diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-e2e-changed.yml b/.github/workflows/test-e2e-changed.yml
index 8e03a902383..228e23f60d7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-e2e-changed.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-e2e-changed.yml
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ jobs:
           TESTS: ${{ needs.detect.outputs.tests }}
           E2E_FIXTURE_MODE: live
           E2E_PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_REACHABLE: '1'
+          E2E_OWNED_GATEWAY: '1'
           COLUMNS: '400'
         run: |
           umask 077
diff --git a/tests/e2e/conftest.py b/tests/e2e/conftest.py
index 8776d00d502..88143382517 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/conftest.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from e2e_config import (
     FIXTURE_MODE_RAW,
     MANAGED_FILES_OPT_IN_ENV,
     MCP_OAUTH_LIVE_OPT_IN_ENV,
+    OWNED_GATEWAY_OPT_IN_ENV,
     PROMPT_CACHING_OPT_IN_ENV,
     PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_OPT_IN_ENV,
     PROXY_BASE_URL,
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ OPT_IN_MARKERS: Final = MappingProxyType(
         "cli_determinism": CLI_DETERMINISM_OPT_IN_ENV,
         "mcp_oauth_live": MCP_OAUTH_LIVE_OPT_IN_ENV,
         "provider_edge_host": PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_OPT_IN_ENV,
+        "owned_gateway": OWNED_GATEWAY_OPT_IN_ENV,
     }
 )
 
@@ -150,6 +152,11 @@ def pytest_configure(config: pytest.Config) -> None:
         "provider_edge_host: routes provider traffic through the pytest host's edge in every fixture mode, so the "
         "gateway must reach the pytest host; deselected unless E2E_PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_REACHABLE is set",
     )
+    config.addinivalue_line(
+        "markers",
+        "owned_gateway: boots its own proxy from source against the stack's Postgres, so it needs DATABASE_URL "
+        "on the pytest host; deselected unless E2E_OWNED_GATEWAY is set",
+    )
 
 
 def pytest_sessionstart(session: pytest.Session) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/e2e/e2e_config.py b/tests/e2e/e2e_config.py
index 407fb243445..03099d9851f 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/e2e_config.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/e2e_config.py
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ REDIS_CHAOS_OPT_IN_ENV = "E2E_REDIS_CHAOS"
 CLI_DETERMINISM_OPT_IN_ENV = "E2E_CLI_DETERMINISM"
 MCP_OAUTH_LIVE_OPT_IN_ENV: Final = "E2E_MCP_OAUTH_LIVE"
 PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_OPT_IN_ENV: Final = "E2E_PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_REACHABLE"
+OWNED_GATEWAY_OPT_IN_ENV: Final = "E2E_OWNED_GATEWAY"
 ANOMALY_SESSIONS = int(os.environ.get("E2E_ANOMALY_SESSIONS", "6"))
 ANOMALY_TURNS_PER_SESSION = int(os.environ.get("E2E_ANOMALY_TURNS_PER_SESSION", "6"))
 ANOMALY_TURN_ATTEMPTS = int(os.environ.get("E2E_ANOMALY_TURN_ATTEMPTS", "3"))
diff --git a/tests/e2e/other/test_jwt_auto_register_e2e.py b/tests/e2e/other/test_jwt_auto_register_e2e.py
index 7766ba0d6ce..0df6e26c236 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/other/test_jwt_auto_register_e2e.py
+++ b/tests/e2e/other/test_jwt_auto_register_e2e.py
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ def minting_gateway(idp: Keycloak, tmp_path_factory: pytest.TempPathFactory) ->
         )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.owned_gateway
 class TestJwtAutoRegisterMapExistingKey:
     @pytest.mark.covers("other.auth.jwt.auto_register_maps_existing_key")
     def test_first_jwt_call_maps_to_the_users_existing_key_and_mints_none(
diff --git a/tests/e2e/pytest.ini b/tests/e2e/pytest.ini
index c6acd449884..5aca82a9c48 100644
--- a/tests/e2e/pytest.ini
+++ b/tests/e2e/pytest.ini
@@ -14,3 +14,4 @@ markers =
     redis_chaos: load test that pauses the proxy's Redis outright mid-run; needs a proxy booted from gateway/redis_chaos_ci_config.yml on the same host, and is deselected unless E2E_REDIS_CHAOS is set
     mcp_oauth_live: real Linear OAuth consent via a captured browser session; deselected unless E2E_MCP_OAUTH_LIVE is set
     provider_edge_host: routes provider traffic through the pytest host's edge in every fixture mode, so the gateway must reach the pytest host; deselected unless E2E_PROVIDER_EDGE_HOST_REACHABLE is set
+    owned_gateway: boots its own proxy from source against the stack's Postgres, so it needs DATABASE_URL on the pytest host; deselected unless E2E_OWNED_GATEWAY is set