diff --git a/app.py b/app.py
index c50cede..df36658 100644
--- a/app.py
+++ b/app.py
@@ -2023,6 +2023,7 @@ def _ssh(host, cmd, timeout=600):
         return 124, "", f"SSH command timed out after {timeout} seconds"
 
 
+PAPERLESS_GATEWAY = AUTOMATION1
 PAPERLESS_SSH = "sascha@10.5.1.120"
 PAPERLESS_CONSUME_DIR = "/app-config/paperless/consume"
 PAPERLESS_MAX_IMPORT_BYTES = 50 * 1024 * 1024
@@ -2049,6 +2050,16 @@ def _paperless_import_filename(filename: str, digest: str) -> str:
     return f"{stem[:100]}-{digest[:12]}.pdf"
 
 
+def _paperless_gateway_command(command: str) -> str:
+    """Route through automation1, whose deployment key is authorized on Homelab VMs."""
+    if "'" in command:
+        raise ValueError("Paperless remote command contains an unsafe quote")
+    return (
+        "ssh -o ConnectTimeout=10 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new "
+        f"-o UserKnownHostsFile=/tmp/paperless_known_hosts {PAPERLESS_SSH} '{command}'"
+    )
+
+
 @app.post("/paperless/import")
 async def paperless_import(request: Request, filename: str = Query(..., min_length=1, max_length=180), _=Depends(_verify)):
     """Queue a PDF in Paperless without exposing Paperless or SSH to the caller."""
@@ -2065,7 +2076,9 @@ async def paperless_import(request: Request, filename: str = Query(..., min_leng
         f"tmp=$(mktemp /tmp/paperless-import.XXXXXX) && "
         f"cat > \"$tmp\" && sudo -n install -o sascha -g sascha -m 0644 \"$tmp\" {remote_path} && rm -f \"$tmp\""
     )
-    rc, out, err = await asyncio.to_thread(_ssh_bytes, PAPERLESS_SSH, command, payload, 180)
+    rc, out, err = await asyncio.to_thread(
+        _ssh_bytes, PAPERLESS_GATEWAY, _paperless_gateway_command(command), payload, 180
+    )
     if rc != 0:
         raise HTTPException(502, (err or out).strip()[-500:] or "Paperless import transfer failed")
     _audit("/paperless/import", "POST", 202, f"sha256={digest}; bytes={len(payload)}")
@@ -2081,7 +2094,9 @@ async def paperless_import_status(filename: str = Query(..., min_length=1, max_l
         f"if sudo -n test -f {remote_path}; then echo QUEUED; else echo CONSUMED; fi; "
         f"sudo -n docker logs --since 15m paperless-ngx 2>&1 | grep -F -- {filename} | tail -20 || true"
     )
-    rc, out, err = await asyncio.to_thread(_ssh, PAPERLESS_SSH, command, 45)
+    rc, out, err = await asyncio.to_thread(
+        _ssh, PAPERLESS_GATEWAY, _paperless_gateway_command(command), 45
+    )
     if rc != 0:
         raise HTTPException(502, (err or out).strip()[-500:] or "Paperless status check failed")
     lines = out.splitlines()
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 67c0621..161ded6 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ def test_paperless_import_queues_pdf_through_butler(monkeypatch):
     body = response.json()
     assert body["status"] == "queued"
     assert body["filename"].startswith("Hausordnung_Stand_09.05.2022-")
-    assert captured["host"] == app.PAPERLESS_SSH
+    assert captured["host"] == app.PAPERLESS_GATEWAY
+    assert app.PAPERLESS_SSH in captured["command"]
     assert captured["payload"] == pdf
     assert app.PAPERLESS_CONSUME_DIR in captured["command"]