diff --git a/app/src/components/detail/CreateDeploymentForm.tsx b/app/src/components/detail/CreateDeploymentForm.tsx
index 5b38ed3..1e03abc 100644
--- a/app/src/components/detail/CreateDeploymentForm.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/detail/CreateDeploymentForm.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ import { useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query"
 import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom"
 import { X } from "lucide-react"
 import { apiClient } from "@/services/api/client"
+import { useGateway } from "@/services/api/hooks"
+import { gatewayHost, publicGatewayHost } from "@/lib/labels"
 import { Field, TextField } from "./fields"
 
 const SELECT =
@@ -40,6 +42,9 @@ export function CreateDeploymentForm({
 }) {
   const qc = useQueryClient()
   const navigate = useNavigate()
+  const { data: gateway } = useGateway()
+  const domain = gateway?.domain
+  const publicDomain = gateway?.public_domain
 
   const [kind, setKind] = useState<DeploymentKind>(initialKind ?? "service")
   const [name, setName] = useState(prefill?.name ?? "")
@@ -207,16 +212,16 @@ export function CreateDeploymentForm({
         <>
           <TextField label="Port" value={port} onChange={setPort} width="w-32" mono placeholder="9001" />
           <TextField label="Health path" value={health} onChange={setHealth} width="w-48" mono />
-          <Field label="Expose" hint="Route through the gateway at <name>.<gateway.domain>. Off: reachable only at host:port.">
+          <Field label="Expose" hint={`Route through the gateway at ${gatewayHost("<name>", domain)}. Off: reachable only at host:port.`}>
             <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm cursor-pointer">
               <input type="checkbox" checked={proxy} onChange={(e) => setProxy(e.target.checked)} />
               <span className="font-mono text-[var(--muted)]">
-                {proxy ? `${name || "name"}.<gateway.domain>` : "off (host:port only)"}
+                {proxy ? gatewayHost(name || "name", domain) : "off (host:port only)"}
               </span>
             </label>
           </Field>
           {proxy && (
-            <Field label="Public" hint="Also publish to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel at <name>.<gateway.public_domain>.">
+            <Field label="Public" hint={`Also publish to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel at ${publicGatewayHost("<name>", publicDomain)}.`}>
               <label className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm cursor-pointer">
                 <input type="checkbox" checked={isPublic} onChange={(e) => setIsPublic(e.target.checked)} />
                 <span className="font-mono text-[var(--muted)]">{isPublic ? "public (via tunnel)" : "internal only"}</span>
diff --git a/app/src/components/detail/ServiceFields.tsx b/app/src/components/detail/ServiceFields.tsx
index 4034acc..026a94c 100644
--- a/app/src/components/detail/ServiceFields.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/detail/ServiceFields.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from "react"
 import type { ServiceDetail } from "@/types"
+import { useGateway } from "@/services/api/hooks"
+import { gatewayHost, publicGatewayHost } from "@/lib/labels"
 import { Field, TextField, FormFooter, useEnvSecrets } from "./fields"
 
 interface Props {
@@ -38,6 +40,9 @@ function applyLauncher(run: Obj, launcher: string, target: string): Obj {
 
 /** Edit a service's deployment config (run / expose / proxy / env). */
 export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
+  const { data: gateway } = useGateway()
+  const domain = gateway?.domain
+  const publicDomain = gateway?.public_domain
   const m = service.manifest
   const run = obj(m.run)
   const internal = obj(obj(obj(m.expose).http).internal)
@@ -80,7 +85,9 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
     try {
       const config: Record<string, unknown> = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(m))
       delete config.id
-      config.description = description || undefined
+      // The API merges (PATCH): omit = preserve, null = clear. So to CLEAR a field
+      // we must send an explicit null, not drop it — otherwise the old value sticks.
+      config.description = description || null
 
