diff --git a/apps/gittensory-ui/public/openapi.json b/apps/gittensory-ui/public/openapi.json
index 6f1ff545cf..3c8a50fff1 100644
--- a/apps/gittensory-ui/public/openapi.json
+++ b/apps/gittensory-ui/public/openapi.json
@@ -3911,7 +3911,6 @@
               "commentMode",
               "publicAudienceMode",
               "checkRunMode",
-              "gateCheckMode",
               "reviewCheckMode",
               "quietByDefault",
               "behavior",
@@ -9659,7 +9658,6 @@
           "publicSignalLevel",
           "checkRunMode",
           "checkRunDetailLevel",
-          "gateCheckMode",
           "regateSweepOrderMode",
           "reviewCheckMode",
           "gatePack",
@@ -9783,7 +9781,6 @@
                     "commentMode",
                     "publicAudienceMode",
                     "checkRunMode",
-                    "gateCheckMode",
                     "reviewCheckMode",
                     "autoLabelEnabled"
                   ]
@@ -10398,7 +10395,6 @@
               "publicSignalLevel",
               "checkRunMode",
               "checkRunDetailLevel",
-              "gateCheckMode",
               "regateSweepOrderMode",
               "reviewCheckMode",
               "gatePack",
diff --git a/packages/gittensory-engine/src/types/manifest-deps-types.ts b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/types/manifest-deps-types.ts
index 6b15989c72..f55eb08d88 100644
--- a/packages/gittensory-engine/src/types/manifest-deps-types.ts
+++ b/packages/gittensory-engine/src/types/manifest-deps-types.ts
@@ -155,9 +155,10 @@ export type RepositorySettings = {
   publicSignalLevel: "minimal" | "standard";
   checkRunMode: "off" | "enabled";
   checkRunDetailLevel: "minimal" | "standard";
-  /** @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373) computed read-back of {@link reviewCheckMode}
-   *  below, kept only for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read `reviewCheckMode` instead. */
-  gateCheckMode: "off" | "enabled";
+  /** @deprecated (#4618, being removed per #5373) computed read-back of {@link reviewCheckMode} below,
+   *  kept only for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read `reviewCheckMode` instead. Optional (widened
+   *  ahead of full removal) so callers building a partial RepositorySettings no longer need to supply it. */
+  gateCheckMode?: "off" | "enabled" | undefined;
   /** Scheduled re-gate sweep candidate ordering (#3815). `staleness` (default) picks whichever open PR the
    *  sweep has gone longest WITHOUT re-gating (see selectRegateCandidates), which is what gives the sweep its
    *  documented full-coverage-in-ceil(open/max)-ticks convergence guarantee even under dry-run/pause (when
diff --git a/src/github/backfill.ts b/src/github/backfill.ts
index 407e12ad20..83cc2fe1ba 100644
--- a/src/github/backfill.ts
+++ b/src/github/backfill.ts
@@ -1168,7 +1168,6 @@ function summarizeRepairSettings(settings: RepositorySettings) {
     commentMode: settings.commentMode,
     publicAudienceMode: settings.publicAudienceMode,
     checkRunMode: settings.checkRunMode,
-    gateCheckMode: settings.gateCheckMode,
     reviewCheckMode: settings.reviewCheckMode,
     autoLabelEnabled: settings.autoLabelEnabled,
   };
diff --git a/src/openapi/schemas.ts b/src/openapi/schemas.ts
index 47a51c95c1..00d896473f 100644
--- a/src/openapi/schemas.ts
+++ b/src/openapi/schemas.ts
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ export const RepositorySettingsSchema = z
     checkRunDetailLevel: z.enum(["minimal", "standard"]),
     // @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373): computed read-back of reviewCheckMode kept only
     // for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read reviewCheckMode instead.
-    gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
+    gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]).optional(),
     regateSweepOrderMode: z.enum(["staleness", "oldest-first"]),
     reviewCheckMode: z.enum(["required", "visible", "disabled"]),
     autoProjectMilestoneMatch: z.enum(["off", "suggest", "auto"]).optional(),
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ export const RepoSettingsPreviewSchema = z
       checkRunDetailLevel: z.enum(["minimal", "standard"]),
       // @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373): computed read-back of reviewCheckMode kept only
       // for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read reviewCheckMode instead.
