diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index fe8e960..b2b6aa0 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -446,12 +446,30 @@ ZDDC_ROOT=/path/to/your/archive ZDDC_TLS_CERT=none ZDDC_ADDR=:8080 \
 | `ZDDC_LOG_LEVEL` | `info` | Logging verbosity |
 | `ZDDC_CORS_ORIGIN` | *(empty)* | Comma-separated CORS allowlist; empty (default) disables CORS — appropriate for embedded-tools deployments where tools and data are same-origin. Set explicitly only for self-hosted tools at a different host (e.g. `https://tools.acme.com`) or the CDN-bootstrap pattern (`https://zddc.varasys.io`). |
 | `ZDDC_INSECURE` | *(empty)* | Must be `1` to allow startup with no `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc`. Without it, the server refuses to start because no `.zddc` files anywhere → public-by-default. Set only for deliberately-public archives. |
+| `ZDDC_NO_AUTH` | *(empty)* | `1` skips ACL enforcement entirely on this instance. On a master: anyone reads everything (dev / trusted-LAN read-only deployments). On a downstream proxy/cache/mirror: trust upstream's filtering, don't re-evaluate ACLs locally. **Distinct from `ZDDC_INSECURE`** (which gates a startup safety check). |
 | `ZDDC_OPA_URL` | `internal` | Policy decider endpoint. `internal` (default) = in-process Go evaluator (same `.zddc` cascade we always had). `http(s)://...` or `unix:///...` = external OPA — every access decision becomes a `POST /v1/data/zddc/access/allow` to the configured endpoint. Federal customers with their own audited Rego use this; commercial deployments leave it `internal`. |
 | `ZDDC_OPA_FAIL_OPEN` | *(empty)* | External OPA only. `1` = allow on transport error; default = fail closed (deny). |
 | `ZDDC_OPA_CACHE_TTL` | `1s` | External OPA only. Per-decision cache TTL — amortizes round-trips on bursty patterns (e.g. `.archive` listings hit the same `(email, dir)` tuple many times). `0` disables. Format is Go `time.ParseDuration`. |
 | `ZDDC_APPS_PUBKEY` | *(empty)* | Path to PEM Ed25519 pubkey for verifying signatures on URL-fetched `apps:` artifacts. Empty = URL apps refused. Download from `zddc.varasys.io/pubkey.pem` (canonical channels) or supply your own. No baked-in default — same posture as TLS certs. Alternative inline form: `apps_pubkey:` in root `.zddc` (root-only, env/flag wins). |
 | `ZDDC_ACCESS_LOG` | `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/logs/access-<host>.log` | JSON-line audit log (lumberjack-rotated, 100 MB / 10 backups / 90 days, gzipped). Server auto-mkdirs the parent. Set explicitly to empty (`--access-log=`) to disable. Per-host filename + `host` field in every record so multi-replica deployments writing to the same `.zddc.d/` dir disambiguate cleanly. |
 
+### Bearer tokens (CLI auth)
+
+zddc-server self-issues bearer tokens for CLI / non-browser callers. No external IDP, no JWKS rotation. Source of truth: `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/<sha256-hex>` — a YAML file per token with `email`, `created`, `expires`, `description`. Filename is the **hash** of the token; the plaintext is never persisted.
+
+User flow: sign in to the master in a browser, visit `/.tokens`, click "Create token," copy the value (shown once). Store in a 0600 file and pass `--bearer-file <path>` to a CLI that calls back into zddc-server, or send `Authorization: Bearer <token>` directly from scripts.
+
+Endpoints:
+- `GET /.tokens` — HTML self-service page (gated by browser auth).
+- `GET/POST /.api/tokens` — list / create. Plaintext returned **only** on POST response.
+- `DELETE /.api/tokens/<id>` — revoke. `<id>` is the 8-char short ID or full hash.
+
+Validation flow inside the request path: `ACLMiddleware` checks for `Authorization: Bearer …` first; on success, sets the request email from the token file. On any failure (unknown / expired / store unavailable), returns 401 — there is no fallback to header-based auth, so a misconfigured client can't silently masquerade as anonymous. If no Bearer is present, the existing `cfg.EmailHeader` path runs unchanged.
+
+The tokens directory inherits the existing `.zddc.d/` exclusion: dot-prefix segments 404 from direct GETs, and `fs.ListDirectory` filters them from listings. **Verify on any new deployment by attempting `GET /.zddc.d/tokens/anything` and confirming 404.**
+
+Implementation: `zddc/internal/auth/` (storage), `zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler.go` (HTTP layer), middleware extension in `zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go`.
+
 ### Release tagging
 
 zddc-server has no separate release script. The top-level `./build alpha|beta|release [version]` is the canonical path: it cross-compiles the binaries inside the containerized Go toolchain, copies them into `dist/release-output/` with the lockstep symlink chain (one set of symlinks per platform), regenerates the per-version + per-channel stub pages, refreshes the index, and (on stable) tags `zddc-server-v<X.Y.Z>` alongside the six HTML-tool tags.
diff --git a/ARCHITECTURE.md b/ARCHITECTURE.md
index 6e4e296..3072f7f 100644
--- a/ARCHITECTURE.md
+++ b/ARCHITECTURE.md
@@ -459,7 +459,7 @@ none of them is load-bearing alone.
 
 | Layer | Job | Implementation |
 |---|---|---|
-| Authentication | Establish caller identity (email) | Delegated to upstream proxy via `X-Auth-Request-Email`; zddc-server does not authenticate |
+| Authentication | Establish caller identity (email) | Two paths: `Authorization: Bearer <token>` validated against `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/<sha256-hex>` (CLI / scripted callers); or `X-Auth-Request-Email` injected by an upstream auth proxy (browser users). Token system is built-in and self-issuing — no external IDP required |
 | Policy decider | Yield an allow/deny verdict for (identity, path, chain) | Pluggable via `ZDDC_OPA_URL`: in-process Go evaluator (default) or external OPA-compatible HTTP/socket endpoint. `zddc/internal/policy/` |
 | ACL cascade | The default decider's rule set | Per-directory `.zddc` YAML with verb-set permissions (`r`/`w`/`c`/`d`/`a`) and roles, walked deepest-first first-match-wins under `--cascade-mode=delegated` or with absolute ancestor denies under `--cascade-mode=strict` (`zddc/internal/zddc/acl.go`, `cascade.go`). External OPA can replace this rule set with arbitrary Rego while keeping the same `.zddc` files as input data |
 | Special folders | Codify the bilateral exchange-record archetype | `Incoming`/`Working`/`Staging` get auto-ownership on mkdir (creator gets `rwcda` via an auto-written `.zddc`); `Issued`/`Received` enforce a server-side WORM split (ancestor grants masked to `r`; only an explicit `.zddc` at-or-below the WORM folder can grant `c` for a write-once drop-box). Admins exempt. `zddc/internal/zddc/special.go` |
@@ -468,6 +468,44 @@ none of them is load-bearing alone.
 | Audit log | Reconstruct who did what after the fact | JSON-line tee per request to `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/logs/access-<host>.log`; writes also emit `file_write` op records |
 | File API | Authenticated CRUD over the served tree | `zddc/internal/handler/fileapi.go` — PUT/DELETE/POST routed through the same ACL chain as GET, with per-method verbs (`r`/`w`/`c`/`d`/`a`). Mkdir under `Incoming`/`Working`/`Staging` writes a creator-owned `.zddc` automatically |
 
+### Bearer token issuance
+
+zddc-server issues its own bearer tokens for non-browser callers (CLI tools, scripts, downstream proxy/cache/mirror instances). The master is the identity provider; no external IDP, no JWKS rotation.
+
+**Storage** — `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/<sha256-hex>` per token. Filename is the **hash** of the token, never the plaintext value. File contents are YAML (`email`, `created`, `expires`, `description`). Mode 0600, directory mode 0700, atomic writes via temp+rename.
+
+**Why hash-as-filename**: a leak of the tokens directory (backup tools, FS-level audit logs, accidental `ls` in a screen recording) exposes hashes, not credentials. Same posture as `/etc/shadow` storing password hashes rather than passwords. The plaintext exists only in transit (HTTP `Authorization` header) and on the operator's disk (a 0600 file they manage).
+
+**Self-service flow**:
+
+1. User signs in via the browser (master's normal upstream auth).
+2. Visits `/.tokens` — small HTML page (`zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler.go`) listing existing tokens and offering a creation form.
+3. JS fetches the JSON API (`/.api/tokens`), POSTs a new token, displays the plaintext **once**.
+4. User copies into a 0600 file; passes `--bearer-file <path>` to a CLI.
+
+**API**:
+
+| Method | Path | Purpose |
+|---|---|---|
+| `GET`    | `/.api/tokens`     | list current user's tokens (no plaintext) |
+| `POST`   | `/.api/tokens`     | create; plaintext returned exactly once |
+| `DELETE` | `/.api/tokens/<id>` | revoke (8-char ID or full 64-char hash) |
+
+**Validation in the request path**: `ACLMiddleware` in `zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go` checks `Authorization: Bearer …` first; on success, sets the request email from the token file and falls through. Any failure (missing / malformed / expired) → `401`. There is no silent fallback to anonymous on Bearer failure — a misconfigured client must fail loudly rather than escalate to "no auth at all." When no Bearer is present, the existing `cfg.EmailHeader` path runs unchanged.
+
+**Directory shielding**: the tokens path is shielded by the existing `.`-prefix rules — `dispatch()` 404s any URL containing a dot-prefixed segment (other than the recognized virtual prefixes), and `fs.ListDirectory` filters dot entries from listings. The token system relies on this; a regression here is a credentials-leak vector. The token-handler test suite (`tokenhandler_test.go`) exercises the auth path; verifying the URL-level guard is the responsibility of `main_test.go` (`TestDispatchHidesDotPrefixedSegments`).
+
+### `--no-auth` / "this instance is not the ACL boundary"
+
+A symmetric flag, used in two distinct deployment shapes:
+
+- **Master with `--no-auth`**: no ACL enforcement, no auth required. Anyone hitting the port reads everything in scope. Suitable for dev, internal trusted-LAN read-only tooling, or genuinely public archives.
+- **Client with `--no-auth`** (downstream proxy/cache/mirror — see "Master + proxy / cache / mirror" below for context): the client trusts upstream's ACL filtering. Whatever the upstream returned is what the client serves; no per-request re-evaluation against `.zddc` files in the cache directory. Single-user-trust model on a laptop.
+
+Implementation is a single swap: `policy.AllowAllDecider{}` replaces the configured decider when `cfg.NoAuth` is true. All existing handlers continue to call `policy.AllowFromChain` (or equivalent) unchanged; they just always get `allowed=true`. Logged at `WARN` on every restart so operators who set the flag inadvertently see it on stderr.
+
+Distinct from `--insecure`, which only relaxes a startup-time safety check (refuse to start when no root `.zddc` exists). The two flags are independent.
+
 ### Commercial vs federal trust model
 
