diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelayServerBase.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelayServerBase.kt
index f1449f0261..b3fcb9ee5b 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelayServerBase.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelayServerBase.kt
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
  */
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server
 
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.backend.SessionBackend
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.IRelayPolicy
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.LimitsPolicy
@@ -82,16 +81,8 @@ abstract class RelayServerBase(
      */
     fun connect(send: (String) -> Unit): RelaySession = connect(SessionSink.of(send))
 
-    /**
-     * Registers a new client connection whose frames go to [sink], typed where
-     * the engine has the type, already signed in as [authenticatedUsers] when
-     * the transport proved them itself (a NIP-98 header; see
-     * [RelaySession.initialAuthenticatedUsers]).
-     */
-    fun connect(
-        sink: SessionSink,
-        authenticatedUsers: Set<HexKey> = emptySet(),
-    ): RelaySession =
+    /** Registers a new client connection whose frames go to [sink], typed where the engine has the type. */
+    fun connect(sink: SessionSink): RelaySession =
         connections.register(
             RelaySession(
                 policy = buildPolicy(),
@@ -100,7 +91,6 @@ abstract class RelayServerBase(
                 sink = sink,
                 onClose = { connections.unregister(it.id) },
                 negentropySettings = negentropySettings,
-                initialAuthenticatedUsers = authenticatedUsers,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -115,15 +105,14 @@ abstract class RelayServerBase(
     suspend fun serve(
         send: (String) -> Unit,
         incoming: suspend (RelaySession) -> Unit,
-    ) = serve(SessionSink.of(send), emptySet(), incoming)
+    ) = serve(SessionSink.of(send), incoming)
 
-    /** [serve] over a [SessionSink], signed in as [authenticatedUsers] from the start. */
+    /** [serve] over a [SessionSink]. */
     suspend fun serve(
         sink: SessionSink,
-        authenticatedUsers: Set<HexKey>,
         incoming: suspend (RelaySession) -> Unit,
     ) {
-        val session = connect(sink, authenticatedUsers)
+        val session = connect(sink)
         try {
             incoming(session)
         } finally {
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelaySession.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelaySession.kt
index 68793aa486..df77566329 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelaySession.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/RelaySession.kt
@@ -79,14 +79,6 @@ class RelaySession(
      * open/close of the same connection. Defaults to a fresh monotonic id.
      */
     val id: Long = nextConnectionId(),
-    /**
-     * Identities the transport proved before the session existed — a
-     * NIP-98 header on an HTTP command (NIP-FE), say — recorded exactly as
-     * a NIP-42 AUTH would record them. The policy's `accept(AuthCmd)` and
-     * `onAuthenticated` are not consulted: there is no AUTH event, and the
-     * transport, not the engine, did the verifying.
-     */
-    initialAuthenticatedUsers: Set<HexKey> = emptySet(),
 ) : AutoCloseable {
     /** The original, string-only constructor; every frame goes to [onSend] as wire JSON. */
     constructor(
@@ -116,7 +108,7 @@ class RelaySession(
      * the copy costs nothing on the hot path.
      */
     @Volatile
-    private var authenticatedUsers: Set<HexKey> = initialAuthenticatedUsers.toSet()
+    private var authenticatedUsers = setOf<HexKey>()
 
     /**
      * The per-connection scope. Handed to the [policy] at connect (so gating
@@ -290,6 +282,24 @@ class RelaySession(
         send(CountMessage(cmd.queryId, countResult))
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Records [pubkey], proved by the transport rather than a NIP-42 AUTH (NIP-FE's NIP-98 header),
+     * once the policy chain has no objection ([IRelayPolicy.acceptTransportIdentity]). Returns the
+     * refusal, or null when the key is now authenticated on this connection exactly as AUTH would.
+     */
+    suspend fun authenticateByTransport(pubkey: HexKey): String? {
+        val refused =
+            try {
+                policy.acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey)
+            } catch (e: CancellationException) {
+                throw e
+            } catch (e: Exception) {
+                MachineReadablePrefix.ERROR.format(e.message ?: "authentication failed")
+            }
+        if (refused == null) authenticatedUsers = authenticatedUsers + pubkey
+        return refused
+    }
+
     // -- NIP-42: AUTH ---------------------------------------------------------
     private suspend fun handleAuth(cmd: AuthCmd) {
         val result = policy.accept(cmd)
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/FullAuthPolicy.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/FullAuthPolicy.kt
index e13a6cddc8..814083271d 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/FullAuthPolicy.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/FullAuthPolicy.kt
@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ open class FullAuthPolicy(
      */
     open suspend fun authorize(event: RelayAuthEvent) {}
 
+    final override suspend fun acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey: HexKey): String? = authorizeTransport(pubkey)
+
+    /**
+     * [authorize]'s counterpart for a key the transport proved (NIP-98 on a NIP-FE command), which
+     * has no AUTH event to hand it. Refuses by default: a subclass whose [authorize] checks or grants
+     * anything must decide what that means without one, and opt in by returning null.
+     */
+    open suspend fun authorizeTransport(pubkey: HexKey): String? = TRANSPORT_IDENTITY_REFUSED
+
     override fun accept(cmd: EventCmd): PolicyResult<EventCmd> =
         if (isAuthenticated()) {
             PolicyResult.Accepted(cmd)
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/IRelayPolicy.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/IRelayPolicy.kt
index 978512fee7..2c3440053b 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/IRelayPolicy.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/IRelayPolicy.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.AuthCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.Command
@@ -101,6 +102,17 @@ interface IRelayPolicy {
      */
     suspend fun onAuthenticated(event: RelayAuthEvent): Boolean = false
 
+    /**
+     * This policy's say on recording [pubkey] as authenticated when the transport, not a NIP-42
+     * AUTH, proved it: a NIP-98 header on a NIP-FE HTTP command. Return a NIP-01 reason to refuse,
+     * or null for no objection; the engine records the key only when no policy in the chain
+     * objects. There is no AUTH event here, so [accept] (AuthCmd) and [onAuthenticated] never run.
+     *
+     * The default objects, so a policy that decides logins in those two hooks is not bypassed by a
+     * transport it was not written for. Policies with no say over identity return null.
+     */
+    suspend fun acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey: HexKey): String? = TRANSPORT_IDENTITY_REFUSED
+
     /**
      * Inspects a raw inbound message before it is parsed. Return a reason
      * string to reject it (the engine sends it as a `NOTICE`), or null to let
@@ -163,3 +175,6 @@ sealed interface PolicyResult<T : Command> {
         val reason: String,
     ) : PolicyResult<T>
 }
+
+/** The refusal a policy that does not accept transport-proved identities answers with. */
+const val TRANSPORT_IDENTITY_REFUSED = "restricted: this relay signs in over NIP-42 AUTH only"
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PassThroughPolicy.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PassThroughPolicy.kt
index 1d673f6e8b..109bd57908 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PassThroughPolicy.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PassThroughPolicy.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.AuthCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.CountCmd
@@ -52,4 +53,7 @@ open class PassThroughPolicy : IRelayPolicy {
     override fun accept(cmd: AuthCmd): PolicyResult<AuthCmd> = PolicyResult.Accepted(cmd)
 
     override fun canSendToSession(event: Event): Boolean = true
+
+    /** No objection. A subclass that refuses logins in [accept] (AuthCmd) must refuse here too. */
+    override suspend fun acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey: HexKey): String? = null
 }
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PolicyStack.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PolicyStack.kt
index c1062b874a..6adf69c413 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PolicyStack.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/PolicyStack.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.AuthCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.Command
@@ -56,6 +57,9 @@ class PolicyStack(
         return policies.fold(false) { recorded, p -> p.onAuthenticated(event) || recorded }
     }
 