-      gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
+      gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]).optional(),
       regateSweepOrderMode: z.enum(["staleness", "oldest-first"]),
       reviewCheckMode: z.enum(["required", "visible", "disabled"]),
       autoProjectMilestoneMatch: z.enum(["off", "suggest", "auto"]).optional(),
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ export const InstallationRepairSchema = z
           checkRunMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
           // @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373): computed read-back of reviewCheckMode kept only
           // for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read reviewCheckMode instead.
-          gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
+          gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]).optional(),
           reviewCheckMode: z.enum(["required", "visible", "disabled"]),
           autoProjectMilestoneMatch: z.enum(["off", "suggest", "auto"]).optional(),
           autoProjectMilestoneMatchBackend: z.enum(["github", "linear"]).optional(),
@@ -2215,7 +2215,7 @@ export const RegistrationReadinessSchema = z
       checkRunMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
       // @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373): computed read-back of reviewCheckMode kept only
       // for API/dashboard back-compat display -- read reviewCheckMode instead.
-      gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]),
+      gateCheckMode: z.enum(["off", "enabled"]).optional(),
       reviewCheckMode: z.enum(["required", "visible", "disabled"]),
       autoProjectMilestoneMatch: z.enum(["off", "suggest", "auto"]).optional(),
       autoProjectMilestoneMatchBackend: z.enum(["github", "linear"]).optional(),
diff --git a/src/queue/processors.ts b/src/queue/processors.ts
index 07b136551b..73787bb246 100644
--- a/src/queue/processors.ts
+++ b/src/queue/processors.ts
@@ -8006,7 +8006,6 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
           metadata: {
             deliveryId: webhook.deliveryId,
             repoFullName,
-            gateCheckMode: settings.gateCheckMode,
             reviewCheckMode: settings.reviewCheckMode,
             publishedOutputs,
             failedOutputs,
@@ -8034,7 +8033,6 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
           publicSurface: settings.publicSurface,
           label: decision.willLabel ? settings.gittensorLabel : null,
           checkRunMode: settings.checkRunMode,
-          gateCheckMode: settings.gateCheckMode,
           reviewCheckMode: settings.reviewCheckMode,
           publicAudienceMode: settings.publicAudienceMode,
           publishedOutputs,
@@ -8084,7 +8082,6 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
         publicSurface: settings.publicSurface,
         label: decision.willLabel ? settings.gittensorLabel : null,
         checkRunMode: settings.checkRunMode,
-        gateCheckMode: settings.gateCheckMode,
         reviewCheckMode: settings.reviewCheckMode,
         publicAudienceMode: settings.publicAudienceMode,
         publishedOutputs,
@@ -8103,7 +8100,6 @@ async function maybePublishPrPublicSurface(
         publicSurface: settings.publicSurface,
         labelApplied: decision.willLabel,
         checkRunMode: settings.checkRunMode,
-        gateCheckMode: settings.gateCheckMode,
         reviewCheckMode: settings.reviewCheckMode,
         publicAudienceMode: settings.publicAudienceMode,
         publishedOutputs,
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 261afef5fc..8a807f350d 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -715,11 +715,13 @@ export type RepositorySettings = {
   // #4620: "deep" removed -- it was never wired to any different behavior than "standard" (formatCheckRunOutput
   // and buildCheckRunAnnotations in rules/advisory.ts both branch only on `=== "minimal"` vs not).
   checkRunDetailLevel: "minimal" | "standard";
-  /** @deprecated (#4618, tracked for removal in #5373) Legacy shadow of {@link reviewCheckMode} (#2852): a
+  /** @deprecated (#4618, being removed per #5373) Legacy shadow of {@link reviewCheckMode} (#2852): a
    *  computed read-back value only, for API/dashboard back-compat display. `"enabled"` when
    *  `reviewCheckMode !== "disabled"`, else `"off"` -- see getRepositorySettings/upsertRepositorySettings in
-   *  db/repositories.ts. No write path accepts this field anymore; set {@link reviewCheckMode} directly instead. */
-  gateCheckMode: "off" | "enabled";
+   *  db/repositories.ts. No write path accepts this field anymore; set {@link reviewCheckMode} directly
+   *  instead. Optional (widened ahead of full removal) so callers building a partial RepositorySettings no
+   *  longer need to supply it; production code (repositories.ts) still always populates it on every read. */
+  gateCheckMode?: "off" | "enabled" | undefined;
   /** Scheduled re-gate sweep candidate ordering (#3815). `staleness` (default) picks whichever open PR the
    *  sweep has gone longest WITHOUT re-gating (see selectRegateCandidates), which is what gives the sweep its
    *  documented full-coverage-in-ceil(open/max)-ticks convergence guarantee even under dry-run/pause (when