 The current implementation is well-shaped for a commercial-tenant model with
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 64e4531..394a371 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ If something in this CLAUDE.md conflicts with those, those win — and please up
 This is a **monorepo of independent tools**, not one application:
 
 - `archive/`, `transmittal/`, `classifier/`, `mdedit/`, `landing/`, `form/` — six self-contained HTML tools, each compiled to a single inlined HTML file in its own `dist/`. Most output `dist/tool.html`; **`landing/` outputs `dist/index.html`** (it's the project picker served at the root of `zddc-server`). The sixth tool, `form/`, is the schema-driven renderer for the form-data system (any `<name>.form.yaml` file in the tree becomes an editable form at `<path>/<name>.form.html`); see AGENTS.md "Form-data system" and ARCHITECTURE.md "Form Renderer".
-- `zddc/` — Go HTTP server (separate sub-project; Go 1.24+). Serves `ZDDC_ROOT/index.html` at `GET /` as the landing page; `Accept: application/json` on `/` returns the ACL-filtered project list. Cross-compiled binaries are produced by `./build` and live in `dist/release-output/` (gitignored); `./deploy` rsyncs them to `/srv/zddc/releases/` on the deploy host (Caddy serves them at `https://zddc.varasys.io/releases/`). The `helm/` charts in this repo build from source at deploy time.
+- `zddc/` — Go HTTP server (separate sub-project; Go 1.24+). Serves `ZDDC_ROOT/index.html` at `GET /` as the landing page; `Accept: application/json` on `/` returns the ACL-filtered project list. Two auth paths: (a) `Authorization: Bearer <token>` validated against self-issued tokens stored under `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/` (filename = SHA256 of token), used by CLI / non-browser callers; (b) `X-Auth-Request-Email` injected by an upstream auth proxy, used for browser sessions. Self-service token UI at `/.tokens` + JSON API at `/.api/tokens`. `--no-auth` skips ACL enforcement entirely (distinct from the older `--insecure` which only relaxes the no-root-`.zddc` startup check). Cross-compiled binaries are produced by `./build` and live in `dist/release-output/` (gitignored); `./deploy` rsyncs them to `/srv/zddc/releases/` on the deploy host (Caddy serves them at `https://zddc.varasys.io/releases/`). The `helm/` charts in this repo build from source at deploy time.
 - `shared/` — `base.css` plus shared JS modules (`zddc.js`, `hash.js`, `zddc-filter.js`, `theme.js`, `help.js`) included by every tool's build, and `build-lib.sh` (POSIX sh helpers sourced by every tool's `build.sh` AND by the top-level `build` for lockstep release helpers).
 - **Two-repo + deploy-host model.** Source code lives here (`codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC`). Hand-edited website content lives in a separate repo (`codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC-website`, typically cloned at `~/src/zddc-website/` — just `index.html`, `reference.html`, `css/`, `js/`, `img/`; no releases, no LFS). The live site at `zddc.varasys.io` is served from `/srv/zddc/` on the deploy host: Caddy bind-mounts that path, and it's populated by `./deploy` from this repo's `dist/release-output/` plus `~/src/zddc-website/`. **Releases are NOT in any git history** — they're reproducible from this repo's `<tool>-vX.Y.Z` tags by checking out the tag and running `./build release X.Y.Z`. Per-version files (`<tool>_v<X.Y.Z>.html`) are immutable; partial-version pins (`<tool>_v<X.Y>.html`, `<tool>_v<X>.html`) and channel mirrors (`<tool>_{stable,beta,alpha}.html`) are symlinks; zddc-server has analogous `zddc-server_v<X.Y.Z>_<platform>` per-version binaries plus channel/partial-version symlinks plus `zddc-server_<X>.html` stub pages that fan out the four-platform download in one cell. **Install model:** local use is a download from `/releases/`. Server use is `zddc-server`, which has the current-stable build of all six tools baked in via `//go:embed` (compile-time default). Tools auto-served at folder-name-driven paths: `archive` everywhere, `classifier` in `Incoming`/`Working`/`Staging` subtrees, `mdedit` in `Working` subtrees, `transmittal` in `Staging` subtrees, `landing` only at root. Override via `.zddc apps:` cascade entry (channel/version/URL/path) — fetched once, cached at `<ZDDC_ROOT>/_app/`. Drop a real `.html` file at any path to override.
 - `helm/` — example Helm charts for zddc-server (`zddc-server-prod/`, `zddc-server-dev/`). Both compile from source via init container. Operators copy `values.yaml.example` and customize. No secrets in repo.
diff --git a/zddc/README.md b/zddc/README.md
index 9777344..b05996a 100644
--- a/zddc/README.md
+++ b/zddc/README.md
@@ -133,16 +133,74 @@ ZDDC_TLS_KEY=/etc/ssl/zddc/server.key \
 
 ## Authentication
 
-zddc-server does **not** perform authentication itself. It reads the user's email address
-from a request header (default: `X-Auth-Request-Email`) that must be set by an upstream reverse proxy
-(nginx, Caddy, Traefik, Azure Application Gateway, etc.) after authenticating the user.
+zddc-server reads the user's email from one of two sources, in order:
 
-If the header is absent, the user is treated as anonymous (empty email). A request is
-allowed only if (a) **no `.zddc` file exists anywhere in the chain from `ZDDC_ROOT` to
-the requested directory** (a fresh tree with zero `.zddc` files defaults to public
-access — see warning at the top of the next section), or (b) some level in the chain
-explicitly allows the caller's email. See "Access control: the `.zddc` cascade" below
-for the full evaluation order.
+1. **`Authorization: Bearer <token>`** — a server-issued bearer token (see
+   "Bearer tokens" below). Used by CLI clients, scripts, and any
+   non-browser caller. Validated against `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/`;
+   on success the request runs as the email recorded in the token file.
+   On any failure (unknown token, expired token, malformed header) the
+   request is rejected with `401` — there is no silent fallback.
+2. **`X-Auth-Request-Email`** (header name configurable) — set by an
+   upstream reverse proxy (nginx, Caddy, Traefik, oauth2-proxy, Azure
+   Application Gateway, etc.) after authenticating a browser user.
+   This is the path browser sessions use. **The header is trusted from
+   any client when no auth proxy is in front** — bind to loopback or
+   require TLS + proxy in any deployment that exposes the port.
+
+If neither source yields an email, the user is treated as anonymous
+(empty email). A request is then allowed only if (a) **no `.zddc` file
+exists anywhere in the chain from `ZDDC_ROOT` to the requested
+directory** (a fresh tree with zero `.zddc` files defaults to public
+access — see warning at the top of the next section), or (b) some level
+in the chain explicitly allows the empty email / anonymous callers.
+
+Pass `--no-auth` (or `ZDDC_NO_AUTH=1`) to skip ACL enforcement entirely
+on this instance. Anyone hitting the port reads everything in scope, no
+matter what `.zddc` files say. Distinct from `--insecure`, which only
+permits startup with no root `.zddc`. Use cases: dev, trusted-LAN read-
+only deployments, and the "client trusts upstream's filtering" mode of
+zddc-server when running as a downstream cache or mirror (see the
+"master + proxy/cache/mirror" architecture in ARCHITECTURE.md).
+
+### Bearer tokens
+
+Bearer tokens are issued by zddc-server itself — no external IDP, no
+JWKS rotation. Users self-serve via the browser:
+
+1. Sign in to the master via the browser as usual (whatever the upstream
+   auth proxy expects).
+2. Visit `https://<master>/.tokens`. The page lists existing tokens and
+   offers a "Create token" form (free-form description, optional
+   expiry).
+3. The newly-created token is shown **once** — copy it into a file with
+   mode 0600 (e.g. `~/.config/zddc/token`). It is never re-derivable
+   from the server's storage.
+4. Pass the token to a CLI/client: `--bearer-file ~/.config/zddc/token`
+   (or send `Authorization: Bearer <token>` directly via curl/scripts).
+
+Storage lives at `<ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/<sha256-hex-of-token>`,
+file mode 0600, directory mode 0700. The file is YAML with `email`,
+`created`, `expires`, and `description` fields. The plaintext token is
+never stored at rest — only its SHA256 hash. A token leak via backup
+tools, FS-level audit logs, or an `ls` of the directory would expose
+hashes, not credentials.
+
+The directory is shielded from public serving by the standard
+dot-prefix guard (any `.foo` segment in a request URL returns 404, and
+listings filter dot-prefix entries) — but verify your deployment by
+attempting `GET /.zddc.d/tokens/<anything>` and confirming 404.
+
+JSON API for automation (same auth as the page):
+
+| Method | Path | Description |
+|---|---|---|
+| `GET`    | `/.api/tokens`        | list current user's tokens (metadata only — never the plaintext) |
+| `POST`   | `/.api/tokens`        | create a token. Body: `{"description":"…","expires":"<RFC3339>"}` (both optional). Returns the plaintext **once**. |
+| `DELETE` | `/.api/tokens/<id>`   | revoke. `<id>` is the 8-char ID shown in `GET` (or the full 64-char hash). |
+
+A user can only see and revoke their own tokens. Revoking another
+user's token returns 404 to avoid leaking ownership.
 
