diff --git a/src/familiar/config.py b/src/familiar/config.py
index 7858861..3b6447f 100644
--- a/src/familiar/config.py
+++ b/src/familiar/config.py
@@ -133,6 +133,69 @@ def http_token() -> str:
     return (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN") or "").strip()
 
 
+# Hosts that are *not* reachable from off-box. A bind to anything else is a
+# public interface and must be authenticated (or explicitly waived).
+LOOPBACK_HOSTS = {"127.0.0.1", "::1", "localhost", ""}
+
+
+def is_loopback(host: str) -> bool:
+    """True if binding ``host`` only exposes the server to the local machine."""
+    return (host or "").strip().lower() in LOOPBACK_HOSTS
+
+
+def _env_truthy(name: str) -> bool:
+    return (os.environ.get(name) or "").strip().lower() in {"1", "true", "yes", "on"}
+
+
+def allow_insecure_bind() -> bool:
+    """Escape hatch: allow a public (non-loopback) bind without a token.
+
+    Off by default. Only honor ``FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND`` when the operator
+    really means to run unauthenticated (e.g. auth handled entirely upstream).
+    """
+    return _env_truthy("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND")
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# HTTP auth mode: bearer (default) or oauth (OAuth 2.1 resource server).
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+def auth_mode() -> str:
+    """``bearer`` (default) or ``oauth`` — how the HTTP transport authenticates.
+
+    ``bearer``: a single static token in ``FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN``.
+    ``oauth``: validate external-issuer JWTs (JWKS) and advertise the
+    protected-resource metadata so OAuth-only clients (e.g. Claude web) can
+    discover the authorization server.
+    """
+    mode = (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE") or "bearer").strip().lower()
+    return mode if mode in {"bearer", "oauth"} else "bearer"
+
+
+def oauth_issuer() -> str:
+    return (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_ISSUER") or "").strip()
+
+
+def oauth_audience() -> str:
+    """Expected token audience. Defaults to the resource URL when unset."""
+    aud = (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_AUDIENCE") or "").strip()
+    return aud or oauth_resource()
+
+
+def oauth_resource() -> str:
+    """This server's public base URL (the OAuth *resource*), e.g. https://host.
+
+    Used as the RemoteAuthProvider base_url and advertised in the
+    protected-resource metadata. Falls back to FAMILIAR_HTTP_PATH's origin only
+    if explicitly set; otherwise empty (serve will require it in oauth mode).
+    """
+    return (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_RESOURCE") or "").strip()
+
+
+def oauth_jwks_uri() -> str:
+    """Explicit JWKS URI, or empty to discover it from the issuer at start."""
+    return (os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_JWKS_URI") or "").strip()
+
+
 def data_dir() -> Path:
     """Where the encrypted token and key live. Created with restricted perms."""
     override = os.environ.get("FAMILIAR_DATA_DIR")
diff --git a/src/familiar/server.py b/src/familiar/server.py
index 8c52747..22e075d 100644
--- a/src/familiar/server.py
+++ b/src/familiar/server.py
@@ -8,8 +8,11 @@ same `mcp` instance.
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import datetime as _dt
+import sys
 
 from fastmcp import FastMCP
+from starlette.requests import Request
+from starlette.responses import JSONResponse
 
 from . import (
     __version__,
@@ -47,6 +50,16 @@ mcp: FastMCP = FastMCP(
 )
 
 
+@mcp.custom_route("/healthz", methods=["GET"])
+async def healthz(_request: Request) -> JSONResponse:
+    """Unauthenticated liveness probe for Docker / reverse-proxy healthchecks.
+
+    Only reachable over the HTTP transport; on stdio the route is never served.
+    Deliberately outside the bearer-auth gate so a probe needs no token.
+    """
+    return JSONResponse({"status": "ok", "server": "familiar", "version": __version__})
+
+
 @mcp.tool
 def ping() -> dict[str, str]:
     """Health check. Confirms the familiar server is alive and reports its version.
@@ -126,21 +139,96 @@ def _bearer_verifier(token: str):
     return StaticTokenVerifier(tokens={token: {"client_id": "familiar-remote", "scopes": []}})
 
