feat(#47 #56 phase 3): fail-fast prompt pre-validation + advisory hints

Stage 3 (DX): A0 burned an hour then failed deep in litellm with
prompt_too_long (35544 > 32768). cortex knows each model's real context
window (#62/#67) and can pre-empt that at the edge.

- Pre-validate the prompt against the model's advertised limit.context
  before dispatch (in proxy_with_metrics, covering chat/completions/
  responses). Over → 400 context_length_exceeded in the #60 envelope — the
  same shape neuron emits on overflow, just earlier and without burning a
  cold-load/queue slot. cortex has no tokenizer, so estimate_prompt_tokens
  under-counts (~4 chars/token over message text); neuron stays the exact
  wall and we only catch gross overages. Skipped when no limit is known.
- Advisory X-Helexa-Advice header: fingerprints User-Agent
  (litellm / Agent-Zero / Zed) and attaches client-specific guidance.
  Strictly advisory — header only, never in the error envelope, behaviour
  never depends on it; unknown clients get nothing.

3 integration tests: over-long prompt → 400 context_length_exceeded with
the advice header, refused before neuron is hit; within-context passes
through; unknown client gets a clean 400 with no advice header. cortex-side
(no CUDA); local fmt/clippy/test green.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

Cargo.lock

@@ -793,6 +793,7 @@ name = "cortex-gateway"
 version = "0.1.16"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
+ "async-trait",
  "axum",
  "bytes",
  "chrono",

cortex.example.toml

@@ -48,3 +48,45 @@ vram_mb = 12288           # e.g. RTX 3060 (12 GB)
 pinned = [
     "your-org/embedding-model",
 ]
+
+# -- Entitlements (multi-tenant governance, #47) -------------------------
+# Identity + per-key token budgets. Omit this section entirely for the
+# legacy single-operator behaviour: requests are anonymous and uncapped.
+#
+# The local/static provider below is the source of truth for accounts,
+# keys, and hard caps until the upstream clearing house exists. Identity
+# rides standard bearer auth only — clients send
+#   Authorization: Bearer <key>
+# no custom headers or body fields.
+
+[entitlements]
+# Reject unauthenticated requests with 401 invalid_api_key. Leave false
+# (allow-anonymous) during rollout; flip to true once keys are issued.
+require_auth = false
+
+# One entry per API key.
+[[entitlements.keys]]
+key = "sk-example-rolling"        # the bearer token the client sends
+account_id = "team-research"      # billable account (keys may share one)
+key_id = "research-ci"            # stable label for ledger/metrics (optional)
+hard_cap = 5_000_000              # hard token cap over the window
+# Rolling window that resets — over-cap requests get 429 rate_limit_exceeded
+# + Retry-After, so well-behaved clients (opencode/AI SDK) back off and retry.
+window = { kind = "rolling", seconds = 3600 }
+
+[[entitlements.keys]]
+key = "sk-example-balance"
+account_id = "team-research"
+key_id = "research-prepaid"
+hard_cap = 20_000_000
+# Hard balance, no reset — exhaustion returns 429 insufficient_quota
+# (the client surfaces and stops). This is the default when `window` is
+# omitted. Never 402.
+window = { kind = "balance" }
+
+[[entitlements.keys]]
+key = "sk-example-infra"
+account_id = "operator"
+key_id = "infra"
+# No hard_cap → uncapped operator infra key (own fleet, own use). Still
+# metered for visibility.

crates/cortex-core/src/config.rs

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use crate::entitlements::CapWindow;
 use figment::{
     Figment,
     providers::{Env, Format, Toml},
@@ -16,6 +17,46 @@ pub struct GatewayConfig {
     /// non-packaged / local runs.
     #[serde(default = "default_models_path")]
     pub models_config: String,
+    /// Multi-tenant governance: auth + per-key token budgets (#47). Empty
+    /// by default — anonymous, uncapped — so existing single-operator
+    /// setups keep working until keys are configured.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub entitlements: EntitlementsConfig,
+}
+
+/// `[entitlements]` — the local/static [`crate::entitlements::EntitlementProvider`]
+/// source of truth (#50). Accounts, keys, and hard caps live here; the
+/// future upstream client (#57) ignores this section.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, Default)]
+pub struct EntitlementsConfig {
+    /// Reject unauthenticated requests with `401 invalid_api_key` when
+    /// true. Default `false` (allow-anonymous) for dev / single-operator
+    /// continuity.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub require_auth: bool,
+    /// Static API keys and their budgets, consumed by the local provider.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub keys: Vec<ApiKeyConfig>,
+}
+
+/// One configured API key: the bearer token, the account it bills to, and
+/// its hard cap. `[[entitlements.keys]]` in TOML.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct ApiKeyConfig {
+    /// The bearer token clients send in `Authorization: Bearer <key>`.
+    pub key: String,
+    /// Billable account. Multiple keys may share one account.
+    pub account_id: String,
+    /// Stable per-key identifier for ledger/metrics labels. Defaults to
+    /// `account_id` when omitted, so the secret is never used as a label.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub key_id: Option<String>,
+    /// Hard token cap. `None`/omitted = uncapped (e.g. operator infra key).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub hard_cap: Option<u64>,
+    /// Cap-window semantics. Default: a non-resetting [`CapWindow::Balance`].
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub window: CapWindow,
 }
 
 fn default_models_path() -> String {
@@ -87,6 +128,7 @@ impl Default for GatewayConfig {
             },
             neurons: vec![],
             models_config: default_models_path(),
+            entitlements: EntitlementsConfig::default(),
         }
     }
 }

crates/cortex-core/src/discovery.rs

@@ -68,6 +68,57 @@ pub struct HealthResponse {
     pub devices: Vec<DeviceHealth>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub activation: ActivationStatus,
+    /// Per-model admission load (#53): how many requests are running vs.
+    /// queued on each loaded model right now. Cortex's load-aware router
+    /// (#55) reads this to spread traffic across replicas and to propagate
+    /// honest backpressure. `#[serde(default)]` keeps older gateways/neurons
+    /// interoperable (absent → empty → treated as no load info).
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub models: Vec<ModelLoad>,
+}
+
+/// Live admission load for one loaded model (#53).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct ModelLoad {
+    pub id: String,
+    /// Requests currently running (batch-1 → 0 or 1).
+    pub in_flight: usize,
+    /// Requests waiting in the bounded admission queue.
+    pub queue_depth: usize,
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod health_load_tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn health_response_without_models_field_still_deserializes() {
+        // A pre-#53 neuron's /health payload omits `models`; the gateway
+        // must still parse it (serde default → empty).
+        let json = r#"{"uptime_secs":42,"devices":[]}"#;
+        let resp: HealthResponse = serde_json::from_str(json).expect("back-compat parse");
+        assert_eq!(resp.uptime_secs, 42);
+        assert!(resp.models.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn health_response_round_trips_model_load() {
+        let resp = HealthResponse {
+            uptime_secs: 1,
+            devices: vec![],
+            activation: ActivationStatus::default(),
+            models: vec![ModelLoad {
+                id: "Qwen/Qwen3.6-27B".into(),
+                in_flight: 1,
+                queue_depth: 3,
+            }],
+        };
+        let s = serde_json::to_string(&resp).unwrap();
+        let back: HealthResponse = serde_json::from_str(&s).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(back.models.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(back.models[0].in_flight, 1);
+        assert_eq!(back.models[0].queue_depth, 3);
+    }
 }
 
 /// High-level activation state of the neuron daemon. The HTTP listener

crates/cortex-core/src/entitlements.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+//! Identity and entitlement primitives for multi-tenant governance (#47).
+//!
+//! Identity is the shared substrate the whole epic hangs off:
+//! `identity (principal) → accounting (spend) → policy → enforcement`. This
+//! module defines the seam — the [`EntitlementProvider`] trait and its data
+//! types — so the local/static provider (operator-config caps, in
+//! cortex-gateway) can land the auth + per-key-cap + amplification fix
+//! *before* any upstream clearing house exists. The future helexa-upstream
+//! client (#57) is just another impl of this trait.
+//!
+//! The provider owns three jobs:
+//! 1. **resolve** a bearer key to a [`Principal`] (drives auth, #49);
+//! 2. **reserve → settle/release** token budget around a request so spend
+//!    can never overshoot a hard cap under concurrency (drives budget
+//!    enforcement, #52);
+//! 3. expose a [`BudgetSnapshot`] for metering/metrics (#51).
+//!
+//! [`BudgetError`] carries the cap-window semantics so the caller can pick
+//! the correct #63 rejection (`rate_limit_exceeded` + `Retry-After` for a
+//! resetting window vs `insufficient_quota` for a hard balance) without the
+//! provider knowing anything about HTTP.
+
+use async_trait::async_trait;
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+/// Internal header carrying the resolved account id from cortex to neuron.
+/// neuron trusts these over the WireGuard link (#54); cortex **strips** any
+/// client-supplied copy before stamping the authoritative value, so a client
+/// can never assert a principal directly.
+pub const HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID: &str = "x-helexa-account-id";
+/// Internal header carrying the resolved key id from cortex to neuron.
+pub const HEADER_KEY_ID: &str = "x-helexa-key-id";
+
+/// Who a request is for. Resolved once at the edge from the bearer key and
+/// carried through the request context. `account_id` is the billable owner
+/// (spendable at any operator, by decision); `key_id` identifies the
+/// specific API key for per-key hard caps and ledger/metrics labels.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct Principal {
+    pub account_id: String,
+    pub key_id: String,
+}
+
+/// Cap-window semantics for a key's hard cap. Determines which #63 code an
+/// over-cap reservation maps to.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Default, PartialEq, Eq, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(tag = "kind", rename_all = "snake_case")]
+pub enum CapWindow {
+    /// Hard balance — the cap never resets. Exhaustion is permanent
+    /// (`429 insufficient_quota`, no `Retry-After`).
+    #[default]
+    Balance,
+    /// Rolling window of `seconds` that resets. Exhaustion is transient
+    /// (`429 rate_limit_exceeded` + `Retry-After` until reset).
+    Rolling { seconds: u64 },
+}
+
+/// An outstanding budget reservation. The caller holds this opaque handle
+/// between [`EntitlementProvider::reserve`] and exactly one of
+/// [`EntitlementProvider::settle`] / [`EntitlementProvider::release`]. Not
+/// `Clone` — a reservation is consumed once.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Reservation {
+    /// Provider-local handle; opaque to the caller.
+    pub id: u64,
+    /// The principal this reservation belongs to.
+    pub principal: Principal,
+    /// Tokens reserved against the cap.
+    pub reserved: u64,
+}
+
+/// A point-in-time view of a key's budget, for metering and metrics (#51).
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub struct BudgetSnapshot {
+    /// Hard cap in tokens. `None` means uncapped (e.g. an operator infra
+    /// key, #58).
+    pub hard_cap: Option<u64>,
+    /// Settled spend in the current window.
+    pub spent: u64,
+    /// Sum of outstanding (un-settled) reservations.
+    pub reserved: u64,
+}
+
+/// Authentication failure — the bearer key could not be resolved. Maps to
+/// `401 invalid_api_key` (#49/#63).
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum AuthError {
+    #[error("invalid or unknown API key")]
+    InvalidKey,
+}
+
+/// Why a reservation was refused. Carries enough for the caller to build the
+/// correct #63 envelope without the provider touching HTTP.
+#[derive(Debug, thiserror::Error)]
+pub enum BudgetError {
+    /// A resetting window is exhausted → `429 rate_limit_exceeded` +
+    /// `Retry-After: retry_after_secs`.
+    #[error(
+        "rolling-window budget exhausted ({requested} requested, {available} available); \
+         resets in {retry_after_secs}s"
+    )]
+    RateLimited {
+        requested: u64,
+        available: u64,
+        retry_after_secs: u64,
+    },
+    /// A hard balance is exhausted → `429 insufficient_quota` (no
+    /// `Retry-After`; the client surfaces and stops). Never `402`.
+    #[error("hard balance exhausted ({requested} requested, {available} available)")]
+    InsufficientQuota { requested: u64, available: u64 },
+}
+
+/// The seam between cortex's enforcement and whatever decides entitlement —
+/// a local/static config provider today (#50), the helexa-upstream client
+/// later (#57). All methods are async so the upstream impl can do network
+/// I/O; the local impl resolves in-process.
+#[async_trait]
+pub trait EntitlementProvider: Send + Sync {
+    /// Resolve a bearer API key to its principal. `Err(InvalidKey)` for an
+    /// unknown/empty key.
+    async fn resolve(&self, api_key: &str) -> Result<Principal, AuthError>;
+
+    /// Reserve up to `max_tokens` against the principal's cap. Returns a
+    /// handle on success, or a [`BudgetError`] (which the caller maps to a
+    /// #63 `429`) if the reservation would exceed the cap. Reserving the
+    /// *maximum* a request could consume before dispatch is what prevents
+    /// overshoot under concurrency.
+    async fn reserve(
+        &self,
+        principal: &Principal,
+        max_tokens: u64,
+    ) -> Result<Reservation, BudgetError>;
+
+    /// Settle a reservation with the tokens actually consumed, releasing the
+    /// unused remainder back to the cap.
+    async fn settle(&self, reservation: Reservation, actual_tokens: u64);
+
+    /// Release a reservation in full — e.g. dispatch failed before any
+    /// tokens were consumed.
+    async fn release(&self, reservation: Reservation);
+
+    /// Current budget snapshot for a principal, for metering/metrics.
+    /// `None` if the provider doesn't track this principal.
+    async fn snapshot(&self, principal: &Principal) -> Option<BudgetSnapshot>;
+}

crates/cortex-core/src/lib.rs

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ pub mod build_info;
 pub mod catalogue;
 pub mod config;
 pub mod discovery;
+pub mod entitlements;
 pub mod error_envelope;
 pub mod harness;
 pub mod metrics;

crates/cortex-core/src/node.rs

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::discovery::{ActivationStatus, DiscoveryResponse};
+use crate::discovery::{ActivationStatus, DiscoveryResponse, ModelLoad};
 use crate::harness::{ModelCost, ModelLimit};
 use chrono::{DateTime, Utc};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
@@ -27,6 +27,11 @@ pub struct NodeState {
     /// to synthesize `Loading` locations so clients see a catalogued
     /// model that's mid-prewarm as "loading", not "missing".
     pub activation: Option<ActivationStatus>,
+    /// Last-seen per-model admission load from this neuron's `/health`
+    /// (#53), keyed by model id. The router (#55) reads it to pick the
+    /// least-busy replica when a model is loaded on more than one neuron.
+    /// Empty until the first /health poll reports load.
+    pub model_load: HashMap<String, ModelLoad>,
 }
 