       // Rebuild the run block for the chosen launcher, preserving other fields.
       config.run = applyLauncher(obj(config.run), launcher, runProgram)
@@ -96,7 +103,7 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
             },
           }
         } else {
-          delete config.expose
+          config.expose = null // explicit clear (merge: omit would preserve the old port)
         }
         // reach needs a port to route through the gateway; without one it's off.
         config.reach = port ? reach : "off"
@@ -146,7 +153,7 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
       {isTcp ? (
         <Field
           label="Exposure"
-          hint="A raw-TCP service — reachable by name + port via DNS, not the HTTP gateway. Edit its port/TLS in deployments/<name>.yaml for now."
+          hint={`A raw-TCP service — reachable by name + port via DNS, not the HTTP gateway. Edit its port/TLS in deployments/${service.id}.yaml for now.`}
         >
           <div className="font-mono text-xs text-[var(--muted)] space-y-1">
             <div>
@@ -162,7 +169,7 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
             <div>
               reach{" "}
               <span className="text-[var(--fg)]">{String(m.reach ?? "internal")}</span> —{" "}
-              {service.id}.&lt;gateway.domain&gt;:{String(tcp.port)}
+              {gatewayHost(service.id, domain)}:{String(tcp.port)}
             </div>
           </div>
         </Field>
@@ -188,7 +195,7 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
           />
           <Field
             label="Reach"
-            hint="How far this service is exposed. off: host:port only. internal: <service-name>.<gateway.domain> via the gateway. public: also to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel."
+            hint={`How far this service is exposed. off: host:port only. internal: ${gatewayHost(service.id, domain)} via the gateway. public: also to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel.`}
           >
             <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
               <select
@@ -207,8 +214,8 @@ export function ServiceFields({ service, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
                   : reach === "off"
                     ? "host:port only"
                     : reach === "public"
-                      ? `${service.id}.<gateway.public_domain>`
-                      : `${service.id}.<gateway.domain>`}
+                      ? publicGatewayHost(service.id, publicDomain)
+                      : gatewayHost(service.id, domain)}
               </span>
             </div>
           </Field>
diff --git a/app/src/components/detail/StaticFields.tsx b/app/src/components/detail/StaticFields.tsx
index fe23e17..3795182 100644
--- a/app/src/components/detail/StaticFields.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/detail/StaticFields.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { useState } from "react"
 import type { DeploymentDetail } from "@/types"
+import { useGateway } from "@/services/api/hooks"
+import { gatewayHost, publicGatewayHost } from "@/lib/labels"
 import { Field, TextField, FormFooter, useEnvSecrets } from "./fields"
 
