diff --git a/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix b/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
index abe82b3b..19e892fd 100644
--- a/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
+++ b/nix/modules/hive-ci.nix
@@ -7,6 +7,20 @@
 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.
+  # `gateway.useSelfSigned` is the gateway module's single source of truth
+  # for the self-signed condition (no duplicated derivation here).
+  useSelfSigned = gatewayCfg.useSelfSigned;
+  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 +329,15 @@ 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 +352,18 @@ 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 +443,19 @@ 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
diff --git a/nix/modules/hive-gateway.nix b/nix/modules/hive-gateway.nix
index 5c870d0c..77a45bc2 100644
--- a/nix/modules/hive-gateway.nix
+++ b/nix/modules/hive-gateway.nix
@@ -175,6 +175,23 @@ in
       '';
     };
 
+    useSelfSigned = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.bool;
+      internal = true;
+      readOnly = true;
+      default = useSelfSigned;
+      defaultText = lib.literalExpression "tls.certDir == null && !tls.acme.enable";
+      description = ''
+        Read-only derived flag: `true` when the gateway serves the
+        self-signed (hive-CA-signed) leaf — i.e. neither `tls.certDir` nor
+        `tls.acme.enable` is configured. Single source of truth for the
+        self-signed condition; consumed by the `hive-tls` and `hive-ci`
+        modules so the derivation isn't duplicated. Internal — not meant to
+        be set by operators (use `tls.certDir` / `tls.acme` to override the
+        self-signed default).
+      '';
+    };
+
     httpsPort = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.port;
       default = 443;
diff --git a/nix/modules/hive-tls.nix b/nix/modules/hive-tls.nix
index b7716c5d..e2a6d791 100644
--- a/nix/modules/hive-tls.nix
+++ b/nix/modules/hive-tls.nix
@@ -13,11 +13,10 @@ let
   # The host-managed hive CA is the trust anchor for self-signed mode.
   # It is only stood up when the gateway actually serves a self-signed
   # cert: a domain must be set (the leaf SANs derive from it) and the
-  # gateway must be in self-signed mode — i.e. neither an operator cert
-  # (`tls.certDir`) nor ACME is configured. With either of those the
-  # public/operator CA already validates, so the hive CA is unnecessary.
-  useSelfSigned = gatewayCfg.tls.certDir == null && !gatewayCfg.tls.acme.enable;
-  active = hyperhiveCfg.enable && useSelfSigned && domain != null;
+  # gateway must be in self-signed mode. The self-signed condition is the
+  # gateway module's single source of truth (`gateway.useSelfSigned`):
+  # true when neither an operator cert (`tls.certDir`) nor ACME is set.
+  active = hyperhiveCfg.enable && gatewayCfg.useSelfSigned && domain != null;
 in
 {
   # Host-side TLS trust root for the self-signed gateway mode.