diff --git a/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/errors.rs b/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/errors.rs
index 1511b362..f316b953 100644
--- a/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/errors.rs
+++ b/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/errors.rs
@@ -449,16 +449,20 @@ pub fn generic_failure_diagnosis(gateway_name: &str) -> GatewayFailureDiagnosis
         summary: "Gateway failed to start".to_string(),
         explanation: "The gateway encountered an unexpected error during startup.".to_string(),
         recovery_steps: vec![
+            RecoveryStep::with_command(
+                "Check container logs for details",
+                format!("openshell doctor logs --name {gateway_name}"),
+            ),
+            RecoveryStep::with_command(
+                "Run diagnostics",
+                format!("openshell doctor check --name {gateway_name}"),
+            ),
             RecoveryStep::with_command(
                 "Try destroying and recreating the gateway",
                 format!(
                     "openshell gateway destroy --name {gateway_name} && openshell gateway start"
                 ),
             ),
-            RecoveryStep::with_command(
-                "Check container logs for details",
-                format!("docker logs openshell-cluster-{gateway_name}"),
-            ),
             RecoveryStep::new(
                 "If the issue persists, report it at https://github.com/nvidia/openshell/issues",
             ),
@@ -650,4 +654,196 @@ mod tests {
         );
         assert!(d.retryable);
     }
+
+    // -- generic_failure_diagnosis tests --
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generic_diagnosis_suggests_doctor_logs() {
+        let d = generic_failure_diagnosis("my-gw");
+        let commands: Vec<String> = d
+            .recovery_steps
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|s| s.command.clone())
+            .collect();
+        assert!(
+            commands.iter().any(|c| c.contains("openshell doctor logs")),
+            "expected 'openshell doctor logs' in recovery commands, got: {commands:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generic_diagnosis_suggests_doctor_check() {
+        let d = generic_failure_diagnosis("my-gw");
+        let commands: Vec<String> = d
+            .recovery_steps
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|s| s.command.clone())
+            .collect();
+        assert!(
+            commands
+                .iter()
+                .any(|c| c.contains("openshell doctor check")),
+            "expected 'openshell doctor check' in recovery commands, got: {commands:?}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn generic_diagnosis_includes_gateway_name() {
+        let d = generic_failure_diagnosis("custom-name");
+        let all_text: String = d
+            .recovery_steps
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|s| s.command.clone())
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join(" ");
+        assert!(
+            all_text.contains("custom-name"),
+            "expected gateway name in recovery commands, got: {all_text}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    // -- fallback behavior tests --
+
+    #[test]
+    fn namespace_timeout_without_logs_returns_none() {
+        // This is the most common user-facing error: a plain timeout with only
+        // kubectl output. It must NOT match any specific pattern so the caller
+        // can fall back to generic_failure_diagnosis.
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure(
+            "test",
+            "K8s namespace not ready\n\nCaused by:\n    \
+             timed out waiting for namespace 'openshell' to exist: \
+             error: the server doesn't have a resource type \"namespace\"",
+            None,
+        );
+        assert!(
+            diagnosis.is_none(),
+            "plain namespace timeout should not match any specific pattern, got: {:?}",
+            diagnosis.map(|d| d.summary)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn namespace_timeout_with_pressure_logs_matches() {
+        // When container logs reveal node pressure, the diagnosis engine
+        // should detect it even though the error message itself is generic.
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure(
+            "test",
+            "K8s namespace not ready\n\nCaused by:\n    \
+             timed out waiting for namespace 'openshell' to exist: <kubectl output>",
+            Some("HEALTHCHECK_NODE_PRESSURE: DiskPressure"),
+        );
+        assert!(diagnosis.is_some(), "expected node pressure diagnosis");
+        let d = diagnosis.unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            d.summary.contains("pressure"),
+            "expected pressure in summary, got: {}",
+            d.summary
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn namespace_timeout_with_corrupted_state_logs_matches() {
+        // Container logs revealing RBAC corruption should be caught.