 interface Props {
@@ -14,6 +16,9 @@ const obj = (v: unknown): Obj => (v as Obj) ?? {}
 /** Edit a static (caddy) deployment: the built dir it serves (`root`), whether it's
  * also public (via the tunnel), a description, and env. No launcher/port/schedule. */
 export function StaticFields({ static_: dep, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
+  const { data: gateway } = useGateway()
+  const domain = gateway?.domain
+  const publicDomain = gateway?.public_domain
   const m = dep.manifest
   const [saving, setSaving] = useState(false)
   const [saved, setSaved] = useState(false)
@@ -33,7 +38,8 @@ export function StaticFields({ static_: dep, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
     try {
       const config: Record<string, unknown> = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(m))
       delete config.id
-      config.description = description || undefined
+      // Merge (PATCH) semantics: null clears, omit preserves — send null to clear.
+      config.description = description || null
       config.root = root || "dist"
       config.reach = isPublic ? "public" : "internal"
       delete config.public
@@ -62,7 +68,7 @@ export function StaticFields({ static_: dep, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
       />
       <Field
         label="Reach"
-        hint="How far this static site is served. internal: <name>.<gateway.domain>. public: also to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel. (A static site is always served, so there's no 'off'.)"
+        hint={`How far this static site is served. internal: ${gatewayHost(dep.id, domain)}. public: also to the internet via the Cloudflare tunnel. (A static site is always served, so there's no 'off'.)`}
       >
         <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
           <select
@@ -74,7 +80,7 @@ export function StaticFields({ static_: dep, onSave, onDelete }: Props) {
             <option value="public">public</option>
           </select>
           <span className="font-mono text-[var(--muted)] text-xs">
-            {isPublic ? `${dep.id}.<gateway.public_domain>` : `${dep.id}.<gateway.domain>`}
+            {isPublic ? publicGatewayHost(dep.id, publicDomain) : gatewayHost(dep.id, domain)}
           </span>
         </div>
       </Field>
diff --git a/app/src/lib/labels.ts b/app/src/lib/labels.ts
index 0b2034a..f30fdd1 100644
--- a/app/src/lib/labels.ts
+++ b/app/src/lib/labels.ts
@@ -60,3 +60,18 @@ export function subdomainUrl(subdomain: string): string | null {
   if (labels.length <= 2) return null
   return `${protocol}//${subdomain}.${labels.slice(1).join(".")}`
 }
+
+/**
+ * The concrete host a subdomain is exposed at — `<subdomain>.<domain>` — using
+ * this node's configured gateway domain. Falls back to the literal
+ * `<subdomain>.<gateway.domain>` placeholder only when no domain is configured
+ * (off mode), so hints and previews show real values wherever one exists.
+ */
+export function gatewayHost(subdomain: string, domain?: string | null): string {
+  return domain ? `${subdomain}.${domain}` : `${subdomain}.<gateway.domain>`
+}
+
+/** Same as {@link gatewayHost}, for the public (Cloudflare tunnel) zone. */
+export function publicGatewayHost(subdomain: string, publicDomain?: string | null): string {
+  return publicDomain ? `${subdomain}.${publicDomain}` : `${subdomain}.<gateway.public_domain>`
+}
diff --git a/castle-api/src/castle_api/config_editor.py b/castle-api/src/castle_api/config_editor.py
index 33295b8..c935538 100644
--- a/castle-api/src/castle_api/config_editor.py
+++ b/castle-api/src/castle_api/config_editor.py
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ from pydantic import BaseModel
 
 from castle_core.config import (
     CastleConfig,
-    GatewayConfig,
     _DEPLOYMENT_ADAPTER,
     _normalize_deployment_dict,
     _program_to_yaml_dict,
     _spec_to_yaml_dict,
     load_config,
+    parse_gateway,
     save_config,
 )
 from castle_core.manifest import ProgramSpec, kind_for
@@ -173,11 +173,12 @@ def save_yaml(request: ConfigSaveRequest) -> ConfigSaveResponse:
     svc_count = sum(1 for d in deployments.values() if kind_for(d) == "service")
     job_count = sum(1 for d in deployments.values() if kind_for(d) == "job")
 
-    gateway_data = data.get("gateway", {})
     config = CastleConfig(
         root=root,
         repo=repo_path,
-        gateway=GatewayConfig(port=gateway_data.get("port", 9000)),
+        # Parse the FULL gateway block (tls/domain/tunnel/cert_hook/…), not just
+        # port — otherwise a whole-file save silently wipes the gateway config.
+        gateway=parse_gateway(data.get("gateway", {})),
         programs=programs,
         deployments=deployments,
     )
@@ -194,21 +195,32 @@ def save_yaml(request: ConfigSaveRequest) -> ConfigSaveResponse:
 
 @router.put("/programs/{name}")
 def save_program(name: str, request: ProgramConfigRequest) -> dict:
-    """Update a single program's config in castle.yaml."""
+    """Update a single program's config in castle.yaml (PATCH semantics).
+
+    Like deployments: the incoming config is shallow-merged over the existing
+    program spec, so a partial save can't drop source/stack/commands/build/… that
+    the client didn't send. Omitted keys are preserved; an explicit ``null`` clears.
+    """
     _require_repo()
+    config = get_config()
+    incoming = dict(request.config)
+
+    if name in config.programs:
+        base = config.programs[name].model_dump(mode="json", exclude_none=True)
+        merged = {**base, **incoming, "id": name}
+        merged = {k: v for k, v in merged.items() if v is not None}
+    else:
+        merged = {**incoming, "id": name}
 
     try:
-        prog_data = dict(request.config)
-        prog_data["id"] = name
-        ProgramSpec.model_validate(prog_data)
+        spec = ProgramSpec.model_validate(merged)
     except Exception as e:
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY,
             detail=f"Invalid program config: {e}",
         )
 