 ## Access control: the `.zddc` cascade
 
diff --git a/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main.go b/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main.go
index 5bb502f..7585c77 100644
--- a/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main.go
+++ b/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/apps"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/archive"
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/auth"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/config"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/handler"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/policy"
@@ -161,15 +162,35 @@ func main() {
 		slog.Error("invalid OPA URL", "url", cfg.OPAURL, "err", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
+	// --no-auth swaps the configured decider for one that allows
+	// everything. Logged at warn level so an operator who set this
+	// inadvertently sees it on every restart.
+	if cfg.NoAuth {
+		decider = policy.AllowAllDecider{}
+		slog.Warn("--no-auth enabled: ACL enforcement is disabled. Every request is permitted regardless of .zddc rules.")
+	}
 	slog.Info("policy decider ready",
 		"mode", policyModeLabel(cfg.OPAURL),
 		"url", cfg.OPAURL,
 		"cache_ttl", cfg.OPACacheTTL,
-		"cascade_mode", cfg.CascadeMode)
+		"cascade_mode", cfg.CascadeMode,
+		"no_auth", cfg.NoAuth)
+
+	// Token store: bearer-token issuance and validation.
+	// Persists under <ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/ — already excluded
+	// from public listings (fs.ListDirectory dot-prefix filter) and
+	// direct serving (dispatch's reserved-prefix guard). Failures here
+	// are non-fatal: token-based auth is opt-in per request, and
+	// header-based auth keeps working without it.
+	tokens, err := auth.NewStore(cfg.Root)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Warn("could not initialise token store; bearer-token auth disabled", "err", err)
+		tokens = nil
+	}
 
 	// Innermost handler: dispatch.
 	var inner http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		dispatch(cfg, idx, logRing, appsServer, w, r)
+		dispatch(cfg, idx, logRing, appsServer, tokens, w, r)
 	})
 	inner = handler.CORSMiddleware(cfg, inner)
 	// HSTS only when zddc-server itself is the TLS-terminating endpoint.
@@ -179,7 +200,7 @@ func main() {
 		inner = handler.HSTSMiddleware(inner)
 	}
 	inner = handler.AccessLogMiddleware(auditLogger, inner)
-	inner = handler.ACLMiddleware(cfg, decider, inner)
+	inner = handler.ACLMiddleware(cfg, decider, tokens, inner)
 	mux.Handle("/", inner)
 
 	gzWrapper, err := newGzipWrapper()
@@ -412,7 +433,7 @@ func embeddedVersionsForLog(embedded map[string]string) string {
 }
 
 // dispatch routes a request to the appropriate handler.
-func dispatch(cfg config.Config, idx *archive.Index, ring *handler.LogRing, appsSrv *apps.Server, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+func dispatch(cfg config.Config, idx *archive.Index, ring *handler.LogRing, appsSrv *apps.Server, tokens *auth.Store, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	urlPath := r.URL.Path
 	email := handler.EmailFromContext(r)
 
@@ -425,6 +446,20 @@ func dispatch(cfg config.Config, idx *archive.Index, ring *handler.LogRing, apps
 		return
 	}
 
+	// Token self-service: HTML page at /.tokens, JSON API at
+	// /.api/tokens. Both routes require an authenticated user (the
+	// existing email middleware injects the email from upstream auth).
+	// Both routes refuse to serve when no token store is available
+	// (e.g. NewStore failed at startup) — handled inside the handlers.
+	if urlPath == handler.TokensPathPrefix || urlPath == handler.TokensPathPrefix+"/" {
+		handler.ServeTokensPage(cfg, tokens, w, r)
+		return
+	}
+	if urlPath == handler.TokensAPIPathPrefix || strings.HasPrefix(urlPath, handler.TokensAPIPathPrefix+"/") {
+		handler.ServeTokensAPI(cfg, tokens, w, r)
+		return
+	}
+
 	// Auth check endpoints — machine-only forward_auth targets used by
 	// upstream proxies (e.g. the dev-shell pod's Caddy in front of
 	// code-server) to gate routes on root-admin status. Handled before
diff --git a/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main_test.go b/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main_test.go
index f8df54a..ea4337c 100644
--- a/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main_test.go
+++ b/zddc/cmd/zddc-server/main_test.go
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func TestDispatchHidesDotPrefixedSegments(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, tc.path, nil)
 			rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 			if rec.Code != tc.wantStatus {
 				t.Errorf("path=%q status=%d want=%d body=%q",
 					tc.path, rec.Code, tc.wantStatus, rec.Body.String())
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func TestDispatchAppsResolution(t *testing.T) {
 	// GET /archive.html → fetched from upstream (archive is available everywhere)
 	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/archive.html", nil)
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
 		t.Fatalf("first /archive.html: status=%d body=%s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 	}
@@ -178,21 +178,21 @@ func TestDispatchAppsResolution(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// GET /archive.html again → cache hit (no new upstream fetch)
 	rec2 := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec2, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/archive.html", nil))
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec2, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/archive.html", nil))
 	if rec2.Code != http.StatusOK {
 		t.Errorf("second /archive.html: status=%d", rec2.Code)
 	}
 
 	// GET / → landing
 	rec3 := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec3, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil))
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec3, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil))
 	if rec3.Code != http.StatusOK {
 		t.Errorf("GET /: status=%d", rec3.Code)
 	}
 
