diff --git a/cmd/spinifex/cmd/service.go b/cmd/spinifex/cmd/service.go
index 5e8d82a51..0fc725009 100644
--- a/cmd/spinifex/cmd/service.go
+++ b/cmd/spinifex/cmd/service.go
@@ -711,7 +711,9 @@ var vpcdStartCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			})
 		}
 
-		// Derive OVN chassis names from cluster node names (format: "chassis-{hostname}")
+		// Fallback chassis names derived from config node names. vpcd prefers
+		// discovering chassis from the OVN Southbound DB at startup; these are
+		// only used if that discovery fails.
 		var chassisNames []string
 		for nodeName := range clusterConfig.Nodes {
 			chassisNames = append(chassisNames, "chassis-"+nodeName)
diff --git a/scripts/reset-dev-env.sh b/scripts/reset-dev-env.sh
index 79a767b21..621267e69 100755
--- a/scripts/reset-dev-env.sh
+++ b/scripts/reset-dev-env.sh
@@ -160,10 +160,9 @@ elif [ -n "$WAN_IFACE" ]; then
     fi
 fi
 
-# Chassis ID must match what vpcd derives from the node name in spinifex.toml.
-# vpcd generates "chassis-{nodeName}" (e.g., chassis-node1) and uses it to schedule
-# gateway chassis in the NB DB. ovn-controller registers in the SB DB using the OVS
-# system-id. If they don't match, gateway traffic has no host to schedule to.
+# Chassis ID — vpcd discovers registered chassis from the OVN Southbound DB
+# at startup, so the name here doesn't need to match spinifex.toml node names.
+# Using "chassis-node1" for consistency with the default node name.
 NODE_NAME="node1"
 CHASSIS_ID="chassis-${NODE_NAME}"
 
diff --git a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
index 6100125b9..9a8878e74 100644
--- a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
+++ b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd.go
@@ -56,8 +56,9 @@ type Config struct {
 	ExternalMode string
 	// ExternalPools holds the cluster-wide external IP pool configs.
 	ExternalPools []ExternalPoolConfig
-	// ChassisNames are the OVN chassis identifiers for gateway HA scheduling.
-	// Format: "chassis-{hostname}" — one per node in the cluster.
+	// ChassisNames are fallback OVN chassis identifiers for gateway HA scheduling.
+	// Normally discovered from the OVN Southbound DB at startup. Only used if
+	// SBDB discovery fails.
 	ChassisNames []string
 	// Bootstrap holds the default VPC config from spinifex.toml for first-boot reconciliation.
 	Bootstrap *BootstrapVPC
@@ -181,6 +182,30 @@ var checkOVNController = func() error {
 	return fmt.Errorf("ovn-controller is not running: run ./scripts/setup-ovn.sh --management")
 }
 
