diff --git a/gateway/config.py b/gateway/config.py
index ecf229694a..0931d067b6 100644
--- a/gateway/config.py
+++ b/gateway/config.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Handles loading and validating configuration for:
 """
 
 import logging
+import math
 import os
 import json
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -157,7 +158,9 @@ def _coerce_int(value: Any, default: int) -> int:
         return default
     try:
         return int(value)
-    except (TypeError, ValueError):
+    except (TypeError, ValueError, OverflowError):
+        # OverflowError: int(float("inf")) — a non-finite YAML value must
+        # degrade to the default, not abort gateway config loading.
         return default
 
 
@@ -1251,11 +1254,19 @@ class GatewayConfig:
             else nested_gateway.get("loop_watchdog_max_strikes"),
             DEFAULT_LOOP_WATCHDOG_MAX_STRIKES,
         )
-        if loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s < 1.0:
+        if (
+            not math.isfinite(loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s)
+            or loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s < 1.0
+            or loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s > 3600.0
+        ):
             loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s = DEFAULT_LOOP_WATCHDOG_INTERVAL_S
-        if loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s < 1.0:
+        if (
+            not math.isfinite(loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s)
+            or loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s < 1.0
+            or loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s > 600.0
+        ):
             loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s = DEFAULT_LOOP_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_S
-        if loop_watchdog_max_strikes < 1:
+        if loop_watchdog_max_strikes < 1 or loop_watchdog_max_strikes > 1000:
             loop_watchdog_max_strikes = DEFAULT_LOOP_WATCHDOG_MAX_STRIKES
         if multiplex_profiles is None and isinstance(nested_gateway, dict):
             # Also honor gateway.multiplex_profiles written by
@@ -1523,6 +1534,23 @@ def load_gateway_config() -> GatewayConfig:
             elif isinstance(gateway_section, dict) and "write_sessions_json" in gateway_section:
                 gw_data["write_sessions_json"] = gateway_section["write_sessions_json"]
 
+            # Loop-liveness watchdog toggle + tuning knobs: top-level wins;
+            # nested gateway.* fallback. GatewayConfig.from_dict has its own
+            # nested fallback, but this loader builds gw_data FLAT and never
+            # forwards the yaml `gateway:` section — without this bridge the
+            # documented keys (including the pre-existing loop_watchdog bool)
+            # were silently ignored on the real gateway startup path.
+            for _wd_key in (
+                "loop_watchdog",
+                "loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s",
+                "loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s",
+                "loop_watchdog_max_strikes",
+            ):
+                if _wd_key in yaml_cfg:
+                    gw_data[_wd_key] = yaml_cfg[_wd_key]
+                elif isinstance(gateway_section, dict) and _wd_key in gateway_section:
+                    gw_data[_wd_key] = gateway_section[_wd_key]
+
             if "filter_silence_narration" in yaml_cfg:
                 gw_data["filter_silence_narration"] = yaml_cfg[
                     "filter_silence_narration"
diff --git a/tests/gateway/test_loop_liveness_watchdog.py b/tests/gateway/test_loop_liveness_watchdog.py
index 6f38454fe3..ca5e64e861 100644
--- a/tests/gateway/test_loop_liveness_watchdog.py
+++ b/tests/gateway/test_loop_liveness_watchdog.py
@@ -220,6 +220,58 @@ def test_gateway_config_loop_watchdog_tuning_round_trip():
     assert clamped.loop_watchdog_max_strikes == 3
 
 
+def test_gateway_config_loop_watchdog_nonfinite_values_degrade():
+    """NaN/Inf tuning values fall back to defaults instead of reaching the
+    watchdog's Event.wait loop (or aborting config load via int(inf))."""
+    from gateway.config import GatewayConfig
+
+    cfg = GatewayConfig.from_dict(
+        {
+            "loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s": float("inf"),
+            "loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s": float("nan"),
+            "loop_watchdog_max_strikes": float("inf"),  # int() would raise
+        }
+    )
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s == 30.0
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s == 10.0
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_max_strikes == 3
+
+    # Oversized-but-finite values also clamp to defaults.
+    big = GatewayConfig.from_dict(
+        {
+            "loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s": 86400,
+            "loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s": 7200,
+            "loop_watchdog_max_strikes": 10**9,
+        }
+    )
+    assert big.loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s == 30.0
+    assert big.loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s == 10.0
+    assert big.loop_watchdog_max_strikes == 3
+
+
+def test_load_gateway_config_bridges_loop_watchdog_keys(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """The real startup loader must honor gateway.loop_watchdog* from
+    config.yaml — from_dict's nested fallback never sees the yaml gateway
+    section because load_gateway_config builds gw_data flat."""
+    from gateway.config import load_gateway_config
+
+    (tmp_path / "config.yaml").write_text(
+        "gateway:\n"
+        "  loop_watchdog: false\n"
+        "  loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s: 45\n"
+        "  loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s: 15\n"
+        "  loop_watchdog_max_strikes: 12\n",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr("gateway.config.get_hermes_home", lambda: tmp_path)
+
+    cfg = load_gateway_config()
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog is False
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_probe_interval_s == 45.0
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_probe_timeout_s == 15.0
+    assert cfg.loop_watchdog_max_strikes == 12
+
+
 def test_gateway_runner_liveness_guards_start_and_stop():
     from gateway.run import GatewayRunner