 /// A model registered on a node, with its runtime status.

crates/cortex-gateway/Cargo.toml

@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ license.workspace = true
 
 [dependencies]
 cortex-core.workspace = true
+async-trait.workspace = true
 tokio.workspace = true
 axum.workspace = true
 tower.workspace = true

crates/cortex-gateway/src/anthropic_sse.rs

@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ pub async fn stream_translated(
     openai_body: axum::body::Bytes,
     model_id: &str,
     node_name: &str,
+    inbound_headers: &axum::http::HeaderMap,
+    usage_sink: Option<crate::metering::UsageSink>,
 ) -> Response {
     let url = format!("{endpoint}/v1/chat/completions");
     tracing::info!(
@@ -42,13 +44,14 @@ pub async fn stream_translated(
         "proxying streaming request (anthropic SSE translation)"
     );
 
-    let upstream = match client
-        .post(&url)
-        .header("content-type", "application/json")
-        .body(openai_body)
-        .send()
-        .await
-    {
+    let request = crate::auth::forward_principal_headers(
+        client
+            .post(&url)
+            .header("content-type", "application/json")
+            .body(openai_body),
+        inbound_headers,
+    );
+    let upstream = match request.send().await {
         Ok(r) => r,
         Err(e) => {
             tracing::warn!(
@@ -94,6 +97,10 @@ pub async fn stream_translated(
         let mut saw_tool_call = false;
         let mut last_finish: Option<String> = None;
         let mut frames = 0u64;
+        // Engine-truth usage for metering (#51), scanned from the upstream
+        // frames (neuron emits a final `usage` object on the stream, #48).
+        let mut usage_prompt = 0u64;
+        let mut usage_completion = 0u64;
 
         'outer: while let Some(block) = upstream.next().await {
             let block = match block {
@@ -121,6 +128,15 @@ pub async fn stream_translated(
                         continue;
                     }
                     tracing::trace!(node = %node, frame = %data, "anthropic stream: upstream frame");
+                    // Capture usage for metering before translation — the
+                    // usage object rides on a late frame (often after the
+                    // last content delta).
+                    if let Some(p) = crate::proxy::last_count_for(data, "prompt_tokens") {
+                        usage_prompt = p;
+                    }
+                    if let Some(c) = crate::proxy::last_count_for(data, "completion_tokens") {
+                        usage_completion = c;
+                    }
                     let Ok(chunk) = serde_json::from_str::<ChatCompletionChunk>(data) else {
                         tracing::debug!(node = %node, "anthropic stream: unparsable upstream frame skipped");
                         continue;
@@ -162,6 +178,14 @@ pub async fn stream_translated(
             terminated = done,
             "anthropic stream complete"
         );
+
+        // Settle metering with the observed usage (#51). Runs on every exit
+        // path of the pump — clean end, early break, or upstream error — so
+        // the reservation is always resolved. `(0, 0)` when no usage frame
+        // was seen, which releases without recording spend.
+        if let Some(sink) = usage_sink {
+            sink(usage_prompt, usage_completion);
+        }
     });
 
     Response::builder()

crates/cortex-gateway/src/auth.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+//! API-key authentication + principal resolution (#49).
+//!
+//! Identity rides standard bearer auth only — `Authorization: Bearer <key>`
+//! — which is what keeps every tier OpenAI-compatible by construction (no
+//! custom required headers or body fields, per #47). The middleware resolves
+//! the key to a [`Principal`] via the [`EntitlementProvider`], carries it in
+//! the request extensions for cortex-side metering/enforcement (#51/#52), and
+//! stamps it as internal headers on the request so it reaches neuron, which
+//! trusts cortex's assertion over WireGuard (#54).
+//!
+//! Anti-spoofing: any client-supplied principal header is **stripped** before
+//! the authoritative value is stamped, so a client can never assert a
+//! principal it didn't authenticate as.
+//!
+//! Rejection contract (#63): missing key under `require_auth`, or any present
+//! but unresolvable key, yields `401 invalid_api_key` in the #60 envelope.
+
+use crate::error::envelope_response;
+use crate::state::CortexState;
+use axum::extract::{Request, State};
+use axum::http::header::AUTHORIZATION;
+use axum::http::{HeaderMap, HeaderValue};
+use axum::middleware::Next;
+use axum::response::Response;
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, HEADER_KEY_ID};
+use cortex_core::error_envelope::OpenAiError;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+/// Endpoints that never require auth: liveness/readiness probes. Everything
+/// else flows through resolution.
+fn is_public(path: &str) -> bool {
+    path == "/health" || path == "/"
+}
+
+/// Extract the bearer token from an `Authorization` header value, if present
+/// and well-formed. Scheme match is case-insensitive per RFC 7235.
+fn parse_bearer(headers: &HeaderMap) -> Option<String> {
+    let raw = headers.get(AUTHORIZATION)?.to_str().ok()?;
+    let (scheme, token) = raw.split_once(' ')?;
+    if scheme.eq_ignore_ascii_case("bearer") {
+        let token = token.trim();
+        (!token.is_empty()).then(|| token.to_string())
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+/// Axum middleware: resolve the bearer key, attach the principal, stamp the
+/// internal headers. Wired in `build_app` via `from_fn_with_state`.
+pub async fn require_principal(
+    State(fleet): State<Arc<CortexState>>,
+    mut req: Request,
+    next: Next,
+) -> Response {
+    if is_public(req.uri().path()) {
+        return next.run(req).await;
+    }
+
+    // Anti-spoof: drop any client-supplied principal headers up front.
+    {
+        let headers = req.headers_mut();
+        headers.remove(HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID);
+        headers.remove(HEADER_KEY_ID);
+    }
+
+    match parse_bearer(req.headers()) {
+        Some(key) => match fleet.entitlements.resolve(&key).await {
+            Ok(principal) => {
+                // Stamp the authoritative principal for neuron. Account/key
+                // ids come from operator config, so they're valid header
+                // values; guard anyway and skip a malformed one rather than
+                // panic.
+                if let (Ok(account), Ok(key_id)) = (
+                    HeaderValue::from_str(&principal.account_id),
+                    HeaderValue::from_str(&principal.key_id),
+                ) {
+                    let headers = req.headers_mut();
+                    headers.insert(HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, account);
+                    headers.insert(HEADER_KEY_ID, key_id);
+                }
+                // Carry the typed principal for cortex-side metering (#51)
+                // and budget enforcement (#52).
+                req.extensions_mut().insert(principal);
+                next.run(req).await
+            }
+            // A present-but-invalid credential is always an error, even when
+            // anonymous access is otherwise allowed.
+            Err(_) => unauthorized("invalid API key"),
+        },
+        None => {
+            if fleet.require_auth {
+                unauthorized("missing API key; supply 'Authorization: Bearer <key>'")
+            } else {
+                next.run(req).await
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// `401 invalid_api_key` in the standard envelope (#63).
+fn unauthorized(message: &str) -> Response {
+    envelope_response(OpenAiError::invalid_api_key(message))
+}
+
+/// Copy the cortex-stamped principal headers from an inbound [`HeaderMap`]
+/// onto an outbound reqwest builder. Used by the Anthropic proxy paths,
+/// which construct their own upstream requests instead of going through
+/// [`crate::proxy::forward_request`] (which forwards all headers verbatim).
+pub fn forward_principal_headers(
+    mut builder: reqwest::RequestBuilder,
+    headers: &HeaderMap,
+) -> reqwest::RequestBuilder {
+    for name in [HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, HEADER_KEY_ID] {
+        if let Some(value) = headers.get(name) {
+            builder = builder.header(name, value);
+        }
+    }
+    builder
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/src/entitlements_local.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,317 @@
+//! The local/static [`EntitlementProvider`] (#50).
+//!
+//! Accounts, keys, and hard caps come from operator config
+//! ([`cortex_core::config::EntitlementsConfig`]); reservations and settled
+//! spend are tracked in-process. This lands auth + per-key caps + the
+//! amplification fix before any upstream clearing house exists; the future
+//! helexa-upstream client (#57) implements the same trait.
+//!
+//! Budget math is serialized under a single [`std::sync::Mutex`] so
+//! reserve/settle/release are atomic — a key's `spent + reserved` can never
+//! exceed its hard cap even under concurrent requests (the #52 guarantee).
+//! The lock is held only for the in-memory arithmetic, never across an
+//! await.
+
+use cortex_core::config::{ApiKeyConfig, EntitlementsConfig};
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{
+    AuthError, BudgetError, BudgetSnapshot, CapWindow, EntitlementProvider, Principal, Reservation,
+};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+use std::time::Instant;
+
+/// Per-key budget configuration (resolved from [`ApiKeyConfig`]).
+struct Budget {
+    hard_cap: Option<u64>,
+    window: CapWindow,
+}
+
+/// Live, mutable accounting for one key over its current window.
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct Ledger {
+    /// Settled spend in the current window.
+    spent: u64,
+    /// Sum of outstanding (un-settled) reservations.
+    reserved: u64,
+    /// Start of the current rolling window; `None` until the first reserve.
+    /// Unused for [`CapWindow::Balance`].
+    window_start: Option<Instant>,
+}
+
+pub struct LocalEntitlementProvider {
+    /// Bearer token → principal.
+    keys: HashMap<String, Principal>,
+    /// `key_id` → budget config.
+    budgets: HashMap<String, Budget>,
+    /// `key_id` → live ledger.
+    ledgers: Mutex<HashMap<String, Ledger>>,
+    /// Monotonic source of opaque reservation handles.
+    next_id: AtomicU64,
+}
+
+impl LocalEntitlementProvider {
+    /// Build from the `[entitlements]` config. A key without an explicit
+    /// `key_id` is tracked at `account_id` granularity (its secret is never
+    /// used as a label).
+    pub fn from_config(config: &EntitlementsConfig) -> Self {
+        let mut keys = HashMap::new();
+        let mut budgets = HashMap::new();
+        for ApiKeyConfig {
+            key,
+            account_id,
+            key_id,
+            hard_cap,
+            window,
+        } in &config.keys
+        {
+            let key_id = key_id.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| account_id.clone());
+            keys.insert(
+                key.clone(),
+                Principal {
+                    account_id: account_id.clone(),
+                    key_id: key_id.clone(),
+                },
+            );
+            budgets.insert(
+                key_id,
+                Budget {
+                    hard_cap: *hard_cap,
+                    window: window.clone(),
+                },
+            );
+        }
+        Self {
+            keys,
+            budgets,
+            ledgers: Mutex::new(HashMap::new()),
+            next_id: AtomicU64::new(1),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Tokens still available under `cap` given current `spent`/`reserved`.
+/// `None` cap = unlimited.
+fn available(cap: Option<u64>, spent: u64, reserved: u64) -> Option<u64> {
+    cap.map(|c| c.saturating_sub(spent).saturating_sub(reserved))
+}
+
+#[async_trait::async_trait]
+impl EntitlementProvider for LocalEntitlementProvider {
+    async fn resolve(&self, api_key: &str) -> Result<Principal, AuthError> {
+        self.keys.get(api_key).cloned().ok_or(AuthError::InvalidKey)
+    }
+
+    async fn reserve(
+        &self,
+        principal: &Principal,
+        max_tokens: u64,
+    ) -> Result<Reservation, BudgetError> {
+        // A principal with no configured budget (or an uncapped one) always
+        // reserves; we still track spend for metrics.
+        let budget = self.budgets.get(&principal.key_id);
+        let (cap, window) = match budget {
+            Some(b) => (b.hard_cap, b.window.clone()),
+            None => (None, CapWindow::Balance),
+        };
+
+        let mut ledgers = self.ledgers.lock().expect("ledger mutex poisoned");
+        let ledger = ledgers.entry(principal.key_id.clone()).or_default();
+
+        // Lazily reset a rolling window that has elapsed before checking.
+        let mut retry_after_secs = 0;
+        if let CapWindow::Rolling { seconds } = window {
+            let now = Instant::now();
+            match ledger.window_start {
+                Some(start) if now.duration_since(start).as_secs() < seconds => {
+                    retry_after_secs = seconds - now.duration_since(start).as_secs();
+                }
+                _ => {
+                    // First reserve, or the window has fully elapsed: reset.
+                    ledger.spent = 0;
+                    ledger.window_start = Some(now);
+                    retry_after_secs = seconds;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if let Some(avail) = available(cap, ledger.spent, ledger.reserved)
+            && max_tokens > avail
+        {
+            return Err(match window {
+                CapWindow::Rolling { .. } => BudgetError::RateLimited {
+                    requested: max_tokens,
+                    available: avail,
+                    // At least 1s so clients don't hot-loop on a sub-second
+                    // remainder.
+                    retry_after_secs: retry_after_secs.max(1),
+                },
+                CapWindow::Balance => BudgetError::InsufficientQuota {
+                    requested: max_tokens,
+                    available: avail,
+                },
+            });
+        }
+
+        ledger.reserved += max_tokens;
+        Ok(Reservation {
+            id: self.next_id.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed),
+            principal: principal.clone(),
+            reserved: max_tokens,
+        })
+    }
+
+    async fn settle(&self, reservation: Reservation, actual_tokens: u64) {
+        let mut ledgers = self.ledgers.lock().expect("ledger mutex poisoned");
+        if let Some(ledger) = ledgers.get_mut(&reservation.principal.key_id) {
+            ledger.reserved = ledger.reserved.saturating_sub(reservation.reserved);
+            ledger.spent += actual_tokens;
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn release(&self, reservation: Reservation) {
+        let mut ledgers = self.ledgers.lock().expect("ledger mutex poisoned");
+        if let Some(ledger) = ledgers.get_mut(&reservation.principal.key_id) {
+            ledger.reserved = ledger.reserved.saturating_sub(reservation.reserved);
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn snapshot(&self, principal: &Principal) -> Option<BudgetSnapshot> {
+        let ledgers = self.ledgers.lock().expect("ledger mutex poisoned");
+        let (spent, reserved) = ledgers
+            .get(&principal.key_id)
+            .map(|l| (l.spent, l.reserved))
+            .unwrap_or((0, 0));
+        let hard_cap = self.budgets.get(&principal.key_id).and_then(|b| b.hard_cap);
+        Some(BudgetSnapshot {
+            hard_cap,
+            spent,
+            reserved,
+        })
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn provider() -> LocalEntitlementProvider {
+        let config = EntitlementsConfig {
+            require_auth: true,
+            keys: vec![
+                ApiKeyConfig {
+                    key: "sk-balance".into(),
+                    account_id: "acct-a".into(),
+                    key_id: Some("key-balance".into()),
+                    hard_cap: Some(1_000),
+                    window: CapWindow::Balance,
+                },
+                ApiKeyConfig {
+                    key: "sk-rolling".into(),
+                    account_id: "acct-b".into(),
+                    key_id: Some("key-rolling".into()),
+                    hard_cap: Some(500),
+                    window: CapWindow::Rolling { seconds: 3_600 },
+                },
+                ApiKeyConfig {
+                    key: "sk-infra".into(),
+                    account_id: "operator".into(),
+                    key_id: Some("key-infra".into()),
+                    hard_cap: None,
+                    window: CapWindow::Balance,
+                },
+            ],
+        };
+        LocalEntitlementProvider::from_config(&config)
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn resolves_configured_key_to_principal() {
+        let p = provider();
+        let principal = p.resolve("sk-balance").await.expect("known key resolves");
+        assert_eq!(principal.account_id, "acct-a");
+        assert_eq!(principal.key_id, "key-balance");
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn unknown_key_is_invalid() {
+        let p = provider();
+        assert!(matches!(
+            p.resolve("sk-nope").await,
+            Err(AuthError::InvalidKey)
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn reserve_settle_release_round_trip() {
+        let p = provider();
+        let principal = p.resolve("sk-balance").await.unwrap();
+
+        let r = p.reserve(&principal, 400).await.expect("within cap");
+        // Reserved, not yet spent.
+        let snap = p.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(snap.hard_cap, Some(1_000));
+        assert_eq!(snap.reserved, 400);
+        assert_eq!(snap.spent, 0);
+
+        // Used fewer tokens than reserved → remainder released, spend exact.
+        p.settle(r, 250).await;
+        let snap = p.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(snap.reserved, 0);
+        assert_eq!(snap.spent, 250);
+
+        // A reservation that is released contributes no spend.
+        let r2 = p.reserve(&principal, 100).await.unwrap();
+        p.release(r2).await;
+        let snap = p.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(snap.reserved, 0);
+        assert_eq!(snap.spent, 250);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn balance_over_cap_is_insufficient_quota() {
+        let p = provider();
+        let principal = p.resolve("sk-balance").await.unwrap();
+        // Reserve most of the cap, then ask for more than remains.
+        let _r = p.reserve(&principal, 900).await.unwrap();
+        let err = p.reserve(&principal, 200).await.expect_err("over cap");
+        match err {
+            BudgetError::InsufficientQuota {
+                requested,
+                available,
+            } => {
+                assert_eq!(requested, 200);
+                assert_eq!(available, 100);
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected InsufficientQuota, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn rolling_over_cap_is_rate_limited_with_retry_after() {
+        let p = provider();
+        let principal = p.resolve("sk-rolling").await.unwrap();
+        let _r = p.reserve(&principal, 500).await.unwrap();
+        let err = p.reserve(&principal, 1).await.expect_err("over cap");
+        match err {
+            BudgetError::RateLimited {
+                retry_after_secs, ..
+            } => {
+                assert!(retry_after_secs >= 1, "must advertise a retry hint");
+                assert!(retry_after_secs <= 3_600);
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected RateLimited, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn uncapped_infra_key_never_refuses() {
+        let p = provider();
+        let principal = p.resolve("sk-infra").await.unwrap();
+        let r = p.reserve(&principal, 10_000_000).await.expect("uncapped");
+        p.settle(r, 10_000_000).await;
+        let snap = p.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(snap.hard_cap, None);
+        assert_eq!(snap.spent, 10_000_000);
+    }
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/src/handlers.rs

