diff --git a/packages/web/server/index.js b/packages/web/server/index.js
index 0d091609..49844ab9 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/index.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/index.js
@@ -1383,6 +1383,7 @@ const openChamberSessionService = createOpenChamberSessionService({
   waitForOpenCodeReady,
   emitSessionCreatedEvent,
   sessionKnowledgeRuntime,
+  planGateRuntime,
 });
 // Browser actions are published to whichever OpenChamber clients are connected;
 // the one owning the browser panel answers. `emitRequest` returns the number of
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.js b/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.js
index 736cf223..87107e68 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.js
@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ export const createOpenChamberSessionService = (dependencies) => {
     emitSessionCreatedEvent,
     createSessionGoal: createSessionGoalOverride,
     sessionKnowledgeRuntime = null,
+    planGateRuntime = null,
   } = dependencies;
 
   // Last user message of an existing session, as a selection to reuse. Returns
@@ -758,6 +759,10 @@ export const createOpenChamberSessionService = (dependencies) => {
       ...(cardID ? { cardID } : {}),
     });
 
+    if (planGate && planGateRuntime && typeof planGateRuntime.activate === 'function') {
+      planGateRuntime.activate(sessionID, sessionDirectory, cardID || '');
+    }
+
     let dispatch = { model, agent, variant, promptDispatched: false, dispatchedAsCommand: false };
     if (prompt) {
       dispatch = await dispatchPrompt({
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.test.js b/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.test.js
index 6a60ce73..96d098ab 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.test.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/openchamber-sessions/routes.test.js
@@ -916,4 +916,72 @@ describe('openchamber session routes', () => {
       globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
     }
   });
+
+  it('activates planGateRuntime when planGate is true', async () => {
+    const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+    globalThis.fetch = vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true, json: async () => ({ id: 'ses_pg_1' }) }));
+    const activateMock = vi.fn();
+    try {
+      const { app } = createApp({ planGateRuntime: { activate: activateMock } });
+      const response = await request(app)
+        .post('/api/openchamber/sessions')
+        .send({ directory: '/repo/app', planGate: true })
+        .expect(200);
+
+      expect(activateMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      expect(activateMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ses_pg_1', '/repo/app', '');
+      expect(response.body.planGate).toBe(true);
+      expect(response.body.sessionId).toBe('ses_pg_1');
+    } finally {
+      globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('does not activate planGateRuntime when planGate is absent', async () => {
+    const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+    globalThis.fetch = vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true, json: async () => ({ id: 'ses_npg_1' }) }));
+    const activateMock = vi.fn();
+    try {
+      const { app } = createApp({ planGateRuntime: { activate: activateMock } });
+      await request(app)
+        .post('/api/openchamber/sessions')
+        .send({ directory: '/repo/app' })
+        .expect(200);
+
+      expect(activateMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    } finally {
+      globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('activates planGateRuntime with cardID when both planGate and cardID are provided', async () => {
+    const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+    globalThis.fetch = vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true, json: async () => ({ id: 'ses_pg_2' }) }));
+    const activateMock = vi.fn();
+    try {
+      const { app } = createApp({ planGateRuntime: { activate: activateMock } });
+      await request(app)
+        .post('/api/openchamber/sessions')
+        .send({ directory: '/repo/app', planGate: true, cardID: 'card_xyz' })
+        .expect(200);
+
+      expect(activateMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('ses_pg_2', '/repo/app', 'card_xyz');
+    } finally {
+      globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('gracefully skips planGateRuntime when not provided', async () => {
+    const originalFetch = globalThis.fetch;
+    globalThis.fetch = vi.fn(async () => ({ ok: true, json: async () => ({ id: 'ses_no_rt' }) }));
+    try {
+      const { app } = createApp();
+      await request(app)
+        .post('/api/openchamber/sessions')
+        .send({ directory: '/repo/app', planGate: true })
+        .expect(200);
+    } finally {
+      globalThis.fetch = originalFetch;
+    }
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.js b/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.js
index 1faea46f..034c50bc 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 // runtime detects the plan in the first assistant message, emits plan-ready,
 // and holds until approve/reject/timeout.
 
+import express from 'express';
 import { GOAL_OBJECTIVE_CHAR_LIMIT } from '../session-goal/objectives.js';
 
 const asRecord = (value) => (value && typeof value === 'object' && !Array.isArray(value) ? value : null);
@@ -300,7 +301,7 @@ export function registerPlanGateRoutes(app, runtime) {
     res.status(status).json({ error: error?.message ?? fallback });
   };
 
-  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/plan/approve', async (req, res) => {
+  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/plan/approve', express.json({ limit: '1mb' }), async (req, res) => {
     try {
       const sessionId = asNonEmptyString(req.params?.sessionID);
       if (!sessionId) return res.status(400).json({ error: 'sessionID is required' });
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ export function registerPlanGateRoutes(app, runtime) {
     }
   });
 