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure(
+            "test",
+            "K8s namespace not ready\n\nCaused by:\n    \
+             timed out waiting for namespace 'openshell' to exist: <output>",
+            Some(
+                "configmaps \"extension-apiserver-authentication\" is forbidden: \
+                 User cannot get resource",
+            ),
+        );
+        assert!(diagnosis.is_some(), "expected corrupted state diagnosis");
+        let d = diagnosis.unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            d.summary.contains("Corrupted"),
+            "expected Corrupted in summary, got: {}",
+            d.summary
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn namespace_timeout_with_no_route_logs_matches() {
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure(
+            "test",
+            "K8s namespace not ready",
+            Some("Error: no default route present before starting k3s"),
+        );
+        assert!(diagnosis.is_some(), "expected networking diagnosis");
+        let d = diagnosis.unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            d.summary.contains("networking"),
+            "expected networking in summary, got: {}",
+            d.summary
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn diagnose_failure_with_logs_uses_combined_text() {
+        // Verify that diagnose_failure combines error_message + container_logs
+        // for pattern matching. The pattern "connection refused" is in logs,
+        // not in the error message.
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure(
+            "test",
+            "K8s namespace not ready",
+            Some("dial tcp 127.0.0.1:6443: connect: connection refused"),
+        );
+        assert!(
+            diagnosis.is_some(),
+            "expected diagnosis from container logs pattern"
+        );
+        let d = diagnosis.unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            d.summary.contains("Network") || d.summary.contains("connectivity"),
+            "expected network diagnosis, got: {}",
+            d.summary
+        );
+    }
+
+    // -- end-to-end fallback pattern (mirrors CLI code) --
+
+    #[test]
+    fn fallback_to_generic_produces_actionable_diagnosis() {
+        // This mirrors the actual CLI pattern:
+        //   diagnose_failure(...).unwrap_or_else(|| generic_failure_diagnosis(name))
+        // For a plain namespace timeout with no useful container logs, the
+        // specific matcher returns None and we must fall back to the generic
+        // diagnosis that suggests doctor commands.
+        let err_str = "K8s namespace not ready\n\nCaused by:\n    \
+                        timed out waiting for namespace 'openshell' to exist: \
+                        error: the server doesn't have a resource type \"namespace\"";
+        let container_logs = Some("k3s is starting\nwaiting for kube-apiserver");
+
+        let diagnosis = diagnose_failure("my-gw", err_str, container_logs)
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| generic_failure_diagnosis("my-gw"));
+
+        // Should have gotten the generic diagnosis (no specific pattern matched)
+        assert_eq!(diagnosis.summary, "Gateway failed to start");
+        // Must contain actionable recovery steps
+        assert!(
+            !diagnosis.recovery_steps.is_empty(),
+            "generic diagnosis should have recovery steps"
+        );
+        // Must mention doctor commands
+        let all_commands: String = diagnosis
+            .recovery_steps
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|s| s.command.as_ref())
+            .cloned()
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            .join("\n");
+        assert!(
+            all_commands.contains("doctor logs"),
+            "should suggest 'doctor logs', got: {all_commands}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            all_commands.contains("doctor check"),
+            "should suggest 'doctor check', got: {all_commands}"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            all_commands.contains("my-gw"),
+            "commands should include gateway name, got: {all_commands}"
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/lib.rs b/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/lib.rs
index b6423aae..48f8d74d 100644
--- a/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/openshell-bootstrap/src/lib.rs
@@ -638,6 +638,21 @@ pub async fn gateway_container_logs<W: std::io::Write>(
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Fetch the last `n` lines of container logs for a local gateway as a
+/// `String`.  This is a convenience wrapper for diagnostic call sites (e.g.
+/// failure diagnosis in the CLI) that do not hold a Docker client handle.
+///
+/// Returns an empty string on any Docker/connection error so callers don't
+/// need to worry about error handling.
