+/// </summary>
+public sealed class TlsReloadResult
+{
+    /// <summary>True when the TLS certificate path changed between old and new config.</summary>
+    public bool CertificateChanged { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>True when the new certificate path was successfully validated (or TLS is being disabled).</summary>
+    public bool CertificateLoaded { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>Set when validation fails (e.g., file not found). Null on success.</summary>
+    public string? Error { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>The new certificate file path (empty string when TLS is being disabled).</summary>
+    public string? CertificatePath { get; set; }
+
+    /// <summary>Reserved for future use: expiry time of the loaded certificate.</summary>
+    public DateTime? ExpiresUtc { get; set; }
+}
diff --git a/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/Configuration/ClusterConfigReloadTests.cs b/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/Configuration/ClusterConfigReloadTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..85fac95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/NATS.Server.Tests/Configuration/ClusterConfigReloadTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,186 @@
+// Tests for ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges.
+// Go reference: golang/nats-server/server/reload.go — routesOption.Apply, gatewayOption.Apply.
+
+using NATS.Server;
+using NATS.Server.Configuration;
+using Shouldly;
+
+namespace NATS.Server.Tests.Configuration;
+
+public class ClusterConfigReloadTests
+{
+    // ─── helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    private static NatsOptions WithRoutes(params string[] routes)
+    {
+        var opts = new NatsOptions();
+        opts.Cluster = new ClusterOptions { Routes = [..routes] };
+        return opts;
+    }
+
+    private static NatsOptions WithGatewayRemotes(params string[] urls)
+    {
+        var opts = new NatsOptions();
+        opts.Gateway = new GatewayOptions
+        {
+            RemoteGateways = [new RemoteGatewayOptions { Urls = [..urls] }]
+        };
+        return opts;
+    }
+
+    private static NatsOptions WithLeafRemotes(params string[] urls)
+    {
+        var opts = new NatsOptions();
+        opts.LeafNode = new LeafNodeOptions { Remotes = [..urls] };
+        return opts;
+    }
+
+    // ─── tests ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void No_changes_returns_no_changes()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — no-op when sets are equal
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeFalse();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeFalse();
+        result.GatewayUrlsChanged.ShouldBeFalse();
+        result.LeafUrlsChanged.ShouldBeFalse();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Route_url_added_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — new route triggers reconnect
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Route_url_removed_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — removed route triggers disconnect
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Gateway_url_changed_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go gatewayOption.Apply — gateway remotes reconciled on reload
+        var old = WithGatewayRemotes("nats://gw1:7222");
+        var updated = WithGatewayRemotes("nats://gw2:7222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.GatewayUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Leaf_url_changed_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go leafNodeOption.Apply — leaf remotes reconciled on reload
+        var old = WithLeafRemotes("nats://hub:5222");
+        var updated = WithLeafRemotes("nats://hub2:5222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.LeafUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Multiple_changes_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go — multiple topology changes in a single reload
+        var old = new NatsOptions
+        {
+            Cluster = new ClusterOptions { Routes = ["nats://r1:6222"] },
+            Gateway = new GatewayOptions { RemoteGateways = [new RemoteGatewayOptions { Urls = ["nats://gw1:7222"] }] }
+        };
+        var updated = new NatsOptions
+        {
+            Cluster = new ClusterOptions { Routes = ["nats://r1:6222", "nats://r2:6222"] },
+            Gateway = new GatewayOptions { RemoteGateways = [new RemoteGatewayOptions { Urls = ["nats://gw2:7222"] }] }
+        };
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.GatewayUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.LeafUrlsChanged.ShouldBeFalse();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Same_urls_different_order_no_change()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go — order-independent URL comparison
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server2:6222", "nats://server1:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeFalse();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeFalse();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void AddedRouteUrls_lists_new_routes()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — identifies routes to dial
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222", "nats://server3:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.AddedRouteUrls.Count.ShouldBe(2);
+        result.AddedRouteUrls.ShouldContain("nats://server2:6222");
+        result.AddedRouteUrls.ShouldContain("nats://server3:6222");
+        result.RemovedRouteUrls.ShouldBeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void RemovedRouteUrls_lists_removed_routes()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — identifies routes to close
+        var old = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222", "nats://server2:6222", "nats://server3:6222");
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.RemovedRouteUrls.Count.ShouldBe(2);
+        result.RemovedRouteUrls.ShouldContain("nats://server2:6222");
+        result.RemovedRouteUrls.ShouldContain("nats://server3:6222");
+        result.AddedRouteUrls.ShouldBeEmpty();
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Empty_to_non_empty_detected()
+    {
+        // Go reference: reload.go routesOption.Apply — nil→populated triggers dial
+        var old = new NatsOptions();   // no Cluster configured
+        var updated = WithRoutes("nats://server1:6222");
+
+        var result = ConfigReloader.ApplyClusterConfigChanges(old, updated);
+
+        result.HasChanges.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.RouteUrlsChanged.ShouldBeTrue();
+        result.AddedRouteUrls.ShouldContain("nats://server1:6222");
+    }
+}