diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md b/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
index 61899c9..9958f76 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/JOURNAL.md
@@ -645,3 +645,12 @@ session cc-ci-orchestrator-stale can be killed; recipe-mirrors org still private
   DROPPED. Re-added it to agents.toml — appended AFTER ghost (the system is already past cf55/on
   pvfix, so inserting before pvfix would shift the live phase index). agents.py re-reads config every
   tick, so no watchdog bounce needed. cf48 runs as the last phase, opus 4.8, claude backend.
+
+## 2026-06-13 ~12:40 — queued pxgate (deploy-proxy health-gate circular-dep D8 fix)
+- Operator: fix the A1 circular dependency (deploy-proxy health-gates on ci.commoninternet.net =
+  dashboard, but dashboard is After=deploy-proxy → fresh-boot deadlock → proxy fails at 900s).
+- Plan plan-phase-pxgate-proxy-healthgate.md: re-target the traefik health gate to a
+  dashboard-independent traefik-self endpoint (/ping or api/version), keep rollback semantics;
+  M1 = fix + controlled repro (loops), M2 = from-scratch cold-boot proof (orchestrator owns the
+  live nixos-rebuild). Appended pxgate to agents.toml (idx 14); cleared SEQUENCE-COMPLETE +
+  `phase set 14` + started loops → resumes the build for this one phase.
diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/agents.toml b/cc-ci-plan/agents.toml
index 71031ce..542b242 100644
--- a/cc-ci-plan/agents.toml
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/agents.toml
@@ -146,4 +146,5 @@ phases = [
   { id = "pvcheck", plan = "plan-phase-pvcheck-post-proxy-verification.md", status = "STATUS-pvcheck.md" },
   { id = "ghost",   plan = "plan-phase-ghost-reeval.md",                 status = "STATUS-ghost.md" },
   { id = "cf48",    plan = "plan-phase-cf48-opus-cfold-review.md",       status = "STATUS-cf48.md", models = { builder = "claude-opus-4-8", adversary = "claude-opus-4-8" } },
+  { id = "pxgate",  plan = "plan-phase-pxgate-proxy-healthgate.md",      status = "STATUS-pxgate.md" },
 ]
diff --git a/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-pxgate-proxy-healthgate.md b/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-pxgate-proxy-healthgate.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..df54bde
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cc-ci-plan/plan-phase-pxgate-proxy-healthgate.md
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+# Phase `pxgate` — break the deploy-proxy ↔ dashboard health-gate circular dependency (D8 fix)
+
+**Mission:** fix the boot-ordering deadlock the Adversary filed as A1 (BACKLOG-pvfix /
+DEFERRED 2026-06-13) so a **from-scratch (D8) boot brings traefik up cleanly** instead of
+deploy-proxy hanging 15 min and failing. The traefik proxy must still be health-gated with
+rollback — just gated on a signal that does NOT depend on a service ordered after it.
+
+State files under `machine-docs/`: `STATUS-pxgate.md`, `BACKLOG-pxgate.md`,
+`REVIEW-pxgate.md`, `JOURNAL-pxgate.md`. DECISIONS.md shared.
+
+## Root cause (verified)
+1. `nix/modules/proxy.nix` — `deploy-proxy.service` runs `warm_reconcile.py traefik`; its
+   `wait_healthy` polls **`https://ci.commoninternet.net` → 200**. `TimeoutStartSec = 900`.
+2. `https://ci.commoninternet.net` is served by the **dashboard**.
+3. `nix/modules/dashboard.nix` — `deploy-dashboard.service` has **`After=deploy-proxy.service`**,
+   so systemd won't start the dashboard until deploy-proxy exits.
+→ On a fresh boot: proxy waits for the dashboard, dashboard waits for proxy → proxy times out
+   at 900s and **fails**, then the dashboard starts onto a failed proxy. (On the *running*
+   server it's invisible — the dashboard is already up — which is why it's a latent D8 risk.)