+    /** Every member must agree; the first objection is the answer. */
+    override suspend fun acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey: HexKey): String? = policies.firstNotNullOfOrNull { it.acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey) }
+
     override fun acceptMessage(message: String): String? = policies.firstNotNullOfOrNull { it.acceptMessage(message) }
 
     override fun acceptSubscription(
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/VerifyPolicy.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/VerifyPolicy.kt
index a97c1431fa..9d7286d70b 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/VerifyPolicy.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nip01Core/relay/server/policies/VerifyPolicy.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.crypto.verify
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.AuthCmd
@@ -68,6 +69,9 @@ open class VerifyEventsAndAuthPolicy(
         }
 
     override fun canSendToSession(event: Event) = true
+
+    /** No objection: this policy checks signatures, and the transport verified its own proof. */
+    override suspend fun acceptTransportIdentity(pubkey: HexKey): String? = null
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayCommand.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayCommand.kt
index 304735bf06..cb5a865ea6 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayCommand.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayCommand.kt
@@ -20,35 +20,20 @@
  */
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nipFERelayOverHttp
 
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.OptimizedJsonMapper
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.ClosedMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.CountMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.EoseMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.NoticeMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.OkMessage
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.Command
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.CountCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.EventCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.ReqCmd
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip77Negentropy.NegErrMessage
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip77Negentropy.NegMsgMessage
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip77Negentropy.NegOpenCmd
-import kotlinx.serialization.SerializationException
-import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json
-import kotlinx.serialization.json.JsonArray
-import kotlinx.serialization.json.JsonElement
-import kotlinx.serialization.json.JsonObject
-import kotlinx.serialization.json.JsonPrimitive
 
 /**
- * NIP-FE: the client commands HTTP carries, one path each. A body is the
- * command's arguments after its subscription id (a lone object where the
- * command takes one); the answer ends on the first frame [ends] accepts.
- *
- * `NEG` is one NIP-77 round, `[filter, message]`: the responder keeps no
- * state between rounds but its snapshot, which the backend caches per
- * filter, so each round carries its filter and there is no session to close.
+ * NIP-FE: the client commands HTTP carries, one path each. A body is the command's arguments
+ * after its subscription id (a lone object where the command takes one); the answer ends on the
+ * first frame [ends] accepts.
  */
 enum class HttpRelayCommand(
     val path: String,
@@ -56,32 +41,33 @@ enum class HttpRelayCommand(
     REQ("/req"),
     COUNT("/count"),
     EVENT("/event"),
-    NEG("/neg"),
     ;
 
     /**
-     * The command [body] stands for, parsed and validated, or null when it
-     * is not this command's arguments. Re-serialized from a JSON tree, so a
-     * body can only ever be arguments, never a second command.
+     * The client frame [body] stands for, or null when it plainly is not this command's arguments.
+     * The body is spliced in as sent and the engine parses the frame, as it parses socket text, so
+     * any other malformed body is the engine's NOTICE. The verb and subscription id come first and
+     * the parser reads one value, so nothing a body holds can make it another command.
      */
-    fun parse(body: String): Parsed? {
-        val tree =
-            try {
-                Json.parseToJsonElement(body)
-            } catch (_: SerializationException) {
-                return null
+    fun frameOf(body: String): String? {
+        val text = body.trim()
+        return when (this) {
+            REQ, COUNT -> {
+                val filters =
+                    when {
+                        text.startsWith('{') -> text
+                        text.startsWith('[') && text.endsWith(']') -> text.substring(1, text.length - 1).trim().ifEmpty { return null }
+                        else -> return null
+                    }
+                "[\"${if (this == REQ) ReqCmd.LABEL else CountCmd.LABEL}\",\"$SUB_ID\",$filters]"
             }
-        val args = arguments(tree) ?: return null
-        val frame = JsonArray(head() + args).toString()
-        val cmd = runCatching { OptimizedJsonMapper.fromJsonToCommand(frame) }.getOrNull() ?: return null
-        return if (cmd.isValid() && cmd.matches()) Parsed(cmd, frame.length) else null
-    }
 
-    /** A body as its command, with the length of the frame it stands for: what the message-length limit measures. */
-    class Parsed(
-        val command: Command,
-        val wireLength: Int,
-    )
+            EVENT -> {
+                if (!text.startsWith('{')) return null
+                "[\"${EventCmd.LABEL}\",$text]"
+            }
+        }
+    }
 
     /** Whether [message] is the last frame of this command's answer. */
     fun ends(message: Message): Boolean =
@@ -90,48 +76,13 @@ enum class HttpRelayCommand(
                 REQ -> message is EoseMessage || message is ClosedMessage
                 COUNT -> message is CountMessage || message is ClosedMessage
                 EVENT -> message is OkMessage
-                NEG -> message is NegMsgMessage || message is NegErrMessage
             }
 
