diff --git a/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix b/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
index abe82b3b..8d2f7093 100644
--- a/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
+++ b/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
@@ -7,6 +7,18 @@
 let
   cfg = config.services.hyperhive.forge.ci;
   forgeCfg = config.services.hyperhive.forge;
+  gatewayCfg = config.services.hyperhive.gateway;
+  tlsCfg = config.services.hyperhive.tls;
+
+  # Self-signed TLS is the gateway default (no operator cert / ACME). When
+  # active, forgejo's ROOT_URL is `https://forge.<domain>` and the leaf is
+  # signed by the host hive CA — so the runner's Node-based actions (e.g.
+  # `upload-artifact`, which POSTs to the ROOT_URL-derived artifact endpoint)
+  # reject the chain, since Node trusts only its bundled CA bundle, not the
+  # system store. Trust the hive CA explicitly via NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS below.
+  useSelfSigned = gatewayCfg.tls.certDir == null && !gatewayCfg.tls.acme.enable;
+  caHostPath = "${tlsCfg.stateDir}/ca.pem";
+  caContainerPath = "/run/hive-ca/ca.pem";
 
   # hive-c0re writes its own admin token here on first forge startup.
   # The token has read:admin + write:admin scopes — sufficient to call
@@ -315,6 +327,15 @@ in
       };
     };
 
+    # Self-signed mode: the CA cert the bind-mount above sources is
+    # generated by the host `hive-tls-ca` service. Order the container after
+    # it so the bind source exists before nspawn sets the mount up (a
+    # condition-skipped/late CA would otherwise fail the container start).
+    systemd.services."container@hive-ci" = lib.mkIf useSelfSigned {
+      after = [ "hive-tls-ca.service" ];
+      requires = [ "hive-tls-ca.service" ];
+    };
+
     containers.hive-ci = {
       autoStart = true;
       ephemeral = false;
@@ -329,6 +350,18 @@ in
           hostPath = "/run/hive-ci/runner-token";
           isReadOnly = true;
         };
+      }
+      # Self-signed mode: bind ONLY the public hive CA cert (never the
+      # `hive-tls` state dir — it holds the CA + leaf private keys) so the
+      # runner's Node actions can trust the gateway/forge self-signed leaf
+      # (see NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS in the container config). Source generated
+      # by the host `hive-tls-ca` service; the container@hive-ci ordering
+      # below guarantees it exists before this mount is set up.
+      // lib.optionalAttrs useSelfSigned {
+        ${caContainerPath} = {
+          hostPath = caHostPath;
+          isReadOnly = true;
+        };
       };
 
       config =
@@ -408,6 +441,19 @@ in
 
           systemd.services."gitea-runner-hive" = {
             path = [ pkgs.nix ];
+            # Trust the hive CA in Node-based actions. With self-signed TLS,
+            # forgejo's ROOT_URL is `https://forge.<domain>` (CA-signed leaf),
+            # so actions like `upload-artifact` — whose Node HTTP client uses
+            # Node's *bundled* CA bundle, not the system store — reject the
+            # chain with "unable to verify the first certificate". Pointing
+            # NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS at the bind-mounted CA adds it to Node's
+            # roots for every action, hive-wide. Inherited by the job
+            # processes the runner spawns (host execution mode). Only set in
+            # self-signed mode; with an operator cert / ACME the public CA
+            # already validates and the bind-mount is absent.
+            environment = lib.mkIf useSelfSigned {
+              NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS = caContainerPath;
+            };
             # Gate runner start (and therefore job registration/claiming) on
             # the in-container nix daemon being reachable. After a hive-ci
             # restart the runner re-registers and immediately claims any