@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ async fn completions(
 /// `POST /v1/messages` — accept Anthropic format, translate, proxy, translate back.
 async fn anthropic_messages(
     State(fleet): State<Arc<CortexState>>,
-    _headers: HeaderMap,
+    headers: HeaderMap,
     body: Bytes,
 ) -> Response {
     // Parse as Anthropic request.
@@ -306,6 +306,29 @@ async fn anthropic_messages(
     }
     let start = Instant::now();
 
+    // Per-request metering + budget enforcement (#51/#52), same lifecycle as
+    // the OpenAI paths. Estimate from the translated OpenAI body (what neuron
+    // sees). Refuse over-cap before dispatch via the #63 envelope; otherwise
+    // build the sink consumed by whichever branch runs below.
+    let usage_sink = match crate::metering::principal_from_headers(&headers) {
+        Some(principal) => {
+            let advertised =
+                advertised_output_limit(&fleet, &route.node_name, &route.resolved_model_id).await;
+            let max_tokens = crate::metering::reservation_estimate(&openai_body, advertised);
+            match crate::metering::reserve_or_reject(
+                Arc::clone(&fleet.entitlements),
+                &principal,
+                max_tokens,
+            )
+            .await
+            {
+                Ok(guard) => Some(crate::metering::usage_sink(principal, guard)),
+                Err(env) => return crate::error::envelope_response(env),
+            }
+        }
+        None => None,
+    };
+
     if is_streaming {
         // Anthropic SSE translation (#24): upstream speaks OpenAI SSE;
         // re-frame it event-by-event into Anthropic's message_start /
@@ -316,6 +339,8 @@ async fn anthropic_messages(
             openai_body,
             &model_id,
             &route.node_name,
+            &headers,
+            usage_sink,
         )
         .await;
         metrics::histogram!("cortex_request_duration_seconds", &labels)
@@ -335,13 +360,16 @@ async fn anthropic_messages(
             cold_start = route.cold_start,
             "proxying request"
         );
-        let upstream_resp = fleet
-            .http_client
-            .post(&target_url)
-            .body(openai_body)
-            .header("content-type", "application/json")
-            .send()
-            .await;
+        let upstream_resp = crate::auth::forward_principal_headers(
+            fleet
+                .http_client
+                .post(&target_url)
+                .body(openai_body)
+                .header("content-type", "application/json"),
+            &headers,
+        )
+        .send()
+        .await;
 
         let upstream_resp = match upstream_resp {
             Ok(r) => r,
@@ -437,6 +465,15 @@ async fn anthropic_messages(
 
         metrics::histogram!("cortex_request_duration_seconds", &labels)
             .record(start.elapsed().as_secs_f64());
+        // Settle metering with the upstream usage (#51). Scanned from the
+        // raw body — same engine-truth source as the streaming path — so we
+        // don't depend on the typed usage struct's optionality.
+        if let Some(sink) = usage_sink {
+            let tail = String::from_utf8_lossy(&body_bytes);
+            let prompt = proxy::last_count_for(&tail, "prompt_tokens").unwrap_or(0);
+            let completion = proxy::last_count_for(&tail, "completion_tokens").unwrap_or(0);
+            sink(prompt, completion);
+        }
         // Did the model actually produce a structured tool call, or just
         // text? This is the single most useful signal for "is tool
         // calling working end-to-end" — a `false` here alongside a
@@ -724,6 +761,19 @@ async fn proxy_with_metrics(
     body: Bytes,
     model_id: &str,
 ) -> Response {
+    // Fail-fast prompt pre-validation (#56): refuse a prompt that already
+    // exceeds the model's advertised context window *before* dispatching to
+    // neuron — the same `400 context_length_exceeded` neuron would emit on
+    // overflow, just earlier and without burning a cold-load/queue slot.
+    // cortex has no tokenizer, so the estimate under-counts and neuron stays
+    // the exact wall; we only catch gross overages (the A0 failure mode).
+    if let Some(context) = advertised_context(fleet, &route.node_name, model_id).await {
+        let est = estimate_prompt_tokens(&body);
+        if est > context {
+            return context_length_exceeded_response(context, est, &headers);
+        }
+    }
+
     let labels = [
         ("model", model_id.to_string()),
         ("node", route.node_name.clone()),
@@ -734,9 +784,42 @@ async fn proxy_with_metrics(
         metrics::counter!("cortex_cold_starts_total", &labels).increment(1);
     }
 
+    // Per-request metering + budget enforcement (#51/#52): reconstruct the
+    // principal from the middleware-stamped headers, reserve the request's
+    // upper-bound cost (prompt estimate + max output), and build the
+    // completion sink that settles actual spend when the response finishes.
+    // A reservation over the hard cap is refused *before* dispatch with the
+    // #63 envelope. Anonymous requests skip all of this. Must happen before
+    // `headers`/`body` are moved into the proxy.
+    let usage_sink = match crate::metering::principal_from_headers(&headers) {
+        Some(principal) => {
+            let advertised = advertised_output_limit(fleet, &route.node_name, model_id).await;
+            let max_tokens = crate::metering::reservation_estimate(&body, advertised);
+            match crate::metering::reserve_or_reject(
+                Arc::clone(&fleet.entitlements),
+                &principal,
+                max_tokens,
+            )
+            .await
+            {
+                Ok(guard) => Some(crate::metering::usage_sink(principal, guard)),
+                Err(env) => return crate::error::envelope_response(env),
+            }
+        }
+        None => None,
+    };
+
     let start = Instant::now();
-    let result =
-        proxy::forward_request(&fleet.http_client, route, path, headers, body, model_id).await;
+    let result = proxy::forward_request(
+        &fleet.http_client,
+        route,
+        path,
+        headers,
+        body,
+        model_id,
+        usage_sink,
+    )
+    .await;
     let duration = start.elapsed();
 
     match result {
@@ -755,6 +838,117 @@ async fn proxy_with_metrics(
     }
 }
 
+/// The model's advertised `limit.output` (#62) on a given node, used as the
+/// default output budget for budget reservations (#52) when the request
+/// omits `max_(completion_)tokens`. `None` when the node/model/limit is
+/// unknown — callers fall back to [`crate::metering::FALLBACK_MAX_OUTPUT`].
+async fn advertised_output_limit(
+    fleet: &CortexState,
+    node_name: &str,
+    model_id: &str,
+) -> Option<u64> {
+    let nodes = fleet.nodes.read().await;
+    nodes
+        .get(node_name)?
+        .models
+        .get(model_id)?
+        .limit
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|l| l.output as u64)
+}
+
+/// The model's advertised hard context window (`limit.context`, #62/#67) on a
+/// node, used for fail-fast prompt pre-validation (#56). `None` when no limit
+/// is known — pre-validation is then skipped and neuron remains the wall.
+async fn advertised_context(fleet: &CortexState, node_name: &str, model_id: &str) -> Option<u64> {
+    let nodes = fleet.nodes.read().await;
+    nodes
+        .get(node_name)?
+        .models
+        .get(model_id)?
+        .limit
+        .as_ref()
+        .map(|l| l.context as u64)
+}
+
+/// Conservative prompt-token estimate (~4 chars/token over message text).
+/// cortex has no tokenizer; under-counting is the safe direction — we only
+/// pre-reject gross overages (#56), and neuron enforces the exact wall.
+fn estimate_prompt_tokens(body: &[u8]) -> u64 {
+    let Ok(v) = serde_json::from_slice::<Value>(body) else {
+        return (body.len() as u64 / 4).max(1);
+    };
+    let mut chars = 0usize;
+    if let Some(messages) = v.get("messages").and_then(Value::as_array) {
+        for m in messages {
+            match m.get("content") {
+                Some(Value::String(s)) => chars += s.len(),
+                Some(Value::Array(parts)) => {
+                    for p in parts {
+                        if let Some(t) = p.get("text").and_then(Value::as_str) {
+                            chars += t.len();
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
+            chars += 8; // rough per-message role/formatting overhead
+        }
+    } else if let Some(prompt) = v.get("prompt").and_then(Value::as_str) {
+        chars += prompt.len(); // legacy /v1/completions
+    } else {
+        return (body.len() as u64 / 4).max(1);
+    }
+    (chars as u64 / 4).max(1)
+}
+
+/// Client-specific, advisory guidance for an over-long prompt (#56),
+/// fingerprinted from `User-Agent`. Strictly advisory: it rides the
+/// `X-Helexa-Advice` header only, never the error envelope, and behaviour
+/// never depends on it. Unknown clients get nothing.
+fn client_advice(headers: &HeaderMap) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    let ua = headers
+        .get(axum::http::header::USER_AGENT)?
+        .to_str()
+        .ok()?
+        .to_ascii_lowercase();
+    if ua.contains("litellm") {
+        Some(
+            "litellm forwards the full context; lower the configured context window or enable client-side compaction",
+        )
+    } else if ua.contains("agent-zero") || ua.contains("agent zero") {
+        Some("reduce the conversation/context size or summarize earlier turns before resending")
+    } else if ua.contains("zed") {
+        Some("reduce the assistant context window in Zed's settings")
+    } else {
+        None
+    }
+}
+
+/// `400 context_length_exceeded` for an over-long prompt caught at the edge
+/// (#56), in the #60 envelope — the same shape neuron emits on overflow, so
+/// clients (opencode auto-compacts) handle it identically. Attaches the
+/// advisory `X-Helexa-Advice` header for fingerprinted clients.
+fn context_length_exceeded_response(
+    context: u64,
+    prompt_est: u64,
+    headers: &HeaderMap,
+) -> Response {
+    let env = OpenAiError::context_length_exceeded(format!(
+        "This model's maximum context length is {context} tokens. Your request is \
+         estimated at ~{prompt_est} tokens. Please reduce the length of the messages."
+    ))
+    .with_extra("max", json!(context))
+    .with_extra("estimated_prompt_tokens", json!(prompt_est));
+    let mut response = crate::error::envelope_response(env);
+    if let Some(advice) = client_advice(headers)
+        && let Ok(value) = axum::http::HeaderValue::from_str(advice)
+    {
+        response.headers_mut().insert("x-helexa-advice", value);
+    }
+    response
+}
+
 /// Update `last_accessed` timestamp for a model on a node (drives LRU eviction).
 async fn touch_model(fleet: &CortexState, node_name: &str, model_id: &str) {
     let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;

crates/cortex-gateway/src/lib.rs

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 pub mod anthropic_sse;
+pub mod auth;
+pub mod entitlements_local;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod evictor;
 pub mod handlers;
+pub mod metering;
 pub mod metrics;
 pub mod poller;
 pub mod proxy;
@@ -10,15 +13,26 @@ pub mod state;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
 use axum::Router;
+use axum::middleware::from_fn_with_state;
 use cortex_core::config::GatewayConfig;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use tower_http::cors::CorsLayer;
 use tower_http::trace::TraceLayer;
 