 	// Direct URL access to /_app/ → 404
 	rec4 := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec4, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/_app/foo.html", nil))
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec4, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/_app/foo.html", nil))
 	if rec4.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
 		t.Errorf("/_app/ direct: status=%d, want 404", rec4.Code)
 	}
@@ -201,12 +201,12 @@ func TestDispatchAppsResolution(t *testing.T) {
 	// (root has no Incoming/Working/Staging ancestor), but SHOULD work in
 	// /Project-A/Working/.
 	rec5 := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec5, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/classifier.html", nil))
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec5, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/classifier.html", nil))
 	if rec5.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
 		t.Errorf("/classifier.html at root: status=%d, want 404 (not in Incoming/Working/Staging)", rec5.Code)
 	}
 	rec6 := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec6, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/Project-A/Working/classifier.html", nil))
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec6, httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/Project-A/Working/classifier.html", nil))
 	if rec6.Code != http.StatusOK {
 		t.Errorf("/Project-A/Working/classifier.html: status=%d, want 200", rec6.Code)
 	}
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func TestDispatchRoutesWritesToFileAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	body := []byte("note body")
 	req := withEmail(httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPut, "/Project-A/Working/note.md", strings.NewReader(string(body))), "alice@example.com")
 	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusCreated {
 		t.Fatalf("PUT: want 201, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 	}
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ func TestDispatchRoutesWritesToFileAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	// GET it back.
 	req = withEmail(httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/Project-A/Working/note.md", nil), "alice@example.com")
 	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK || rec.Body.String() != string(body) {
 		t.Fatalf("GET back: code=%d body=%q", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 	}
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ func TestDispatchRoutesWritesToFileAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	req.Header.Set("X-ZDDC-Op", "move")
 	req.Header.Set("X-ZDDC-Destination", "/Project-A/Working/renamed.md")
 	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
 		t.Fatalf("MOVE: want 200, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 	}
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ func TestDispatchRoutesWritesToFileAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	// DELETE it.
 	req = withEmail(httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodDelete, "/Project-A/Working/renamed.md", nil), "alice@example.com")
 	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusNoContent {
 		t.Fatalf("DELETE: want 204, got %d: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 	}
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ func TestDispatchRoutesWritesToFileAPI(t *testing.T) {
 	// Reserved segment guard still applies to writes.
 	req = withEmail(httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodPut, "/.devshell/foo.txt", strings.NewReader("x")), "alice@example.com")
 	rec = httptest.NewRecorder()
-	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+	dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 	if rec.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
 		t.Fatalf("PUT /.devshell/...: want 404, got %d", rec.Code)
 	}
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ func TestDispatchArchiveRedirect(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 			req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, rawURL, nil)
 			rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 			if rec.Code != tc.wantStatus {
 				t.Fatalf("path=%q status=%d, want %d; body=%s", tc.path, rec.Code, tc.wantStatus, rec.Body.String())
 			}
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ func TestDispatchSlashRouting(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, tc.path, nil)
 			rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, rec, req)
+			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, appsSrv, nil, rec, req)
 			if rec.Code != tc.wantStatus {
 				t.Fatalf("path=%q status=%d, want %d; body=%s",
 					tc.path, rec.Code, tc.wantStatus, rec.Body.String())
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ func TestDispatchArchiveMethodGate(t *testing.T) {
 				req := httptest.NewRequest(method, path, strings.NewReader("body"))
 				req = req.WithContext(handler.WithEmail(req.Context(), "alice@example.com"))
 				rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-				dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+				dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 				if rec.Code != http.StatusMethodNotAllowed {
 					t.Errorf("%s %s: status %d, want 405; body=%s", method, path, rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 				}
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ func TestDispatchZddcEditorAtPath(t *testing.T) {
 			req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, tc.path, nil)
 			req = req.WithContext(context.WithValue(req.Context(), handler.EmailKey, tc.email))
 			rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
-			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, rec, req)
+			dispatch(cfg, idx, ring, nil, nil, rec, req)
 			if rec.Code != tc.wantStatus {
 				t.Fatalf("path=%q status=%d, want %d; body=%s",
 					tc.path, rec.Code, tc.wantStatus, rec.Body.String())
diff --git a/zddc/internal/auth/token.go b/zddc/internal/auth/token.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecf39c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/auth/token.go
@@ -0,0 +1,349 @@
+// Package auth provides bearer-token issuance and validation for
+// zddc-server. Tokens are persisted as YAML files under
+// <ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/tokens/, keyed by the SHA256 hash of the token
+// value (filename = hash, never the plaintext token). The directory is
+// shielded from public serving by the standard dot-prefix guard in the
+// dispatcher and the listing filter in fs.ListDirectory.
+//
+// Format of a token file:
+//
+//	email: user@example.com
+//	created: 2026-05-08T10:23:00Z
+//	expires: 2026-08-08T10:23:00Z   # zero/missing = no expiry
+//	description: Field laptop       # free-form, optional
+//
+// Token validation: client sends `Authorization: Bearer <token>`,
+// server hashes, looks up <dir>/<sha256-hex>. If the file exists, parses
+// cleanly, and is not expired, the token is valid and the request runs
+// as the file's email.
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/sha256"
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+)
+
+// DirName is the leaf-directory name under <ZDDC_ROOT>/.zddc.d/ where
+// token files live. Kept here so callers don't repeat the literal.
+const DirName = "tokens"
+
+// HashLen is the hex-encoded length of a SHA256 hash (the filename
+// length for token files).
+const HashLen = 64
+
+// IDLen is the length of the short identifier used in the management UI
+// and revocation API. First IDLen hex chars of the SHA256 hash.
+const IDLen = 8
+
+// ErrInvalidToken is returned when the token does not exist, fails to
+// parse, or is expired. Distinct from other errors so callers can map
+// it to a 401 without leaking which case occurred.
+var ErrInvalidToken = errors.New("invalid token")
+
+// ErrNotFound is returned by List/Revoke when a requested token does
+// not exist. Revoke also returns this when the token exists but does
+// not belong to the requesting email — same error to avoid leaking
+// existence of other users' tokens.
+var ErrNotFound = errors.New("token not found")
+
+// Token holds the metadata persisted alongside a token. The token
+// value itself (the bearer string the client sends) is NOT carried in
+// this struct — it's only known at generation time, returned once to
+// the user, and never re-derivable from the stored data.
+type Token struct {
+	// Hash is the hex-encoded SHA256 of the plaintext token. Equal
+	// to the filename of the on-disk YAML file.
+	Hash string `yaml:"-"`
+
+	Email       string    `yaml:"email"`
+	Created     time.Time `yaml:"created"`
+	Expires     time.Time `yaml:"expires,omitempty"`
+	Description string    `yaml:"description,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// ID returns the short identifier (first IDLen hex chars of Hash) used
+// in the management UI and the revocation endpoint. Distinct from the
+// secret token so it can be displayed and logged safely.
+func (t Token) ID() string {
+	if len(t.Hash) < IDLen {
+		return t.Hash
+	}
+	return t.Hash[:IDLen]
+}
+
+// Expired reports whether the token has an expiry in the past. Tokens
+// with a zero Expires never expire.
+func (t Token) Expired(now time.Time) bool {
+	return !t.Expires.IsZero() && !now.Before(t.Expires)
+}
+
+// Store manages the on-disk token directory.
+type Store struct {
+	dir string
+	mu  sync.Mutex // serializes file creation; reads are lock-free
+}
+
+// NewStore opens (and creates if missing) the token directory at
+// <root>/.zddc.d/tokens. Directory mode 0700 — single-user-trust at
+// the FS layer.
+func NewStore(root string) (*Store, error) {
+	dir := filepath.Join(root, ".zddc.d", DirName)
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(dir, 0o700); err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("create token dir: %w", err)
+	}
+	// Best-effort tighten if pre-existing dir was looser. Don't fail
+	// startup if chmod isn't permitted (NFS/SMB shares often refuse).
+	_ = os.Chmod(dir, 0o700)
+	return &Store{dir: dir}, nil
+}
+
+// Dir returns the absolute path of the token directory. Exposed for
+// tests and operator diagnostics; not used in the request path.
+func (s *Store) Dir() string { return s.dir }
+
+// Generate creates a new token for the given email and writes its file.
+// Returns the plaintext bearer token (to be displayed once to the user)
+// and the persisted Token metadata.
+//
+// expires==zero means no expiry. description is free-form; the caller
+// is responsible for any sanitization (e.g. trimming, length-capping).
+func (s *Store) Generate(email, description string, expires time.Time) (string, Token, error) {
+	if email == "" {
+		return "", Token{}, errors.New("email required")
+	}
+
+	// 32 bytes = 256 bits of entropy, URL-safe base64 → 43-char string.
+	var raw [32]byte
+	if _, err := rand.Read(raw[:]); err != nil {
+		return "", Token{}, fmt.Errorf("generate token: %w", err)
+	}
+	plaintext := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(raw[:])
+	sum := sha256.Sum256([]byte(plaintext))
+	hashHex := hex.EncodeToString(sum[:])
+
+	tok := Token{
+		Hash:        hashHex,
+		Email:       email,
+		Created:     time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second),
+		Expires:     expires,
+		Description: description,
+	}
+
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if err := s.writeAtomic(hashHex, tok); err != nil {
+		return "", Token{}, err
+	}
+	return plaintext, tok, nil
+}
+
+// Validate looks up a plaintext bearer token. Returns the persisted
+// Token on success, ErrInvalidToken if missing/malformed/expired.
+//
+// Constant-time comparison: not strictly required since the lookup is
+// keyed by the hash (no string comparison happens), but the hex
+// filename comparison via os.Stat is timing-stable enough for our
+// purposes — there's no known oracle that distinguishes "file missing"
+// from "file present but expired" without observing the response code.
+func (s *Store) Validate(plaintext string) (*Token, error) {
+	if plaintext == "" {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidToken
+	}
+	sum := sha256.Sum256([]byte(plaintext))
+	hashHex := hex.EncodeToString(sum[:])
+
+	tok, err := s.readByHash(hashHex)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidToken
+	}
+	if tok.Expired(time.Now()) {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidToken
+	}
+	return tok, nil
+}
+
+// List returns all tokens belonging to the given email, sorted by
+// Created descending (newest first). Returns an empty slice (not nil)
+// when the user has no tokens.
+func (s *Store) List(email string) ([]Token, error) {
+	if email == "" {
+		return nil, errors.New("email required")
+	}
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(s.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return []Token{}, nil
+		}
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	out := make([]Token, 0, len(entries))
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+		name := e.Name()
+		if len(name) != HashLen || !isHex(name) {
+			continue
+		}
+		tok, err := s.readByHash(name)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !strings.EqualFold(tok.Email, email) {
+			continue
+		}
+		out = append(out, *tok)
+	}
+	sort.Slice(out, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return out[i].Created.After(out[j].Created)
+	})
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// Revoke deletes the token identified by the given short ID (first
+// IDLen hex chars of the hash) or the full hash. Only revokes tokens
+// belonging to email; returns ErrNotFound otherwise (whether the token
+// is missing or owned by a different user — to avoid leaking ownership).
+func (s *Store) Revoke(email, idOrHash string) error {
+	if email == "" {
+		return errors.New("email required")
+	}
+	idOrHash = strings.ToLower(strings.TrimSpace(idOrHash))
+
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	// Full-hash path: O(1) lookup.
+	if len(idOrHash) == HashLen && isHex(idOrHash) {
+		tok, err := s.readByHash(idOrHash)
+		if err != nil {
+			return ErrNotFound
+		}
+		if !strings.EqualFold(tok.Email, email) {
+			return ErrNotFound
+		}
+		return os.Remove(filepath.Join(s.dir, idOrHash))
+	}
+
+	// Short-ID path: must scan. Token IDs are 8 hex chars (~32 bits),
+	// collision-resistant in practice for any reasonable per-user
+	// token count. We pick the (single) match owned by email.
+	if len(idOrHash) < 4 || !isHex(idOrHash) {
+		return ErrNotFound
+	}
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(s.dir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return ErrNotFound
+	}
+	var matches []string
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if e.IsDir() {
+			continue
+		}
+		name := e.Name()
+		if len(name) != HashLen || !isHex(name) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(name, idOrHash) {
+			continue
+		}
+		tok, err := s.readByHash(name)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !strings.EqualFold(tok.Email, email) {
+			continue
+		}
+		matches = append(matches, name)
+	}
+	if len(matches) == 0 {
+		return ErrNotFound
+	}
+	if len(matches) > 1 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("ambiguous id %q matches %d tokens", idOrHash, len(matches))
+	}
+	return os.Remove(filepath.Join(s.dir, matches[0]))
+}
+
+// readByHash reads and parses the token file named by hashHex. The
+// returned Token has its Hash field set.
+func (s *Store) readByHash(hashHex string) (*Token, error) {
+	if len(hashHex) != HashLen || !isHex(hashHex) {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidToken
+	}
+	path := filepath.Join(s.dir, hashHex)
+	bytes, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	var tok Token
+	if err := yaml.Unmarshal(bytes, &tok); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	tok.Hash = hashHex
+	if tok.Email == "" {
+		return nil, ErrInvalidToken
+	}
+	return &tok, nil
+}
+
+// writeAtomic serializes a token to YAML and writes it via tmp+rename.
+// File mode 0600.