-    private fun head(): List<JsonElement> =
-        when (this) {
-            REQ -> listOf(JsonPrimitive(ReqCmd.LABEL), JsonPrimitive(SUB_ID))
-            COUNT -> listOf(JsonPrimitive(CountCmd.LABEL), JsonPrimitive(SUB_ID))
-            EVENT -> listOf(JsonPrimitive(EventCmd.LABEL))
-            NEG -> listOf(JsonPrimitive(NegOpenCmd.LABEL), JsonPrimitive(SUB_ID))
-        }
-
-    private fun arguments(body: JsonElement): List<JsonElement>? =
-        when (this) {
-            REQ, COUNT -> {
-                when (body) {
-                    is JsonObject -> listOf(body)
-                    is JsonArray -> body.takeIf { it.isNotEmpty() && it.all { f -> f is JsonObject } }
-                    else -> null
-                }
-            }
-
-            EVENT -> {
-                (body as? JsonObject)?.let(::listOf)
-            }
-
-            NEG -> {
-                (body as? JsonArray)?.takeIf {
-                    it.size == 2 && it[0] is JsonObject && (it[1] as? JsonPrimitive)?.isString == true
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-    private fun Command.matches(): Boolean =
-        when (this@HttpRelayCommand) {
-            REQ -> this is ReqCmd
-            COUNT -> this is CountCmd
-            EVENT -> this is EventCmd
-            NEG -> this is NegOpenCmd
-        }
-
     companion object {
-        /** The subscription id every HTTP command runs under; each request is its own connection. */
+        /**
+         * The subscription id every HTTP command runs under inside the engine. NIP-FE answers carry
+         * none, so [HttpRelayHandler] takes it back out of each frame before it goes out.
+         */
         const val SUB_ID = "http"
 
         fun forPath(path: String): HttpRelayCommand? = entries.firstOrNull { it.path == path }
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandler.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandler.kt
index e28f86815d..a4054bbd08 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandler.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandler.kt
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nipFERelayOverHttp
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.OptimizedJsonMapper
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.AuthMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.ClosedMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.MachineReadablePrefix
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@ import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.RelayServerBase
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.SessionSink
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip98HttpAuth.Nip98AuthVerifier
+import kotlinx.coroutines.CancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CompletableDeferred
 import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.Channel
@@ -36,22 +36,27 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.coroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeout
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeoutOrNull
-import kotlin.io.encoding.Base64
-import kotlin.io.encoding.ExperimentalEncodingApi
+import kotlin.time.Duration
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.milliseconds
 import kotlin.time.TimeSource
 
-/** One NIP-FE request as the handler needs it. The host routes by [HttpRelayCommand.path] and bounds the body while reading it. */
+/** One NIP-FE request as the handler needs it. The host routes by [HttpRelayCommand.path]. */
 class HttpRelayRequest(
     val command: HttpRelayCommand,
     /** The `Authorization` header as sent, or null. */
     val authorization: String?,
+    /**
+     * The body. Hosts bound the read at [HttpRelayHandler.maxBodyBytes]: the engine measures a
+     * frame in characters, and a UTF-8 character takes up to three bytes.
+     */
     val body: ByteArray,
 )
 
 /**
- * Where [HttpRelayHandler] writes an answer. The host owns the socket, the
- * headers and any compression; the handler decides the status and the lines.
- * On 401 the host adds `WWW-Authenticate: Nostr`, on 429 and 503 `Retry-After`.
+ * Where [HttpRelayHandler] writes an answer. The host owns the socket, the headers and any
+ * compression; the handler decides the status and the lines. On 401 the host adds
+ * `WWW-Authenticate: Nostr`, on 429 and 503 `Retry-After`. A [HttpRelayReaderStalled] thrown out of
+ * either call means the client stopped reading, and the host drops the connection unfinished.
  */
 interface HttpRelayResponse {
     /** An answer that is one frame, with its status: a refusal, or a command answered at once. */
@@ -60,11 +65,7 @@ interface HttpRelayResponse {
         frame: String,
     )
 
-    /**
-     * A 200 answer written line by line, as `application/x-ndjson`. Returns
-     * when [lines] does; a [HttpRelayReaderStalled] thrown out of it means
-     * the client stopped reading and the host drops the connection unfinished.
-     */
+    /** A 200 answer written line by line, as `application/x-ndjson`. Returns when [lines] does. */
     suspend fun stream(lines: suspend HttpRelayLines.() -> Unit)
 }
 
@@ -77,129 +78,146 @@ interface HttpRelayLines {
     suspend fun flush()
 }
 
-/** The client stopped reading a streamed answer; the host drops the connection instead of finishing it. */
+/** The client stopped reading an answer; the host drops the connection instead of finishing it. */
 class HttpRelayReaderStalled : Exception("the client stopped reading the answer")
 
 /**
- * NIP-FE: one relay command per HTTP request, run on its own [RelayServerBase]
- * session, so every limit and policy the socket applies applies here, and
- * answered with the relay's own frames up to the command's answer. Nothing
- * outlives the request. Admission (how many requests a client may run) is the
- * host's: gate before calling [handle], so a refused request does not spend a
- * NIP-98 token that the handler would have verified.
+ * NIP-FE: one relay command per HTTP request, run on its own [RelayServerBase] session, so every
+ * limit and policy the socket applies applies here, and answered with the relay's own frames up to
+ * the command's answer, without their subscription id. Nothing outlives the request.
+ *
+ * Admission (how many requests a client may run) is the host's: gate before calling [handle], so a
+ * refused request does not spend a NIP-98 token the handler would have verified.
  */
 class HttpRelayHandler(
     private val server: RelayServerBase,
     /** The prefixes a NIP-98 `u` may carry (the relay's http origin, its .onion), asked per request; never from the request. */
     private val origins: () -> List<String>,
-    /** How long one answer may run, first byte to last. */
-    private val deadlineMs: Long = DEFAULT_DEADLINE_MS,
-    /** Its own replay cache, so public commands cannot evict another endpoint's. */
-    private val verifier: Nip98AuthVerifier = Nip98AuthVerifier(),
+    /** How long one answer may run, first byte to last. [Duration.INFINITE] turns the deadline off. */
+    private val deadline: Duration = DEFAULT_DEADLINE,
     /** Frames queued ahead of a slow reader before the answer is cut short. */
     private val maxQueuedFrames: Int = DEFAULT_MAX_QUEUED_FRAMES,
     /** How long past the deadline the last line may take before the reader counts as stalled. */
-    private val tailGraceMs: Long = DEFAULT_TAIL_GRACE_MS,
+    private val tailGrace: Duration = DEFAULT_TAIL_GRACE,
 ) {
+    /** The largest body that can still be a frame within the relay's message limit, or null for no limit. */
+    val maxBodyBytes: Long? get() = server.limits?.maxMessageLength?.let { it.toLong() * 3 }
+
     suspend fun handle(
         request: HttpRelayRequest,
         response: HttpRelayResponse,
     ) {
         val command = request.command
         val max = server.limits?.maxMessageLength
-        if (max != null && request.body.size > max) {
-            return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE, closed("invalid: the body exceeds $max bytes"))
+        maxBodyBytes?.let { cap ->
+            if (request.body.size > cap) {
+                return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE, closed("invalid: the command exceeds $max characters"))
+            }
         }
-        val parsed =
-            command.parse(request.body.decodeToString())
+        val frame =
+            command.frameOf(request.body.decodeToString())
                 ?: return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.BAD_REQUEST, closed("invalid: the body is not ${command.name}'s arguments"))
-        if (max != null && parsed.wireLength > max) {
+        // Characters, as the engine's own limit counts them.
+        if (max != null && frame.length > max) {
             return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.PAYLOAD_TOO_LARGE, closed("invalid: the command exceeds $max characters"))
         }
         val signedIn =
             when (val proof = proofOf(request)) {
-                is Proof.Anonymous -> emptySet()
-                is Proof.Signed -> setOf(proof.pubkey)
-                is Proof.Refused -> return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.UNAUTHORIZED, closed(MachineReadablePrefix.AUTH_REQUIRED.format(proof.reason)))
+                is Proof.Anonymous -> {
+                    null
+                }
+
+                is Proof.Signed -> {
+                    proof.pubkey
+                }
+
+                is Proof.Refused -> {
+                    val reason = proof.reason
+                    return response.single(HttpRelayStatus.forReason(reason), closed(reason))
+                }
             }
-        exchange(parsed, command, signedIn, response)
+        exchange(frame, command, signedIn, response)
     }
 