 /// Build the Axum application router with all routes wired up.
+///
+/// Layer order (outermost first): trace → CORS → auth → handlers. CORS is
+/// outer to auth so preflight `OPTIONS` short-circuits before resolution;
+/// auth (`require_principal`) resolves the bearer key, attaches the
+/// principal, and stamps the internal principal headers before any handler
+/// runs.
 pub fn build_app(fleet: Arc<state::CortexState>) -> Router {
     Router::new()
         .merge(handlers::api_routes())
+        .layer(from_fn_with_state(
+            Arc::clone(&fleet),
+            auth::require_principal,
+        ))
         .layer(CorsLayer::permissive())
         .layer(TraceLayer::new_for_http())
         .with_state(fleet)

crates/cortex-gateway/src/metering.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+//! Per-request token metering (#51).
+//!
+//! Captures the real `(prompt, completion)` usage of every request and feeds
+//! it to two places: the [`EntitlementProvider`] spend ledger (via
+//! reserve→settle) and per-principal Prometheus counters. The principal is
+//! reconstructed from the internal headers the auth middleware stamped (#49),
+//! so this works uniformly across every proxy path without threading the
+//! typed principal through each handler.
+//!
+//! The reserve→settle lifecycle is established here but, in this phase,
+//! reserves **zero** tokens — metering only, no enforcement. Budget
+//! enforcement (#52) flips the reserved amount to the real
+//! `prompt + max_output` and handles the [`BudgetError`] rejection; the
+//! settle/release plumbing is identical, so that change is localized.
+//!
+//! [`ReservationGuard`] makes leaks impossible: settling records actual
+//! spend and releases the unused remainder; dropping a guard that was never
+//! settled releases the whole reservation. So an early return, error path,
+//! or dropped stream can't strand a reservation.
+
+use axum::http::HeaderMap;
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{
+    BudgetError, EntitlementProvider, HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, HEADER_KEY_ID, Principal,
+};
+use cortex_core::error_envelope::OpenAiError;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+
+/// Fallback output-token budget when neither the request nor the model's
+/// advertised limit gives one. Bounds the reservation so a capped key is
+/// still gated even on under-specified requests (#52).
+pub const FALLBACK_MAX_OUTPUT: u64 = 4096;
+
+/// Invoked exactly once at request completion with best-effort
+/// `(prompt_tokens, completion_tokens)`. When no usage could be observed
+/// (e.g. a pre-dispatch failure or a dropped stream) it is dropped unused —
+/// which releases the held reservation via [`ReservationGuard`]'s `Drop`.
+pub type UsageSink = Box<dyn FnOnce(u64, u64) + Send>;
+
+/// Reconstruct the principal from the cortex-stamped internal headers. The
+/// auth middleware strips any client copy and stamps the authoritative value,
+/// so these headers are trustworthy within cortex. `None` for anonymous
+/// (unauthenticated) requests.
+pub fn principal_from_headers(headers: &HeaderMap) -> Option<Principal> {
+    let account_id = headers.get(HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID)?.to_str().ok()?.to_string();
+    let key_id = headers.get(HEADER_KEY_ID)?.to_str().ok()?.to_string();
+    Some(Principal { account_id, key_id })
+}
+
+/// Emit per-principal spend counters (#51). Labelled by account/key only —
+/// both are operator-bounded, so cardinality is controlled.
+pub fn record_spend(principal: &Principal, prompt: u64, completion: u64) {
+    let labels = [
+        ("account", principal.account_id.clone()),
+        ("key", principal.key_id.clone()),
+    ];
+    metrics::counter!("cortex_spend_tokens_total", &labels).increment(prompt + completion);
+    metrics::counter!("cortex_spend_prompt_tokens_total", &labels).increment(prompt);
+    metrics::counter!("cortex_spend_completion_tokens_total", &labels).increment(completion);
+}
+
+/// Holds a budget reservation for the life of a request. [`settle`] records
+/// actual spend and releases the remainder; an un-settled guard releases the
+/// whole reservation when dropped. Anonymous requests carry an empty guard,
+/// where every operation is a no-op.
+///
+/// [`settle`]: ReservationGuard::settle
+pub struct ReservationGuard {
+    provider: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider>,
+    reservation: Option<cortex_core::entitlements::Reservation>,
+}
+
+impl ReservationGuard {
+    /// An empty guard for an anonymous request — no reservation to resolve.
+    pub fn anonymous(provider: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            provider,
+            reservation: None,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Wrap an already-acquired reservation.
+    fn held(
+        provider: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider>,
+        reservation: cortex_core::entitlements::Reservation,
+    ) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            provider,
+            reservation: Some(reservation),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Settle with the tokens actually consumed, disarming the drop-release.
+    /// Spawns the (fast, in-process for the local provider) settle so the
+    /// caller — which may be a sync stream-completion callback — needn't
+    /// await.
+    pub fn settle(mut self, actual_tokens: u64) {
+        if let Some(reservation) = self.reservation.take() {
+            let provider = Arc::clone(&self.provider);
+            tokio::spawn(async move {
+                provider.settle(reservation, actual_tokens).await;
+            });
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Drop for ReservationGuard {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(reservation) = self.reservation.take() {
+            let provider = Arc::clone(&self.provider);
+            tokio::spawn(async move {
+                provider.release(reservation).await;
+            });
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Build the completion sink for an authenticated request: record spend and
+/// settle the reservation with the observed total. Dropping it unused (no
+/// usage observed) releases the reservation via the guard.
+pub fn usage_sink(principal: Principal, guard: ReservationGuard) -> UsageSink {
+    Box::new(move |prompt, completion| {
+        record_spend(&principal, prompt, completion);
+        guard.settle(prompt + completion);
+    })
+}
+
+/// Reserve the request's upper-bound token cost for the principal, refusing
+/// *before* dispatch if it would exceed the hard cap (#52). On success
+/// returns a guard the caller settles with actual usage; on refusal returns
+/// the #63 envelope (`rate_limit_exceeded` + `Retry-After` for a resetting
+/// window, `insufficient_quota` for a hard balance — never `402`).
+pub async fn reserve_or_reject(
+    provider: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider>,
+    principal: &Principal,
+    max_tokens: u64,
+) -> Result<ReservationGuard, OpenAiError> {
+    match provider.reserve(principal, max_tokens).await {
+        Ok(reservation) => Ok(ReservationGuard::held(provider, reservation)),
+        Err(err) => Err(budget_error_to_envelope(err)),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Map a [`BudgetError`] to the #63 envelope. The provider chose the window
+/// semantics; this only translates them to HTTP.
+fn budget_error_to_envelope(err: BudgetError) -> OpenAiError {
+    match err {
+        BudgetError::RateLimited {
+            retry_after_secs, ..
+        } => OpenAiError::rate_limit_exceeded(err.to_string(), retry_after_secs),
+        BudgetError::InsufficientQuota { .. } => OpenAiError::insufficient_quota(err.to_string()),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Upper-bound tokens to reserve for a request (#52): an over-estimate of
+/// the prompt plus the maximum output. `advertised_output` is the model's
+/// `limit.output` (#62), used when the request omits `max_(completion_)tokens`.
+/// Over-reserving is safe — settle corrects spend to the actual usage.
+pub fn reservation_estimate(body: &[u8], advertised_output: Option<u64>) -> u64 {
+    let max_output = requested_max_output(body)
+        .or(advertised_output)
+        .unwrap_or(FALLBACK_MAX_OUTPUT);
+    estimate_prompt_tokens(body).saturating_add(max_output)
+}
+
+/// The client's requested output cap, from `max_completion_tokens` (or the
+/// legacy `max_tokens`). `None` when unspecified.
+fn requested_max_output(body: &[u8]) -> Option<u64> {
+    let v: serde_json::Value = serde_json::from_slice(body).ok()?;
+    v.get("max_completion_tokens")
+        .or_else(|| v.get("max_tokens"))
+        .and_then(serde_json::Value::as_u64)
+}
+
+/// Rough prompt-token estimate at ~4 chars/token over the whole body. cortex
+/// has no tokenizer; JSON overhead makes this a conservative over-estimate,
+/// and neuron remains the exact context wall (#56/#60). Settle reconciles to
+/// the real usage afterward.
+fn estimate_prompt_tokens(body: &[u8]) -> u64 {
+    (body.len() as u64 / 4).max(1)
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn requested_max_output_prefers_max_completion_tokens() {
+        let body = br#"{"model":"m","max_completion_tokens":256,"max_tokens":99}"#;
+        assert_eq!(requested_max_output(body), Some(256));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn requested_max_output_falls_back_to_legacy_max_tokens() {
+        let body = br#"{"model":"m","max_tokens":128}"#;
+        assert_eq!(requested_max_output(body), Some(128));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn estimate_uses_requested_output_when_present() {
+        // Requested output dominates; prompt estimate is small for a tiny body.
+        let body = br#"{"model":"m","max_tokens":1000}"#;
+        let est = reservation_estimate(body, Some(8192));
+        assert!(est >= 1000 && est < 1100, "est was {est}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn estimate_uses_advertised_output_when_request_omits_it() {
+        let body = br#"{"model":"m","messages":[]}"#;
+        let est = reservation_estimate(body, Some(8192));
+        assert!(est >= 8192, "est was {est}");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn estimate_falls_back_when_nothing_advertised() {
+        let body = br#"{"model":"m"}"#;
+        let est = reservation_estimate(body, None);
+        assert!(est >= FALLBACK_MAX_OUTPUT, "est was {est}");
+    }
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/src/metrics.rs

@@ -63,4 +63,16 @@ fn describe_metrics() {
         "cortex_cold_starts_total",
         "Total number of cold-start model loads"
     );
+    metrics::describe_counter!(
+        "cortex_spend_tokens_total",
+        "Total metered tokens (prompt + completion) per principal, labelled by account/key (#51)"
+    );
+    metrics::describe_counter!(
+        "cortex_spend_prompt_tokens_total",
+        "Metered prompt tokens per principal, labelled by account/key (#51)"
+    );
+    metrics::describe_counter!(
+        "cortex_spend_completion_tokens_total",
+        "Metered completion tokens per principal, labelled by account/key (#51)"
+    );
 }

crates/cortex-gateway/src/poller.rs

@@ -200,6 +200,9 @@ async fn poll_health(fleet: &CortexState, name: &str, endpoint: &str) {
             let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
             if let Some(node) = nodes.get_mut(name) {
                 node.activation = Some(h.activation);
+                // Per-model admission load (#53) → keyed by id for the
+                // load-aware router (#55).
+                node.model_load = h.models.into_iter().map(|m| (m.id.clone(), m)).collect();
             }
         }
         Err(e) => {

crates/cortex-gateway/src/proxy.rs

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub async fn forward_request(
     headers: HeaderMap,
     body: bytes::Bytes,
     model_id: &str,
+    usage_sink: Option<crate::metering::UsageSink>,
 ) -> Result<Response, ProxyError> {
     let request_start = Instant::now();
     let url = format!("{}{}", route.endpoint, path);
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ pub async fn forward_request(
     let resp_headers = upstream_resp.headers().clone();
     let stream = TokenMetricsStream::new(
         Box::pin(upstream_resp.bytes_stream()),
-        TokenMetrics::new(model_id, &route.node_name, request_start),
+        TokenMetrics::new(model_id, &route.node_name, request_start, usage_sink),
     );
 
     let body = Body::from_stream(stream);
@@ -186,10 +187,19 @@ struct TokenMetrics {
     last_chunk: Option<Instant>,
     tail: String,
     finished: bool,
+    /// Per-principal metering hook (#51). Invoked exactly once in `finish`
+    /// with the observed `(prompt, completion)` so the reservation can be
+    /// settled and spend recorded. `None` for anonymous requests.
+    usage_sink: Option<crate::metering::UsageSink>,
 }
 
 impl TokenMetrics {
-    fn new(model_id: &str, node_name: &str, request_start: Instant) -> Self {
+    fn new(
+        model_id: &str,
+        node_name: &str,
+        request_start: Instant,
+        usage_sink: Option<crate::metering::UsageSink>,
+    ) -> Self {
         Self {
             labels: [
                 ("model", model_id.to_string()),
@@ -200,6 +210,7 @@ impl TokenMetrics {
             last_chunk: None,
             tail: String::new(),
             finished: false,
+            usage_sink,
         }
     }
 
@@ -227,36 +238,45 @@ impl TokenMetrics {
             return;
         }
         self.finished = true;
-        let Some(first) = self.first_chunk else {
-            return; // no body ever arrived — nothing to record
-        };
-        let ttft = first.duration_since(self.request_start).as_secs_f64();
-        metrics::histogram!("cortex_time_to_first_token_seconds", &self.labels).record(ttft);
 
-        if let Some(prompt) = last_count_for(&self.tail, "prompt_tokens") {
-            metrics::counter!("cortex_prompt_tokens_total", &self.labels).increment(prompt);
-        }
-        let Some(completion) = last_count_for(&self.tail, "completion_tokens") else {
-            return;
-        };
-        if completion == 0 {
-            return;
-        }
-        metrics::counter!("cortex_completion_tokens_total", &self.labels).increment(completion);
+        let prompt = last_count_for(&self.tail, "prompt_tokens");
+        let completion = last_count_for(&self.tail, "completion_tokens");
 