+pub async fn fetch_gateway_logs(name: &str, n: usize) -> String {
+    let docker = match Docker::connect_with_local_defaults() {
+        Ok(d) => d,
+        Err(_) => return String::new(),
+    };
+    let container = container_name(name);
+    fetch_recent_logs(&docker, &container, n).await
+}
+
 fn default_gateway_image_ref() -> String {
     if let Ok(image) = std::env::var("OPENSHELL_CLUSTER_IMAGE")
         && !image.trim().is_empty()
@@ -984,7 +999,11 @@ async fn wait_for_namespace(
                 }
 
                 if attempt + 1 == attempts {
-                    return Err(err).wrap_err("K8s namespace not ready");
+                    let logs = fetch_recent_logs(docker, container_name, 40).await;
+                    return Err(miette::miette!(
+                        "exec failed on final attempt while waiting for namespace '{namespace}': {err}\n{logs}"
+                    ))
+                    .wrap_err("K8s namespace not ready");
                 }
                 tokio::time::sleep(backoff).await;
                 backoff = std::cmp::min(backoff.saturating_mul(2), max_backoff);
@@ -997,8 +1016,9 @@ async fn wait_for_namespace(
         }
 
         if attempt + 1 == attempts {
+            let logs = fetch_recent_logs(docker, container_name, 40).await;
             return Err(miette::miette!(
-                "timed out waiting for namespace '{namespace}' to exist: {output}"
+                "timed out waiting for namespace '{namespace}' to exist: {output}\n{logs}"
             ))
             .wrap_err("K8s namespace not ready");
         }
diff --git a/crates/openshell-cli/src/bootstrap.rs b/crates/openshell-cli/src/bootstrap.rs
index eb8f93a3..e976061f 100644
--- a/crates/openshell-cli/src/bootstrap.rs
+++ b/crates/openshell-cli/src/bootstrap.rs
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ pub async fn run_bootstrap(
     eprintln!();
     eprintln!(
         "  Manage it later with: {} or {}",
-        "openshell gateway status".bold(),
+        "openshell status".bold(),
         "openshell gateway stop".bold(),
     );
     eprintln!();
diff --git a/crates/openshell-cli/src/run.rs b/crates/openshell-cli/src/run.rs
index 37f11fcb..2f9dd2f7 100644
--- a/crates/openshell-cli/src/run.rs
+++ b/crates/openshell-cli/src/run.rs
@@ -1248,19 +1248,27 @@ pub(crate) async fn deploy_gateway_with_panel(
                     "x".red().bold(),
                     "Gateway failed:".red().bold(),
                 );
+                // Fetch container logs for pattern-based diagnosis
+                let container_logs = openshell_bootstrap::fetch_gateway_logs(name, 80).await;
+                let logs_opt = if container_logs.is_empty() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    Some(container_logs.as_str())
+                };
                 // Try to diagnose the failure and provide guidance
                 let err_str = format!("{err:?}");
-                if let Some(diagnosis) =
-                    openshell_bootstrap::errors::diagnose_failure(name, &err_str, None)
-                {
-                    print_failure_diagnosis(&diagnosis);
-                }
+                let diagnosis =
+                    openshell_bootstrap::errors::diagnose_failure(name, &err_str, logs_opt)
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                            openshell_bootstrap::errors::generic_failure_diagnosis(name)
+                        });
+                print_failure_diagnosis(&diagnosis);
                 Err(err)
             }
         }
     } else {
         eprintln!("Deploying {location} gateway {name}...");
-        let handle = openshell_bootstrap::deploy_gateway_with_logs(options, |line| {
+        let result = openshell_bootstrap::deploy_gateway_with_logs(options, |line| {
             if let Some(status) = line.strip_prefix("[status] ") {
                 eprintln!("  {status}");
             } else if line.strip_prefix("[progress] ").is_some() {
@@ -1269,9 +1277,35 @@ pub(crate) async fn deploy_gateway_with_panel(
                 eprintln!("  {line}");
             }
         })
-        .await?;
-        eprintln!("Gateway {name} ready.");
-        Ok(handle)
+        .await;
+        match result {
+            Ok(handle) => {
+                eprintln!("Gateway {name} ready.");
+                Ok(handle)
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                eprintln!(
+                    "{} {} {name}",
+                    "x".red().bold(),
+                    "Gateway failed:".red().bold(),
+                );
+                // Fetch container logs for pattern-based diagnosis
+                let container_logs = openshell_bootstrap::fetch_gateway_logs(name, 80).await;
+                let logs_opt = if container_logs.is_empty() {
+                    None
+                } else {
+                    Some(container_logs.as_str())
+                };
+                let err_str = format!("{err:?}");
+                let diagnosis =
+                    openshell_bootstrap::errors::diagnose_failure(name, &err_str, logs_opt)
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                            openshell_bootstrap::errors::generic_failure_diagnosis(name)
+                        });
+                print_failure_diagnosis(&diagnosis);
+                Err(err)
+            }
+        }
     }
 }