-    /** A frame as queued: its wire text, and its type when the engine built one. */
+    /** A frame as queued: its wire text, its type when the engine built one, and whether it ends the answer. */
     private class Frame(
         val json: String,
         val message: Message?,
+        val last: Boolean,
     )
 
-    private fun HttpRelayCommand.ends(frame: Frame) = frame.message?.let(::ends) == true
-
     private suspend fun exchange(
-        parsed: HttpRelayCommand.Parsed,
+        frame: String,
         command: HttpRelayCommand,
-        signedIn: Set<HexKey>,
+        signedIn: HexKey?,
         response: HttpRelayResponse,
     ) = coroutineScope {
         val frames = Channel<Frame>(maxQueuedFrames)
         val ended = CompletableDeferred<Unit>()
 
         // Called on the engine's coroutines and cannot suspend, so a frame that does not fit ends the answer.
-        fun offer(
-            frame: Frame,
-            last: Boolean,
-        ) {
+        fun offer(frame: Frame) {
             val sent = frames.trySend(frame)
             if (sent.isClosed) return
-            if (sent.isFailure || last) {
+            if (sent.isFailure || frame.last) {
                 frames.close()
                 ended.complete(Unit)
             }
         }
+
+        fun fail(reason: String) = offer(Frame(closed(reason), ClosedMessage(HttpRelayCommand.SUB_ID, reason), last = true))
         val sink =
             object : SessionSink {
                 override fun message(message: Message) {
-                    // The challenge every connection opens with; this one proved its key by NIP-98 instead.
+                    // The challenge every connection opens with; this one proves its key by NIP-98 instead.
                     if (message is AuthMessage) return
-                    offer(Frame(message.toJson(), message), command.ends(message))
+                    offer(Frame(withoutSubId(message.toJson()), message, command.ends(message)))
                 }
 
-                override fun raw(json: String) = offer(Frame(json, null), false)
+                override fun raw(json: String) = offer(Frame(withoutSubId(json), null, last = false))
             }
         val session =
             launch {
-                server.serve(sink, signedIn) {
-                    it.receive(parsed.command)
-                    ended.await()
+                try {
+                    server.serve(sink) { session ->
+                        val refused = signedIn?.let { session.authenticateByTransport(it) }
+                        if (refused != null) fail(refused) else session.receive(frame)
+                        ended.await()
+                    }
+                } catch (e: CancellationException) {
+                    throw e
+                } catch (e: Exception) {
+                    // A backend or policy that throws is the relay's failure, answered as one.
+                    fail(MachineReadablePrefix.ERROR.format(e.message ?: "the relay failed this command"))
                 }
             }
-        val started = TimeSource.Monotonic.markNow()
+        val due = TimeSource.Monotonic.markNow() + deadline
 
-        fun remainingMs() = (deadlineMs - started.elapsedNow().inWholeMilliseconds).coerceAtLeast(0)
+        suspend fun single(
+            status: Int,
+            json: String,
+        ) = bounded(due) { response.single(status, json) }
         try {
-            val first = withTimeoutOrNull(deadlineMs) { frames.receiveCatching().getOrNull() }
+            val first = withTimeoutOrNull(deadline) { frames.receiveCatching().getOrNull() }
+            val status = HttpRelayStatus.of(first?.message)
             when {
                 first == null -> {
-                    response.single(HttpRelayStatus.UNAVAILABLE, closed("error: no answer within ${deadlineMs / 1000}s"))
+                    single(HttpRelayStatus.UNAVAILABLE, closed("error: no answer within $deadline"))
                 }
 
-                command.ends(first) || HttpRelayStatus.of(first.message) != HttpRelayStatus.OK -> {
-                    response.single(HttpRelayStatus.of(first.message), first.json)
+                first.last || status != HttpRelayStatus.OK -> {
+                    single(status, first.json)
                 }
 
                 else -> {
                     response.stream {
-                        // The deadline is read between frames and never interrupts a write, so every line leaves
-                        // whole; a reader that stops reading altogether is dropped at the hard stop.
-                        try {
-                            withTimeout(remainingMs() + tailGraceMs) {
-                                when (drain(first, frames, command, started)) {
-                                    Ending.ANSWERED -> {}
-                                    Ending.DEADLINE -> line(closed("error: the answer ran past ${deadlineMs / 1000}s"))
-                                    Ending.CUT -> line(closed("error: slow reader, over $maxQueuedFrames frames waiting"))
-                                }
-                                flush()
+                        bounded(due) {
+                            when (drain(first, frames, due)) {
+                                Ending.ANSWERED -> {}
+                                Ending.DEADLINE -> line(closed("error: the answer ran past $deadline"))
+                                Ending.CUT -> line(closed("error: slow reader, over $maxQueuedFrames frames waiting"))
                             }
-                        } catch (_: TimeoutCancellationException) {
-                            throw HttpRelayReaderStalled()
+                            flush()
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -209,32 +227,46 @@ class HttpRelayHandler(
         }
     }
 
+    /** Runs [block] until [due] plus the tail grace; a write still blocked then is a reader that stopped. */
+    private suspend fun bounded(
+        due: TimeSource.Monotonic.ValueTimeMark,
+        block: suspend () -> Unit,
+    ) {
+        val left = (-due.elapsedNow()).coerceAtLeast(Duration.ZERO) + tailGrace
+        try {
+            withTimeout(left) { block() }
+        } catch (_: TimeoutCancellationException) {
+            throw HttpRelayReaderStalled()
+        }
+    }
+
     /** How a streamed answer stopped: at its answer frame, at the deadline, or cut because the reader fell behind. */
     private enum class Ending { ANSWERED, DEADLINE, CUT }
 