+func (s *Store) writeAtomic(hashHex string, tok Token) error {
+	bytes, err := yaml.Marshal(tok)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("marshal token: %w", err)
+	}
+	final := filepath.Join(s.dir, hashHex)
+	tmp, err := os.CreateTemp(s.dir, ".tmp-*")
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("create temp: %w", err)
+	}
+	tmpName := tmp.Name()
+	if _, err := tmp.Write(bytes); err != nil {
+		tmp.Close()
+		os.Remove(tmpName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("write temp: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := tmp.Chmod(0o600); err != nil {
+		tmp.Close()
+		os.Remove(tmpName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("chmod temp: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := tmp.Close(); err != nil {
+		os.Remove(tmpName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("close temp: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.Rename(tmpName, final); err != nil {
+		os.Remove(tmpName)
+		return fmt.Errorf("rename temp: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// isHex reports whether s is a non-empty string of [0-9a-f] characters.
+func isHex(s string) bool {
+	if s == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < len(s); i++ {
+		c := s[i]
+		if !((c >= '0' && c <= '9') || (c >= 'a' && c <= 'f')) {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/zddc/internal/auth/token_test.go b/zddc/internal/auth/token_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..835a283
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/auth/token_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,325 @@
+package auth
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+func newTestStore(t *testing.T) *Store {
+	t.Helper()
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	store, err := NewStore(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewStore: %v", err)
+	}
+	return store
+}
+
+func TestNewStoreCreatesDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	store, err := NewStore(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("NewStore: %v", err)
+	}
+	want := filepath.Join(root, ".zddc.d", DirName)
+	if store.Dir() != want {
+		t.Errorf("Dir() = %q, want %q", store.Dir(), want)
+	}
+	info, err := os.Stat(store.Dir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("stat: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !info.IsDir() {
+		t.Error("expected directory")
+	}
+	// On Linux, expect mode 0700; some FS (NFS, SMB) won't honor chmod
+	// so we accept any mode where no group/other bits are set in the
+	// happy-path tempdir.
+	mode := info.Mode().Perm()
+	if mode&0o077 != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected mode 0700, got %o", mode)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateAndValidate(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "test laptop", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if plaintext == "" {
+		t.Fatal("plaintext token empty")
+	}
+	if len(plaintext) != 43 {
+		t.Errorf("plaintext length = %d, want 43", len(plaintext))
+	}
+	if tok.Email != "alice@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("Email = %q", tok.Email)
+	}
+	if tok.Description != "test laptop" {
+		t.Errorf("Description = %q", tok.Description)
+	}
+	if !tok.Expires.IsZero() {
+		t.Errorf("Expires = %v, want zero", tok.Expires)
+	}
+	if len(tok.Hash) != HashLen {
+		t.Errorf("Hash length = %d, want %d", len(tok.Hash), HashLen)
+	}
+	if tok.ID() != tok.Hash[:IDLen] {
+		t.Errorf("ID() = %q, want %q", tok.ID(), tok.Hash[:IDLen])
+	}
+
+	// Validate the same plaintext.
+	got, err := store.Validate(plaintext)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Validate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if got.Email != "alice@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("validated Email = %q", got.Email)
+	}
+	if got.Hash != tok.Hash {
+		t.Errorf("validated Hash = %q, want %q", got.Hash, tok.Hash)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateRejectsUnknownToken(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	if _, err := store.Validate("not-a-real-token"); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidToken) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidToken, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateRejectsEmptyToken(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	if _, err := store.Validate(""); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidToken) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidToken, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateRejectsExpiredToken(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("bob@example.com", "expired", time.Now().Add(-time.Hour))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidToken) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidToken for expired, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestValidateAcceptsFutureExpiry(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("bob@example.com", "valid", time.Now().Add(time.Hour))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("Validate of future-expiry token: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateProducesUniqueTokens(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	seen := make(map[string]bool)
+	for i := 0; i < 50; i++ {
+		plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Generate %d: %v", i, err)
+		}
+		if seen[plaintext] {
+			t.Fatalf("duplicate token at iteration %d", i)
+		}
+		seen[plaintext] = true
+	}
+}
+
+func TestList(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+
+	if list, err := store.List("alice@example.com"); err != nil || len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("empty List: %v / %d", err, len(list))
+	}
+
+	_, _, _ = store.Generate("alice@example.com", "first", time.Time{})
+	time.Sleep(1100 * time.Millisecond)
+	_, _, _ = store.Generate("alice@example.com", "second", time.Time{})
+	_, _, _ = store.Generate("bob@example.com", "bob's", time.Time{})
+
+	alice, err := store.List("alice@example.com")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("List alice: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(alice) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("List alice = %d, want 2", len(alice))
+	}
+	// Newest-first ordering.
+	if alice[0].Description != "second" {
+		t.Errorf("alice[0].Description = %q, want \"second\"", alice[0].Description)
+	}
+	if alice[1].Description != "first" {
+		t.Errorf("alice[1].Description = %q, want \"first\"", alice[1].Description)
+	}
+
+	bob, err := store.List("bob@example.com")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("List bob: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(bob) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("List bob = %d, want 1", len(bob))
+	}
+	if bob[0].Description != "bob's" {
+		t.Errorf("bob[0].Description = %q", bob[0].Description)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestListIgnoresNonTokenFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	_, _, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "real", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Drop a junk file alongside.
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(store.Dir(), "garbage"), []byte("nope"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteFile: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(store.Dir(), "ZZ"+strings.Repeat("0", HashLen-2)), []byte("not hex"), 0o600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteFile: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	list, err := store.List("alice@example.com")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("List: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(list) != 1 {
+		t.Errorf("List = %d, want 1 (ignoring junk)", len(list))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRevokeByShortID(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "to revoke", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if err := store.Revoke("alice@example.com", tok.ID()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Revoke: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidToken) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidToken after revoke, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRevokeByFullHash(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := store.Revoke("alice@example.com", tok.Hash); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Revoke by hash: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); !errors.Is(err, ErrInvalidToken) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrInvalidToken after revoke, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRevokeOtherUsersTokenReturnsNotFound(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "alice's", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Bob attempts to revoke alice's token.
+	if err := store.Revoke("bob@example.com", tok.ID()); !errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrNotFound, got %v", err)
+	}
+	// Token must still be valid.
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("token wrongly revoked: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRevokeNonexistentReturnsNotFound(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	if err := store.Revoke("alice@example.com", "deadbeef"); !errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrNotFound, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRevokeRejectsInvalidIDs(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	for _, id := range []string{"", "xx", "ZZZ", "abc"} {
+		if err := store.Revoke("alice@example.com", id); !errors.Is(err, ErrNotFound) {
+			t.Errorf("Revoke(%q) expected ErrNotFound, got %v", id, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateRejectsEmptyEmail(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	if _, _, err := store.Generate("", "", time.Time{}); err == nil {
+		t.Error("expected error for empty email")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTokenFileMode(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	_, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	info, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(store.Dir(), tok.Hash))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("stat token file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if mode := info.Mode().Perm(); mode&0o077 != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("token file mode %o exposes group/other bits", mode)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestTokenFilenameIsHashNotPlaintext(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestStore(t)
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	// Plaintext must not appear as a filename.
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(store.Dir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("ReadDir: %v", err)
+	}
+	for _, e := range entries {
+		if strings.Contains(e.Name(), plaintext) {
+			t.Errorf("plaintext token leaked in filename %q", e.Name())
+		}
+	}
+	// And the hash file must exist.
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(store.Dir(), tok.Hash)); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("hash-named file missing: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestExpiredHelper(t *testing.T) {
+	now := time.Date(2026, 5, 8, 12, 0, 0, 0, time.UTC)
+	cases := []struct {
+		expires time.Time
+		expired bool
+	}{
+		{time.Time{}, false},                  // zero = no expiry
+		{now.Add(time.Hour), false},           // future
+		{now.Add(-time.Hour), true},           // past
+		{now, true},                           // exactly now = expired
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		tok := Token{Expires: c.expires}
+		if got := tok.Expired(now); got != c.expired {
+			t.Errorf("Token{Expires:%v}.Expired(%v) = %v, want %v", c.expires, now, got, c.expired)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/zddc/internal/config/config.go b/zddc/internal/config/config.go
index 778e0ca..62f9541 100644
--- a/zddc/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/zddc/internal/config/config.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	CORSOrigins []string // --cors-origin / ZDDC_CORS_ORIGIN — comma-separated allowlist; default empty (CORS disabled); explicit value enables
 	AccessLog   string   // --access-log / ZDDC_ACCESS_LOG — file path for tee'd JSON access log; empty = stderr only
 	Insecure    bool     // --insecure / ZDDC_INSECURE=1 — opt out of safety checks (currently: allow start without a root .zddc, leaving the tree publicly accessible)
+	NoAuth      bool     // --no-auth / ZDDC_NO_AUTH=1 — skip ACL enforcement entirely. This instance is NOT the security boundary; on master = "open" (anyone reads everything), on a client = "trust upstream's filtering, don't re-evaluate ACLs locally."
 	OPAURL       string        // --opa-url / ZDDC_OPA_URL — policy decider endpoint: "internal" (default), "http(s)://..." (real OPA via HTTP), or "unix:///..." (OPA via Unix socket)
 	OPAFailOpen  bool          // --opa-fail-open / ZDDC_OPA_FAIL_OPEN=1 — when external OPA is unreachable, allow instead of deny (default: fail closed)
 	OPACacheTTL  time.Duration // --opa-cache-ttl / ZDDC_OPA_CACHE_TTL — external mode only: per-decision cache TTL. Default 1s. Set 0s to disable.
@@ -86,6 +87,8 @@ func Load(args []string) (Config, error) {
 		"Allow plain HTTP on non-loopback addresses (only safe behind an authenticating proxy).")
 	insecureFlag := fs.Bool("insecure", os.Getenv("ZDDC_INSECURE") == "1",
 		"Allow startup with no root .zddc file (the tree is then publicly accessible). Default: refuse to start.")
+	noAuthFlag := fs.Bool("no-auth", os.Getenv("ZDDC_NO_AUTH") == "1",
+		"Skip ACL enforcement entirely. On master: anyone reads everything (dev / trusted-LAN / public-read deployments). On client: trust upstream's filtering. Distinct from --insecure (which gates startup-without-.zddc). Default: enforce ACLs.")
 	opaURLFlag := fs.String("opa-url", getEnv("ZDDC_OPA_URL", "internal"),
 		"Policy decider endpoint: \"internal\" (built-in Go evaluator, default), \"http(s)://host:port\", or \"unix:///path/to/socket\".")
 	opaFailOpenFlag := fs.Bool("opa-fail-open", os.Getenv("ZDDC_OPA_FAIL_OPEN") == "1",
@@ -153,6 +156,7 @@ func Load(args []string) (Config, error) {
 		CORSOrigins: resolveCORS(corsFlagSet, *corsOriginFlag),
 		AccessLog:   *accessLogFlag,
 		Insecure:    *insecureFlag,
+		NoAuth:      *noAuthFlag,
 		OPAURL:      *opaURLFlag,
 		OPAFailOpen: *opaFailOpenFlag,
 		OPACacheTTL: *opaCacheTTLFlag,
@@ -274,6 +278,7 @@ func Usage(w io.Writer) {
 	fs.String("cors-origin", "", "Comma-separated CORS allowlist. Empty (default) = CORS disabled.")
 	fs.Bool("insecure-direct", false, "Allow plain HTTP on non-loopback addresses.")
 	fs.Bool("insecure", false, "Allow startup with no root .zddc file (publicly accessible). Default: refuse.")
+	fs.Bool("no-auth", false, "Skip ACL enforcement entirely. On master: anyone reads everything. On client: trust upstream's filtering. Distinct from --insecure.")
 	fs.String("opa-url", "internal", "Policy decider: \"internal\", \"http(s)://...\", or \"unix:///...\".")
 	fs.Bool("opa-fail-open", false, "External OPA: allow on transport error (default: deny / fail closed).")
 	fs.Duration("opa-cache-ttl", time.Second, "External OPA: per-decision cache TTL (default 1s; 0 disables).")
diff --git a/zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go b/zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go
index 324aeaa..ee3a0ea 100644
--- a/zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go
+++ b/zddc/internal/handler/middleware.go
@@ -2,9 +2,12 @@ package handler
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"net/http"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/auth"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/config"
 	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/policy"
 	"log/slog"
@@ -23,13 +26,46 @@ const EmailKey contextKey = "email"
 // "swap internal evaluator for external OPA" plumbing change.
 const DeciderKey contextKey = "policy-decider"
 
