diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4cc805c2b743..b8f37dccdab2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 - Block unsafe Node runtime env overrides [AI]. (#87308) Thanks @pgondhi987.
 - Telegram: route `sendMessage` action replies through durable outbound delivery so completed agent responses remain retryable when the gateway send path times out. (#87261) Thanks @mbelinky.
+- Gateway/security: require `operator.admin` for node and other non-operator device-role pairing approvals, including trusted-proxy sessions, while keeping pairing-only approvals available for operator-role requests. (#87146)
 
 ## 2026.5.26
 
diff --git a/docs/cli/devices.md b/docs/cli/devices.md
index 7a87467cb3b0..0be1be675e55 100644
--- a/docs/cli/devices.md
+++ b/docs/cli/devices.md
@@ -71,9 +71,10 @@ matching client IPs can be approved before they appear in this list. That policy
 is disabled by default and never applies to operator/browser clients or upgrade
 requests.
 
-Approving a non-operator device role, such as `role: node`, requires
-`operator.admin`. `operator.pairing` is enough for operator-device approvals
-only when the requested operator scopes stay within the caller's own scopes.
+Approving node or other non-operator device roles requires `operator.admin`.
+`operator.pairing` is enough for operator-device approvals only when the
+requested operator scopes stay within the caller's own scopes. See
+[Operator scopes](/gateway/operator-scopes) for the approval-time checks.
 
 ```
 openclaw devices approve
diff --git a/docs/gateway/operator-scopes.md b/docs/gateway/operator-scopes.md
index 25619c1d7cba..e1ca4649ac2a 100644
--- a/docs/gateway/operator-scopes.md
+++ b/docs/gateway/operator-scopes.md
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ When approving a device request:
 
 - A request with no operator role does not need operator token scope approval.
 - A request for a non-operator device role, such as `node`, requires
-  `operator.admin`.
+  `operator.admin`, even when `device.pair.approve` is reachable with
+  `operator.pairing`.
 - A request for `operator.read`, `operator.write`, `operator.approvals`,
   `operator.pairing`, or `operator.talk.secrets` requires the caller to hold
   those scopes, or `operator.admin`.
@@ -79,9 +80,9 @@ When approving a device request:
   token scopes. If that existing token is admin-scoped, approval still requires
   `operator.admin`.
 
-Non-admin sessions can approve operator-device requests only inside their own
-operator scopes. Approving non-operator roles is admin-only even for
-shared-secret or trusted-proxy sessions that can otherwise use
+Non-admin shared-secret and trusted-proxy sessions can approve operator-device
+requests only inside their own declared operator scopes. Approving non-operator
+roles is admin-only even when those sessions can otherwise use
 `operator.pairing`.
 
 For paired-device token sessions, management is also self-scoped unless the
diff --git a/src/gateway/server-methods/devices.test.ts b/src/gateway/server-methods/devices.test.ts
index 9ede2310f9af..a63632d0c0f0 100644
--- a/src/gateway/server-methods/devices.test.ts
+++ b/src/gateway/server-methods/devices.test.ts
@@ -888,7 +888,7 @@ describe("deviceHandlers", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("allows non-device operator sessions to approve operator roles within caller scopes", async () => {
+  it("allows shared-auth operator sessions to approve operator roles within caller scopes", async () => {
     getPendingDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
       requestId: "req-1",
       deviceId: "device-2",
@@ -914,7 +914,7 @@ describe("deviceHandlers", () => {
     const opts = createOptions(
       "device.pair.approve",
       { requestId: "req-1" },
-      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"]) },
+      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"], "device-1", { isDeviceTokenAuth: false }) },
     );
 
     await deviceHandlers["device.pair.approve"](opts);
@@ -941,11 +941,11 @@ describe("deviceHandlers", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("rejects approving node roles from non-admin shared-auth sessions", async () => {
+  it("rejects approving node roles for the caller device without admin scope", async () => {
     getPendingDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
       requestId: "req-1",
-      deviceId: "device-2",
-      publicKey: "pk-2",
+      deviceId: " device-1 ",
+      publicKey: "pk-1",
       role: "node",
       roles: ["node"],
       ts: 100,
@@ -953,7 +953,28 @@ describe("deviceHandlers", () => {
     const opts = createOptions(
       "device.pair.approve",
       { requestId: "req-1" },
-      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"]) },
+      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"], "device-1", { isDeviceTokenAuth: true }) },
+    );
+
+    await deviceHandlers["device.pair.approve"](opts);
+
+    expect(approveDevicePairingMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expectRespondedErrorMessage(opts, "device pairing approval denied");
+  });
+
+  it("rejects approving node roles from non-admin shared-auth sessions", async () => {
+    getPendingDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
+      requestId: "req-1",
+      deviceId: "device-1",
+      publicKey: "pk-1",
+      role: "node",
+      roles: ["node"],
+      ts: 100,
+    });
+    const opts = createOptions(
+      "device.pair.approve",
+      { requestId: "req-1" },
+      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"], "device-1", { isDeviceTokenAuth: false }) },
     );
 
     await deviceHandlers["device.pair.approve"](opts);
@@ -998,27 +1019,6 @@ describe("deviceHandlers", () => {
     expectRespondedErrorMessage(opts, "device pairing approval denied");
   });
 
-  it("rejects approving node roles for the caller device without admin scope", async () => {
-    getPendingDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
-      requestId: "req-1",
-      deviceId: " device-1 ",
-      publicKey: "pk-1",
-      role: "node",
-      roles: ["node"],
-      ts: 100,
-    });
-    const opts = createOptions(
-      "device.pair.approve",
-      { requestId: "req-1" },
-      { client: createClient(["operator.pairing"], "device-1", { isDeviceTokenAuth: true }) },
-    );
-
-    await deviceHandlers["device.pair.approve"](opts);
-
-    expect(approveDevicePairingMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-    expectRespondedErrorMessage(opts, "device pairing approval denied");
-  });
-
   it("rejects rejecting another device from a non-admin device session", async () => {
     getPendingDevicePairingMock.mockResolvedValue({
       requestId: "req-2",