     /**
-     * Writes [first] and what follows up to the command's answer, flushing whenever nothing is waiting so
-     * a burst leaves as one write. Stops at the answer: a live event queued behind it is not part of it.
+     * Writes [first] and what follows up to the command's answer, flushing whenever nothing is
+     * waiting so a burst leaves as one write. Stops at the answer: a live event queued behind it is
+     * not part of it. The deadline is read between frames and never interrupts a write, so every line
+     * leaves whole, and the answer frame goes out even at the deadline: the answer is complete.
      */
     private suspend fun HttpRelayLines.drain(
         first: Frame,
         frames: Channel<Frame>,
-        command: HttpRelayCommand,
-        started: TimeSource.Monotonic.ValueTimeMark,
+        due: TimeSource.Monotonic.ValueTimeMark,
     ): Ending {
         var frame = first
         while (true) {
             line(frame.json)
-            if (command.ends(frame)) return Ending.ANSWERED
+            if (frame.last) return Ending.ANSWERED
             frame = frames.tryReceive().getOrNull() ?: run {
                 flush()
-                val leftMs = deadlineMs - started.elapsedNow().inWholeMilliseconds
-                if (leftMs <= 0) return Ending.DEADLINE
-                val next = withTimeoutOrNull(leftMs) { frames.receiveCatching() } ?: return Ending.DEADLINE
+                val left = -due.elapsedNow()
+                if (!left.isPositive()) return Ending.DEADLINE
+                val next = withTimeoutOrNull(left) { frames.receiveCatching() } ?: return Ending.DEADLINE
                 // Closed with no answer frame in it: the send side gave up on this reader.
                 next.getOrNull() ?: return Ending.CUT
             }
-            if (started.elapsedNow().inWholeMilliseconds >= deadlineMs) return Ending.DEADLINE
+            if (!frame.last && due.hasPassedNow()) return Ending.DEADLINE
         }
     }
 
@@ -252,8 +284,8 @@ class HttpRelayHandler(
     }
 
     /**
-     * A NIP-98 header, checked against the address it names when that is one of [origins], so a token
-     * signed at the .onion verifies there. It must bind the body's hash: it authorizes one command, once.
+     * A NIP-98 header, checked against every address in [origins], so a token signed at the .onion
+     * verifies there. It must bind the body's hash: it authorizes one command.
      * Another scheme (a proxy's Basic, a client's Bearer) is not addressed to the relay and is ignored.
      */
     private suspend fun proofOf(request: HttpRelayRequest): Proof {
@@ -262,34 +294,46 @@ class HttpRelayHandler(
         if (!header.regionMatches(0, scheme, 0, scheme.length, ignoreCase = true)) return Proof.Anonymous
         val token = scheme + header.substring(scheme.length).trim()
         val accepted = origins().map { it.trimEnd('/') + request.command.path }
-        val url = claimedUrl(token)?.takeIf { it in accepted } ?: accepted.firstOrNull() ?: return Proof.Refused("this relay names no url to sign")
-        return when (val r = verifier.verify(token, "POST", url, request.body)) {
-            is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Verified -> Proof.Signed(r.pubkey)
-            is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Malformed -> Proof.Refused("NIP-98 ${r.reason}")
-            is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Missing -> Proof.Anonymous
+        if (accepted.isEmpty()) return Proof.Refused(MachineReadablePrefix.AUTH_REQUIRED.format("this relay names no url to sign"))
+        // A fresh verifier each time: it remembers the tokens it accepts, and a NIP-FE token is not
+        // single-use. A request can land on any instance, which no one process's memory can follow,
+        // and the body's hash already limits a captured token to the command it signs, in its window.
+        var refusal: Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Malformed? = null
+        for (url in accepted) {
+            when (val r = Nip98AuthVerifier().verify(token, "POST", url, request.body)) {
+                is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Verified -> return Proof.Signed(r.pubkey)
+                is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Missing -> return Proof.Anonymous
+                is Nip98AuthVerifier.Result.Malformed -> refusal = refusal ?: r
+            }
         }
+        return Proof.Refused(MachineReadablePrefix.AUTH_REQUIRED.format("NIP-98 ${refusal?.reason}"))
     }
 
-    /** The `u` tag of a NIP-98 token, or null when it does not decode; the verifier then says why. */
-    @OptIn(ExperimentalEncodingApi::class)
-    private fun claimedUrl(token: String): String? =
-        runCatching {
-            val json = Base64.decode(token.removePrefix(Nip98AuthVerifier.SCHEME).trim()).decodeToString()
-            OptimizedJsonMapper
-                .fromJson(json)
-                .tags
-                .firstOrNull { it.size > 1 && it[0] == "u" }
-                ?.get(1)
-        }.getOrNull()
-
-    private fun closed(reason: String) = ClosedMessage(HttpRelayCommand.SUB_ID, reason).toJson()
+    private fun closed(reason: String) = withoutSubId(ClosedMessage(HttpRelayCommand.SUB_ID, reason).toJson())
 
     companion object {
-        const val DEFAULT_DEADLINE_MS = 30_000L
+        val DEFAULT_DEADLINE = 30_000.milliseconds
 
         /** The websocket's slow-consumer bound in the reference relays. */
         const val DEFAULT_MAX_QUEUED_FRAMES = 8192
 
-        const val DEFAULT_TAIL_GRACE_MS = 5_000L
+        val DEFAULT_TAIL_GRACE = 5_000.milliseconds
     }
 }
+
+/** The frames that carry a subscription id in the engine; NIP-FE sends them without it. */
+private val SUBSCRIPTION_FRAMES = setOf("EVENT", "EOSE", "CLOSED", "COUNT")
+
+private const val SUB_ID_FIELD = ",\"" + HttpRelayCommand.SUB_ID + "\""
+
+/**
+ * [frame] as NIP-FE sends it: the engine's frame with its `"http"` subscription id taken out,
+ * `["EVENT","http",{…}]` → `["EVENT",{…}]`, `["EOSE","http"]` → `["EOSE"]`. Other frames pass as they are.
+ */
+internal fun withoutSubId(frame: String): String {
+    if (!frame.startsWith("[\"")) return frame
+    val verbEnd = frame.indexOf('"', 2)
+    if (verbEnd < 0 || frame.substring(2, verbEnd) !in SUBSCRIPTION_FRAMES) return frame
+    if (!frame.startsWith(SUB_ID_FIELD, verbEnd + 1)) return frame
+    return frame.substring(0, verbEnd + 1) + frame.substring(verbEnd + 1 + SUB_ID_FIELD.length)
+}
diff --git a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayStatus.kt b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayStatus.kt
index 41f8fb64a2..370ca0395e 100644
--- a/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayStatus.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayStatus.kt
@@ -21,16 +21,16 @@
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nipFERelayOverHttp
 
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.ClosedMessage
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.MachineReadablePrefix
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.NoticeMessage
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.OkMessage
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip77Negentropy.NegErrMessage
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.store.RejectionReason
 
