diff --git a/scripts/nemoclaw-start.sh b/scripts/nemoclaw-start.sh
index 9e316b395..4c68e2925 100755
--- a/scripts/nemoclaw-start.sh
+++ b/scripts/nemoclaw-start.sh
@@ -295,7 +295,8 @@ if [ "$(id -u)" -ne 0 ]; then
   echo "[gateway] Running as non-root (uid=$(id -u)) — privilege separation disabled"
   export HOME=/sandbox
   if ! verify_config_integrity; then
-    echo "[SECURITY WARNING] Config integrity check failed — proceeding anyway (non-root mode)"
+    echo "[SECURITY] Config integrity check failed — refusing to start (non-root mode)"
+    exit 1
   fi
   write_auth_profile
 
diff --git a/test/nemoclaw-start.test.js b/test/nemoclaw-start.test.js
index 246b67cb9..046120fd5 100644
--- a/test/nemoclaw-start.test.js
+++ b/test/nemoclaw-start.test.js
@@ -16,3 +16,31 @@ describe("nemoclaw-start non-root fallback", () => {
     expect(src).toMatch(/nohup "\$OPENCLAW" gateway run >\/tmp\/gateway\.log 2>&1 &/);
   });
 });
+
+describe("config integrity check", () => {
+  const src = fs.readFileSync(START_SCRIPT, "utf-8");
+
+  it("exits on integrity failure in non-root mode", () => {
+    // Extract the outer non-root block.  The trailing \nfi\n targets the
+    // closing "fi" at column 0 — inner "fi" lines are indented (e.g. "  fi")
+    // so [\s\S]*? stops at the first unindented fi, selecting only the outer
+    // block.  This relies on consistent indentation in nemoclaw-start.sh.
+    const nonRootMatch = src.match(
+      /if \[ "\$\(id -u\)" -ne 0 \]; then\n([\s\S]*?)\nfi\n/
+    );
+    expect(nonRootMatch).not.toBeNull();
+    const nonRootBlock = nonRootMatch[1];
+
+    // The block must NOT contain "proceeding anyway" — that was the old bypass
+    expect(nonRootBlock).not.toMatch(/proceeding anyway/i);
+
+    // The block must exit on integrity failure
+    expect(nonRootBlock).toMatch(/verify_config_integrity/);
+    expect(nonRootBlock).toMatch(/exit 1/);
+  });
+
+  it("does not bypass verify_config_integrity in any code path", () => {
+    // No line should catch and ignore a verify_config_integrity failure
+    expect(src).not.toMatch(/verify_config_integrity[\s\S]*?proceeding anyway/);
+  });
+});