-        let last = self.last_chunk.unwrap_or(first);
-        let decode_window = last.duration_since(first).as_secs_f64();
-        // Streaming: rate over the decode window (first→last chunk).
-        // Non-streaming bodies arrive as ~one chunk (window ≈ 0), where
-        // the only honest denominator is the full request duration.
-        let secs = if decode_window >= 0.1 {
-            decode_window
-        } else {
-            last.duration_since(self.request_start).as_secs_f64()
-        };
-        if secs > 0.0 {
-            metrics::histogram!("cortex_tokens_per_second", &self.labels)
-                .record(completion as f64 / secs);
+        // Per-model metrics — only when body chunks actually arrived.
+        if let Some(first) = self.first_chunk {
+            let ttft = first.duration_since(self.request_start).as_secs_f64();
+            metrics::histogram!("cortex_time_to_first_token_seconds", &self.labels).record(ttft);
+
+            if let Some(prompt) = prompt {
+                metrics::counter!("cortex_prompt_tokens_total", &self.labels).increment(prompt);
+            }
+            if let Some(completion) = completion.filter(|c| *c > 0) {
+                metrics::counter!("cortex_completion_tokens_total", &self.labels)
+                    .increment(completion);
+
+                let last = self.last_chunk.unwrap_or(first);
+                let decode_window = last.duration_since(first).as_secs_f64();
+                // Streaming: rate over the decode window (first→last chunk).
+                // Non-streaming bodies arrive as ~one chunk (window ≈ 0),
+                // where the only honest denominator is the full request
+                // duration.
+                let secs = if decode_window >= 0.1 {
+                    decode_window
+                } else {
+                    last.duration_since(self.request_start).as_secs_f64()
+                };
+                if secs > 0.0 {
+                    metrics::histogram!("cortex_tokens_per_second", &self.labels)
+                        .record(completion as f64 / secs);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Per-principal metering + reservation settle (#51). Always runs so
+        // the reservation is resolved even when no usage/body was observed
+        // (sink with (0, 0) → settle 0 → release).
+        if let Some(sink) = self.usage_sink.take() {
+            sink(prompt.unwrap_or(0), completion.unwrap_or(0));
         }
     }
 }

crates/cortex-gateway/src/router.rs

@@ -132,7 +132,9 @@ pub async fn resolve(
     // Snapshot loaded / unloaded / recovering state from the poller cache.
     let (loaded_route, unloaded_route, recovering_node, any_healthy) = {
         let nodes = fleet.nodes.read().await;
-        let mut loaded_route = None;
+        // All healthy nodes with the model loaded, each with its current
+        // admission load (#53) so we can pick the least-busy replica (#55).
+        let mut loaded_candidates: Vec<(String, String, usize)> = Vec::new();
         let mut unloaded_route = None;
         let mut recovering_node = None;
         let mut any_healthy = false;
@@ -144,8 +146,15 @@ pub async fn resolve(
             if let Some(entry) = node.models.get(model_id) {
                 match entry.status {
                     ModelStatus::Loaded | ModelStatus::Reloading => {
-                        loaded_route = Some((node.name.clone(), node.endpoint.clone(), false));
-                        break;
+                        // Least-busy score: in-flight + queued from the
+                        // neuron's last /health (#53). Unknown load (no poll
+                        // yet) scores 0 so the replica stays eligible.
+                        let score = node
+                            .model_load
+                            .get(model_id)
+                            .map(|l| l.in_flight + l.queue_depth)
+                            .unwrap_or(0);
+                        loaded_candidates.push((node.name.clone(), node.endpoint.clone(), score));
                     }
                     ModelStatus::Unloaded => {
                         if unloaded_route.is_none() {
@@ -175,6 +184,12 @@ pub async fn resolve(
                 }
             }
         }
+        // Pick the least-busy loaded replica; ties break by node name for
+        // deterministic routing. `false` = not a cold start.
+        let loaded_route = loaded_candidates
+            .into_iter()
+            .min_by(|a, b| a.2.cmp(&b.2).then_with(|| a.0.cmp(&b.0)))
+            .map(|(name, endpoint, _score)| (name, endpoint, false));
         (loaded_route, unloaded_route, recovering_node, any_healthy)
     };
 

crates/cortex-gateway/src/state.rs

@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
+use crate::entitlements_local::LocalEntitlementProvider;
 use cortex_core::catalogue::ModelCatalogue;
 use cortex_core::config::{EvictionSettings, GatewayConfig, NeuronEndpoint};
+use cortex_core::entitlements::EntitlementProvider;
 use cortex_core::node::NodeState;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::sync::Arc;
 use tokio::sync::RwLock;
 
 /// Shared fleet state, protected by a RwLock for concurrent reader access.
@@ -11,6 +14,12 @@ pub struct CortexState {
     pub eviction: EvictionSettings,
     pub catalogue: ModelCatalogue,
     pub http_client: reqwest::Client,
+    /// Resolves bearer keys to principals and enforces token budgets (#47).
+    /// A local/static provider today (#50); the upstream client later (#57).
+    pub entitlements: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider>,
+    /// Whether to reject unauthenticated requests (#49). Read by the auth
+    /// middleware once it lands.
+    pub require_auth: bool,
 }
 
 impl CortexState {
@@ -28,12 +37,16 @@ impl CortexState {
                     last_poll: None,
                     discovery: None,
                     activation: None,
+                    model_load: HashMap::new(),
                 },
             );
         }
 
         let catalogue = ModelCatalogue::load(&config.models_config);
 
+        let entitlements: Arc<dyn EntitlementProvider> =
+            Arc::new(LocalEntitlementProvider::from_config(&config.entitlements));
+
         Self {
             nodes: RwLock::new(nodes),
             neuron_configs: config.neurons.clone(),
@@ -43,6 +56,8 @@ impl CortexState {
                 .timeout(std::time::Duration::from_secs(300))
                 .build()
                 .expect("failed to build HTTP client"),
+            entitlements,
+            require_auth: config.entitlements.require_auth,
         }
     }
 }

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/aliases.rs

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ async fn test_alias_resolves_in_chat_completions() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: models_path.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -141,6 +142,7 @@ async fn test_aliases_surface_in_v1_models() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: models_path.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -229,6 +231,7 @@ async fn test_alias_falls_through_for_unmapped_model() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: models_path.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/auth.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,250 @@
+//! Integration tests for API-key auth + principal resolution (#49).
+//!
+//! Verifies the #63 rejection contract (401 invalid_api_key via the #60
+//! envelope) and that an authenticated request reaches neuron carrying the
+//! internal principal headers — while a client-supplied principal header is
+//! stripped (anti-spoofing).
+
+use axum::Json;
+use axum::extract::Path;
+use axum::http::HeaderMap;
+use axum::routing::{get, post};
+use cortex_core::config::{
+    ApiKeyConfig, EntitlementsConfig, EvictionSettings, EvictionStrategy, GatewayConfig,
+    GatewaySettings, NeuronEndpoint,
+};
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{CapWindow, HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, HEADER_KEY_ID};
+use cortex_core::node::{ModelEntry, ModelStatus};
+use cortex_gateway::state::CortexState;
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use tokio::net::TcpListener;
+
+/// What the mock neuron observed on the inbound `/v1/chat/completions`
+/// request: the principal headers cortex stamped (or didn't).
+#[derive(Default)]
+struct Seen {
+    account_id: Option<String>,
+    key_id: Option<String>,
+}
+
+/// Spawn a mock neuron that records the principal headers it receives and
+/// returns a trivial chat completion. Returns (base_url, observed).
+async fn spawn_capturing_neuron() -> (String, Arc<Mutex<Seen>>) {
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    let base_url = format!("http://{addr}");
+    let inference_url = base_url.clone();
+    let seen: Arc<Mutex<Seen>> = Arc::new(Mutex::new(Seen::default()));
+    let sink = Arc::clone(&seen);
+
+    let app = axum::Router::new()
+        .route(
+            "/models/{model_id}/endpoint",
+            get(move |Path(_): Path<String>| {
+                let url = inference_url.clone();
+                async move { Json(json!({ "url": url })) }
+            }),
+        )
+        .route(
+            "/v1/chat/completions",
+            post(move |headers: HeaderMap, Json(body): Json<Value>| {
+                let sink = Arc::clone(&sink);
+                async move {
+                    {
+                        let mut s = sink.lock().unwrap();
+                        s.account_id = headers
+                            .get(HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID)
+                            .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok())
+                            .map(str::to_string);
+                        s.key_id = headers
+                            .get(HEADER_KEY_ID)
+                            .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok())
+                            .map(str::to_string);
+                    }
+                    let model = body.get("model").and_then(Value::as_str).unwrap_or("m");
+                    Json(json!({
+                        "id": "chatcmpl-auth-001",
+                        "object": "chat.completion",
+                        "created": 1700000000_u64,
+                        "model": model,
+                        "choices": [{
+                            "index": 0,
+                            "message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "ok"},
+                            "finish_reason": "stop"
+                        }],
+                        "usage": {"prompt_tokens": 3, "completion_tokens": 1, "total_tokens": 4}
+                    }))
+                }
+            }),
+        )
+        .with_state(());
+
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+
+    (base_url, seen)
+}
+
+/// Spawn a gateway with the given entitlements config, a single neuron, and
+/// `test-model` seeded as loaded (build_app spawns no poller).
+async fn spawn_gateway(neuron_url: &str, entitlements: EntitlementsConfig) -> String {
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![NeuronEndpoint {
+            name: "mock-node".into(),
+            endpoint: neuron_url.to_string(),
+        }],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements,
+    };
+
+    let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
+    {
+        let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+        let node = nodes.get_mut("mock-node").unwrap();
+        node.healthy = true;
+        node.models.insert(
+            "test-model".into(),
+            ModelEntry {
+                id: "test-model".into(),
+                status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+                last_accessed: None,
+                vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+                capabilities: Vec::new(),
+                tool_call: false,
+                reasoning: false,
+                limit: None,
+            },
+        );
+    }
+
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    format!("http://{addr}")
+}
+
+fn one_key_config(require_auth: bool) -> EntitlementsConfig {
+    EntitlementsConfig {
+        require_auth,
+        keys: vec![ApiKeyConfig {
+            key: "sk-good".into(),
+            account_id: "acct-1".into(),
+            key_id: Some("key-1".into()),
+            hard_cap: None,
+            window: CapWindow::Balance,
+        }],
+    }
+}
+
+fn chat_body() -> Value {
+    json!({
+        "model": "test-model",
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]
+    })
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn missing_key_when_required_is_401_invalid_api_key() {
+    let (neuron, _seen) = spawn_capturing_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, one_key_config(true)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .json(&chat_body())
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED);
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "invalid_api_key");
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["type"], "invalid_request_error");
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn invalid_key_is_401_even_when_auth_not_required() {
+    let (neuron, seen) = spawn_capturing_neuron().await;
+    // A present-but-wrong credential is always an error.
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, one_key_config(false)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .bearer_auth("sk-wrong")
+        .json(&chat_body())
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::UNAUTHORIZED);
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "invalid_api_key");
+    // Rejected before dispatch — neuron never saw the request.
+    assert!(seen.lock().unwrap().account_id.is_none());
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn valid_key_reaches_neuron_with_principal_headers() {
+    let (neuron, seen) = spawn_capturing_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, one_key_config(true)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .bearer_auth("sk-good")
+        // A spoofed principal header must be stripped, not forwarded.
+        .header(HEADER_ACCOUNT_ID, "attacker")
+        .json(&chat_body())
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let s = seen.lock().unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(s.account_id.as_deref(), Some("acct-1"));
+    assert_eq!(s.key_id.as_deref(), Some("key-1"));
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn anonymous_allowed_when_auth_not_required() {
+    let (neuron, seen) = spawn_capturing_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, EntitlementsConfig::default()).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .json(&chat_body())
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    // No principal resolved → no principal headers stamped.
+    let s = seen.lock().unwrap();
+    assert!(s.account_id.is_none());
+    assert!(s.key_id.is_none());
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn health_is_public_even_when_auth_required() {
+    let (neuron, _seen) = spawn_capturing_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, one_key_config(true)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .get(format!("{gateway}/health"))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/budget_enforcement.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+//! Integration tests for budget enforcement (#52) — the A0 seatbelt.
+//!
+//! A reservation over the key's hard cap is refused *before* neuron is hit,
+//! with the #63 code matching the cap-window semantics (rate_limit_exceeded
+//! + Retry-After for a resetting window, insufficient_quota for a hard
+//! balance). Spend never exceeds the cap. No 402, ever.
+
+use axum::Json;
+use axum::extract::Path;
+use axum::routing::{get, post};
+use cortex_core::config::{
+    ApiKeyConfig, EntitlementsConfig, EvictionSettings, EvictionStrategy, GatewayConfig,
+    GatewaySettings, NeuronEndpoint,
+};
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{CapWindow, Principal};
+use cortex_core::node::{ModelEntry, ModelStatus};
+use cortex_gateway::state::CortexState;
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+use tokio::net::TcpListener;
+
+/// Mock neuron with a hit counter on the inference path, so a test can prove
+/// a request was (or wasn't) dispatched.
+async fn spawn_counting_neuron() -> (String, Arc<AtomicU64>) {
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    let base_url = format!("http://{addr}");
+    let inference_url = base_url.clone();
+    let hits = Arc::new(AtomicU64::new(0));
+    let sink = Arc::clone(&hits);
+
+    let app = axum::Router::new()
+        .route(
+            "/models/{model_id}/endpoint",
+            get(move |Path(_): Path<String>| {
+                let url = inference_url.clone();
+                async move { Json(json!({ "url": url })) }
+            }),
+        )
+        .route(
+            "/v1/chat/completions",
+            post(move |Json(body): Json<Value>| {
+                let sink = Arc::clone(&sink);
+                async move {
+                    sink.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+                    let model = body.get("model").and_then(Value::as_str).unwrap_or("m");
+                    Json(json!({
+                        "id": "chatcmpl-budget",
+                        "object": "chat.completion",
+                        "created": 1700000000_u64,
+                        "model": model,
+                        "choices": [{"index": 0, "message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "ok"}, "finish_reason": "stop"}],
+                        "usage": {"prompt_tokens": 10, "completion_tokens": 5, "total_tokens": 15}
+                    }))
+                }
+            }),
+        );
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    (base_url, hits)
+}
+
+async fn spawn_gateway(neuron_url: &str, key: ApiKeyConfig) -> (Arc<CortexState>, String) {
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![NeuronEndpoint {
+            name: "mock-node".into(),
+            endpoint: neuron_url.to_string(),
+        }],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: EntitlementsConfig {
+            require_auth: true,
+            keys: vec![key],
+        },
+    };
+    let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
+    {
+        let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+        let node = nodes.get_mut("mock-node").unwrap();
+        node.healthy = true;
+        node.models.insert(
+            "test-model".into(),
+            ModelEntry {
+                id: "test-model".into(),
+                status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+                last_accessed: None,
+                vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+                capabilities: Vec::new(),
+                tool_call: false,
+                reasoning: false,
+                limit: None,
+            },
+        );
+    }
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    (fleet, format!("http://{addr}"))
+}
+
+fn key(window: CapWindow, hard_cap: u64) -> ApiKeyConfig {
+    ApiKeyConfig {
+        key: "sk-cap".into(),
+        account_id: "acct-cap".into(),
+        key_id: Some("key-cap".into()),
+        hard_cap: Some(hard_cap),
+        window,
+    }
+}
+
+fn chat(max_tokens: u64) -> Value {
+    json!({
+        "model": "test-model",
+        "max_tokens": max_tokens,
+        "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]
+    })
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn balance_over_cap_is_429_insufficient_quota_before_dispatch() {
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    // Cap far below a single request's reservation (max_tokens 1000).
+    let (_fleet, gateway) = spawn_gateway(&neuron, key(CapWindow::Balance, 10)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .bearer_auth("sk-cap")
+        .json(&chat(1000))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::TOO_MANY_REQUESTS);
+    // Hard balance → no Retry-After.
+    assert!(resp.headers().get(reqwest::header::RETRY_AFTER).is_none());
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "insufficient_quota");
+    // Refused before dispatch — neuron never saw it.
+    assert_eq!(hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 0);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn rolling_over_cap_is_429_rate_limited_with_retry_after() {
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let (_fleet, gateway) =
+        spawn_gateway(&neuron, key(CapWindow::Rolling { seconds: 3600 }, 10)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .bearer_auth("sk-cap")
+        .json(&chat(1000))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::TOO_MANY_REQUESTS);
+    let retry = resp
+        .headers()
+        .get(reqwest::header::RETRY_AFTER)
+        .expect("rolling-window rejection must carry Retry-After");
+    assert!(retry.to_str().unwrap().parse::<u64>().unwrap() >= 1);
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "rate_limit_exceeded");
+    assert_eq!(hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 0);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn within_cap_is_served() {
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let (_fleet, gateway) = spawn_gateway(&neuron, key(CapWindow::Balance, 1_000_000)).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .bearer_auth("sk-cap")
+        .json(&chat(50))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let _ = resp.bytes().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 1);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn a0_seatbelt_caps_a_runaway_fan_out() {
+    // An Agent-Zero-style key with a modest cap: a burst of requests drains
+    // it, then further requests are refused — the account stops draining and
+    // spend never exceeds the cap.
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let (fleet, gateway) = spawn_gateway(&neuron, key(CapWindow::Balance, 100)).await;
+    let client = reqwest::Client::new();
+
+    let mut ok = 0;
+    let mut refused = 0;
+    for _ in 0..20 {
+        let resp = client
+            .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+            .bearer_auth("sk-cap")
+            .json(&chat(20))
+            .send()
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        match resp.status() {
+            reqwest::StatusCode::OK => {
+                ok += 1;
+                let _ = resp.bytes().await.unwrap();
+            }
+            reqwest::StatusCode::TOO_MANY_REQUESTS => {
+                refused += 1;
+                let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "insufficient_quota");
+            }
+            other => panic!("unexpected status {other}"),
+        }
+    }
+
+    assert!(ok >= 1, "some requests should be served");
+    assert!(refused >= 1, "the cap must eventually refuse the fan-out");
+    assert_eq!(
+        hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst),
+        ok,
+        "refused requests never dispatched"
+    );
+
+    // Spend never exceeded the hard cap (reservation prevents overshoot).
+    // Poll briefly for in-flight settles to land.
+    let principal = Principal {
+        account_id: "acct-cap".into(),
+        key_id: "key-cap".into(),
+    };
+    for _ in 0..50 {
+        let snap = fleet.entitlements.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        if snap.reserved == 0 {
+            break;
+        }
+        tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(20)).await;
+    }
+    let snap = fleet.entitlements.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+    assert!(snap.spent <= 100, "spent {} exceeded cap", snap.spent);
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/common/mod.rs

