diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b1bb208..db5ce79 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -168,14 +168,16 @@ cargo run -p lanparty-gateway -- \
   --iface eth0
 ```
 
-The gateway connects to the relay as `role = gateway`, completes the
-control-stream hello/welcome handshake, opens an AF_PACKET socket on the LAN
-interface with promiscuous packet membership, and bridges Ethernet frames
-between the relay and wired LAN until shutdown. It captures whole LAN frames up
-to the overlay payload-length ceiling before deciding whether they fit the
-tunnel. It never fragments Ethernet frames; LAN frames whose encoded datagrams
-exceed the negotiated QUIC budget are counted, dropped, and logged instead of
-stopping the bridge.
+The gateway first opens the wired LAN interface as an AF_PACKET socket with
+promiscuous packet membership, then connects to the relay as `role = gateway`
+and completes the control-stream hello/welcome handshake. That startup order
+keeps an invalid or wireless interface from briefly advertising a gateway that
+cannot bridge. Once both sides are ready, it bridges Ethernet frames between the
+relay and wired LAN until shutdown. It captures whole LAN frames up to the
+overlay payload-length ceiling before deciding whether they fit the tunnel. It
+never fragments Ethernet frames; LAN frames whose encoded datagrams exceed the
+negotiated QUIC budget are counted, dropped, and logged instead of stopping the
+bridge.
 `--relay` accepts a DNS name or socket address; bare hosts default to UDP/443.
 The gateway rejects Linux interfaces that sysfs identifies as Wi-Fi; managed
 wireless NICs are not supported for the physical LAN bridge.
diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md
index e145adc..1c06ae5 100644
--- a/TESTING.md
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -77,8 +77,9 @@ Use the real wired LAN interface name for `--iface`. Do not use Wi-Fi.
 Expected gateway output:
 
 ```text
-lanparty-gateway connected as peer ...
+lanparty-gateway opening interface eth0 and connecting to relay ...
 lanparty-gateway opened AF_PACKET socket on eth0 ...
+lanparty-gateway connected as peer ...
 lanparty-gateway bridging frames; press Ctrl-C to stop
 ```
 
diff --git a/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/main.rs b/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/main.rs
index 0bbd10c..7783c3f 100644
--- a/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/main.rs
@@ -1,18 +1,31 @@
 use clap::Parser;
+use lanparty_gateway::GatewayArgs;
 #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-use lanparty_gateway::PacketSocket;
-use lanparty_gateway::{GatewayArgs, connect_gateway};
+use lanparty_gateway::{PacketSocket, connect_gateway};
 
 #[tokio::main]
 async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let config = GatewayArgs::parse().into_config()?;
+    let args = GatewayArgs::parse();
+    run(args).await
+}
+
+#[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
+async fn run(args: GatewayArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let config = args.into_config()?;
     println!(
-        "lanparty-gateway connecting interface {} to relay {} room {}",
+        "lanparty-gateway opening interface {} and connecting to relay {} room {}",
         config.interface(),
         config.relay_addr(),
         config.room()
     );
 
+    let socket = PacketSocket::open(config.interface())?;
+    println!(
+        "lanparty-gateway opened AF_PACKET socket on {} (ifindex {})",
+        socket.interface(),
+        socket.interface_index()
+    );
+
     let gateway = connect_gateway(config).await?;
     println!(
         "lanparty-gateway connected as peer {} in room id {} with TAP MTU {} over {}",
@@ -21,19 +34,13 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         gateway.welcome().effective_tap_mtu(),
         gateway.welcome().mode()
     );
-    #[cfg(target_os = "linux")]
-    {
-        let socket = PacketSocket::open(gateway.config().interface())?;
-        println!(
-            "lanparty-gateway opened AF_PACKET socket on {} (ifindex {})",
-            socket.interface(),
-            socket.interface_index()
-        );
-        println!("lanparty-gateway bridging frames; press Ctrl-C to stop");
-        gateway.bridge_until_shutdown(socket).await?;
-    }
-    #[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
-    anyhow::bail!("lanparty-gateway requires Linux AF_PACKET support");
+    println!("lanparty-gateway bridging frames; press Ctrl-C to stop");
+    gateway.bridge_until_shutdown(socket).await?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
+
+#[cfg(not(target_os = "linux"))]
+async fn run(_args: GatewayArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    anyhow::bail!("lanparty-gateway requires Linux AF_PACKET support");
+}