-    config = get_config()
-    config.programs[name] = ProgramSpec.model_validate({**request.config, "id": name})
+    config.programs[name] = spec
     save_config(config)
     return {"ok": True, "program": name}
 
@@ -271,23 +283,33 @@ async def delete_program(name: str, cascade: bool = False) -> dict:
 
 
 def _save_deployment(name: str, config_dict: dict) -> dict:
-    """Validate a deployment (any manager) and persist it to config.deployments."""
+    """Create/update a deployment (any manager) with PATCH semantics.
+
+    The incoming config is shallow-merged over the existing spec, so a save can
+    never silently drop a field the client didn't send (the astro/postgres bug):
+    a present key replaces wholesale, an **omitted** key is preserved, and an
+    explicit ``null`` clears the key (back to its default). On CREATE there's no
+    base, so the incoming config stands alone.
+    """
     _require_repo()
     config = get_config()
-    config_dict = dict(config_dict)
+    incoming = dict(config_dict)
 
-    # On CREATE (a new deployment) with no description of its own, inherit the
-    # referenced program's description — a deployment reads as its program by
-    # default. Edits keep whatever the user set (including a cleared field).
-    if name not in config.deployments and not config_dict.get("description"):
-        prog = config_dict.get("program")
-        if prog and prog in config.programs and config.programs[prog].description:
-            config_dict["description"] = config.programs[prog].description
+    if name in config.deployments:
+        base = config.deployments[name].model_dump(mode="json", exclude_none=True)
+        merged = {**base, **incoming, "id": name}
+        # An explicit null means "clear" — drop the key so its default applies.
+        merged = {k: v for k, v in merged.items() if v is not None}
+    else:
+        merged = {**incoming, "id": name}
+        # On CREATE with no description, inherit the referenced program's.
+        if not merged.get("description"):
+            prog = merged.get("program")
+            if prog and prog in config.programs and config.programs[prog].description:
+                merged["description"] = config.programs[prog].description
 
     try:
-        dep = _DEPLOYMENT_ADAPTER.validate_python(
-            _normalize_deployment_dict({**config_dict, "id": name})
-        )
+        dep = _DEPLOYMENT_ADAPTER.validate_python(_normalize_deployment_dict(merged))
     except Exception as e:
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_422_UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY,
diff --git a/castle-api/src/castle_api/routes.py b/castle-api/src/castle_api/routes.py
index 07aa159..96085a1 100644
--- a/castle-api/src/castle_api/routes.py
+++ b/castle-api/src/castle_api/routes.py
@@ -783,39 +783,49 @@ def get_component(name: str) -> DeploymentDetail:
         deployed = registry.deployed[name]
         summary = _summary_from_deployed(name, deployed)
 
-        # Backfill source from castle.yaml program ref
         root = get_castle_root()
-        if root and summary.source is None:
+        config = None
+        if root:
             try:
                 from castle_core.config import load_config
 
                 config = load_config(root)
-                if name in config.programs:
-                    summary.source = config.programs[name].source
-                else:
-                    ref = None
-                    if name in config.services:
-                        ref = config.services[name].program
-                    elif name in config.jobs:
-                        ref = config.jobs[name].program
-                    if ref and ref in config.programs:
-                        summary.source = config.programs[ref].source
             except FileNotFoundError:
-                pass
+                config = None
 
