diff --git a/hermes_cli/gateway.py b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
index ebd1367ce4..6fdeea4bbc 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/gateway.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/gateway.py
@@ -2562,6 +2562,8 @@ def ensure_gateway_service(context: str = "setup") -> bool:
     try:
         if _is_service_running():
             return True
+        if _served_profile_needs_no_service():
+            return True
         if not _is_service_installed():
             if supports_systemd and has_conflicting_systemd_units():
                 # Both units would fight over bot tokens; don't pile a fresh install onto a conflicted state.
@@ -4471,6 +4473,22 @@ def named_profile_served_by_running_multiplexer(profile_name: str | None = None)
         return False
 
 
+def _served_profile_needs_no_service() -> bool:
+    """Print the "already served" note and return True when a setup flow must not install a standalone
+    service: a live multiplexing default gateway already serves this named profile, so the unit/plist it
+    would register can only sit dead (the start guard refuses it) or double-bind its platforms.
+    Shared by ``hermes setup gateway`` / ``hermes setup`` / ``hermes import`` (``ensure_gateway_service``)
+    and the ``hermes gateway setup`` wizard. See #111958."""
+    if not named_profile_served_by_running_multiplexer():
+        return False
+    print_success(
+        f"Profile '{_current_profile_name()}' is already served by the default multiplexer."
+    )
+    print_info("  (served now by the running multiplexed gateway — add its bot token and it connects)")
+    print_info("  No standalone gateway service was installed or started.")
+    return True
+
+
 def _named_profile_refused_under_multiplexer(force: bool = False) -> bool:
     """Print the served-profile refusal and return True when a named-profile gateway must not start:
     a multiplexing default gateway already serves it (a second one would double-bind its platforms: two
@@ -5783,11 +5801,7 @@ def _wizard_post_setup() -> None:
     """Offer to install/start/restart the gateway once at least one platform has progress."""
     print()
     print(color("─" * 58, Colors.DIM))
-    if named_profile_served_by_running_multiplexer():
-        print_success(
-            f"Profile '{_current_profile_name()}' is already served by the default multiplexer."
-        )
-        print_info("No standalone gateway service was installed or started.")
+    if _served_profile_needs_no_service():
         return
     service_installed = _is_service_installed()
     service_running = _is_service_running()
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_multiplex_served_record.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_multiplex_served_record.py
index bb1526ffad..e391227e6f 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_multiplex_served_record.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gateway_multiplex_served_record.py
@@ -96,6 +96,29 @@ def test_setup_wizard_skips_service_install_for_profile_served_by_multiplexer(
     assert "already served by the default multiplexer" in capsys.readouterr().out
 
 
+def test_setup_gateway_service_step_skips_install_for_served_profile(served_root, monkeypatch, capsys):
+    """``hermes -p <profile> setup gateway`` (and ``hermes setup`` / ``hermes import``) reach the service
+    step through ``ensure_gateway_service``: a served profile gets the multiplexer note and no unit/plist,
+    while a profile the live record does not list is still installed (#111958)."""
+    import hermes_cli.gateway as gw
+
+    calls: list[str] = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "supports_systemd_services", lambda: True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "_is_service_running", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "_is_service_installed", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "has_conflicting_systemd_units", lambda: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "systemd_install", lambda **kwargs: calls.append("install"))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(gw, "systemd_start", lambda *args, **kwargs: calls.append("start"))
+
+    assert gw.ensure_gateway_service(context="setup") is True
+    assert calls == []
+    assert "already served by the default multiplexer" in capsys.readouterr().out
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(served_root / "profiles" / "other"))  # not in the live record
+    assert gw.ensure_gateway_service(context="setup") is True
+    assert calls == ["install", "start"]
+
+
 def test_recycled_pid_does_not_lend_a_stale_record_its_served_profiles(served_root):
     """A stale default record whose PID now belongs to an unrelated process (start time differs, command
     line is not a gateway's) must not make its ``served_profiles`` authoritative: bare PID existence
diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/multi-profile-gateways.md b/website/docs/user-guide/multi-profile-gateways.md
index f21142980a..5709b16ebb 100644
--- a/website/docs/user-guide/multi-profile-gateways.md
+++ b/website/docs/user-guide/multi-profile-gateways.md
@@ -147,6 +147,13 @@ default home's `gateway_state.json`), so it stays correct when the multiplexer w
 enabled only through `GATEWAY_MULTIPLEX_PROFILES` in the default profile's
 environment, or when profiles were added after the gateway started.
 
+The setup flows follow the same rule: `hermes -p coder setup gateway`, `hermes -p coder setup`,
+`hermes -p coder gateway setup` and `hermes -p coder import` configure the profile's bots but
+skip the "install the gateway background service" step for a served profile, printing
+*"Profile 'coder' is already served by the default multiplexer"* instead of registering a
+stray unit or plist that could only sit dead. Add the bot token and the running multiplexer
+picks it up.
+
 The multiplexer is the single inbound process; a second profile gateway would
 double-bind that profile's platforms. Pass `--force` (accepted by `run`, `start`,
 `install` and `restart`) only if you deliberately want a separate process for that