@@ -429,6 +429,7 @@ pub async fn spawn_gateway_with_state(mock_url: &str) -> (Arc<CortexState>, Stri
             endpoint: mock_url.to_string(),
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/error_envelope.rs

@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ async fn error_response_no_healthy_nodes() {
             endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:1".into(),
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(cortex_gateway::state::CortexState::from_config(&config));

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/eviction.rs

@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ fn make_fleet(endpoint: &str, defrag_after: u32) -> Arc<CortexState> {
             endpoint: endpoint.to_string(),
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
     Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config))
 }

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/load_routing.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+//! Load-aware routing across replicas (#55).
+//!
+//! When a model is loaded on more than one healthy neuron, the router picks
+//! the least-busy replica using the per-model admission load each neuron
+//! reports on `GET /health` (#53), rather than always taking the first.
+
+mod common;
+
+use axum::Json;
+use axum::extract::Path;
+use axum::http::{StatusCode, header};
+use axum::response::IntoResponse;
+use axum::routing::{get, post};
+use cortex_core::config::{
+    EvictionSettings, EvictionStrategy, GatewayConfig, GatewaySettings, NeuronEndpoint,
+};
+use cortex_core::discovery::ModelLoad;
+use cortex_core::node::{ModelEntry, ModelStatus};
+use cortex_gateway::state::CortexState;
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use tokio::net::TcpListener;
+
+/// Seed a node as healthy with `test-model` loaded and a given admission load.
+async fn seed_loaded(fleet: &CortexState, node: &str, in_flight: usize, queue_depth: usize) {
+    let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+    let n = nodes.get_mut(node).expect("node exists");
+    n.healthy = true;
+    n.models.insert(
+        "test-model".into(),
+        ModelEntry {
+            id: "test-model".into(),
+            status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+            last_accessed: None,
+            vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+            capabilities: Vec::new(),
+            tool_call: false,
+            reasoning: false,
+            limit: None,
+        },
+    );
+    n.model_load.insert(
+        "test-model".into(),
+        ModelLoad {
+            id: "test-model".into(),
+            in_flight,
+            queue_depth,
+        },
+    );
+}
+
+/// Build a gateway state over two mock neurons (no poller; we seed state).
+async fn two_neuron_fleet(endpoint_a: &str, endpoint_b: &str) -> Arc<CortexState> {
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![
+            NeuronEndpoint {
+                name: "node-a".into(),
+                endpoint: endpoint_a.to_string(),
+            },
+            NeuronEndpoint {
+                name: "node-b".into(),
+                endpoint: endpoint_b.to_string(),
+            },
+        ],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
+    };
+    Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config))
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn routes_to_least_busy_replica() {
+    let neuron_a = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let neuron_b = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let fleet = two_neuron_fleet(&neuron_a, &neuron_b).await;
+
+    // A is busy (1 running + 3 queued), B is idle.
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-a", 1, 3).await;
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-b", 0, 0).await;
+
+    let route = cortex_gateway::router::resolve(&fleet, "test-model")
+        .await
+        .expect("model is loaded on both nodes");
+    assert_eq!(route.node_name, "node-b", "should pick the idle replica");
+
+    // Flip the load: now B is the busy one.
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-a", 0, 0).await;
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-b", 1, 5).await;
+    let route = cortex_gateway::router::resolve(&fleet, "test-model")
+        .await
+        .expect("still loaded");
+    assert_eq!(route.node_name, "node-a", "should follow the lighter load");
+}
+
+/// Mock neuron whose inference endpoint always returns a #63 backpressure
+/// envelope (503 + Retry-After) — simulating a saturated neuron.
+async fn spawn_busy_neuron() -> String {
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    let base_url = format!("http://{addr}");
+    let inference_url = base_url.clone();
+    let app = axum::Router::new()
+        .route(
+            "/models/{model_id}/endpoint",
+            get(move |Path(_): Path<String>| {
+                let url = inference_url.clone();
+                async move { Json(json!({ "url": url })) }
+            }),
+        )
+        .route(
+            "/v1/chat/completions",
+            post(|| async {
+                let body = json!({"error": {
+                    "message": "model is busy (admission queue full); retry shortly",
+                    "type": "rate_limit_error",
+                    "code": "rate_limit_exceeded",
+                    "param": null
+                }});
+                (
+                    StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE,
+                    [(header::RETRY_AFTER, "6")],
+                    Json(body),
+                )
+                    .into_response()
+            }),
+        );
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    base_url
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn neuron_backpressure_is_propagated_intact() {
+    // A saturated neuron's 503 + Retry-After + envelope must reach the client
+    // verbatim — not unwrapped, remapped, or stripped (#55 / #63).
+    let neuron = spawn_busy_neuron().await;
+    let fleet = two_neuron_fleet(&neuron, &neuron).await;
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-a", 1, 8).await;
+
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("http://{addr}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE);
+    assert_eq!(
+        resp.headers()
+            .get(reqwest::header::RETRY_AFTER)
+            .and_then(|v| v.to_str().ok()),
+        Some("6"),
+        "Retry-After must survive the proxy"
+    );
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "rate_limit_exceeded");
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn ties_break_deterministically_by_name() {
+    let neuron_a = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let neuron_b = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let fleet = two_neuron_fleet(&neuron_a, &neuron_b).await;
+
+    // Equal load on both → stable pick (lowest node name).
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-a", 0, 0).await;
+    seed_loaded(&fleet, "node-b", 0, 0).await;
+
+    let route = cortex_gateway::router::resolve(&fleet, "test-model")
+        .await
+        .expect("loaded");
+    assert_eq!(route.node_name, "node-a", "ties break by name");
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/metering.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+//! Integration tests for per-request token metering (#51).
+//!
+//! Drives authenticated requests through the gateway to a mock neuron that
+//! reports a fixed `usage` object, then asserts the EntitlementProvider's
+//! spend ledger reflects cumulative per-key spend and that reservations
+//! settle to actual (no outstanding reserved tokens once requests complete).
+
+mod common;
+
+use cortex_core::config::{
+    ApiKeyConfig, EntitlementsConfig, EvictionSettings, EvictionStrategy, GatewayConfig,
+    GatewaySettings, NeuronEndpoint,
+};
+use cortex_core::entitlements::{CapWindow, Principal};
+use cortex_core::node::{ModelEntry, ModelStatus};
+use cortex_gateway::state::CortexState;
+use serde_json::json;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::time::Duration;
+use tokio::net::TcpListener;
+
+const ACCOUNT: &str = "acct-meter";
+const KEY_ID: &str = "key-meter";
+const BEARER: &str = "sk-meter";
+
+/// The mock neuron (common::spawn_mock_neuron) reports this fixed usage on
+/// every chat completion.
+const PROMPT_PER_REQ: u64 = 10;
+const COMPLETION_PER_REQ: u64 = 5;
+
+async fn spawn_metered_gateway(neuron_url: &str) -> (Arc<CortexState>, String) {
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![NeuronEndpoint {
+            name: "mock-node".into(),
+            endpoint: neuron_url.to_string(),
+        }],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: EntitlementsConfig {
+            require_auth: true,
+            keys: vec![ApiKeyConfig {
+                key: BEARER.into(),
+                account_id: ACCOUNT.into(),
+                key_id: Some(KEY_ID.into()),
+                hard_cap: Some(1_000_000),
+                window: CapWindow::Balance,
+            }],
+        },
+    };
+
+    let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
+    {
+        let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+        let node = nodes.get_mut("mock-node").unwrap();
+        node.healthy = true;
+        node.models.insert(
+            "test-model".into(),
+            ModelEntry {
+                id: "test-model".into(),
+                status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+                last_accessed: None,
+                vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+                capabilities: Vec::new(),
+                tool_call: false,
+                reasoning: false,
+                limit: None,
+            },
+        );
+    }
+
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    (fleet, format!("http://{addr}"))
+}
+
+fn principal() -> Principal {
+    Principal {
+        account_id: ACCOUNT.into(),
+        key_id: KEY_ID.into(),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Poll the provider ledger until settled spend reaches `expected` (settle
+/// runs in a spawned task after the response stream finishes) or time out.
+async fn await_spent(fleet: &CortexState, expected: u64) -> u64 {
+    let principal = principal();
+    for _ in 0..100 {
+        let snap = fleet.entitlements.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap();
+        if snap.spent >= expected {
+            return snap.spent;
+        }
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(20)).await;
+    }
+    fleet.entitlements.snapshot(&principal).await.unwrap().spent
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn cumulative_spend_is_metered_per_key() {
+    let neuron = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let (fleet, gateway) = spawn_metered_gateway(&neuron).await;
+    let client = reqwest::Client::new();
+
+    const N: u64 = 3;
+    for _ in 0..N {
+        let resp = client
+            .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+            .bearer_auth(BEARER)
+            .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]}))
+            .send()
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+        // Drain the body so the response stream finishes and metering settles.
+        let _ = resp.bytes().await.unwrap();
+    }
+
+    let expected = N * (PROMPT_PER_REQ + COMPLETION_PER_REQ);
+    let spent = await_spent(&fleet, expected).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        spent, expected,
+        "ledger must reflect cumulative per-key spend"
+    );
+
+    // Reservations settled to actual — nothing left outstanding.
+    let snap = fleet.entitlements.snapshot(&principal()).await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(snap.reserved, 0, "all reservations must settle/release");
+    assert_eq!(snap.hard_cap, Some(1_000_000));
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn anonymous_request_records_no_spend() {
+    // require_auth=false so the unauthenticated request is served, but with
+    // no principal it must not touch any ledger.
+    let neuron = common::spawn_mock_neuron().await;
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![NeuronEndpoint {
+            name: "mock-node".into(),
+            endpoint: neuron.clone(),
+        }],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: EntitlementsConfig::default(),
+    };
+    let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
+    {
+        let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+        let node = nodes.get_mut("mock-node").unwrap();
+        node.healthy = true;
+        node.models.insert(
+            "test-model".into(),
+            ModelEntry {
+                id: "test-model".into(),
+                status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+                last_accessed: None,
+                vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+                capabilities: Vec::new(),
+                tool_call: false,
+                reasoning: false,
+                limit: None,
+            },
+        );
+    }
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("http://{addr}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let _ = resp.bytes().await.unwrap();
+
+    // An unconfigured principal has a zeroed snapshot — nothing was metered.
+    let snap = fleet
+        .entitlements
+        .snapshot(&Principal {
+            account_id: "nobody".into(),
+            key_id: "nobody".into(),
+        })
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(snap.spent, 0);
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/model_limits.rs

