diff --git a/crates/wzp-client/src/featherchat.rs b/crates/wzp-client/src/featherchat.rs
index 428a27b..abb3d84 100644
--- a/crates/wzp-client/src/featherchat.rs
+++ b/crates/wzp-client/src/featherchat.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,8 @@ pub fn signal_to_call_type(signal: &SignalMessage) -> CallSignalType {
         SignalMessage::SessionForward { .. } => CallSignalType::Offer, // reuse
         SignalMessage::SessionForwardAck { .. } => CallSignalType::Offer, // reuse
         SignalMessage::RoomUpdate { .. } => CallSignalType::Offer, // reuse
-        SignalMessage::FederationRoomJoin { .. }
+        SignalMessage::FederationHello { .. }
+        | SignalMessage::FederationRoomJoin { .. }
         | SignalMessage::FederationRoomLeave { .. }
         | SignalMessage::FederationParticipantUpdate { .. } => CallSignalType::Offer, // relay-only
     }
diff --git a/crates/wzp-proto/src/packet.rs b/crates/wzp-proto/src/packet.rs
index 2352f54..a4d7bfb 100644
--- a/crates/wzp-proto/src/packet.rs
+++ b/crates/wzp-proto/src/packet.rs
@@ -659,6 +659,12 @@ pub enum SignalMessage {
 
     // ── Federation signals (relay-to-relay) ──
 
+    /// Federation: initial handshake — the connecting relay identifies itself.
+    FederationHello {
+        /// TLS certificate fingerprint of the connecting relay.
+        tls_fingerprint: String,
+    },
+
     /// Federation: a room exists on the sending relay with active local participants.
     FederationRoomJoin {
         room: String,
diff --git a/crates/wzp-relay/src/config.rs b/crates/wzp-relay/src/config.rs
index abf73d8..d18db41 100644
--- a/crates/wzp-relay/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/wzp-relay/src/config.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,16 @@ pub struct PeerConfig {
     pub label: Option<String>,
 }
 
+/// A trusted relay — accepts inbound federation without needing the peer's address.
+#[derive(Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct TrustedConfig {
+    /// Expected TLS certificate fingerprint (hex, with colons).
+    pub fingerprint: String,
+    /// Optional human-readable label.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub label: Option<String>,
+}
+
 /// Configuration for the relay daemon.
 ///
 /// All fields have defaults, so a minimal TOML file only needs the
@@ -63,6 +73,10 @@ pub struct RelayConfig {
     /// Federation peer relays.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub peers: Vec<PeerConfig>,
+    /// Trusted relay fingerprints — accept inbound federation from these relays.
+    /// Unlike [[peers]], no url is needed — the peer connects to us.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub trusted: Vec<TrustedConfig>,
     /// Debug tap: log packet headers for matching rooms ("*" = all rooms).
     /// Activated via --debug-tap <room> or debug_tap = "room" in TOML.
     pub debug_tap: Option<String>,
@@ -85,6 +99,7 @@ impl Default for RelayConfig {
             ws_port: None,
             static_dir: None,
             peers: Vec::new(),
+            trusted: Vec::new(),
             debug_tap: None,
         }
     }
diff --git a/crates/wzp-relay/src/federation.rs b/crates/wzp-relay/src/federation.rs
index 2711aa0..1acf019 100644
--- a/crates/wzp-relay/src/federation.rs
+++ b/crates/wzp-relay/src/federation.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use tracing::{error, info, warn};
 use wzp_proto::{MediaTransport, SignalMessage};
 use wzp_transport::QuinnTransport;
 
-use crate::config::PeerConfig;
+use crate::config::{PeerConfig, TrustedConfig};
 use crate::room::{self, ParticipantSender, RoomManager};
 
 /// Compute 8-byte room hash for federation datagram tagging.
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ pub fn room_hash(room_name: &str) -> [u8; 8] {
 /// Manages federation connections to peer relays.
 pub struct FederationManager {
     peers: Vec<PeerConfig>,
+    trusted: Vec<TrustedConfig>,
     room_mgr: Arc<Mutex<RoomManager>>,
     endpoint: quinn::Endpoint,
     local_tls_fp: String,
@@ -39,12 +40,14 @@ pub struct FederationManager {
 impl FederationManager {
     pub fn new(
         peers: Vec<PeerConfig>,
+        trusted: Vec<TrustedConfig>,
         room_mgr: Arc<Mutex<RoomManager>>,
         endpoint: quinn::Endpoint,
         local_tls_fp: String,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             peers,
+            trusted,
             room_mgr,
             endpoint,
             local_tls_fp,
@@ -89,7 +92,6 @@ impl FederationManager {
     }
 