 /**
- * NIP-FE status codes. The status of an answer is decided by its first
- * frame: an accepting one is 200 and the answer may stream; a refusal's
- * NIP-01 machine-readable prefix picks the code. After the first frame is
- * out the status cannot change, so later failures are frames.
+ * NIP-FE status codes. The status of an answer is decided by its first frame: an accepting one
+ * is 200 and the answer may stream; a refusal's NIP-01 machine-readable prefix picks the code.
+ * After the first frame is out the status cannot change, so later failures are frames.
  */
 object HttpRelayStatus {
     const val OK = 200
@@ -42,24 +42,24 @@ object HttpRelayStatus {
     const val INTERNAL_ERROR = 500
     const val UNAVAILABLE = 503
 
-    /** The status an answer opening with [message] carries. A raw EVENT frame opens a 200. */
+    /** The status an answer opening with [message] carries. A raw EVENT frame (no type) opens a 200. */
     fun of(message: Message?): Int =
         when (message) {
             is ClosedMessage -> forReason(message.message)
-            is NegErrMessage -> forReason(message.reason)
             // A duplicate is already stored, which is what the caller asked for, whichever flag the store set.
-            is OkMessage -> if (message.success || message.message.startsWith("duplicate:")) OK else forReason(message.message)
+            is OkMessage -> if (message.success || message.message.startsWith(RejectionReason.PREFIX_DUPLICATE)) OK else forReason(message.message)
             is NoticeMessage -> BAD_REQUEST
             else -> OK
         }
 
-    /** The status a NIP-01 machine-readable prefix stands for. */
+    /** The status a NIP-01 machine-readable prefix stands for; a reason without one is a 400. */
     fun forReason(reason: String): Int =
-        when (reason.substringBefore(':', "")) {
-            "auth-required" -> UNAUTHORIZED
-            "restricted", "blocked" -> FORBIDDEN
-            "rate-limited" -> TOO_MANY_REQUESTS
-            "error" -> INTERNAL_ERROR
-            else -> BAD_REQUEST
+        when (MachineReadablePrefix.parse(reason)) {
+            MachineReadablePrefix.AUTH_REQUIRED -> UNAUTHORIZED
+            MachineReadablePrefix.RESTRICTED, MachineReadablePrefix.BLOCKED -> FORBIDDEN
+            MachineReadablePrefix.RATE_LIMITED -> TOO_MANY_REQUESTS
+            MachineReadablePrefix.ERROR -> INTERNAL_ERROR
+            MachineReadablePrefix.DUPLICATE -> OK
+            MachineReadablePrefix.INVALID, MachineReadablePrefix.POW, MachineReadablePrefix.UNSUPPORTED, null -> BAD_REQUEST
         }
 }
diff --git a/quartz/src/jvmTest/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandlerTest.kt b/quartz/src/jvmTest/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandlerTest.kt
index e6837eb856..31695d8da3 100644
--- a/quartz/src/jvmTest/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandlerTest.kt
+++ b/quartz/src/jvmTest/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/quartz/nipFERelayOverHttp/HttpRelayHandlerTest.kt
@@ -20,25 +20,27 @@
  */
 package com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nipFERelayOverHttp
 
-import com.vitorpamplona.negentropy.Negentropy
-import com.vitorpamplona.negentropy.storage.StorageVector
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.Event
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.toHexKey
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.core.HexKey
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.MachineReadablePrefix
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toClient.Message
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.commands.toRelay.ReqCmd
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.filters.Filter
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.normalizer.RelayUrlNormalizer
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.RelayServerBase
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.RelayServerListener
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.backend.RequestContext
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.backend.SessionBackend
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.FullAuthPolicy
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.IRelayPolicy
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.LimitsPolicy
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.PassThroughPolicy
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.PolicyResult
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.RelayLimits
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.relay.server.policies.VerifyPolicy
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.signers.NostrSignerSync
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.store.IEventStore
-import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip01Core.store.IdAndTime
+import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip42RelayAuth.RelayAuthEvent
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip77Negentropy.NegentropySettings
 import com.vitorpamplona.quartz.nip98HttpAuth.HTTPAuthorizationEvent
 import kotlinx.coroutines.SupervisorJob
@@ -49,8 +51,11 @@ import kotlin.test.Test
 import kotlin.test.assertEquals
 import kotlin.test.assertFailsWith
 import kotlin.test.assertTrue
+import kotlin.time.Duration
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.milliseconds
+import kotlin.time.Duration.Companion.seconds
 
-/** NIP-FE's handler over a relay engine and an in-memory backend: status, lines, auth, and negentropy rounds. */
+/** NIP-FE's handler over a relay engine and an in-memory backend: status, lines and auth. */
 class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
     /** Everything the backend holds; a filter naming [STALLED_KIND] never answers, one naming [TRICKLE_KIND] never ends. */
     private class MemoryBackend : SessionBackend {
@@ -81,11 +86,6 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
             if (events.none { it.id == event.id }) events += event
             onComplete(IEventStore.InsertOutcome.Accepted)
         }
-
-        override suspend fun snapshotIdsForNegentropy(
-            filters: List<Filter>,
-            maxEntries: Int?,
-        ) = events.filter { e -> filters.any { it.match(e) } }.map { IdAndTime(it.createdAt, it.id) }
     }
 
     /** Refuses every read from a connection nobody signed in on, as an AUTH-gated relay does. */
@@ -108,15 +108,19 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
     }
 
     private class MemoryRelay(
-        override val backend: MemoryBackend,
-        signedInOnly: Boolean,
+        override val backend: SessionBackend,
+        policies: () -> IRelayPolicy,
+        limits: RelayLimits? = RelayLimits(maxMessageLength = 4096),
     ) : RelayServerBase(
-            policyBuilder = { if (signedInOnly) VerifyPolicy + SignedInOnly() else VerifyPolicy },
+            policyBuilder = policies,
             parentContext = SupervisorJob(),
             negentropySettings = NegentropySettings.Default,
             listener = RelayServerListener.None,
-            limits = RelayLimits(maxMessageLength = 4096),
-        )
+            limits = limits,
+        ) {
+        constructor(backend: SessionBackend, signedInOnly: Boolean) :
+            this(backend, { if (signedInOnly) VerifyPolicy + SignedInOnly() else VerifyPolicy })
+    }
 