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ capabilities = ["text"]
             endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:1".into(),
         }],
         models_config: cat_path.to_string_lossy().into_owned(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/poller.rs

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ async fn test_poller_discovers_models() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ async fn test_poller_updates_gateway_models_endpoint() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -153,6 +155,7 @@ async fn test_models_endpoint_unions_capabilities_across_nodes() {
             },
         ],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -215,6 +218,7 @@ async fn test_poller_marks_unreachable_node_unhealthy() {
             endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:1".into(),
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -252,6 +256,7 @@ async fn test_poller_removes_stale_models() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -282,6 +287,7 @@ async fn test_poller_removes_stale_models() {
             endpoint: new_mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet2 = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config2));
@@ -363,6 +369,7 @@ async fn test_poller_captures_activation_from_health() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
@@ -407,6 +414,7 @@ async fn test_poller_parses_recovering_status() {
             endpoint: mock_url,
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
 
     let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/prompt_prevalidation.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,174 @@
+//! Fail-fast prompt pre-validation + advisory client hints (#56).
+//!
+//! cortex refuses a prompt that already exceeds the model's advertised
+//! context window before dispatching to neuron — the same #60
+//! `context_length_exceeded` envelope neuron would emit, just earlier — and
+//! attaches an advisory `X-Helexa-Advice` header for fingerprinted clients.
+
+use axum::Json;
+use axum::extract::Path;
+use axum::routing::{get, post};
+use cortex_core::config::{
+    EvictionSettings, EvictionStrategy, GatewayConfig, GatewaySettings, NeuronEndpoint,
+};
+use cortex_core::harness::ModelLimit;
+use cortex_core::node::{ModelEntry, ModelStatus};
+use cortex_gateway::state::CortexState;
+use serde_json::{Value, json};
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+use tokio::net::TcpListener;
+
+/// Mock neuron with a hit counter, so a test can prove a request was (or
+/// wasn't) dispatched past the gateway's pre-validation.
+async fn spawn_counting_neuron() -> (String, Arc<AtomicU64>) {
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    let base_url = format!("http://{addr}");
+    let inference_url = base_url.clone();
+    let hits = Arc::new(AtomicU64::new(0));
+    let sink = Arc::clone(&hits);
+    let app = axum::Router::new()
+        .route(
+            "/models/{model_id}/endpoint",
+            get(move |Path(_): Path<String>| {
+                let url = inference_url.clone();
+                async move { Json(json!({ "url": url })) }
+            }),
+        )
+        .route(
+            "/v1/chat/completions",
+            post(move || {
+                let sink = Arc::clone(&sink);
+                async move {
+                    sink.fetch_add(1, Ordering::SeqCst);
+                    Json(json!({
+                        "id": "c", "object": "chat.completion", "created": 1_700_000_000_u64,
+                        "model": "test-model",
+                        "choices": [{"index": 0, "message": {"role": "assistant", "content": "ok"}, "finish_reason": "stop"}],
+                        "usage": {"prompt_tokens": 3, "completion_tokens": 1, "total_tokens": 4}
+                    }))
+                }
+            }),
+        );
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    (base_url, hits)
+}
+
+/// Gateway over one neuron with `test-model` loaded and a tiny advertised
+/// context window (so a modest prompt overflows it).
+async fn spawn_gateway(neuron: &str, context: usize) -> String {
+    let config = GatewayConfig {
+        gateway: GatewaySettings {
+            listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+            metrics_listen: "127.0.0.1:0".into(),
+        },
+        eviction: EvictionSettings {
+            strategy: EvictionStrategy::Lru,
+            defrag_after_cycles: 0,
+        },
+        neurons: vec![NeuronEndpoint {
+            name: "mock-node".into(),
+            endpoint: neuron.to_string(),
+        }],
+        models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
+    };
+    let fleet = Arc::new(CortexState::from_config(&config));
+    {
+        let mut nodes = fleet.nodes.write().await;
+        let n = nodes.get_mut("mock-node").unwrap();
+        n.healthy = true;
+        n.models.insert(
+            "test-model".into(),
+            ModelEntry {
+                id: "test-model".into(),
+                status: ModelStatus::Loaded,
+                last_accessed: None,
+                vram_estimate_mb: Some(8000),
+                capabilities: Vec::new(),
+                tool_call: false,
+                reasoning: false,
+                limit: Some(ModelLimit {
+                    context,
+                    input: None,
+                    output: 16,
+                }),
+            },
+        );
+    }
+    let app = cortex_gateway::build_app(Arc::clone(&fleet));
+    let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").await.unwrap();
+    let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap();
+    tokio::spawn(async move {
+        axum::serve(listener, app).await.unwrap();
+    });
+    format!("http://{addr}")
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn over_long_prompt_is_rejected_before_dispatch() {
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, 50).await; // tiny 50-token window
+
+    // ~1200 chars → ~300 est tokens, well over 50.
+    let big = "word ".repeat(240);
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .header("user-agent", "litellm/1.0")
+        .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": big}]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
+    // Advisory hint for the fingerprinted client (header only, never body).
+    assert!(
+        resp.headers().get("x-helexa-advice").is_some(),
+        "litellm should get advice"
+    );
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "context_length_exceeded");
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["max"], 50);
+    // Refused at the edge — neuron never saw it.
+    assert_eq!(hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 0);
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn within_context_passes_through() {
+    let (neuron, hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, 4096).await;
+
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": "hi"}]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let _ = resp.bytes().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(hits.load(Ordering::SeqCst), 1, "served by neuron");
+}
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn unknown_client_gets_no_advice_header() {
+    let (neuron, _hits) = spawn_counting_neuron().await;
+    let gateway = spawn_gateway(&neuron, 50).await;
+
+    let big = "word ".repeat(240);
+    let resp = reqwest::Client::new()
+        .post(format!("{gateway}/v1/chat/completions"))
+        // no/unknown User-Agent → no advice, but still a clean 400
+        .json(&json!({"model": "test-model", "messages": [{"role": "user", "content": big}]}))
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(resp.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::BAD_REQUEST);
+    assert!(resp.headers().get("x-helexa-advice").is_none());
+    let body: Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "context_length_exceeded");
+}

crates/cortex-gateway/tests/proxy_basic.rs

@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ async fn test_no_healthy_nodes() {
             endpoint: "http://127.0.0.1:1".into(),
         }],
         models_config: "/dev/null".into(),
+        entitlements: Default::default(),
     };
     let fleet = std::sync::Arc::new(cortex_gateway::state::CortexState::from_config(&config));
 

crates/neuron/src/api.rs

@@ -71,6 +71,12 @@ async fn health_handler(State(state): State<Arc<NeuronState>>) -> Json<HealthRes
     // know about activation lifecycle.
     let mut snapshot = state.health_cache.snapshot().await;
     snapshot.activation = state.activation.snapshot().await;
+    // Per-model admission load (#53) — read live from the candle harness so
+    // cortex's load-aware router (#55) can spread traffic and propagate
+    // backpressure. Absent when no candle harness is present.
+    if let Some(candle) = &state.candle {
+        snapshot.models = candle.load_snapshot().await;
+    }
     Json(snapshot)
 }
 
@@ -486,6 +492,15 @@ fn inference_error_response(err: InferenceError) -> axum::response::Response {
             "template_render_failed",
             format!("chat template could not render this request: {detail}"),
         ),
+        // Admission control refused (#53): a fast, retryable "busy" signal.
+        // 503 (service busy) + Retry-After; opencode/AI SDK back off.
+        InferenceError::Overloaded { retry_after_secs } => OpenAiError::new(
+            503,
+            "rate_limit_error",
+            "rate_limit_exceeded",
+            "model is busy (admission queue full); retry shortly",
+        )
+        .with_retry_after(retry_after_secs),
         InferenceError::Other(e) => OpenAiError::without_code(500, "api_error", format!("{e:#}")),
     };
     envelope_response(env)
@@ -660,6 +675,26 @@ mod error_envelope_tests {
         assert_eq!(error["required_mb"], 8_192);
     }
 
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn overloaded_is_503_rate_limited_with_retry_after() {
+        // Admission rejection (#53) → fast, retryable backpressure.
+        let resp = inference_error_response(InferenceError::Overloaded {
+            retry_after_secs: 7,
+        });
+        assert_eq!(resp.status(), StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE);
+        let retry = resp
+            .headers()
+            .get(axum::http::header::RETRY_AFTER)
+            .expect("admission rejection must advertise Retry-After");
+        assert_eq!(retry.to_str().unwrap(), "7");
+
+        let bytes = axum::body::to_bytes(resp.into_body(), usize::MAX)
+            .await
+            .unwrap();
+        let body: Value = serde_json::from_slice(&bytes).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(body["error"]["code"], "rate_limit_exceeded");
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     async fn insufficient_vram_carries_retry_after() {
         // Transient 503 — VRAM frees as in-flight requests finish, so the

crates/neuron/src/config.rs

@@ -85,6 +85,56 @@ pub struct CandleHarnessConfig {
     /// `/models`, and enforces it. These knobs tune that derivation.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub context_limit: ContextLimitConfig,
+
+    /// Admission control (#53): bounds the per-model wait queue so a busy
+    /// model returns a fast, retryable `429`/`503` instead of stalling new
+    /// requests until their client times out.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub admission: AdmissionConfig,
+}
+
+/// `[harness.candle.admission]` settings (#53).
+///
+/// Inference is batch-1, so `max_in_flight` is 1 in practice; the queue
+/// (`max_queue_depth`) absorbs short bursts, and `max_wait_secs` caps how
+/// long a queued request waits before it's refused with backpressure.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct AdmissionConfig {
+    /// Concurrent running requests per model. Batch-1 inference → 1.
+    #[serde(default = "default_admission_max_in_flight")]
+    pub max_in_flight: usize,
+    /// Queued (waiting) requests allowed beyond the in-flight one. The
+    /// `(max_in_flight + max_queue_depth + 1)`-th request is refused
+    /// immediately with `429`/`503` + `Retry-After`.
+    #[serde(default = "default_admission_max_queue_depth")]
+    pub max_queue_depth: usize,
+    /// Maximum seconds a queued request waits for the in-flight slot before
+    /// it is refused (turns the old ~300s client-side hang into a fast,
+    /// honest signal).
+    #[serde(default = "default_admission_max_wait_secs")]
+    pub max_wait_secs: u64,
+}
+
+impl Default for AdmissionConfig {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self {
+            max_in_flight: default_admission_max_in_flight(),
+            max_queue_depth: default_admission_max_queue_depth(),
+            max_wait_secs: default_admission_max_wait_secs(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn default_admission_max_in_flight() -> usize {
+    1
+}
+
+fn default_admission_max_queue_depth() -> usize {
+    8
+}
+
+fn default_admission_max_wait_secs() -> u64 {
+    30
 }
 
 /// `[harness.candle.prefix_cache]` settings.

