diff --git a/cameleer-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer/server/app/config/LicenseBeanConfig.java b/cameleer-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer/server/app/config/LicenseBeanConfig.java
index 926c2a52..5d6bb834 100644
--- a/cameleer-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer/server/app/config/LicenseBeanConfig.java
+++ b/cameleer-server-app/src/main/java/com/cameleer/server/app/config/LicenseBeanConfig.java
@@ -1,22 +1,48 @@
 package com.cameleer.server.app.config;
 
+import com.cameleer.server.app.license.LicenseRepository;
+import com.cameleer.server.app.license.LicenseService;
+import com.cameleer.server.core.admin.AuditService;
 import com.cameleer.server.core.license.LicenseGate;
 import com.cameleer.server.core.license.LicenseInfo;
 import com.cameleer.server.core.license.LicenseValidator;
+import jakarta.annotation.PostConstruct;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Value;
+import org.springframework.context.ApplicationEventPublisher;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Configuration;
 
 import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.security.KeyPair;
+import java.security.KeyPairGenerator;
+import java.util.Base64;
+import java.util.Optional;
 
+/**
+ * License bean topology (4 beans, in dependency order):
+ *
+ * <ol>
+ *   <li>{@link LicenseGate} — always present, mutated by {@link LicenseService}.</li>
+ *   <li>{@link LicenseValidator} — always present. When no public key is configured, returns an
+ *       always-failing override so any loaded token routes through {@code install()} and is
+ *       audited as INVALID rather than silently ignored.</li>
+ *   <li>{@link LicenseService} — single mediation point for install / replace / revalidate;
+ *       audits + persists + publishes {@code LicenseChangedEvent}.</li>
+ *   <li>{@link LicenseBootLoader} — {@code @PostConstruct} drives {@code loadInitial} after the
+ *       Spring context is ready. Resolution order: env var &gt; license file &gt; persisted DB row.</li>
+ * </ol>
+ */
 @Configuration
 public class LicenseBeanConfig {
 
     private static final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(LicenseBeanConfig.class);
 
+    @Value("${cameleer.server.tenant.id:default}")
+    private String tenantId;
+
     @Value("${cameleer.server.license.token:}")
     private String licenseToken;
 
@@ -26,46 +52,79 @@ public class LicenseBeanConfig {
     @Value("${cameleer.server.license.publickey:}")
     private String licensePublicKey;
 
-    @Value("${cameleer.server.tenant.id:default}")
-    private String tenantId;
-
     @Bean
     public LicenseGate licenseGate() {
-        LicenseGate gate = new LicenseGate();
-
-        String token = resolveLicenseToken();
-        if (token == null || token.isBlank()) {
-            log.info("No license configured — running in open mode (all features enabled)");
-            return gate;
-        }
-
-        if (licensePublicKey == null || licensePublicKey.isBlank()) {
-            log.warn("License token provided but no public key configured (CAMELEER_SERVER_LICENSE_PUBLICKEY). Running in open mode.");
-            return gate;
-        }
-
-        try {
-            LicenseValidator validator = new LicenseValidator(licensePublicKey, tenantId);
-            LicenseInfo info = validator.validate(token);
-            gate.load(info);
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            log.error("Failed to validate license: {}. Running in open mode.", e.getMessage());
-        }
-
-        return gate;
+        return new LicenseGate();
     }
 
-    private String resolveLicenseToken() {
-        if (licenseToken != null && !licenseToken.isBlank()) {
-            return licenseToken;
-        }
-        if (licenseFile != null && !licenseFile.isBlank()) {
+    @Bean
+    public LicenseValidator licenseValidator() {
+        if (licensePublicKey == null || licensePublicKey.isBlank()) {
+            log.warn("CAMELEER_SERVER_LICENSE_PUBLICKEY not set — all licenses will be rejected as INVALID");
+            // Generate a throwaway, structurally-valid Ed25519 keypair just to satisfy the
+            // parent constructor's X.509 SubjectPublicKeyInfo decode + Ed25519 point validation.
+            // The overridden validate(...) always throws, so the dummy key is never used to
+            // verify anything — it only exists so the bean is constructable in misconfigured
+            // installs and any token that is loaded routes to INVALID via install()'s catch.
             try {
-                return Files.readString(Path.of(licenseFile)).trim();
+                KeyPair throwaway = KeyPairGenerator.getInstance("Ed25519").generateKeyPair();
+                String dummyPub = Base64.getEncoder().encodeToString(throwaway.getPublic().getEncoded());
+                return new LicenseValidator(dummyPub, tenantId) {
+                    @Override
+                    public LicenseInfo validate(String token) {
+                        throw new IllegalStateException("license public key not configured");
+                    }
+                };
             } catch (Exception e) {
-                log.warn("Failed to read license file {}: {}", licenseFile, e.getMessage());
+                throw new IllegalStateException("Failed to construct fallback license validator", e);
             }
         }
-        return null;
+        return new LicenseValidator(licensePublicKey, tenantId);
+    }
+
+    @Bean
+    public LicenseService licenseService(LicenseRepository repo,
+                                         LicenseGate gate,
+                                         LicenseValidator validator,
+                                         AuditService audit,
+                                         ApplicationEventPublisher events) {
+        return new LicenseService(tenantId, repo, gate, validator, audit, events);
+    }
+
+    @Bean
+    public LicenseBootLoader licenseBootLoader(LicenseService svc) {
+        return new LicenseBootLoader(svc, licenseToken, licenseFile);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * {@code @PostConstruct} bridge that converts env-var/file values into the
+     * {@code Optional<String>} pair {@link LicenseService#loadInitial} expects, so
+     * env-var, file, and DB paths share the same audit + event-publish code path.
+     */
+    public static class LicenseBootLoader {
+        private final LicenseService svc;
+        private final String envToken;
+        private final String filePath;
+
+        public LicenseBootLoader(LicenseService svc, String envToken, String filePath) {
+            this.svc = svc;
+            this.envToken = envToken;
+            this.filePath = filePath;
+        }
+
+        @PostConstruct
+        public void load() {
+            Optional<String> env = (envToken != null && !envToken.isBlank())
+                    ? Optional.of(envToken) : Optional.empty();
+            Optional<String> file = Optional.empty();
+            if (filePath != null && !filePath.isBlank()) {
+                try {
+                    file = Optional.of(Files.readString(Path.of(filePath)).trim());
+                } catch (Exception e) {
+                    log.warn("Failed to read license file {}: {}", filePath, e.getMessage());
+                }
+            }
+            svc.loadInitial(env, file);
+        }
     }
 }