diff --git a/src/cli/gen-system-api-key.ts b/src/cli/gen-system-api-key.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c256b52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/cli/gen-system-api-key.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// Operator convenience: generate a fresh random key suitable for
+// FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY (the env that gates
+// `x-fabric-system-key` posts to announce channels).
+//
+// Does NOT write to env / DB — the generated value is printed to stdout;
+// operator pastes into compose env + restarts the guild container.
+//
+// Usage:
+//   docker exec fabric-backend-guild node dist/cli/gen-system-api-key.js
+//   docker exec fabric-backend-guild node dist/cli/gen-system-api-key.js --export
+//
+// Default: prints the raw value only (so KEY=$(... ) works).
+// --export: prints `FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY=<value>` for pasting.
+//
+// Rotation: re-run, paste new value into compose, restart guild. The old
+// key stops working immediately on container restart (it lives only in
+// env, not DB). Any process holding the old value will start getting 401
+// on announce POSTs — coordinate (e.g. update dialectic-backend env in
+// the same maintenance window).
+
+import { randomBytes } from 'node:crypto';
+
+const args = new Set(process.argv.slice(2));
+
+if (args.has('--help') || args.has('-h')) {
+  process.stderr.write(
+    'gen-system-api-key: generate a random key for FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY\n' +
+      '  (no flag)  print the raw key value\n' +
+      '  --export   print FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY=<value>\n' +
+      '\nThe generated value is NOT stored — paste it into your\n' +
+      'compose env and restart the guild container to activate.\n',
+  );
+  process.exit(0);
+}
+
+// 32 bytes hex = 64 chars. Same shape as agent keys + admin keys
+// throughout the stack.
+const key = randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
+
+process.stdout.write(
+  (args.has('--export') ? `FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY=${key}` : key) + '\n',
+);
diff --git a/src/common/api-key.guard.ts b/src/common/api-key.guard.ts
index eb27a83..5d9979b 100644
--- a/src/common/api-key.guard.ts
+++ b/src/common/api-key.guard.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,23 @@ export class ApiKeyGuard implements CanActivate {
       return true;
     }
 
+    // System-key bypass: when a caller presents x-fabric-system-key matching
+    // FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY, skip the Bearer requirement and
+    // mark this as a system caller (no userId). Downstream handlers (e.g.
+    // messaging.controller for announce-type channels) gate per-route on
+    // req.isSystem instead of req.userId.
+    //
+    // This is what makes Dialectic.Backend's lifecycle broadcasts work
+    // without needing a per-user Fabric session token — the system key
+    // alone is sufficient for posting to announce channels.
+    const sysExpected = process.env.FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY ?? '';
+    const sysHeader = req.headers['x-fabric-system-key'];
+    const sysProvided = Array.isArray(sysHeader) ? sysHeader[0] : sysHeader;
+    if (sysExpected && sysProvided && sysProvided === sysExpected) {
+      (req as { isSystem?: boolean }).isSystem = true;
+      return true;
+    }
+
     const auth = req.headers['authorization'];
     const authValue = Array.isArray(auth) ? auth[0] : auth;
     let token = authValue?.startsWith('Bearer ') ? authValue.slice(7) : '';
diff --git a/src/messaging/messaging.controller.ts b/src/messaging/messaging.controller.ts
index fd2590a..2e908c8 100644
--- a/src/messaging/messaging.controller.ts
+++ b/src/messaging/messaging.controller.ts
@@ -156,14 +156,59 @@ export class MessagingController {
   async create(
     @Param('id') channelId: string,
     @Body() body: CreateMessageDto,
-    @Req() req: { userId?: string },
+    @Req() req: { userId?: string; isSystem?: boolean },
     @Headers('idempotency-key') idempotencyKey?: string,
-    @Headers('x-fabric-system-key') systemKey?: string,
   ) {
     const scope = `POST:/channels/${channelId}/messages`;
     const existed = await this.getIdempotentResponse(scope, idempotencyKey);
     if (existed) return existed;
 
+    // System caller (ApiKeyGuard set isSystem from x-fabric-system-key):
+    // skip the per-user participant check; resolve channel directly. Only
+    // allowed for xType=announce — system POSTs to non-announce channels
+    // are still rejected (broadcast key shouldn't write to regular chats).
+    if (req.isSystem) {
+      const sysChannel = await this.channelRepo.findOne({ where: { id: channelId } });
+      if (!sysChannel) {
+        throw new ForbiddenException('channel not found');
+      }
+      if (sysChannel.closed) {
+        throw new ConflictException({ error: 'channel_closed', message: 'channel is closed' });
+      }
+      if (sysChannel.xType !== 'announce') {
+        throw new ForbiddenException({
+          error: 'system_key_announce_only',
+          message: 'system api key only valid for announce-type channels',
+        });
+      }
+      // Persist with the all-zeros sentinel user id (no real user has it;
+      // intentionally not FK-constrained against users since announce
+      // messages don't belong to any one Center user).
+      const SYSTEM_USER_ID = '00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000';
+      const sysMessage = await this.persistMessage(channelId, {
+        authorUserId: SYSTEM_USER_ID,
+        content: body.content ?? '',
+        clientMessageId: body.clientMessageId,
+        replyToMessageId: body.replyToMessageId,
+        mentions: body.mentions,
+        attachments: body.attachments,
+      });
+      const sysView = this.toView(sysMessage) as Record<string, unknown>;
+      await this.saveIdempotentResponse(scope, idempotencyKey, sysView);
+      await this.events.emit({
+        eventType: 'message.created',
+        channelId,
+        actorId: SYSTEM_USER_ID,
+        data: sysView,
+      });
+      await this.realtime.emitMessageCreated(channelId, sysView, {
+        xType: 'announce',
+        authorUserId: SYSTEM_USER_ID,
+        wakeUserIds: new Set<string>(),
+      });
+      return sysView;
+    }
+
     // Guild C-1: caller must be a participant of the channel, and the
     // author is always the authenticated user — body.authorUserId is
     // ignored so a caller can never post as someone else.
@@ -176,21 +221,14 @@ export class MessagingController {
     const xType = channel.xType ?? 'general';
     const isRotating = xType === 'discuss' || xType === 'work';
 
-    // announce channels: posts only allowed when the caller presents a
-    // valid system key (matches FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY env).
-    // The ApiKeyGuard has already validated user identity; this is an
-    // additional system-only gate on top. Non-system posts are silently
-    // discarded (return 403 + log) so misbehaving clients don't pollute
-    // the broadcast.
+    // announce channels: user-bearer POSTs (i.e. not isSystem above) are
+    // never allowed. The system-key bypass above is the ONLY path that
+    // writes to announce channels.
     if (xType === 'announce') {
-      const expected = process.env.FABRIC_BACKEND_GUILD_SYSTEM_API_KEY ?? '';
-      if (!expected || systemKey !== expected) {
-        // log + reject; treat empty env as "no system caller is ever valid"
-        throw new ForbiddenException({
-          error: 'announce_system_only',
-          message: 'announce-type channels accept system-signed posts only',
-        });
-      }
+      throw new ForbiddenException({
+        error: 'announce_system_only',
+        message: 'announce-type channels accept system-signed posts only (use x-fabric-system-key)',
+      });
     }
     const authorUserId = userId;