     /** One answer as the host would see it. */
     private class Recorded : HttpRelayResponse {
@@ -152,8 +156,8 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
 
     private fun handler(
         signedInOnly: Boolean = false,
-        deadlineMs: Long = 5_000,
-    ) = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, signedInOnly), origins = { listOf(origin) }, deadlineMs = deadlineMs)
+        deadline: Duration = 5.seconds,
+    ) = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, signedInOnly), origins = { listOf(origin) }, deadline = deadline)
 
     private fun HttpRelayHandler.ask(
         command: HttpRelayCommand,
@@ -179,7 +183,7 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
         val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1]}""")
         assertEquals(200, answer.status)
         assertTrue(answer.streamed)
-        assertEquals("""["EOSE","http"]""", answer.lines.last())
+        assertEquals("""["EOSE"]""", answer.lines.last())
         assertEquals(
             setOf(a.id, b.id),
             answer.lines
@@ -193,7 +197,7 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
     fun anEmptyReqIsOneEoseLine() {
         val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """[{"kinds":[30000]}]""")
         assertEquals(200, answer.status)
-        assertEquals(listOf("""["EOSE","http"]"""), answer.lines)
+        assertEquals(listOf("""["EOSE"]"""), answer.lines)
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -215,22 +219,25 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
         backend.events += listOf(note("a"), note("b"), note("c"))
         val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.COUNT, """{"kinds":[1]}""")
         assertEquals(200, answer.status)
-        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["COUNT","http",{"count":3"""), answer.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["COUNT",{"count":3"""), answer.lines.toString())
     }
 
     @Test
     fun aBodyThatIsNotTheCommandsArgumentsIsA400AndOneOverTheLimitA413() {
+        // Not the command's shape: refused before any session opens.
         for ((command, body) in listOf(
             HttpRelayCommand.REQ to "[]",
             HttpRelayCommand.EVENT to """[{"id":"x"}]""",
-            HttpRelayCommand.EVENT to """{"id":"not an event"}""",
-            HttpRelayCommand.NEG to """[{"kinds":[1]}]""",
             HttpRelayCommand.COUNT to "not json",
         )) {
             val answer = handler().ask(command, body)
             assertEquals(400, answer.status, "$command '$body'")
-            assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","http","invalid:"""), answer.lines.toString())
+            assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","invalid:"""), answer.lines.toString())
         }
+        // The right shape with an inside the engine cannot read: its own NOTICE, the command never ran.
+        val unreadable = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.EVENT, """{"id":"not an event"}""")
+        assertEquals(400, unreadable.status)
+        assertTrue(unreadable.lines.single().startsWith("""["NOTICE","""), unreadable.lines.toString())
         assertEquals(413, handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"search":"${"x".repeat(5_000)}"}""").status)
         // Under the byte cap, over it once wrapped in its frame: the engine measures the frame.
         assertEquals(413, handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"search":"${"x".repeat(4_096 - 20)}"}""").status)
@@ -244,89 +251,48 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
 
         val anonymous = gated.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body)
         assertEquals(401, anonymous.status)
-        assertTrue(anonymous.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","http","auth-required:"""))
+        assertTrue(anonymous.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","auth-required:"""))
 
         assertEquals(401, gated.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, "Basic dXNlcjpwYXNz").status, "Basic is not addressed to the relay")
 
         val signed = gated.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body))
         assertEquals(200, signed.status, signed.lines.toString())
-        assertEquals("""["EOSE","http"]""", signed.lines.last())
+        assertEquals("""["EOSE"]""", signed.lines.last())
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun aTokenForAnotherBodyOrASecondUseIsRefused() {
+    fun aTokenSignsOnlyItsBodyAndIsNotSingleUse() {
         val h = handler()
         val body = """{"kinds":[1]}"""
-        val once = token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body)
-        assertEquals(200, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, once).status)
-        val replayed = h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, once)
-        assertEquals(401, replayed.status)
-        assertTrue("replay" in replayed.lines.single(), replayed.lines.toString())
+        val signed = token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body)
+        assertEquals(200, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, signed).status)
+        assertEquals(200, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, signed).status, "any instance may answer it, so none remembers it")
         val other = h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[0]}""", token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body))
         assertEquals(401, other.status)
         assertTrue("payload" in other.lines.single(), other.lines.toString())
     }
 
-    @Test
-    fun negentropyReconcilesInStatelessRounds() {
-        val shared = (1..30).map { note("shared $it", 1_700_000_000L + it) }
-        val onlyRelay = (1..12).map { note("relay $it", 1_700_001_000L + it) }
-        val onlyClient = (1..7).map { note("client $it", 1_700_002_000L + it) }
-        backend.events += shared + onlyRelay
-
-        val mine = StorageVector().apply { (shared + onlyClient).forEach { insert(it.createdAt, it.id) } }.also { it.seal() }
-        val client = Negentropy(mine, 0)
-        var message = client.initiate().toHexKey()
-        val have = mutableSetOf<String>()
-        val need = mutableSetOf<String>()
-        var rounds = 0
-        while (true) {
-            check(++rounds < 20) { "no convergence" }
-            // A fresh handler each round: nothing on the server side carries over.
-            val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.NEG, """[{"kinds":[1]},"$message"]""")
-            assertEquals(200, answer.status, answer.lines.toString())
-            val reply =
-                answer.lines
-                    .single()
-                    .substringAfter("""["NEG-MSG","http","""")
-                    .substringBefore('"')
-            val result = client.reconcile(reply.hexToByteArray())
-            have += result.sendIds.map { it.toHexString() }
-            need += result.needIds.map { it.toHexString() }
-            message = result.msg?.toHexKey() ?: break
-        }
-        assertEquals(onlyClient.map { it.id }.toSet(), have)
-        assertEquals(onlyRelay.map { it.id }.toSet(), need)
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    fun aMalformedNegentropyRoundIsRefused() {
-        val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.NEG, """[{"kinds":[1]},"zz"]""")
-        assertEquals(400, answer.status)
-        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["NEG-ERR","http","""), answer.lines.toString())
-    }
-
     @Test
     fun noFirstFrameWithinTheDeadlineIsA503() {
-        val answer = handler(deadlineMs = 300).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[$STALLED_KIND]}""")
+        val answer = handler(deadline = 300.milliseconds).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[$STALLED_KIND]}""")
         assertEquals(503, answer.status)
-        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","http","error: no answer"""))
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","error: no answer"""))
     }
 
     @Test
     fun aDeadlineMidAnswerEndsOnAClosedLine() {
         val found = note("found")
         backend.events += found
-        val answer = handler(deadlineMs = 300).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1,$TRICKLE_KIND]}""")
+        val answer = handler(deadline = 300.milliseconds).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1,$TRICKLE_KIND]}""")
         assertEquals(200, answer.status)
         assertTrue(found.id in answer.lines.first())
-        assertTrue(answer.lines.last().startsWith("""["CLOSED","http","error: the answer ran past"""), answer.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.last().startsWith("""["CLOSED","error: the answer ran past"""), answer.lines.toString())
     }
 
