diff --git a/toolgate/api/dispatch.py b/toolgate/api/dispatch.py
index a073abc..a7e87f3 100644
--- a/toolgate/api/dispatch.py
+++ b/toolgate/api/dispatch.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Dispatch of one approved tool call to its backend (HTTP, MemoryGate, Ollama, Gemini, research, system executors)."""
 
 import hashlib
+import json
 import os
 import re
 from typing import NoReturn
@@ -114,15 +115,22 @@ def _execute_http_json(execution: dict, args: dict) -> dict:
     # Rendered before the client opens, so a missing body argument is refused before any send.
     body = _render_template(execution["body"], args) if execution.get("body") is not None else None
     try:
-        with public_client(timeout=timeout, headers=headers) as client:
-            response = client.request(str(execution.get("method", "GET")).upper(), url, json=body)
-        if 300 <= response.status_code < 400:
-            deny("DESTINATION_DENIED", "The upstream attempted an unapproved redirect", 502)
-        if response.status_code >= 400:
-            deny("UPSTREAM_ERROR", f"The upstream returned HTTP {response.status_code}", 502)
-        if len(response.content) > max_bytes:
-            deny("RESPONSE_TOO_LARGE", "The upstream response exceeded this tool's byte limit", 502)
-        value = response.json()
+        method = str(execution.get("method", "GET")).upper()
+        with (
+            public_client(timeout=timeout, headers=headers) as client,
+            client.stream(method, url, json=body) as response,
+        ):
+            if 300 <= response.status_code < 400:
+                deny("DESTINATION_DENIED", "The upstream attempted an unapproved redirect", 502)
+            if response.status_code >= 400:
+                deny("UPSTREAM_ERROR", f"The upstream returned HTTP {response.status_code}", 502)
+            # Read up to the cap and stop: a huge or endless body never sits in memory whole.
+            content = bytearray()
+            for chunk in response.iter_bytes():
+                content.extend(chunk)
+                if len(content) > max_bytes:
+                    deny("RESPONSE_TOO_LARGE", "The upstream response exceeded this tool's byte limit", 502)
+        value = json.loads(bytes(content))
     except HTTPException:
         raise
     except (httpx.HTTPError, ValueError) as exc:
diff --git a/toolgate/tests/test_http_response_cap.py b/toolgate/tests/test_http_response_cap.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..edf606f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/toolgate/tests/test_http_response_cap.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""An HTTP tool stops reading at its byte cap instead of downloading the whole body first
+(hunt toolgate-1 F3)."""
+
+import httpx
+import pytest
+
+from toolgate.api import dispatch, invocation
+from toolgate.core import control_plane
+
+CHUNK = 64 * 1024
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def tool(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(control_plane, "DB_PATH", tmp_path / "gate.db")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dispatch, "public_url", lambda url: True)
+    return {"id": "http", "name": "HTTP", "version": 1, "authorization": "auto", "status": "active",
+            "inputs": [], "outputs": [], "execution": {
+                "type": "http_json", "billing": {"mode": "free"}, "url": "https://api.example.com/x",
+                "allowed_hosts": ["api.example.com"], "max_response_bytes": 4 * CHUNK}}
+
+
+def upstream(monkeypatch, body):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(dispatch, "public_client", lambda timeout, headers: httpx.Client(
+        transport=httpx.MockTransport(lambda request: httpx.Response(200, content=body)),
+        headers=headers))
+
+
+def test_a_huge_body_is_cut_off_just_past_the_cap(tool, monkeypatch):
+    pulled = []
+
+    def endless():
+        for _ in range(400):  # 25 MiB if it were all read
+            pulled.append(CHUNK)
+            yield b"x" * CHUNK
+
+    upstream(monkeypatch, endless())
+    result = invocation.invoke_tool(tool, {}, "Actor", actor_id="agent", action_id="huge")
+    assert result["code"] == "OUTCOME_UNKNOWN"  # sent, so the upstream may have acted
+    assert len(pulled) <= 6
+
+
+def test_a_body_within_the_cap_is_parsed(tool, monkeypatch):
+    upstream(monkeypatch, iter([b'{"items": ', b'[1, 2]}']))
+    result = invocation.invoke_tool(tool, {}, "Actor", actor_id="agent", action_id="small")
+    assert (result["code"], result["result"]["result"]) == ("OK", {"items": [1, 2]})
diff --git a/toolgate/tests/test_tool_secret_refs.py b/toolgate/tests/test_tool_secret_refs.py
index 690d47f..514c3ae 100644
--- a/toolgate/tests/test_tool_secret_refs.py
+++ b/toolgate/tests/test_tool_secret_refs.py
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ def __enter__(self):
         def __exit__(self, *_exc):
             return False
 
-        def request(self, method, url, json=None):
+        def stream(self, method, url, json=None):
             raise dispatch.httpx.ConnectError("stop here")
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(dispatch, "public_url", lambda _url: True)
diff --git a/toolgate/tests/test_tool_settings.py b/toolgate/tests/test_tool_settings.py
index ad71bca..8c44452 100644
--- a/toolgate/tests/test_tool_settings.py
+++ b/toolgate/tests/test_tool_settings.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import sqlite3
 import time
-from contextlib import closing, contextmanager
+from contextlib import closing, contextmanager, nullcontext
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 
 import pytest
@@ -257,9 +257,8 @@ def test_web_api_memory_and_ai_calls_wait_no_longer_than_the_limit(store, monkey
     @contextmanager
     def client(timeout, headers):
         waits.append(("http_json", timeout))
-        answer = Mock(status_code=200, content=b"{}")
-        answer.json.return_value = {}
-        yield Mock(request=Mock(return_value=answer))
+        answer = Mock(status_code=200, iter_bytes=Mock(return_value=iter([b"{}"])))
+        yield Mock(stream=Mock(return_value=nullcontext(answer)))
 
     def post(*_args, timeout, **_kwargs):
         waits.append(("post", timeout))