fix(gateway): coerce tool_progress_command as a real boolean

tests/gateway/test_verbose_command.py

@@ -85,6 +85,25 @@ class TestVerboseCommand:
         saved = yaml.safe_load(config_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
         assert saved["display"]["platforms"]["telegram"]["tool_progress"] == "verbose"
 
+    @pytest.mark.asyncio
+    async def test_quoted_false_keeps_command_disabled(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Quoted false must not enable the /verbose gateway command."""
+        hermes_home = tmp_path / "hermes"
+        hermes_home.mkdir()
+        config_path = hermes_home / "config.yaml"
+        config_path.write_text(
+            'display:\n  tool_progress_command: "false"\n  tool_progress: all\n',
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(gateway_run, "_hermes_home", hermes_home)
+
+        runner = _make_runner()
+        result = await runner._handle_verbose_command(_make_event())
+
+        assert "not enabled" in result.lower()
+        assert "tool_progress_command" in result
+
     @pytest.mark.asyncio
     async def test_cycles_through_all_modes(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         """Calling /verbose repeatedly cycles through all four modes."""

tests/hermes_cli/test_commands.py

@@ -405,6 +405,21 @@ class TestGatewayConfigGate:
         joined = "\n".join(lines)
         assert "`/verbose" in joined
 
+    def test_config_gate_quoted_false_stays_disabled_everywhere(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Quoted false must not enable config-gated gateway commands."""
+        config_file = tmp_path / "config.yaml"
+        config_file.write_text('display:\n  tool_progress_command: "false"\n')
+        monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(tmp_path))
+
+        lines = gateway_help_lines()
+        joined = "\n".join(lines)
+        names = {name for name, _ in telegram_bot_commands()}
+        mapping = slack_subcommand_map()
+
+        assert "`/verbose" not in joined
+        assert "verbose" not in names
+        assert "verbose" not in mapping
+
     def test_config_gate_excluded_from_telegram_when_off(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
         config_file = tmp_path / "config.yaml"
         config_file.write_text("display:\n  tool_progress_command: false\n")