     @Test
     fun aReaderThatStopsReadingIsDroppedAtTheHardStop() {
         backend.events += note("found")
-        val h = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, false), origins = { listOf(origin) }, deadlineMs = 100, tailGraceMs = 100)
+        val h = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, false), origins = { listOf(origin) }, deadline = 100.milliseconds, tailGrace = 100.milliseconds)
         val stalled =
             object : HttpRelayResponse {
                 override suspend fun single(
@@ -356,6 +322,131 @@ class HttpRelayHandlerTest {
         session.close()
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun framesCarryNoSubscriptionId() {
+        val found = note("found")
+        backend.events += found
+        val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1]}""")
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.first().startsWith("""["EVENT",{"""), answer.lines.toString())
+        assertEquals("""["EOSE"]""", answer.lines.last())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aDeeplyNestedBodyIsA400NotAStackOverflow() {
+        for (body in listOf("""{"a":""".repeat(2_000) + "1" + "}".repeat(2_000), "[".repeat(20_000) + "]".repeat(20_000))) {
+            val answer = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, { VerifyPolicy }, limits = null), origins = { listOf(origin) }).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body)
+            assertEquals(400, answer.status, body.take(20))
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aFullAuthPolicyRefusesTransportSignInUntilItOptsIn() {
+        val body = """{"kinds":[1]}"""
+        val relayUrl = RelayUrlNormalizer.normalize("wss://relay.example")
+        val refusing =
+            MemoryRelay(backend, {
+                object : FullAuthPolicy(relayUrl) {
+                    override suspend fun authorize(event: RelayAuthEvent): Unit = error("backend rejected user")
+                }
+            })
+        val refused = HttpRelayHandler(refusing, origins = { listOf(origin) }).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body))
+        assertEquals(403, refused.status, refused.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(refused.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","restricted:"""), refused.lines.toString())
+
+        val optingIn =
+            MemoryRelay(backend, {
+                object : FullAuthPolicy(relayUrl) {
+                    override suspend fun authorizeTransport(pubkey: HexKey): String? = null
+                }
+            })
+        val signed = HttpRelayHandler(optingIn, origins = { listOf(origin) }).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, token(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body))
+        assertEquals(200, signed.status, signed.lines.toString())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aMessageLimitInThePolicyChainStillRuns() {
+        val limited = MemoryRelay(backend, { LimitsPolicy(RelayLimits(maxMessageLength = 4096)) + VerifyPolicy }, limits = null)
+        val answer = HttpRelayHandler(limited, origins = { listOf(origin) }).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"search":"${"x".repeat(20_000)}"}""")
+        assertEquals(400, answer.status, answer.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["NOTICE","invalid: message too large"""), answer.lines.toString())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aMultiByteEventUnderTheCharacterLimitIsAccepted() {
+        // 1,500 CJK characters: about 4,500 UTF-8 bytes, well under 4,096 characters as the engine counts.
+        val posted = note("\u4E2D".repeat(1_500))
+        val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.EVENT, posted.toJson())
+        assertEquals(200, answer.status, answer.lines.toString())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aBackendFailureIsA500Line() {
+        val failing =
+            object : SessionBackend by backend {
+                override suspend fun submit(
+                    event: Event,
+                    onComplete: (IEventStore.InsertOutcome) -> Unit,
+                ): Unit = error("db is down")
+            }
+        val answer = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(failing, { VerifyPolicy }), origins = { listOf(origin) }).ask(HttpRelayCommand.EVENT, note("lost").toJson())
+        assertEquals(500, answer.status, answer.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.single().startsWith("""["CLOSED","error:"""), answer.lines.toString())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun anInfiniteDeadlineStillStreams() {
+        backend.events += note("forever")
+        val answer = handler(deadline = Duration.INFINITE).ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1]}""")
+        assertEquals(200, answer.status)
+        assertEquals("""["EOSE"]""", answer.lines.last())
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aReaderStalledOnASingleAnswerIsDropped() {
+        val h = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, false), origins = { listOf(origin) }, deadline = 100.milliseconds, tailGrace = 100.milliseconds)
+        val stalled =
+            object : HttpRelayResponse {
+                override suspend fun single(
+                    status: Int,
+                    frame: String,
+                ) = awaitCancellation()
+
+                override suspend fun stream(lines: suspend HttpRelayLines.() -> Unit) = error("single")
+            }
+        assertFailsWith<HttpRelayReaderStalled> {
+            runBlocking { h.handle(HttpRelayRequest(HttpRelayCommand.COUNT, null, """{"kinds":[1]}""".encodeToByteArray()), stalled) }
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aBodyIsSplicedIntoItsFrameAsSent() {
+        assertEquals("""["REQ","http",{"kinds":[1]}]""", HttpRelayCommand.REQ.frameOf(""" {"kinds":[1]} """))
+        assertEquals("""["COUNT","http",{"a":"]"},{"b":"\"["}]""", HttpRelayCommand.COUNT.frameOf("""[{"a":"]"},{"b":"\"["}]"""))
+        assertEquals("""["EVENT",{"id":"x"}]""", HttpRelayCommand.EVENT.frameOf("""{"id":"x"}"""))
+        for (bad in listOf("", "[]", "[ ]", "[{}", "1", "null", "\"x\"")) assertEquals(null, HttpRelayCommand.REQ.frameOf(bad), "REQ '$bad'")
+        for (bad in listOf("""[{"id":"x"}]""", "1")) assertEquals(null, HttpRelayCommand.EVENT.frameOf(bad), "EVENT '$bad'")
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aBodyCannotCarryASecondCommand() {
+        val smuggled = note("smuggled")
+        val answer = handler().ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, """{"kinds":[1]}],["EVENT",${smuggled.toJson()}""")
+        assertTrue(answer.lines.last().let { it == """["EOSE"]""" || it.startsWith("""["NOTICE",""") }, answer.lines.toString())
+        assertTrue(backend.events.none { it.id == smuggled.id }, "only the REQ ran")
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun aTokenSignedAtAnyOfTheRelaysAddressesVerifies() {
+        val onion = "http://relayxyz.onion"
+        val h = HttpRelayHandler(MemoryRelay(backend, true), origins = { listOf(origin, onion) })
+        val body = """{"kinds":[1]}"""
+
+        fun at(base: String) = alice.sign(HTTPAuthorizationEvent.build(base + "/req", "POST", body.encodeToByteArray(), System.currentTimeMillis() / 1000) {}).toAuthToken()
+        assertEquals(200, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, at(onion)).status)
+        assertEquals(200, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, at(origin)).status)
+        assertEquals(401, h.ask(HttpRelayCommand.REQ, body, at("https://elsewhere.example")).status)
+    }
+
     private companion object {
         const val STALLED_KIND = 7
         const val TRICKLE_KIND = 8