-        raw = {
-            "manager": deployed.manager,
-            "launcher": deployed.launcher,
-            "run_cmd": deployed.run_cmd,
-            "env": deployed.env,
-            "secret_env_keys": deployed.secret_env_keys,
-            "port": deployed.port,
-            "health_path": deployed.health_path,
-            "subdomain": deployed.subdomain,
-            "managed": deployed.managed,
-            "kind": deployed.kind,
-            "stack": deployed.stack,
-        }
+        # Backfill source from castle.yaml program ref
+        if config and summary.source is None:
+            if name in config.programs:
+                summary.source = config.programs[name].source
+            else:
+                ref = None
+                if name in config.services:
+                    ref = config.services[name].program
+                elif name in config.jobs:
+                    ref = config.jobs[name].program
+                if ref and ref in config.programs:
+                    summary.source = config.programs[ref].source
+
+        # The edit form needs the *editable source spec* (reach/program/root/expose/
+        # defaults), not the runtime view — serve the castle.yaml spec whenever the
+        # deployment is defined there. Fall back to the runtime dict only for a
+        # deployed-but-not-in-config item (e.g. a discovered remote reference).
+        if config and name in config.deployments:
+            raw = config.deployments[name].model_dump(mode="json", exclude_none=True)
+        else:
+            raw = {
+                "manager": deployed.manager,
+                "launcher": deployed.launcher,
+                "run_cmd": deployed.run_cmd,
+                "env": deployed.env,
+                "secret_env_keys": deployed.secret_env_keys,
+                "port": deployed.port,
+                "health_path": deployed.health_path,
+                "subdomain": deployed.subdomain,
+                "managed": deployed.managed,
+                "kind": deployed.kind,
+                "stack": deployed.stack,
+            }
         return DeploymentDetail(**summary.model_dump(), manifest=raw)
 
     # Fall back to castle.yaml
diff --git a/castle-api/tests/test_deployment_roundtrip.py b/castle-api/tests/test_deployment_roundtrip.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cec054a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/castle-api/tests/test_deployment_roundtrip.py
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+"""Edit-safety tests for the deployment detail + save endpoints.
+
+These guard the regression that broke astro (and postgres): the detail endpoint
+served the *runtime view* (no reach/program/root/expose) for a deployed deployment,
+so the dashboard edit form round-tripped a lossy manifest and stripped spec-only
+fields on save. The fixtures already have `test-svc` deployed AND defined in
+castle.yaml (with legacy `proxy: true` → `reach: internal`) — exactly that case.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from fastapi.testclient import TestClient
+
+
+class TestDeploymentEditSafety:
+    def test_detail_serves_editable_spec_not_runtime(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
+        """A deployed deployment that's in castle.yaml serves its EDITABLE SPEC —
+        the shape the edit form consumes (launcher nested under `run`, plus
+        reach/expose) — not the flat runtime view (`run_cmd`, top-level launcher)."""
+        m = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        assert m["run"]["launcher"] == "python"          # spec shape (nested)
+        assert "run_cmd" not in m                         # runtime-only key absent
+        assert m.get("reach") == "internal"               # normalized from proxy:true
+        assert m["expose"]["http"]["internal"]["port"] == 19000
+
+    def test_save_roundtrip_preserves_spec_fields(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
+        """GET a deployment's manifest → PUT it back unchanged → GET again: no
+        spec field may be lost. This is the exact round-trip the dashboard does on
+        an edit, and the exact thing that dropped astro's program/root."""
+        before = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        resp = client.put("/config/deployments/test-svc", json={"config": before})
+        assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+        after = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        for key in ("reach", "expose", "run", "program"):
+            assert after.get(key) == before.get(key), f"{key} lost on save round-trip"
+
+    def test_partial_patch_preserves_untouched_fields(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
+        """PATCH semantics: sending ONLY the changed field must not drop the rest.
+        This is what makes the astro-class regression structurally impossible —
+        even a client that sends a lossy payload can't nuke fields it omitted."""
+        before = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        resp = client.put("/config/deployments/test-svc", json={"config": {"reach": "off"}})
+        assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+        after = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        assert after["reach"] == "off"                        # the change applied
+        assert after["program"] == before["program"]         # untouched → preserved
+        assert after["run"] == before["run"]
+        assert after["expose"] == before["expose"]
+
+    def test_explicit_null_clears_a_field(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
+        """An explicit null clears a field — so a form can still *remove* exposure
+        under merge semantics (omit = preserve, null = clear). Removing the port
+        goes with reach: off (a port-only process), which is what ServiceFields
+        sends when the port is cleared."""
+        resp = client.put(
+            "/config/deployments/test-svc",
+            json={"config": {"expose": None, "reach": "off"}},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+        after = client.get("/deployments/test-svc").json()["manifest"]
+        assert after.get("expose") is None                    # cleared
+        assert after["reach"] == "off"
+        assert after["program"] == "test-svc-comp"            # rest preserved
+
+
+class TestProgramEditSafety:
+    def test_program_partial_patch_preserves(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
+        """save_program is the same footgun: a partial edit must not drop
+        source/commands. Send only a description; the rest survives."""
+        resp = client.put(
+            "/config/programs/wired-in",
+            json={"config": {"description": "renamed"}},
+        )
+        assert resp.status_code == 200, resp.text
+        m = client.get("/programs/wired-in").json()["manifest"]
+        assert m["description"] == "renamed"                  # change applied
+        assert m["source"].endswith("wired-in")               # source preserved
+        assert m["commands"]["lint"] == [["make", "lint"]]    # commands preserved
diff --git a/castle-api/tests/test_health.py b/castle-api/tests/test_health.py
index 2af7c57..853f38a 100644
--- a/castle-api/tests/test_health.py
+++ b/castle-api/tests/test_health.py
@@ -63,7 +63,10 @@ class TestDeploymentDetail:
         data = response.json()
         assert data["id"] == "test-svc"
         assert "manifest" in data
-        assert data["manifest"]["launcher"] == "python"
+        # A deployed deployment that's defined in castle.yaml serves its editable
+        # source spec (launcher nested under `run`), not the runtime view — so the
+        # dashboard edit form gets reach/expose/defaults and can't strip them.
+        assert data["manifest"]["run"]["launcher"] == "python"
 