-  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/plan/reject', async (req, res) => {
+  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/plan/reject', express.json({ limit: '1mb' }), async (req, res) => {
     try {
       const sessionId = asNonEmptyString(req.params?.sessionID);
       const feedback = asNonEmptyString(req.body?.feedback);
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.test.js b/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.test.js
index 9e7e4408..cd0edf5a 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.test.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/plan-gate/runtime.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { createPlanGateRuntime } from './runtime.js';
+import express from 'express';
+import request from 'supertest';
+import { createPlanGateRuntime, registerPlanGateRoutes } from './runtime.js';
 
 const SESSION = 'ses_plan_test_1';
 const DIRECTORY = '/repo';
@@ -229,3 +231,43 @@ describe('plan-gate runtime', () => {
     expect(broadcasts.filter((e) => e.type === 'openchamber:plan-ready').length).toBe(0);
   });
 });
+
+describe('plan-gate route middleware', () => {
+  it('parses JSON body without global middleware on approve route', async () => {
+    const runtime = createPlanGateRuntime({
+      globalEventHub: { subscribeEvent() { return () => {}; } },
+      buildOpenCodeUrl: (fetchPath) => `http://opencode.test${fetchPath}`,
+      getOpenCodeAuthHeaders: () => ({}),
+      broadcastGlobalUiEvent: () => {},
+      fetchImpl: vi.fn(async () => new Response(null, { status: 204 })),
+      planGateTimeoutMs: 60_000,
+    });
+    runtime.activate(SESSION, DIRECTORY);
+    const app = express();
+    registerPlanGateRoutes(app, runtime);
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .post(`/api/openchamber/session/${SESSION}/plan/approve`)
+      .send({ feedback: 'looks good' })
+      .expect(200);
+    expect(res.body.state).toBe('approved');
+  });
+
+  it('parses JSON body without global middleware on reject route', async () => {
+    const runtime = createPlanGateRuntime({
+      globalEventHub: { subscribeEvent() { return () => {}; } },
+      buildOpenCodeUrl: (fetchPath) => `http://opencode.test${fetchPath}`,
+      getOpenCodeAuthHeaders: () => ({}),
+      broadcastGlobalUiEvent: () => {},
+      fetchImpl: vi.fn(async () => new Response(null, { status: 204 })),
+      planGateTimeoutMs: 60_000,
+    });
+    runtime.activate(SESSION, DIRECTORY);
+    const app = express();
+    registerPlanGateRoutes(app, runtime);
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .post(`/api/openchamber/session/${SESSION}/plan/reject`)
+      .send({ feedback: 'too vague' })
+      .expect(200);
+    expect(res.body.state).toBe('rejected');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.js b/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.js
index 9d7dd20c..7741089f 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 // Follows the message-queue precedent: hub subscription, idle detection,
 // prompt_async with synthetic parts, waitForPromptLanded verification.
 
+import express from 'express';
+
 const asRecord = (value) => (value && typeof value === 'object' && !Array.isArray(value) ? value : null);
 const asNonEmptyString = (value) => (typeof value === 'string' && value.trim() ? value.trim() : '');
 const asList = (value) => (Array.isArray(value) ? value : []);
@@ -215,7 +217,7 @@ export function registerSessionSteerRoutes(app, runtime) {
     res.status(status).json({ error: error?.message ?? fallback });
   };
 
-  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/steer', async (req, res) => {
+  app.post('/api/openchamber/session/:sessionID/steer', express.json({ limit: '1mb' }), async (req, res) => {
     try {
       const sessionId = asNonEmptyString(req.params?.sessionID);
       const directive = asNonEmptyString(req.body?.directive);
diff --git a/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.test.js b/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.test.js
index 2ebd22c3..5aa25f50 100644
--- a/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.test.js
+++ b/packages/web/server/lib/session-steer/runtime.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { createSessionSteerRuntime } from './runtime.js';
+import express from 'express';
+import request from 'supertest';
+import { createSessionSteerRuntime, registerSessionSteerRoutes } from './runtime.js';
 
 const SESSION = 'ses_steer_test_1';
 const DIRECTORY = '/repo';
@@ -151,3 +153,41 @@ describe('session-steer runtime', () => {
     expect(openCode.state.sent.length).toBe(0);
   });
 });
+
+describe('session-steer route middleware', () => {
+  it('parses JSON body without global middleware on steer route', async () => {
+    const { state, fetchImpl } = createOpenCode();
+    state.statuses[SESSION] = { type: 'idle' };
+    state.tail = [{ info: { role: 'user', id: 'msg_1', time: { created: 100 } } }];
+    const runtime = createSessionSteerRuntime({
+      globalEventHub: { subscribeEvent() { return () => {}; } },
+      buildOpenCodeUrl: (fetchPath) => `http://opencode.test${fetchPath}`,
+      getOpenCodeAuthHeaders: () => ({}),
+      broadcastGlobalUiEvent: () => {},
+      fetchImpl,
+    });
+    const app = express();
+    registerSessionSteerRoutes(app, runtime);
+    const res = await request(app)
+      .post(`/api/openchamber/session/${SESSION}/steer`)
+      .send({ directive: 'Focus on tests', mode: 'interrupt', directory: DIRECTORY })
+      .expect(202);
+    expect(res.body.accepted).toBe(true);
+    expect(state.sent.length).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it('returns 400 directive is required when body is missing', async () => {
+    const runtime = createSessionSteerRuntime({
+      globalEventHub: { subscribeEvent() { return () => {}; } },
+      buildOpenCodeUrl: (fetchPath) => `http://opencode.test${fetchPath}`,
+      getOpenCodeAuthHeaders: () => ({}),
+      broadcastGlobalUiEvent: () => {},
+    });
+    const app = express();
+    registerSessionSteerRoutes(app, runtime);
+    await request(app)
+      .post(`/api/openchamber/session/${SESSION}/steer`)
+      .send({ mode: 'interrupt', directory: DIRECTORY })
+      .expect(400, { error: 'directive is required' });
+  });
+});