crates/neuron/src/harness/admission.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,202 @@
+//! Per-model admission control (#53).
+//!
+//! Inference against a loaded model is batch-1: one request runs at a time,
+//! serialized by the model's `inference_lock` (single-GPU) / `pool` mutex
+//! (TP). Before this, the wait for that lock was an **unbounded FIFO of
+//! mutex waiters with no timeout** — a busy model made every new request
+//! hang until its client gave up (~300s) with an opaque error.
+//!
+//! [`AdmissionController`] replaces that implicit unbounded wait with an
+//! explicit bounded scheduler: at most `max_in_flight` running (1, batch-1)
+//! plus a bounded queue of `max_queue_depth` waiters, each waiting at most
+//! `max_wait`. When the queue is full or the wait elapses, the request is
+//! rejected *immediately* — an honest, fast, retryable "busy" signal
+//! (`429`/`503` + `Retry-After` per #63) instead of a silent stall.
+//!
+//! The controller is pure async (no CUDA), so the inference paths just call
+//! [`AdmissionController::enter`] before taking the inference lock and hold
+//! the returned [`AdmissionPermit`] for the request's lifetime. Its counters
+//! ([`in_flight`](AdmissionController::in_flight) /
+//! [`queue_depth`](AdmissionController::queue_depth)) are lock-free, so
+//! `/health` can read live load without contending with inference.
+
+use crate::config::AdmissionConfig;
+use std::sync::Arc;
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering};
+use std::time::Duration;
+use tokio::sync::{OwnedSemaphorePermit, Semaphore};
+
+/// Why admission was refused. Both map to the #63 backpressure envelope
+/// (`429`/`503` + `rate_limit_exceeded` + `Retry-After`); they differ only
+/// in cause, for logging.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum AdmissionRejection {
+    /// The bounded wait queue was already full.
+    QueueFull { retry_after_secs: u64 },
+    /// A queue slot was taken but the in-flight slot didn't free within
+    /// `max_wait`.
+    Timeout { retry_after_secs: u64 },
+}
+
+impl AdmissionRejection {
+    pub fn retry_after_secs(&self) -> u64 {
+        match self {
+            AdmissionRejection::QueueFull { retry_after_secs }
+            | AdmissionRejection::Timeout { retry_after_secs } => *retry_after_secs,
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Bounded batch-1 scheduler for one loaded model.
+pub struct AdmissionController {
+    /// In-flight slots — `max_in_flight` permits (1 for batch-1).
+    slots: Arc<Semaphore>,
+    /// Queued + in-flight count, for fast rejection and load reporting.
+    pending: Arc<AtomicUsize>,
+    /// `max_in_flight + max_queue_depth` — the rejection threshold.
+    max_pending: usize,
+    max_in_flight: usize,
+    max_wait: Duration,
+}
+
+impl AdmissionController {
+    pub fn new(cfg: &AdmissionConfig) -> Self {
+        // A controller with zero in-flight slots would deadlock; clamp.
+        let max_in_flight = cfg.max_in_flight.max(1);
+        Self {
+            slots: Arc::new(Semaphore::new(max_in_flight)),
+            pending: Arc::new(AtomicUsize::new(0)),
+            max_pending: max_in_flight + cfg.max_queue_depth,
+            max_in_flight,
+            max_wait: Duration::from_secs(cfg.max_wait_secs),
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Admit a request: reserve a queue slot (fast-rejecting if full), then
+    /// wait up to `max_wait` for an in-flight slot. The returned permit must
+    /// be held for the request's lifetime; dropping it frees both slots.
+    pub async fn enter(&self) -> Result<AdmissionPermit, AdmissionRejection> {
+        // Reserve a pending slot up front so concurrent callers can't all
+        // slip past the threshold check. Roll back if we're over capacity.
+        let prev = self.pending.fetch_add(1, Ordering::AcqRel);
+        if prev >= self.max_pending {
+            self.pending.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::AcqRel);
+            return Err(AdmissionRejection::QueueFull {
+                retry_after_secs: self.retry_hint(),
+            });
+        }
+
+        match tokio::time::timeout(self.max_wait, Arc::clone(&self.slots).acquire_owned()).await {
+            Ok(Ok(permit)) => Ok(AdmissionPermit {
+                _permit: permit,
+                pending: Arc::clone(&self.pending),
+            }),
+            // Semaphore is never closed; treat a closed/elapsed wait the same.
+            Ok(Err(_)) | Err(_) => {
+                self.pending.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::AcqRel);
+                Err(AdmissionRejection::Timeout {
+                    retry_after_secs: self.retry_hint(),
+                })
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Requests currently running (holding an in-flight slot).
+    pub fn in_flight(&self) -> usize {
+        self.max_in_flight
+            .saturating_sub(self.slots.available_permits())
+    }
+
+    /// Requests waiting for an in-flight slot.
+    pub fn queue_depth(&self) -> usize {
+        self.pending
+            .load(Ordering::Acquire)
+            .saturating_sub(self.in_flight())
+    }
+
+    /// Rough `Retry-After`: scale with how backed-up the model is, clamped to
+    /// a sane band. Without per-request timing this is a heuristic, but it
+    /// gives well-behaved clients (opencode/AI SDK) a sensible backoff.
+    fn retry_hint(&self) -> u64 {
+        ((self.queue_depth() as u64 + 1) * 2).clamp(1, 120)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Held for a request's lifetime; frees the in-flight + queue slot on drop.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct AdmissionPermit {
+    _permit: OwnedSemaphorePermit,
+    pending: Arc<AtomicUsize>,
+}
+
+impl Drop for AdmissionPermit {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.pending.fetch_sub(1, Ordering::AcqRel);
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    fn cfg(max_in_flight: usize, max_queue_depth: usize, max_wait_secs: u64) -> AdmissionConfig {
+        AdmissionConfig {
+            max_in_flight,
+            max_queue_depth,
+            max_wait_secs,
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn admits_up_to_in_flight_and_reports_load() {
+        let ctrl = AdmissionController::new(&cfg(1, 4, 30));
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.in_flight(), 0);
+        let p = ctrl.enter().await.expect("first admits");
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.in_flight(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.queue_depth(), 0);
+        drop(p);
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.in_flight(), 0);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn rejects_when_queue_full() {
+        // 1 in-flight + 1 queue slot = capacity 2; the 3rd is refused fast.
+        let ctrl = Arc::new(AdmissionController::new(&cfg(1, 1, 30)));
+        let _running = ctrl.enter().await.expect("admit running");
+
+        // Fill the single queue slot with a waiter that parks on the semaphore.
+        let ctrl2 = Arc::clone(&ctrl);
+        let waiter = tokio::spawn(async move { ctrl2.enter().await.map(|p| drop(p)) });
+        // Give the waiter a moment to occupy the queue slot.
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50)).await;
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.queue_depth(), 1);
+
+        // Queue full → immediate QueueFull with a Retry-After hint.
+        match ctrl.enter().await {
+            Err(AdmissionRejection::QueueFull { retry_after_secs }) => {
+                assert!(retry_after_secs >= 1)
+            }
+            other => panic!("expected QueueFull, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+
+        // Release the runner so the parked waiter can proceed and finish.
+        drop(_running);
+        waiter.await.unwrap().unwrap();
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn rejects_on_wait_timeout() {
+        // Zero queue depth + a runner holding the only slot → a second
+        // request can't even queue, so it's QueueFull, not Timeout. Use a
+        // queue of 1 and a tiny max_wait to exercise the timeout path.
+        let ctrl = Arc::new(AdmissionController::new(&cfg(1, 1, 0)));
+        let _running = ctrl.enter().await.expect("admit running");
+        // max_wait 0 → the queued request times out almost immediately.
+        match ctrl.enter().await {
+            Err(AdmissionRejection::Timeout { .. }) => {}
+            other => panic!("expected Timeout, got {other:?}"),
+        }
+        // The timed-out request released its queue slot.
+        assert_eq!(ctrl.queue_depth(), 0);
+    }
+}

crates/neuron/src/harness/candle.rs

@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ pub struct CandleHarness {
     /// Context-limit derivation settings (#67), read in `list_models`
     /// to compute each model's advertised `limit{context,input,output}`.
     context_limit_cfg: crate::config::ContextLimitConfig,
+    /// Admission-control settings (#53), used to build each loaded model's
+    /// [`super::admission::AdmissionController`] at load time.
+    admission_cfg: crate::config::AdmissionConfig,
 }
 
 /// Devices/capabilities snapshot of a model entering auto-recovery
@@ -146,6 +149,16 @@ impl LoadedHandle {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Current admission load (#53): `(in_flight, queue_depth)`. Lock-free,
+    /// so `/health` can read it without contending with inference.
+    pub fn load(&self) -> (usize, usize) {
+        match self {
+            LoadedHandle::Single(m) => (m.admission.in_flight(), m.admission.queue_depth()),
+            #[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
+            LoadedHandle::Tp(m) => (m.admission.in_flight(), m.admission.queue_depth()),
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Modalities the loaded model supports. Stage B7 (single-GPU) +
     /// TP-vision (#12) — both single-GPU and TP loads advertise
     /// `"vision"` when a replicated vision tower materialised.
@@ -305,6 +318,10 @@ pub struct LoadedModel {
     /// for the TP path (which already had this invariant by accident
     /// because the pool lock covered the same window).
     pub inference_lock: tokio::sync::Mutex<()>,
+    /// Bounded admission scheduler (#53). Gated *before* `inference_lock`
+    /// so a busy model refuses overflow fast instead of growing an
+    /// unbounded, untimed queue of lock waiters.
+    pub admission: super::admission::AdmissionController,
     /// Open/close token IDs for the reasoning marker this model
     /// emits, populated once at load time by probing the tokenizer's
     /// added-tokens table. `None` for non-reasoning models or
@@ -422,6 +439,10 @@ pub struct TpLoadedModel {
     /// serialises subprocess RPC traffic on the pool's
     /// `Vec<Worker>` channels.
     pub pool: tokio::sync::Mutex<super::tp::WorkerPool>,
+    /// Bounded admission scheduler (#53), mirroring the single-GPU path.
+    /// Gated before the pool lock so an overloaded TP model returns fast
+    /// backpressure instead of an unbounded, untimed wait.
+    pub admission: super::admission::AdmissionController,
     /// Handle into the leader device worker's TP slab. The boxed
     /// `TpLeaderModel` (with its embedded `Arc<Comm>` clones and
     /// per-rank CUDA tensors) lives on the worker thread; we hold an
@@ -1565,6 +1586,7 @@ impl CandleHarness {
             recovery_tx,
             prefix_cache_cfg: config.prefix_cache.clone(),
             context_limit_cfg: config.context_limit.clone(),
+            admission_cfg: config.admission.clone(),
         });
         // Background auto-recovery task (#17). Holds a `Weak` so it can't
         // keep the harness alive. Spawned only when a tokio runtime is
@@ -2059,6 +2081,15 @@ impl CandleHarness {
             return Err(self.trigger_recovery(&model_id).await);
         }
 
+        // Admission control (#53): refuse fast if the bounded queue is full
+        // or the wait elapses, rather than joining an unbounded lock-wait.
+        // The permit is held for the whole request (released on drop).
+        let _admit = loaded
+            .admission
+            .enter()
+            .await
+            .map_err(InferenceError::from)?;
+
         // Serialise concurrent requests against this model. Holds for
         // the duration of clear_kv_cache → prefill → decode so two
         // requests' chunked-prefill sequences can't interleave on the
@@ -2610,6 +2641,15 @@ impl CandleHarness {
         // role chunk was already sent above, so the client sees
         // immediate "stream open" feedback even when this request
         // queues behind another for the lock.
+        // Admission control (#53): refuse before opening the stream if the
+        // model's bounded queue is full / the wait elapses. The permit moves
+        // into the inference task and is held until it completes.
+        let admit = loaded
+            .admission
+            .enter()
+            .await
+            .map_err(InferenceError::from)?;
+
         let tool_schemas = build_tool_schemas(&request);
         if let (Some(worker), Some(handle)) = (loaded.worker.clone(), loaded.arch_handle) {
             #[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
@@ -2620,6 +2660,7 @@ impl CandleHarness {
                 let tool_schemas_inner = tool_schemas.clone();
                 tokio::spawn(
                     async move {
+                        let _admit = admit;
                         let _inference_guard = loaded_for_task.inference_lock.lock().await;
                         match stream_inference_via_worker(
                             worker,
@@ -2680,6 +2721,7 @@ impl CandleHarness {
             let tool_call_tokens_inner = loaded.tool_call_tokens.clone();
             let tool_schemas_inner = tool_schemas.clone();
             tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+                let _admit = admit;
                 let _g = span_for_task.enter();
                 // `blocking_lock` is safe here: spawn_blocking runs on
                 // a dedicated thread, not on the async runtime, so
@@ -2779,6 +2821,24 @@ pub struct InferenceStream {
 /// Auto-recovery (#17) — rebuild a poisoned model's device context
 /// automatically instead of leaving it bricked until a human reloads.
 impl CandleHarness {
+    /// Per-model admission load for `GET /health` (#53): in-flight + queued
+    /// counts for every resident model. Lock-free per-model reads, so this
+    /// only briefly holds the registry read lock to enumerate handles.
+    pub async fn load_snapshot(&self) -> Vec<cortex_core::discovery::ModelLoad> {
+        let models = self.models.read().await;
+        models
+            .values()
+            .map(|handle| {
+                let (in_flight, queue_depth) = handle.load();
+                cortex_core::discovery::ModelLoad {
+                    id: handle.model_id().to_string(),
+                    in_flight,
+                    queue_depth,
+                }
+            })
+            .collect()
+    }
+
     /// True while `model_id` is being auto-recovered (its slot is briefly
     /// absent from the registry during the reload).
     pub async fn is_recovering(&self, model_id: &str) -> bool {
@@ -3128,6 +3188,7 @@ impl Harness for CandleHarness {
             worker,
             arch_handle,
             inference_lock: tokio::sync::Mutex::new(()),
+            admission: super::admission::AdmissionController::new(&self.admission_cfg),
             reasoning_tokens,
             tool_call_tokens,
             chat_template,
@@ -3372,6 +3433,7 @@ impl CandleHarness {
             tokenizer,
             devices: devices.clone(),
             pool: TMutex::new(pool),
+            admission: super::admission::AdmissionController::new(&self.admission_cfg),
             leader_handle,
             leader_device: leader_device.clone(),
             poisoned: AtomicBool::new(false),
@@ -3690,10 +3752,15 @@ impl CandleHarness {
             validate_vision_prefill(prompt_len, vram_free_mb)?;
         }
 
+        // Admission control (#53): refuse before opening the stream; the
+        // permit moves into the orchestration task and is held for its life.
+        let admit = tp.admission.enter().await.map_err(InferenceError::from)?;
+
         let tool_schemas = build_tool_schemas(&request);
         let tp_for_task = Arc::clone(&tp);
         tokio::spawn(
             async move {
+                let _admit = admit;
                 let mut failure: Option<String> = None;
                 let mut pool = acquire_pool_lock(&tp_for_task.pool, &model_id).await;
                 let leader_handle = tp_for_task.leader_handle;
@@ -4284,6 +4351,10 @@ async fn chat_completion_tp_inner(
         validate_vision_prefill(prompt_len, vram_free_mb)?;
     }
 
+    // Admission control (#53): bounded queue + fast reject before joining
+    // the pool-lock wait. Held for the whole request (released on drop).
+    let _admit = tp.admission.enter().await.map_err(InferenceError::from)?;
+
     // Acquire the pool lock for the duration of the request. After
     // Phase 3 the leader's TpLeaderModel lives in the device worker
     // thread, so the pool lock now serialises only subprocess RPC
@@ -4826,10 +4897,23 @@ pub enum InferenceError {
     /// failure mode that hid several client-compat bugs. Maps to 422.
     #[error("chat template could not render this request: {detail}")]
     TemplateRenderFailed { detail: String },
+    /// Admission control (#53) refused the request: the model's bounded
+    /// queue is full or the wait elapsed. Maps to `429 rate_limit_exceeded`
+    /// + `Retry-After` — a fast, retryable "busy" signal, not a stall.
+    #[error("model is busy; retry after {retry_after_secs}s")]
+    Overloaded { retry_after_secs: u64 },
     #[error(transparent)]
     Other(#[from] anyhow::Error),
 }
 
+impl From<super::admission::AdmissionRejection> for InferenceError {
+    fn from(rejection: super::admission::AdmissionRejection) -> Self {
+        InferenceError::Overloaded {
+            retry_after_secs: rejection.retry_after_secs(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Build the model's prompt from a [`ChatCompletionRequest`].
 ///
 /// Prefers the model's own `chat_template` when one was loaded

crates/neuron/src/harness/mod.rs

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Harness registry — maps harness names to trait implementations.
 
+pub mod admission;
 pub mod arch;
 pub mod candle;
 pub mod chat_template;

crates/neuron/src/health.rs

@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ impl HealthCache {
                 // direct read from the cache stays a well-typed
                 // HealthResponse on the wire.
                 activation: Default::default(),
+                // Per-model admission load is overlaid by the api handler
+                // from the candle harness (#53); the cache doesn't own it.
+                models: Vec::new(),
             }),
             has_gpus: RwLock::new(false),
         }

crates/neuron/tests/api.rs

@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ async fn test_health_endpoint() {
 
     let body: serde_json::Value = resp.json().await.unwrap();
     assert_eq!(body["uptime_secs"], 0);
+    // Per-model admission load (#53) is always present, even with no models
+    // loaded (empty array) — cortex's load-aware router (#55) relies on it.
+    assert!(
+        body["models"].is_array(),
+        "/health must expose a models load array"
+    );
 }
 
 #[tokio::test]