-// ACLMiddleware extracts the user email from the configured header and stores
-// it (along with the policy decider) in the request context. It does NOT
-// enforce ACL itself — each handler performs its own ACL check via
+// ACLMiddleware extracts the user email and stores it (along with the
+// policy decider) in the request context. It does NOT enforce ACL
+// itself — each handler performs its own ACL check via
 // policy.AllowFromChain.
-func ACLMiddleware(cfg config.Config, decider policy.Decider, next http.Handler) http.Handler {
+//
+// Two email sources, in order:
+//
+//  1. `Authorization: Bearer <token>` — if present, the token is
+//     validated against the supplied auth.Store. On success, the
+//     request runs as the token-file's email. On failure (invalid /
+//     expired / no validator configured), the middleware short-circuits
+//     with 401 — silently falling back to header-based auth would let
+//     a misconfigured client masquerade as anonymous.
+//  2. Otherwise, the email is read from cfg.EmailHeader, exactly as
+//     before. This is the upstream-auth-proxy path (oauth2-proxy,
+//     Caddy auth, etc.) that injects the header on validated requests.
+//
+// `tokens` may be nil — deployments without the token system simply
+// reject any Bearer attempts with 401. This keeps Bearer-vs-no-Bearer
+// trust paths decoupled from the operator's choice to issue tokens.
+func ACLMiddleware(cfg config.Config, decider policy.Decider, tokens *auth.Store, next http.Handler) http.Handler {
 	return http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		email := r.Header.Get(cfg.EmailHeader)
+		var email string
+		if bearer := bearerToken(r); bearer != "" {
+			if tokens == nil {
+				http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+				return
+			}
+			tok, err := tokens.Validate(bearer)
+			if err != nil {
+				if !errors.Is(err, auth.ErrInvalidToken) {
+					slog.Warn("token validation error", "err", err)
+				}
+				http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+				return
+			}
+			email = tok.Email
+		} else {
+			email = r.Header.Get(cfg.EmailHeader)
+		}
 		// DEBUG-level header dump for diagnosing proxy / SSO header
 		// passthrough. Off by default (LogLevel info); enable with
 		// ZDDC_LOG_LEVEL=debug. Logs the configured header name, the
@@ -50,6 +86,21 @@ func ACLMiddleware(cfg config.Config, decider policy.Decider, next http.Handler)
 	})
 }
 
