diff --git a/docs/bonjour.md b/docs/bonjour.md
index b941e6a20..a36b2f2e8 100644
--- a/docs/bonjour.md
+++ b/docs/bonjour.md
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ For a tailnet-only setup, bind it to the Tailscale IP instead:
 - Set `bridge.bind: "tailnet"` in `~/.clawdis/clawdis.json`.
 - Restart the Gateway (or restart the macOS menubar app via `./scripts/restart-mac.sh` on that machine).
 
-This keeps the bridge reachable only from devices on your tailnet (unless you intentionally expose it some other way).
+This keeps the bridge reachable only from devices on your tailnet (while still listening on loopback for local/SSH port-forwards).
 
 ## What advertises
 
diff --git a/src/config/config.ts b/src/config/config.ts
index 9c4cfbe21..8d2a99f7c 100644
--- a/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/src/config/config.ts
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ export type BridgeConfig = {
    * Bind address policy for the node bridge server.
    * - auto: prefer tailnet IP when present, else LAN (0.0.0.0)
    * - lan:  0.0.0.0 (reachable on local network + any forwarded interfaces)
-   * - tailnet: bind only to the Tailscale interface IP (100.64.0.0/10)
+   * - tailnet: bind to the Tailscale interface IP (100.64.0.0/10) plus loopback
    * - loopback: 127.0.0.1
    */
   bind?: BridgeBindMode;
diff --git a/src/infra/bridge/server.test.ts b/src/infra/bridge/server.test.ts
index e9ad67996..8125db1ee 100644
--- a/src/infra/bridge/server.test.ts
+++ b/src/infra/bridge/server.test.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,17 @@ function sendLine(socket: net.Socket, obj: unknown) {
 describe("node bridge server", () => {
   let baseDir = "";
 
+  const pickNonLoopbackIPv4 = () => {
+    const ifaces = os.networkInterfaces();
+    for (const entries of Object.values(ifaces)) {
+      for (const info of entries ?? []) {
+        if (info.family === "IPv4" && info.internal === false)
+          return info.address;
+      }
+    }
+    return null;
+  };
+
   beforeAll(async () => {
     process.env.CLAWDIS_ENABLE_BRIDGE_IN_TESTS = "1";
     baseDir = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "clawdis-bridge-test-"));
@@ -77,6 +88,31 @@ describe("node bridge server", () => {
     await server.close();
   });
 
+  it("also listens on loopback when bound to a non-loopback host", async () => {
+    const host = pickNonLoopbackIPv4();
+    if (!host) return;
+
+    const server = await startNodeBridgeServer({
+      host,
+      port: 0,
+      pairingBaseDir: baseDir,
+    });
+
+    const socket = net.connect({ host: "127.0.0.1", port: server.port });
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+      socket.once("connect", resolve);
+      socket.once("error", reject);
+    });
+    const readLine = createLineReader(socket);
+    sendLine(socket, { type: "hello", nodeId: "n-loopback" });
+    const line = await readLine();
+    const msg = JSON.parse(line) as { type: string; code?: string };
+    expect(msg.type).toBe("error");
+    expect(msg.code).toBe("NOT_PAIRED");
+    socket.destroy();
+    await server.close();
+  });
+
   it("pairs after approval and then accepts hello", async () => {
     const server = await startNodeBridgeServer({
       host: "127.0.0.1",
diff --git a/src/infra/bridge/server.ts b/src/infra/bridge/server.ts
index 2e84b6bec..2cd1f0b53 100644
--- a/src/infra/bridge/server.ts
+++ b/src/infra/bridge/server.ts
@@ -209,7 +209,21 @@ export async function startNodeBridgeServer(
 
   const connections = new Map<string, ConnectionState>();
 
-  const server = net.createServer((socket) => {
+  const shouldAlsoListenOnLoopback = (host: string | undefined) => {
+    const h = String(host ?? "")
+      .trim()
+      .toLowerCase();
+    if (!h) return false; // default listen() already includes loopback
+    if (h === "0.0.0.0" || h === "::") return false; // already includes loopback
+    if (h === "localhost") return false;
+    if (h === "127.0.0.1" || h.startsWith("127.")) return false;
+    if (h === "::1") return false;
+    return true;
+  };
+
+  const loopbackHost = "127.0.0.1";
+
+  const onConnection = (socket: net.Socket) => {
     socket.setNoDelay(true);
 
     let buffer = "";
@@ -656,17 +670,45 @@ export async function startNodeBridgeServer(
     socket.on("error", () => {
       // close handler will run after close
     });
-  });
+  };
 
+  const servers: net.Server[] = [];
+  const primary = net.createServer(onConnection);
   await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-    server.once("error", reject);
-    server.listen(opts.port, opts.host, () => resolve());
+    const onError = (err: Error) => reject(err);
+    primary.once("error", onError);
+    primary.listen(opts.port, opts.host, () => {
+      primary.off("error", onError);
+      resolve();
+    });
   });
+  servers.push(primary);
 
-  const address = server.address();
+  const address = primary.address();
   const port =
     typeof address === "object" && address ? address.port : opts.port;
 
+  if (shouldAlsoListenOnLoopback(opts.host)) {
+    const loopback = net.createServer(onConnection);
+    try {
+      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+        const onError = (err: Error) => reject(err);
+        loopback.once("error", onError);
+        loopback.listen(port, loopbackHost, () => {
+          loopback.off("error", onError);
+          resolve();
+        });
+      });
+      servers.push(loopback);
+    } catch {
+      try {
+        loopback.close();
+      } catch {
+        /* ignore */
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   return {
     port,
     close: async () => {
@@ -678,8 +720,13 @@ export async function startNodeBridgeServer(
         }
       }
       connections.clear();
-      await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) =>
-        server.close((err) => (err ? reject(err) : resolve())),
+      await Promise.all(
+        servers.map(
+          (s) =>
+            new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) =>
+              s.close((err) => (err ? reject(err) : resolve())),
+            ),
+        ),
       );
     },
     listConnected: () => [...connections.values()].map((c) => c.nodeInfo),