 
-def configure_http(token: str | None = None) -> str:
-    """Prepare the shared ``mcp`` instance for HTTP serving and return the token.
+def _resolve_jwks_uri(issuer: str, jwks_uri: str) -> str:
+    """Return the JWKS URI, discovering it from the issuer's OIDC metadata if unset."""
+    if jwks_uri:
+        return jwks_uri
+    import httpx
 
-    Attaches bearer auth and switches writes to their network default (disabled
-    unless FAMILIAR_ENABLE_WRITES is explicitly truthy). Raises ``SystemExit``
-    if no token is configured — an internet-reachable server must never run open.
+    disco = issuer.rstrip("/") + "/.well-known/openid-configuration"
+    try:
+        resp = httpx.get(disco, timeout=10.0)
+        resp.raise_for_status()
+        uri = resp.json().get("jwks_uri")
+    except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 — surface any discovery failure as a clean exit
+        raise SystemExit(
+            f"OAuth discovery failed at {disco}: {exc}. Set FAMILIAR_OAUTH_JWKS_URI explicitly."
+        ) from exc
+    if not uri:
+        raise SystemExit(f"OIDC metadata at {disco} has no jwks_uri; set FAMILIAR_OAUTH_JWKS_URI.")
+    return uri
+
+
+def _oauth_provider(verifier=None):
+    """Build the OAuth 2.1 resource-server provider (validates external JWTs).
+
+    familiar acts as a *resource server* only: it validates incoming JWT access
+    tokens against an external issuer's JWKS and advertises
+    ``/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource`` so OAuth-only clients can discover
+    the authorization server. It is NOT an authorization server and does no DCR.
+    ``verifier`` is injectable for tests; production builds a JWTVerifier.
     """
+    from pydantic import AnyHttpUrl
+
+    from fastmcp.server.auth import RemoteAuthProvider
+
+    issuer = config.oauth_issuer()
+    resource = config.oauth_resource()
+    if not issuer or not resource:
+        raise SystemExit(
+            "oauth mode needs FAMILIAR_OAUTH_ISSUER (the authorization server) and "
+            "FAMILIAR_OAUTH_RESOURCE (this server's public https URL)."
+        )
+    if verifier is None:
+        from fastmcp.server.auth.providers.jwt import JWTVerifier
+
+        jwks = _resolve_jwks_uri(issuer, config.oauth_jwks_uri())
+        verifier = JWTVerifier(jwks_uri=jwks, issuer=issuer, audience=config.oauth_audience())
+    return RemoteAuthProvider(
+        token_verifier=verifier,
+        authorization_servers=[AnyHttpUrl(issuer)],
+        base_url=resource,
+    )
+
+
+def _refuse_no_token(host: str) -> "SystemExit":
+    where = "a public interface" if not config.is_loopback(host) else "loopback"
+    return SystemExit(
+        f"Refusing to start the HTTP server on {host!r} ({where}) without a bearer "
+        "token. Set FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN to a long random secret, switch to "
+        "FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE=oauth, or — only if auth is handled upstream — set "
+        "FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND=true to run unauthenticated."
+    )
+
+
+def configure_http(*, host: str | None = None, token: str | None = None, verifier=None) -> str:
+    """Prepare the shared ``mcp`` instance for HTTP serving; return the mode/token.
+
+    Attaches the auth provider for the configured ``FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE`` and
+    switches writes to their network default (disabled unless
+    FAMILIAR_ENABLE_WRITES is explicitly truthy). Fail-closed: a bind without a
+    token (bearer mode) raises ``SystemExit`` unless FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND
+    is set. ``verifier`` is injectable for oauth-mode tests.
+    """
+    host = host if host is not None else config.HTTP_HOST
+    writes.set_http_context(True)
+
+    if config.auth_mode() == "oauth":
+        mcp.auth = _oauth_provider(verifier=verifier)
+        return "oauth"
+
     token = token if token is not None else config.http_token()
     if not token:
-        raise SystemExit(
-            "Refusing to start the HTTP server: FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN is not set. "
-            "Set it to a long random secret (the bearer token your MCP client "
-            "sends) and try again."
-        )
-    writes.set_http_context(True)
+        if config.allow_insecure_bind():
+            print(
+                f"WARNING: serving familiar on {host!r} with NO authentication "
+                "(FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND is set). Anyone who can reach this "
+                "port has full access to your account.",
+                file=sys.stderr,
+            )
+            mcp.auth = None
+            return ""
+        raise _refuse_no_token(host)
     mcp.auth = _bearer_verifier(token)
     return token
 