+// discoverChassis queries the OVN Southbound DB for registered chassis names.
+// This is the source of truth — whatever names setup-ovn.sh registered are what
+// we use for gateway scheduling. Eliminates the brittle coupling between
+// spinifex.toml node names and the OVS system-id set during OVN setup.
+var discoverChassis = func(sbAddr string) ([]string, error) {
+	args := []string{"--no-leader-only"}
+	if sbAddr != "" {
+		args = append(args, "--db="+sbAddr)
+	}
+	args = append(args, "list-chassis")
+	out, err := sudoCommand("ovn-sbctl", args...).CombinedOutput()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("ovn-sbctl list-chassis: %s: %w", strings.TrimSpace(string(out)), err)
+	}
+	var names []string
+	for line := range strings.SplitSeq(strings.TrimSpace(string(out)), "\n") {
+		name := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+		if name != "" {
+			names = append(names, name)
+		}
+	}
+	return names, nil
+}
+
 // preflightOVN runs all OVN preflight checks and returns the first failure.
 func preflightOVN() error {
 	if err := checkBrInt(); err != nil {
@@ -250,9 +275,16 @@ func launchService(cfg *Config) error {
 		topoOpts = append(topoOpts, WithExternalNetwork(cfg.ExternalMode, cfg.ExternalPools))
 		slog.Info("External network enabled", "mode", cfg.ExternalMode, "pools", len(cfg.ExternalPools))
 	}
-	if len(cfg.ChassisNames) > 0 {
-		topoOpts = append(topoOpts, WithChassisNames(cfg.ChassisNames))
-		slog.Info("Gateway chassis configured", "chassis", cfg.ChassisNames)
+	// Discover chassis from OVN SBDB (source of truth). Fall back to config
+	// if SBDB query fails (e.g., SBDB address not configured).
+	chassisNames, err := discoverChassis(cfg.OVNSBAddr)
+	if err != nil {
+		slog.Warn("Failed to discover chassis from OVN SBDB, falling back to config", "err", err)
+		chassisNames = cfg.ChassisNames
+	}
+	if len(chassisNames) > 0 {
+		topoOpts = append(topoOpts, WithChassisNames(chassisNames))
+		slog.Info("Gateway chassis configured", "source", "sbdb", "chassis", chassisNames)
 	}
 	topoOpts = append(topoOpts, WithBridgeMode(bridgeMode))
 	topo := NewTopologyHandler(liveClient, topoOpts...)
diff --git a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd_test.go b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd_test.go
index 3fd001194..29e43d100 100644
--- a/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd_test.go
+++ b/spinifex/services/vpcd/vpcd_test.go
@@ -66,6 +66,101 @@ func TestPreflightOVN_ControllerNotRunning(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDiscoverChassis_ParsesOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	orig := discoverChassis
+	defer func() { discoverChassis = orig }()
+
+	discoverChassis = func(sbAddr string) ([]string, error) {
+		// Simulate ovn-sbctl list-chassis output
+		output := "chassis-node1\nchassis-node2\nchassis-node3\n"
+		var names []string
+		for line := range strings.SplitSeq(strings.TrimSpace(output), "\n") {
+			name := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+			if name != "" {
+				names = append(names, name)
+			}
+		}
+		return names, nil
+	}
+
+	names, err := discoverChassis("")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(names) != 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected 3 chassis, got %d: %v", len(names), names)
+	}
+	expected := map[string]bool{"chassis-node1": true, "chassis-node2": true, "chassis-node3": true}
+	for _, n := range names {
+		if !expected[n] {
+			t.Errorf("unexpected chassis name: %s", n)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDiscoverChassis_SingleNode(t *testing.T) {
+	orig := discoverChassis
+	defer func() { discoverChassis = orig }()
+
+	discoverChassis = func(sbAddr string) ([]string, error) {
+		output := "chassis-spinifex-image-builder\n"
+		var names []string
+		for line := range strings.SplitSeq(strings.TrimSpace(output), "\n") {
+			name := strings.TrimSpace(line)
+			if name != "" {
+				names = append(names, name)
+			}
+		}
+		return names, nil
+	}
+
+	names, err := discoverChassis("")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(names) != 1 || names[0] != "chassis-spinifex-image-builder" {
+		t.Errorf("expected [chassis-spinifex-image-builder], got %v", names)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDiscoverChassis_EmptyOutput(t *testing.T) {
+	orig := discoverChassis
+	defer func() { discoverChassis = orig }()
+
+	discoverChassis = func(sbAddr string) ([]string, error) {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
+	names, err := discoverChassis("")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(names) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("expected empty chassis list, got %v", names)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestDiscoverChassis_Error_FallsBackToConfig(t *testing.T) {
+	orig := discoverChassis
+	defer func() { discoverChassis = orig }()
+
+	discoverChassis = func(sbAddr string) ([]string, error) {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("connection refused")
+	}
+
+	// Simulate the fallback logic from launchService
+	_, err := discoverChassis("")
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected error from discoverChassis")
+	}
+
+	// Fallback to config (as launchService does)
+	chassisNames := []string{"chassis-node1"}
+	if len(chassisNames) != 1 || chassisNames[0] != "chassis-node1" {
+		t.Errorf("expected fallback to config names, got %v", chassisNames)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPreflightOVN_BothFail_ReportsFirst(t *testing.T) {
 	origBrInt := checkBrInt
 	origCtrl := checkOVNController