diff --git a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/health.py b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/health.py
index d2d0f72..ded60bf 100644
--- a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/health.py
+++ b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/health.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import urllib.error
 import urllib.request
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+from .urls import require_http_url
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 DEFAULT_BASE_URL = "http://127.0.0.1:8765"
@@ -23,8 +25,9 @@ class HealthSnapshot:
 
 
 def _get_status(url: str, *, timeout: float) -> tuple[int | None, str]:
-    request = urllib.request.Request(url, method="GET")
     try:
+        request = urllib.request.Request(require_http_url(url), method="GET")
+        # nosemgrep: python.lang.security.audit.dynamic-urllib-use-detected.dynamic-urllib-use-detected -- scheme checked by require_http_url
         with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=timeout) as response:
             return int(response.status), ""
     except urllib.error.HTTPError as exc:
diff --git a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/pairing.py b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/pairing.py
index d529544..d7573ad 100644
--- a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/pairing.py
+++ b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/pairing.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Any, Optional
 
 from ..common_types import Readable
-from .urls import is_unusable_phone_url, reject_loopback_url
+from .urls import is_unusable_phone_url, reject_loopback_url, require_http_url
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ def _authorized_get(
     headers = {}
     if token:
         headers["Authorization"] = f"Bearer {token}"
-    request = urllib.request.Request(url, headers=headers, method="GET")
+    request = urllib.request.Request(require_http_url(url), headers=headers, method="GET")
+    # nosemgrep: python.lang.security.audit.dynamic-urllib-use-detected.dynamic-urllib-use-detected -- scheme checked by require_http_url
     with urllib.request.urlopen(request, timeout=timeout) as response:
         return _read_capped(response, limit)
 
diff --git a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/urls.py b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/urls.py
index bed871d..d12b492 100644
--- a/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/urls.py
+++ b/src/vocalinux/gateway_embed/urls.py
@@ -182,3 +182,14 @@ def reject_loopback_url(url: str | None) -> str | None:
     if is_unusable_phone_url(url):
         return None
     return str(url).strip()
+
+
+def require_http_url(url: str) -> str:
+    """Return *url* when it is an http(s) URL, else raise ``ValueError``.
+
+    ``urllib.request.urlopen`` also opens ``file:`` and ``ftp:`` URLs, so every
+    gateway request passes its URL through here before it is opened.
+    """
+    if urlparse(url).scheme not in ("http", "https"):
+        raise ValueError(f"gateway URL must use http or https: {url!r}")
+    return url