@@ -148,16 +236,17 @@ def configure_http(token: str | None = None) -> str:
 def serve_http(
     *, host: str | None = None, port: int | None = None, path: str | None = None
 ) -> None:
-    """Run familiar over the streamable-HTTP transport with bearer auth.
+    """Run familiar over the streamable-HTTP transport.
 
     Binds loopback by default (a TLS reverse proxy is expected to terminate
     HTTPS and forward here). Host/port/path fall back to the FAMILIAR_HTTP_*
-    config. Refuses to start without FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN.
+    config. Authentication follows FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE (bearer by default).
     """
-    configure_http()
+    host = host or config.HTTP_HOST
+    configure_http(host=host)
     mcp.run(
         transport="http",
-        host=host or config.HTTP_HOST,
+        host=host,
         port=port or config.HTTP_PORT,
         path=path or config.HTTP_PATH,
     )
diff --git a/tests/test_serve.py b/tests/test_serve.py
index 7acda01..a163ebd 100644
--- a/tests/test_serve.py
+++ b/tests/test_serve.py
@@ -79,6 +79,20 @@ def test_valid_token_passes_handshake(http_server):
     assert status == 200
 
 
+def test_healthz_needs_no_token(http_server):
+    _, app = http_server
+
+    async def _get_health():
+        transport = httpx.ASGITransport(app=app)
+        async with app.router.lifespan_context(app):
+            async with httpx.AsyncClient(transport=transport, base_url="http://test") as client:
+                return await client.get("/healthz")
+
+    resp = asyncio.run(_get_health())
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    assert resp.json()["status"] == "ok"
+
+
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
 # Start refusal without a token
 # --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
@@ -214,3 +228,166 @@ def test_manual_login_exchanges_and_saves(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     assert bundle["character_id"] == 42
     assert bundle["character_name"] == "Pilot"
     assert saved["character_id"] == 42
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Fail-closed bind + insecure escape hatch
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+def _reset_auth():
+    server.mcp.auth = None
+    writes.set_http_context(False)
+
+
+def test_public_bind_without_token_refused(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", raising=False)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as excinfo:
+            server.configure_http(host="0.0.0.0")
+        assert "public interface" in str(excinfo.value)
+    finally:
+        _reset_auth()
+
+
+def test_loopback_without_token_still_refused(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", raising=False)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(SystemExit):
+            server.configure_http(host="127.0.0.1")
+    finally:
+        _reset_auth()
+
+
+def test_insecure_bind_escape_hatch_allows_tokenless(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_HTTP_TOKEN", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND", "true")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", raising=False)
+    try:
+        result = server.configure_http(host="0.0.0.0")
+        assert result == ""
+        assert server.mcp.auth is None
+    finally:
+        _reset_auth()
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# OAuth resource-server mode
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+_ISS = "https://idp.example.com"
+_RES = "https://familiar.example.com"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def oauth_server(monkeypatch):
+    """Configure oauth mode with an injected JWTVerifier over a local RSA key."""
+    from fastmcp.server.auth.providers.jwt import JWTVerifier, RSAKeyPair
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", "oauth")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_ISSUER", _ISS)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_RESOURCE", _RES)
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_AUDIENCE", _RES)