+// bearerToken returns the token value from the Authorization header
+// (case-insensitive on the "Bearer" scheme per RFC 6750), or the empty
+// string when no Bearer credential is present.
+func bearerToken(r *http.Request) string {
+	v := r.Header.Get("Authorization")
+	if v == "" {
+		return ""
+	}
+	const prefix = "bearer "
+	if len(v) <= len(prefix) || !strings.EqualFold(v[:len(prefix)], prefix) {
+		return ""
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(v[len(prefix):])
+}
+
 // EmailFromContext extracts the user email from the request context.
 func EmailFromContext(r *http.Request) string {
 	if v, ok := r.Context().Value(EmailKey).(string); ok {
diff --git a/zddc/internal/handler/middleware_test.go b/zddc/internal/handler/middleware_test.go
index 4b856f0..4a11424 100644
--- a/zddc/internal/handler/middleware_test.go
+++ b/zddc/internal/handler/middleware_test.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func TestAccessLogReadsEmailFromACLContext(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Correct order: ACL is outer, AccessLog is inner. AccessLog reads
 	// email from the context ACL populated.
-	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(nil, noop))
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(nil, noop))
 
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/foo", nil)
 	req.Header.Set("X-Auth-Request-Email", "alice@example.com")
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func TestAccessLogAnonymousWhenNoEmail(t *testing.T) {
 		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
 	})
 
-	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(nil, noop))
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(nil, noop))
 
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/foo", nil)
 	// Note: no X-Auth-Request-Email header set.
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func TestAccessLogOuterDoesNotSeeInnerContext(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	// Inverted order — the ORIGINAL buggy chain.
-	chain := AccessLogMiddleware(nil, ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, noop))
+	chain := AccessLogMiddleware(nil, ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, nil, noop))
 
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/foo", nil)
 	req.Header.Set("X-Auth-Request-Email", "alice@example.com")
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ func TestAccessLogMiddleware_AuditLoggerReceivesSameFields(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
-	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(auditLogger, noop))
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, nil, AccessLogMiddleware(auditLogger, noop))
 