     def test_not_found(self, client: TestClient) -> None:
         """Returns 404 for unknown component."""
diff --git a/core/src/castle_core/config.py b/core/src/castle_core/config.py
index 1306ccb..5451b47 100644
--- a/core/src/castle_core/config.py
+++ b/core/src/castle_core/config.py
@@ -347,6 +347,26 @@ def _load_resource_dir(directory: Path) -> dict[str, dict]:
     return result
 
 
+def parse_gateway(gateway_data: dict) -> GatewayConfig:
+    """Build a GatewayConfig from a castle.yaml ``gateway:`` mapping.
+
+    The single parser shared by ``load_config`` and the API's whole-file editor,
+    so a newly added gateway field can't be honored in one place and silently
+    dropped in the other (which is exactly how ``cert_hook`` got wiped on a
+    full-config save).
+    """
+    return GatewayConfig(
+        port=gateway_data.get("port", 9000),
+        tls=gateway_data.get("tls"),
+        domain=gateway_data.get("domain"),
+        acme_email=gateway_data.get("acme_email"),
+        acme_dns_provider=gateway_data.get("acme_dns_provider", "cloudflare"),
+        public_domain=gateway_data.get("public_domain"),
+        tunnel_id=gateway_data.get("tunnel_id"),
+        cert_hook=gateway_data.get("cert_hook", False),
+    )
+
+
 def load_config(root: Path | None = None) -> CastleConfig:
     """Load castle config: global castle.yaml + programs/ and deployments/ dirs."""
     if root is None:
@@ -359,17 +379,7 @@ def load_config(root: Path | None = None) -> CastleConfig:
     with open(config_path) as f:
         data = yaml.safe_load(f) or {}
 