+
+## Required fix
+Break the cycle while keeping a MEANINGFUL traefik health signal + the rollback semantics
+(deploy latest → health-gate → commit last-good if healthy / roll back to last-good if not).
+
+**Recommended approach (Builder confirms in DECISIONS.md):** change the deploy-proxy health
+gate to probe a **traefik-self-served endpoint that is up the moment traefik is, with no
+backend/dashboard dependency** — e.g. traefik's own `ping` entrypoint (`/ping` → 200) or
+`https://traefik.ci.commoninternet.net/api/version`. That confirms "traefik (re)deployed and
+is serving" — enough to drive the rollback decision — without waiting on `ci.commoninternet.net`.
+- If you still want an end-to-end "traefik routes to a real backend" assertion, move THAT to a
+  **separate converge/health step ordered AFTER the dashboard** (or rely on the dashboard's own
+  health gate); it must NOT be inside the deploy-proxy oneshot.
+- Do NOT simply delete the health gate (loses the rollback safety net). Do NOT just bump the
+  timeout (the deadlock still fails on a cold boot, just slower). Do NOT reintroduce any
+  dependency on a service that is `After=deploy-proxy`.
+- Make sure traefik actually EXPOSES whatever endpoint you choose (the `ping` entrypoint /
+  api may need enabling in the traefik recipe/compose) — verify it returns 200 with only
+  traefik up.
+
+Touch points: `nix/modules/proxy.nix`, the traefik health check in `runner/warm_reconcile.py`
+(and/or `runner/harness/*` health helpers), possibly the traefik recipe overlay to expose the
+health endpoint. Check the other `After=deploy-proxy` consumers (drone, warm-keycloak, reports,
+bridge, backupbot, nightly-sweep) still order correctly after the change.
+
+## Gates
+
+**M1 — Fix + controlled reproduction (Builder/Adversary, on a test box / the cc-ci host
+without a real wipe).** Implement the fix. Reproduce the cycle in a CONTROLLED way (per the
+Adversary's A1 repro): with the dashboard held back / absent, show the OLD gate hangs→fails and
+the NEW gate goes healthy on traefik alone. Unit/integration-test the new health check.
+Adversary cold-verifies: cycle is genuinely broken, health signal is still meaningful (a
+broken traefik must still fail the gate and roll back), no `After=deploy-proxy` consumer
+regressed. PR to cc-ci repo; do NOT merge to the live host yet.
+
+**M2 — Proven on a real from-scratch boot.** The durable proof is a **from-scratch / cold
+boot** where `deploy-proxy` reaches `active` without the dashboard and the whole control plane
+converges. Coordinate with the orchestrator: the orchestrator owns the live `nixos-rebuild` and
+any throwaway-VM / from-scratch rebuild (host infra is orchestrator/operator territory, not the
+loops). Acceptance: on a clean boot deploy-proxy is `active` (not failed), the rollback path
+still works on a deliberately-broken traefik, and the running server is unaffected. Fresh
+Adversary PASS → `## DONE`.
+
+## Guardrails
+- **Health verification must stay honest** — a traefik that isn't actually serving must still
+  fail the gate and roll back to last-good. Breaking the cycle must not become "always pass".
+- Live host changes (`nixos-rebuild`, from-scratch boot) are **orchestrator/operator-owned**;
+  the loops produce the code + controlled proof and a PR, the orchestrator deploys + runs the
+  cold-boot test. The loops must NOT nixos-rebuild the live host themselves.
+- No gate weakening elsewhere; minimal change; no secrets in commits. Commit author
+  `autonomic-bot <autonomic-bot@noreply.git.autonomic.zone>`; push every commit. CI host has no
+  python3 on default PATH — use the harness venv.
+
+## Definition of Done
+The deploy-proxy↔dashboard cycle is broken: a from-scratch boot brings traefik up health-gated
+(on a dashboard-independent signal) with rollback intact, no consumer mis-ordered, the running
+server unaffected, the A1 / DEFERRED entry closed with pointers, and M1+M2 fresh Adversary PASSes.