 	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/some/path", nil)
 	req.Header.Set("X-Auth-Request-Email", "bob@example.com")
diff --git a/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler.go b/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a0034e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler.go
@@ -0,0 +1,342 @@
+package handler
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"html"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/auth"
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/config"
+)
+
+// TokensPathPrefix is the URL of the user-facing self-service token
+// management page. Browser GET returns an HTML page; the page fetches
+// the JSON API at TokensAPIPathPrefix.
+const TokensPathPrefix = "/.tokens"
+
+// TokensAPIPathPrefix is the URL prefix for the token JSON API.
+//
+//	GET    /.api/tokens          → list current user's tokens (metadata only)
+//	POST   /.api/tokens          → create a new token; returns plaintext once
+//	DELETE /.api/tokens/<id>     → revoke a token by short ID or full hash
+const TokensAPIPathPrefix = "/.api/tokens"
+
+// MaxTokenDescription caps how much free-form text a user can attach
+// to a token. Keeps the on-disk YAML small and the HTML rendering
+// simple.
+const MaxTokenDescription = 200
+
+// MaxTokensPerUser is a soft cap; refusing to create a new token at
+// the limit is enough to prevent runaway accumulation. Operators who
+// need more can revoke first.
+const MaxTokensPerUser = 50
+
+// tokenAPIView is the JSON shape returned to the management UI. Never
+// includes the plaintext token (which is only returned on creation).
+type tokenAPIView struct {
+	ID          string    `json:"id"`
+	Email       string    `json:"email"`
+	Created     time.Time `json:"created"`
+	Expires     time.Time `json:"expires,omitempty"`
+	Description string    `json:"description,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// tokenCreateRequest is the body of POST /.api/tokens.
+type tokenCreateRequest struct {
+	Description string    `json:"description,omitempty"`
+	Expires     time.Time `json:"expires,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// tokenCreateResponse is the body of a successful POST /.api/tokens.
+// The plaintext Token is returned exactly once and is never derivable
+// from the persisted file again.
+type tokenCreateResponse struct {
+	Token       string    `json:"token"`
+	ID          string    `json:"id"`
+	Email       string    `json:"email"`
+	Created     time.Time `json:"created"`
+	Expires     time.Time `json:"expires,omitempty"`
+	Description string    `json:"description,omitempty"`
+}
+
+// ServeTokensAPI dispatches requests to the JSON token API. Anonymous
+// requests are 401; missing token store yields 503 (token issuance is
+// disabled when storage isn't reachable).
+func ServeTokensAPI(cfg config.Config, store *auth.Store, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	email := EmailFromContext(r)
+	if email == "" {
+		http.Error(w, "Unauthorized", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+	if store == nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Token store unavailable", http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+		return
+	}
+
+	rest := strings.TrimPrefix(r.URL.Path, TokensAPIPathPrefix)
+	switch {
+	case rest == "" || rest == "/":
+		switch r.Method {
+		case http.MethodGet:
+			handleTokensList(store, email, w)
+		case http.MethodPost:
+			handleTokensCreate(store, email, w, r)
+		default:
+			w.Header().Set("Allow", "GET, POST")
+			http.Error(w, "Method Not Allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		}
+	case strings.HasPrefix(rest, "/"):
+		id := strings.TrimPrefix(rest, "/")
+		if id == "" || strings.Contains(id, "/") {
+			http.NotFound(w, r)
+			return
+		}
+		switch r.Method {
+		case http.MethodDelete:
+			handleTokensRevoke(store, email, id, w)
+		default:
+			w.Header().Set("Allow", "DELETE")
+			http.Error(w, "Method Not Allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		}
+	default:
+		http.NotFound(w, r)
+	}
+}
+
+func handleTokensList(store *auth.Store, email string, w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	list, err := store.List(email)
+	if err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Internal Server Error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+	views := make([]tokenAPIView, 0, len(list))
+	for _, t := range list {
+		views = append(views, tokenAPIView{
+			ID:          t.ID(),
+			Email:       t.Email,
+			Created:     t.Created,
+			Expires:     t.Expires,
+			Description: t.Description,
+		})
+	}
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
+	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-store")
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(views)
+}
+
+func handleTokensCreate(store *auth.Store, email string, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	defer r.Body.Close()
+	var req tokenCreateRequest
+	if r.ContentLength > 0 || r.Header.Get("Content-Type") != "" {
+		dec := json.NewDecoder(r.Body)
+		dec.DisallowUnknownFields()
+		if err := dec.Decode(&req); err != nil {
+			http.Error(w, "Bad Request: "+err.Error(), http.StatusBadRequest)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	desc := strings.TrimSpace(req.Description)
+	if len(desc) > MaxTokenDescription {
+		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Bad Request: description longer than %d chars", MaxTokenDescription), http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+	if !req.Expires.IsZero() && req.Expires.Before(time.Now()) {
+		http.Error(w, "Bad Request: expires is in the past", http.StatusBadRequest)
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Soft cap to prevent runaway accumulation.
+	existing, err := store.List(email)
+	if err == nil && len(existing) >= MaxTokensPerUser {
+		http.Error(w, fmt.Sprintf("Conflict: token cap (%d) reached; revoke an existing token first", MaxTokensPerUser), http.StatusConflict)
+		return
+	}
+
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate(email, desc, req.Expires)
+	if err != nil {
+		http.Error(w, "Internal Server Error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		return
+	}
+
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json; charset=utf-8")
+	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-store")
+	w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(tokenCreateResponse{
+		Token:       plaintext,
+		ID:          tok.ID(),
+		Email:       tok.Email,
+		Created:     tok.Created,
+		Expires:     tok.Expires,
+		Description: tok.Description,
+	})
+}
+
+func handleTokensRevoke(store *auth.Store, email, id string, w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	err := store.Revoke(email, id)
+	if err == nil {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNoContent)
+		return
+	}
+	if errors.Is(err, auth.ErrNotFound) {
+		http.NotFound(w, nil)
+		return
+	}
+	http.Error(w, "Internal Server Error: "+err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+}
+
+// ServeTokensPage renders the self-service token management HTML page.
+// The page fetches /.api/tokens via JavaScript; the server-side render
+// only emits a static skeleton plus the authenticated user's email so
+// the page can show "you are signed in as alice@..." without a flash.
+func ServeTokensPage(cfg config.Config, store *auth.Store, w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	if r.Method != http.MethodGet && r.Method != http.MethodHead {
+		w.Header().Set("Allow", "GET, HEAD")
+		http.Error(w, "Method Not Allowed", http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
+		return
+	}
+	email := EmailFromContext(r)
+	if email == "" {
+		http.Error(w, "Unauthorized — log in via the master's auth proxy first.", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+		return
+	}
+	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "text/html; charset=utf-8")
+	w.Header().Set("Cache-Control", "no-store")
+	if r.Method == http.MethodHead {
+		return
+	}
+	storeAvailable := store != nil
+	body := renderTokensPage(email, storeAvailable)
+	_, _ = w.Write([]byte(body))
+}
+
+// renderTokensPage builds the HTML for the management page. Kept inline
+// (no template files) to match the rest of the handler package; the
+// page is small enough that string-concat is readable and there are no
+// untrusted-data injection concerns beyond the `email` parameter,
+// which is escaped via html.EscapeString.
+func renderTokensPage(email string, storeAvailable bool) string {
+	storeNote := ""
+	if !storeAvailable {
+		storeNote = `<p class="warn">Token store is unavailable — the server failed to initialise <code>.zddc.d/tokens/</code>. Operations on this page will return 503.</p>`
+	}
+	const css = `
+		body { font: 14px/1.4 system-ui, sans-serif; max-width: 720px; margin: 2em auto; padding: 0 1em; color: #222; }
+		h1 { font-size: 1.4rem; margin-bottom: 0.2em; }
+		.who { color: #666; margin-bottom: 1.5em; }
+		fieldset { border: 1px solid #ccc; padding: 1em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; border-radius: 4px; }
+		legend { font-weight: 600; padding: 0 0.4em; }
+		label { display: block; margin: 0.5em 0; }
+		label span { display: inline-block; min-width: 9em; }
+		input[type=text], input[type=datetime-local] { padding: 0.3em; min-width: 18em; }
+		button { padding: 0.4em 0.9em; cursor: pointer; }
+		.danger { color: #b00; border-color: #b00; }
+		.warn { background: #fff3cd; border: 1px solid #ffc107; padding: 0.6em; border-radius: 4px; }
+		table { width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 0.5em; }
+		th, td { text-align: left; padding: 0.4em; border-bottom: 1px solid #eee; }
+		.token-secret { font-family: ui-monospace, monospace; background: #f5f5f5; padding: 0.7em; word-break: break-all; border: 1px dashed #999; border-radius: 4px; }
+		.empty { color: #888; font-style: italic; }
+	`
+	const js = `
+		const api = "/.api/tokens";
+
+		async function refresh() {
+			const tbody = document.querySelector("#tokens tbody");
+			tbody.innerHTML = "";
+			const r = await fetch(api, { headers: {"Accept": "application/json"} });
+			if (!r.ok) {
+				tbody.innerHTML = '<tr><td colspan="4" class="empty">Could not load tokens (' + r.status + ')</td></tr>';
+				return;
+			}
+			const list = await r.json();
+			if (!list.length) {
+				tbody.innerHTML = '<tr><td colspan="4" class="empty">No tokens issued yet.</td></tr>';
+				return;
+			}
+			for (const t of list) {
+				const tr = document.createElement("tr");
+				const expires = t.expires && t.expires !== "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z" ? new Date(t.expires).toLocaleString() : "(never)";
+				const created = new Date(t.created).toLocaleString();
+				tr.innerHTML = '<td><code>' + escapeHTML(t.id) + '</code></td>'
+					+ '<td>' + escapeHTML(t.description || "") + '</td>'
+					+ '<td>' + escapeHTML(created) + '</td>'
+					+ '<td>' + escapeHTML(expires) + '</td>'
+					+ '<td><button class="danger" data-id="' + escapeHTML(t.id) + '">Revoke</button></td>';
+				tbody.appendChild(tr);
+			}
+			tbody.querySelectorAll("button.danger").forEach(b => {
+				b.addEventListener("click", () => revoke(b.dataset.id));
+			});
+		}
+
+		function escapeHTML(s) {
+			return String(s).replace(/[&<>"']/g, c =>
+				({'&':'&amp;','<':'&lt;','>':'&gt;','"':'&quot;',"'":'&#39;'})[c]);
+		}
+
+		async function revoke(id) {
+			if (!confirm("Revoke token " + id + "? Any clients using it will be cut off immediately.")) return;
+			const r = await fetch(api + "/" + encodeURIComponent(id), { method: "DELETE" });
+			if (!r.ok) {
+				alert("Revoke failed: " + r.status + " " + r.statusText);
+				return;
+			}
+			refresh();
+		}
+
+		document.getElementById("create").addEventListener("submit", async (ev) => {
+			ev.preventDefault();
+			const desc = document.getElementById("desc").value.trim();
+			const expRaw = document.getElementById("expires").value;
+			const body = {};
+			if (desc) body.description = desc;
+			if (expRaw) body.expires = new Date(expRaw).toISOString();
+			const r = await fetch(api, {
+				method: "POST",
+				headers: {"Content-Type": "application/json"},
+				body: JSON.stringify(body),
+			});
+			const out = document.getElementById("created");
+			if (!r.ok) {
+				out.innerHTML = '<p class="warn">Create failed: ' + r.status + ' ' + escapeHTML(await r.text()) + '</p>';
+				return;
+			}
+			const data = await r.json();
+			out.innerHTML = '<p>New token (copy now — it is shown only once):</p><div class="token-secret">' + escapeHTML(data.token) + '</div>';
+			document.getElementById("desc").value = "";
+			document.getElementById("expires").value = "";
+			refresh();
+		});
+
+		refresh();
+	`
+	return `<!doctype html>
+<html><head><meta charset="utf-8"><title>ZDDC tokens</title>
+<style>` + css + `</style>
+</head><body>
+<h1>API tokens</h1>
+<p class="who">Signed in as <strong>` + html.EscapeString(email) + `</strong></p>
+` + storeNote + `
+<fieldset>
+<legend>Create a new token</legend>
+<form id="create">
+<label><span>Description</span><input type="text" id="desc" maxlength="200" placeholder="e.g. Field laptop"></label>
+<label><span>Expires (optional)</span><input type="datetime-local" id="expires"></label>
+<button type="submit">Create token</button>
+</form>
+<div id="created"></div>
+</fieldset>
+<fieldset>
+<legend>Existing tokens</legend>
+<table id="tokens">
+<thead><tr><th>ID</th><th>Description</th><th>Created</th><th>Expires</th><th></th></tr></thead>
+<tbody></tbody>
+</table>
+</fieldset>
+<script>` + js + `</script>
+</body></html>`
+}
diff --git a/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler_test.go b/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b6b4e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/zddc/internal/handler/tokenhandler_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,458 @@
+package handler
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/auth"
+	"codeberg.org/VARASYS/ZDDC/zddc/internal/config"
+)
+
+// newTestTokenStore returns an isolated auth.Store under a TempDir.
+func newTestTokenStore(t *testing.T) *auth.Store {
+	t.Helper()
+	root := t.TempDir()
+	store, err := auth.NewStore(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("auth.NewStore: %v", err)
+	}
+	return store
+}
+
+// authedReq builds an HTTP request with the authenticated email set in
+// the request context (mimicking what ACLMiddleware would do upstream
+// of the handler under test).
+func authedReq(method, path, email string, body []byte) *http.Request {
+	var r *http.Request
+	if body != nil {
+		r = httptest.NewRequest(method, path, bytes.NewReader(body))
+		r.Header.Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+	} else {
+		r = httptest.NewRequest(method, path, nil)
+	}
+	if email != "" {
+		r = r.WithContext(WithEmail(r.Context(), email))
+	}
+	return r
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_Anonymous401(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/.api/tokens", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("anonymous GET /.api/tokens = %d, want 401", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_NoStore503(t *testing.T) {
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodGet, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, nil, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusServiceUnavailable {
+		t.Errorf("nil store = %d, want 503", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_ListEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodGet, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Errorf("GET = %d, want 200", rec.Code)
+	}
+	if got := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"); !strings.Contains(got, "application/json") {
+		t.Errorf("Content-Type = %q", got)
+	}
+	var list []tokenAPIView
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &list); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal: %v body=%q", err, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	if len(list) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected empty list, got %d entries", len(list))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_CreateAndList(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+
+	body := []byte(`{"description":"laptop"}`)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodPost, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", body)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusCreated {
+		t.Fatalf("POST = %d, want 201; body=%q", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	var resp tokenCreateResponse
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unmarshal POST resp: %v", err)
+	}
+	if resp.Token == "" {
+		t.Fatal("plaintext token missing from response")
+	}
+	if resp.ID == "" {
+		t.Fatal("ID missing")
+	}
+	if resp.Email != "alice@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("Email = %q", resp.Email)
+	}
+	if resp.Description != "laptop" {
+		t.Errorf("Description = %q", resp.Description)
+	}
+
+	// The token must validate as a Bearer.
+	tok, err := store.Validate(resp.Token)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Validate the new plaintext: %v", err)
+	}
+	if tok.ID() != resp.ID {
+		t.Errorf("validated ID %q != response ID %q", tok.ID(), resp.ID)
+	}
+
+	// Subsequent list contains the token (without plaintext).
+	rec2 := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r2 := authedReq(http.MethodGet, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec2, r2)
+	if rec2.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("GET = %d", rec2.Code)
+	}
+	var list []tokenAPIView
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(rec2.Body.Bytes(), &list)
+	if len(list) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("list = %d entries, want 1", len(list))
+	}
+	if list[0].ID != resp.ID {
+		t.Errorf("listed ID mismatch")
+	}
+	// Plaintext token MUST NOT appear in any list response.
+	if strings.Contains(rec2.Body.String(), resp.Token) {
+		t.Error("plaintext token leaked in list response")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_CreateRejectsPastExpiry(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	past := time.Now().Add(-time.Hour).UTC().Format(time.RFC3339)
+	body := []byte(`{"expires":"` + past + `"}`)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodPost, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", body)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Errorf("past-expiry create = %d, want 400", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_CreateRejectsLongDescription(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	huge := strings.Repeat("x", MaxTokenDescription+1)
+	body, _ := json.Marshal(tokenCreateRequest{Description: huge})
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodPost, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", body)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusBadRequest {
+		t.Errorf("long description = %d, want 400", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_RevokeOwnToken(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	plaintext, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed Generate: %v", err)
+	}
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodDelete, "/.api/tokens/"+tok.ID(), "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusNoContent {
+		t.Errorf("DELETE = %d, want 204; body=%q", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+	}
+	// Token no longer validates.
+	if _, err := store.Validate(plaintext); err == nil {
+		t.Error("token still validates after revoke")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_RevokeOtherUsers404(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	_, tok, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodDelete, "/.api/tokens/"+tok.ID(), "bob@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
+		t.Errorf("DELETE other user's = %d, want 404", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_RevokeMissing404(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodDelete, "/.api/tokens/deadbeef", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusNotFound {
+		t.Errorf("DELETE nonexistent = %d, want 404", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensAPI_RejectsBadMethods(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	cases := []struct {
+		path   string
+		method string
+	}{
+		{"/.api/tokens", http.MethodPut},
+		{"/.api/tokens", http.MethodDelete},
+		{"/.api/tokens/abc12345", http.MethodGet},
+		{"/.api/tokens/abc12345", http.MethodPost},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		r := authedReq(c.method, c.path, "alice@example.com", nil)
+		ServeTokensAPI(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusMethodNotAllowed {
+			t.Errorf("%s %s = %d, want 405", c.method, c.path, rec.Code)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensPage_Authenticated(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodGet, "/.tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensPage(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("GET /.tokens = %d", rec.Code)
+	}
+	if got := rec.Header().Get("Content-Type"); !strings.Contains(got, "text/html") {
+		t.Errorf("Content-Type = %q", got)
+	}
+	body := rec.Body.String()
+	if !strings.Contains(body, "alice@example.com") {
+		t.Error("page does not show authenticated email")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(body, "/.api/tokens") {
+		t.Error("page does not reference the API endpoint")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensPage_Anonymous401(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/.tokens", nil)
+	ServeTokensPage(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("anonymous = %d, want 401", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensPage_NoStoreShowsWarning(t *testing.T) {
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodGet, "/.tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensPage(config.Config{}, nil, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("authenticated with nil store = %d", rec.Code)
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(rec.Body.String(), "unavailable") {
+		t.Error("expected warning about token store unavailability")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestServeTokensPage_RejectsNonGET(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodPost, "/.tokens", "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensPage(config.Config{}, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusMethodNotAllowed {
+		t.Errorf("POST = %d, want 405", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_BearerSetsEmailFromToken(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("bearer-user@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	var seenEmail string
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		seenEmail = EmailFromContext(r)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+plaintext)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d", rec.Code)
+	}
+	if seenEmail != "bearer-user@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("seen email = %q, want bearer-user@example.com", seenEmail)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_InvalidBearerRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		t.Error("inner handler should not run on invalid bearer")
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer not-a-real-token")
+	// And a valid header email — Bearer must still take precedence and fail.
+	req.Header.Set("X-Auth-Request-Email", "alice@example.com")
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("invalid bearer = %d, want 401", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_BearerWithoutStoreRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, nil, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		t.Error("inner handler should not run when bearer present and store absent")
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer something")
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("bearer w/ nil store = %d, want 401", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_NoBearerFallsBackToHeader(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	var seen string
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		seen = EmailFromContext(r)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("X-Auth-Request-Email", "alice@example.com")
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d", rec.Code)
+	}
+	if seen != "alice@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("email = %q, want alice@example.com (from header)", seen)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_BearerCaseInsensitive(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Time{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	for _, prefix := range []string{"Bearer ", "bearer ", "BEARER ", "BeArEr "} {
+		var seen string
+		chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+			seen = EmailFromContext(r)
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		}))
+		req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+		req.Header.Set("Authorization", prefix+plaintext)
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusOK {
+			t.Errorf("prefix %q: status %d", prefix, rec.Code)
+		}
+		if seen != "alice@example.com" {
+			t.Errorf("prefix %q: email %q, want alice@example.com", prefix, seen)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestACLMiddleware_ExpiredBearerRejected(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	plaintext, _, err := store.Generate("alice@example.com", "", time.Now().Add(-time.Hour))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed: %v", err)
+	}
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+	chain := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		t.Error("inner handler should not run on expired bearer")
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+plaintext)
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	chain.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("expired bearer = %d, want 401", rec.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestEndToEndCreateAuthenticateRevoke walks the full happy path: an
+// authenticated user creates a token via the API, uses it as a Bearer
+// for a separate request, then revokes it and confirms the next Bearer
+// fails.
+func TestEndToEndCreateAuthenticateRevoke(t *testing.T) {
+	store := newTestTokenStore(t)
+	cfg := config.Config{EmailHeader: "X-Auth-Request-Email"}
+
+	// 1. Create token via API as alice (authenticated via context).
+	rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r := authedReq(http.MethodPost, "/.api/tokens", "alice@example.com", []byte(`{"description":"e2e"}`))
+	ServeTokensAPI(cfg, store, rec, r)
+	if rec.Code != http.StatusCreated {
+		t.Fatalf("create: %d", rec.Code)
+	}
+	var resp tokenCreateResponse
+	_ = json.Unmarshal(rec.Body.Bytes(), &resp)
+
+	// 2. Use the token as a Bearer through ACLMiddleware.
+	var seen string
+	bearerHandler := ACLMiddleware(cfg, nil, store, http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		seen = EmailFromContext(r)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	req := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+resp.Token)
+	rec2 := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	bearerHandler.ServeHTTP(rec2, req)
+	if rec2.Code != http.StatusOK || seen != "alice@example.com" {
+		t.Fatalf("authenticate: code=%d email=%q", rec2.Code, seen)
+	}
+
+	// 3. Revoke via API as alice.
+	rec3 := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	r3 := authedReq(http.MethodDelete, "/.api/tokens/"+resp.ID, "alice@example.com", nil)
+	ServeTokensAPI(cfg, store, rec3, r3)
+	if rec3.Code != http.StatusNoContent {
+		t.Fatalf("revoke: %d", rec3.Code)
+	}
+
+	// 4. Bearer no longer authenticates.
+	req4 := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil)
+	req4.Header.Set("Authorization", "Bearer "+resp.Token)
+	rec4 := httptest.NewRecorder()
+	bearerHandler.ServeHTTP(rec4, req4)
+	if rec4.Code != http.StatusUnauthorized {
+		t.Errorf("post-revoke Bearer = %d, want 401", rec4.Code)
+	}
+}
+
+// Sanity: WithEmail-from-context helper works as expected when used
+// directly without the middleware (test seam).
+func TestWithEmail(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := WithEmail(context.Background(), "carol@example.com")
+	r := httptest.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "/", nil).WithContext(ctx)
+	if got := EmailFromContext(r); got != "carol@example.com" {
+		t.Errorf("EmailFromContext = %q", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/zddc/internal/policy/policy.go b/zddc/internal/policy/policy.go
index 492b27b..6e08b14 100644
--- a/zddc/internal/policy/policy.go
+++ b/zddc/internal/policy/policy.go
@@ -185,6 +185,20 @@ func New(cfg Config) (Decider, error) {
 	return &cachingDecider{inner: inner, ttl: ttl}, nil
 }
 
+// AllowAllDecider unconditionally permits every request. Used when the
+// operator runs zddc-server with --no-auth — that flag declares the
+// instance is NOT the ACL boundary (master in a trusted-LAN deployment,
+// or client mode where the upstream master enforced ACLs and the local
+// instance trusts those filtering decisions). Swap into the decider
+// slot at startup; all existing handlers continue to call Allow* and
+// see allowed=true.
+type AllowAllDecider struct{}
+
+// Allow always returns true with nil error.
+func (AllowAllDecider) Allow(_ context.Context, _ AllowInput) (bool, error) {
+	return true, nil
+}
+
 // InternalDecider routes Allow through zddc.AllowedAction with the
 // configured cascade mode and applies the Issued/Received WORM mask
 // post-decision. No network, no Rego, no new dependencies.