+    original = server.mcp.auth
+    kp = RSAKeyPair.generate()
+    verifier = JWTVerifier(public_key=kp.public_key, issuer=_ISS, audience=_RES)
+    server.configure_http(host="0.0.0.0", verifier=verifier)
+    app = server.mcp.http_app(path="/mcp")
+    yield kp, app
+    server.mcp.auth = original
+    writes.set_http_context(False)
+
+
+def test_oauth_valid_jwt_passes(oauth_server):
+    kp, app = oauth_server
+    token = kp.create_token(issuer=_ISS, audience=_RES, subject="user1")
+    status, _ = asyncio.run(_status_for(app, f"Bearer {token}"))
+    assert status == 200
+
+
+def test_oauth_missing_token_401(oauth_server):
+    _, app = oauth_server
+    status, www_auth = asyncio.run(_status_for(app, None))
+    assert status == 401
+    assert www_auth and www_auth.lower().startswith("bearer")
+
+
+def test_oauth_wrong_audience_401(oauth_server):
+    kp, app = oauth_server
+    token = kp.create_token(issuer=_ISS, audience="https://other.example.com", subject="user1")
+    status, _ = asyncio.run(_status_for(app, f"Bearer {token}"))
+    assert status == 401
+
+
+def test_oauth_expired_token_401(oauth_server):
+    kp, app = oauth_server
+    token = kp.create_token(issuer=_ISS, audience=_RES, subject="user1", expires_in_seconds=-60)
+    status, _ = asyncio.run(_status_for(app, f"Bearer {token}"))
+    assert status == 401
+
+
+def test_oauth_protected_resource_metadata(oauth_server):
+    _, app = oauth_server
+
+    async def _get_metadata():
+        transport = httpx.ASGITransport(app=app)
+        async with app.router.lifespan_context(app):
+            async with httpx.AsyncClient(transport=transport, base_url="http://test") as client:
+                return await client.get("/.well-known/oauth-protected-resource/mcp")
+
+    resp = asyncio.run(_get_metadata())
+    assert resp.status_code == 200
+    body = resp.json()
+    assert body["resource"] == f"{_RES}/mcp"
+    assert body["authorization_servers"] == [f"{_ISS}/"]
+
+
+def test_oauth_requires_issuer_and_resource(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", "oauth")
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_ISSUER", raising=False)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_RESOURCE", raising=False)
+    try:
+        with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as excinfo:
+            server.configure_http(host="0.0.0.0")
+        assert "FAMILIAR_OAUTH_ISSUER" in str(excinfo.value)
+    finally:
+        _reset_auth()
+
+
+def test_resolve_jwks_uri_passthrough():
+    assert server._resolve_jwks_uri(_ISS, "https://idp/keys") == "https://idp/keys"
+
+
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+# Config readers for the new env vars
+# --------------------------------------------------------------------------- #
+def test_is_loopback():
+    assert config.is_loopback("127.0.0.1")
+    assert config.is_loopback("localhost")
+    assert not config.is_loopback("0.0.0.0")
+    assert not config.is_loopback("192.168.1.10")
+
+
+def test_auth_mode_default_and_values(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", raising=False)
+    assert config.auth_mode() == "bearer"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", "OAuth")
+    assert config.auth_mode() == "oauth"
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_AUTH_MODE", "nonsense")
+    assert config.auth_mode() == "bearer"
+
+
+def test_allow_insecure_bind(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND", raising=False)
+    assert config.allow_insecure_bind() is False
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_ALLOW_INSECURE_BIND", "yes")
+    assert config.allow_insecure_bind() is True
+
+
+def test_oauth_audience_defaults_to_resource(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_RESOURCE", _RES)
+    monkeypatch.delenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_AUDIENCE", raising=False)
+    assert config.oauth_audience() == _RES
+    monkeypatch.setenv("FAMILIAR_OAUTH_AUDIENCE", "custom-aud")
+    assert config.oauth_audience() == "custom-aud"