-    gateway_data = data.get("gateway", {})
-    gateway = GatewayConfig(
-        port=gateway_data.get("port", 9000),
-        tls=gateway_data.get("tls"),
-        domain=gateway_data.get("domain"),
-        acme_email=gateway_data.get("acme_email"),
-        acme_dns_provider=gateway_data.get("acme_dns_provider", "cloudflare"),
-        public_domain=gateway_data.get("public_domain"),
-        tunnel_id=gateway_data.get("tunnel_id"),
-        cert_hook=gateway_data.get("cert_hook", False),
-    )
+    gateway = parse_gateway(data.get("gateway", {}))
 
     # repo: field points to the git repo for repo-relative sources
     repo_path: Path | None = None
diff --git a/core/tests/test_config.py b/core/tests/test_config.py
index 5eed854..37ecfce 100644
--- a/core/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/core/tests/test_config.py
@@ -248,3 +248,84 @@ class TestResolveEnvSplit:
         flat = resolve_env_vars(env, {"port": "9001"})
         assert flat == {"PORT": "9001", "K": "v", "Z": "lit"}
         assert list(flat.keys()) == ["PORT", "K", "Z"]
+
+
+class TestConfigRoundTrip:
+    """save_config → load_config must preserve every field. A field missing from
+    the save path (the `cert_hook` regression) or the serializer silently drops on
+    the next write — these lock the full round-trip for the reach/TCP-TLS fields."""
+
+    def test_gateway_and_tcp_tls_survive_save_load(self, tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+        from castle_core.config import GatewayConfig
+        from castle_core.manifest import (
+            ExposeSpec,
+            Reach,
+            RunContainer,
+            SystemdDeployment,
+            TcpExposeSpec,
+            TlsMaterial,
+            TlsSpec,
+        )
+
+        pg = SystemdDeployment(
+            id="pg",
+            manager="systemd",
+            program="pg",
+            reach=Reach.INTERNAL,
+            run=RunContainer(
+                launcher="container",
+                image="postgres:17",
+                user="${uid}:${gid}",
+                tmpfs=["/var/run/postgresql"],
+            ),
+            expose=ExposeSpec(
+                tcp=TcpExposeSpec(port=5432, tls=TlsSpec(material=TlsMaterial.PAIR))
+            ),
+        )
+        config = CastleConfig(
+            root=tmp_path,
+            gateway=GatewayConfig(
+                port=9000, tls="acme", domain="civil.payne.io", cert_hook=True
+            ),
+            repo=None,
+            programs={},
+            deployments={"pg": pg},
+        )
+        save_config(config)
+        loaded = load_config(tmp_path)
+
+        # Gateway: cert_hook must survive (the field that got dropped in prod).
+        assert loaded.gateway.cert_hook is True
+        assert loaded.gateway.tls == "acme"
+        assert loaded.gateway.domain == "civil.payne.io"
+
+        # Deployment: reach + full TCP/TLS + container user/tmpfs must survive.
+        d = loaded.deployments["pg"]
+        assert d.reach == Reach.INTERNAL
+        assert d.expose.tcp.port == 5432
+        assert d.expose.tcp.tls.material == TlsMaterial.PAIR
+        assert d.run.user == "${uid}:${gid}"
+        assert d.run.tmpfs == ["/var/run/postgresql"]
+
+    def test_parse_gateway_preserves_all_fields(self) -> None:
+        """The shared gateway parser must honor every field — `save_yaml` used to
+        read only `port`, wiping tls/domain/tunnel/cert_hook on a whole-file save."""
+        from castle_core.config import parse_gateway
+
+        g = parse_gateway(
+            {
+                "port": 9000,
+                "tls": "acme",
+                "domain": "civil.payne.io",
+                "acme_email": "a@b.co",
+                "public_domain": "pub.io",
+                "tunnel_id": "uuid-123",
+                "cert_hook": True,
+            }
+        )
+        assert g.tls == "acme"
+        assert g.domain == "civil.payne.io"
+        assert g.acme_email == "a@b.co"
+        assert g.public_domain == "pub.io"
+        assert g.tunnel_id == "uuid-123"
+        assert g.cert_hook is True