     /// Find a configured peer by source IP address.
-    /// Used for inbound connections where the client doesn't present a TLS cert.
     pub fn find_peer_by_addr(&self, addr: SocketAddr) -> Option<&PeerConfig> {
         let addr_ip = addr.ip();
         self.peers.iter().find(|p| {
@@ -98,6 +100,25 @@ impl FederationManager {
                 .unwrap_or(false)
         })
     }
+
+    /// Find a trusted relay by TLS fingerprint.
+    pub fn find_trusted_by_fingerprint(&self, fp: &str) -> Option<&TrustedConfig> {
+        self.trusted.iter().find(|t| normalize_fp(&t.fingerprint) == normalize_fp(fp))
+    }
+
+    /// Check if an inbound federation connection is trusted (by IP match in [[peers]] or fingerprint in [[trusted]]).
+    /// Returns the label for logging.
+    pub fn check_inbound_trust(&self, addr: SocketAddr, hello_fp: &str) -> Option<String> {
+        // Check [[peers]] by IP
+        if let Some(peer) = self.find_peer_by_addr(addr) {
+            return Some(peer.label.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| peer.url.clone()));
+        }
+        // Check [[trusted]] by fingerprint
+        if let Some(trusted) = self.find_trusted_by_fingerprint(hello_fp) {
+            return Some(trusted.label.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| hello_fp[..16].to_string()));
+        }
+        None
+    }
 }
 
 /// Normalize a fingerprint string (remove colons, lowercase).
@@ -134,7 +155,13 @@ async fn connect_to_peer(fm: &FederationManager, peer: &PeerConfig) -> Result<Ar
     let conn = wzp_transport::connect(&fm.endpoint, addr, "_federation", client_cfg).await?;
     // TODO: verify peer TLS fingerprint once we have cert access
     let transport = Arc::new(QuinnTransport::new(conn));
-    info!(peer_url = %peer.url, label = ?peer.label, "federation: connected to peer");
+    // Send hello with our TLS fingerprint so the peer can verify us
+    let hello = SignalMessage::FederationHello {
+        tls_fingerprint: fm.local_tls_fp.clone(),
+    };
+    transport.send_signal(&hello).await
+        .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("federation hello send failed: {e}"))?;
+    info!(peer_url = %peer.url, label = ?peer.label, "federation: connected to peer (hello sent)");
     Ok(transport)
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/wzp-relay/src/main.rs b/crates/wzp-relay/src/main.rs
index 5b43880..1fcd2ab 100644
--- a/crates/wzp-relay/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/wzp-relay/src/main.rs
@@ -303,13 +303,19 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         info!("  fingerprint = \"{tls_fp}\"");
     }
 
-    // Log configured peers
+    // Log configured peers and trusted relays
     if !config.peers.is_empty() {
         info!(count = config.peers.len(), "federation peers configured");
         for p in &config.peers {
             info!(url = %p.url, label = ?p.label, "  peer");
         }
     }
+    if !config.trusted.is_empty() {
+        info!(count = config.trusted.len(), "trusted relays configured");
+        for t in &config.trusted {
+            info!(fingerprint = %t.fingerprint, label = ?t.label, "  trusted");
+        }
+    }
     let endpoint = wzp_transport::create_endpoint(config.listen_addr, Some(server_config))?;
 
     // Forward mode
@@ -328,9 +334,10 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let room_mgr = Arc::new(Mutex::new(RoomManager::new()));
 
     // Federation manager
-    let federation_mgr = if !config.peers.is_empty() {
+    let federation_mgr = if !config.peers.is_empty() || !config.trusted.is_empty() {
         let fm = Arc::new(wzp_relay::federation::FederationManager::new(
             config.peers.clone(),
+            config.trusted.clone(),
             room_mgr.clone(),
             endpoint.clone(),
             tls_fp.clone(),
@@ -512,20 +519,36 @@ async fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             // Federation connections use SNI "_federation"
             if room_name == "_federation" {
                 if let Some(ref fm) = federation_mgr {
-                    // Match inbound peer by source IP (client connections don't present TLS certs)
-                    if let Some(peer_config) = fm.find_peer_by_addr(addr) {
-                        let peer_config = peer_config.clone();
+                    // Wait for FederationHello to identify the connecting relay
+                    let hello_fp = match tokio::time::timeout(
+                        std::time::Duration::from_secs(5),
+                        transport.recv_signal(),
+                    ).await {
+                        Ok(Ok(Some(wzp_proto::SignalMessage::FederationHello { tls_fingerprint }))) => tls_fingerprint,
+                        _ => {
+                            warn!(%addr, "federation: no hello received, closing");
+                            return;
+                        }
+                    };
+
+                    if let Some(label) = fm.check_inbound_trust(addr, &hello_fp) {
+                        let peer_config = wzp_relay::config::PeerConfig {
+                            url: addr.to_string(),
+                            fingerprint: hello_fp,
+                            label: Some(label.clone()),
+                        };
                         let fm = fm.clone();
-                        info!(%addr, label = ?peer_config.label, "inbound federation connection accepted");
+                        info!(%addr, label = %label, "inbound federation accepted (trusted)");
                         fm.handle_inbound(transport, peer_config).await;
                     } else {
-                        warn!(%addr, "unknown relay wants to federate");
+                        warn!(%addr, fp = %hello_fp, "unknown relay wants to federate");
                         info!("  to accept, add to relay.toml:");
-                        info!("  [[peers]]");
-                        info!("  url = \"{addr}\"");
+                        info!("  [[trusted]]");
+                        info!("  fingerprint = \"{hello_fp}\"");
+                        info!("  label = \"Relay at {addr}\"");
                     }
                 } else {
-                    info!(%addr, "federation connection rejected (no peers configured)");
+                    info!(%addr, "federation connection rejected (no federation configured)");
                 }
                 return;
             }