diff --git a/src/services/x402.service.ts b/src/services/x402.service.ts
index 659b3f49..d3030e44 100644
--- a/src/services/x402.service.ts
+++ b/src/services/x402.service.ts
@@ -483,6 +483,8 @@ export interface PaymentRequirements {
   recipient: string;
   network: string;
   account: Account;
+  /** True when the endpoint advertised `extra.sponsored` — the relay pays the STX fee. */
+  sponsored: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -892,6 +894,10 @@ export async function createApiClient(baseUrl?: string, options?: CreateApiClien
           );
         }
 
+        // The endpoint offers gas sponsorship: sign with `sponsored: true, fee: 0`
+        // and its relay co-signs and pays the STX fee at settlement.
+        const sponsored = selectedOption.extra?.sponsored === true;
+
         // Invoke pre-payment callback (e.g. balance check) before signing/broadcasting.
         // If the callback throws, the payment is aborted and the error propagates to the caller.
         if (options?.onBeforePayment) {
@@ -901,34 +907,32 @@ export async function createApiClient(baseUrl?: string, options?: CreateApiClien
             recipient: selectedOption.payTo,
             network: paymentNetwork ?? acct.network,
             account: acct,
+            sponsored,
           });
         }
 
         // Clamped fee — do NOT let @stacks auto-estimate, since Hiro's
         // contract_call tiers are polluted by outliers (observed >2000 STX).
         // The sbtc_transfer clamp caps it at 0.003 STX.
-        const fee = await resolveDefaultFee(
-          acct.network,
-          isSbtc ? "sbtc_transfer" : "token_transfer"
-        );
+        const fee = sponsored
+          ? 0n
+          : await resolveDefaultFee(acct.network, isSbtc ? "sbtc_transfer" : "token_transfer");
 
         // Cumulative spending limit: the per-payment cap above bounds a single
         // 402, but a malicious endpoint can loop sub-cap payments. This blocks
-        // once the session/day total would be exceeded. The sender pays the
-        // fee, so it is booked in ustx alongside the amount.
+        // once the session/day total would be exceeded. A self-paying sender
+        // pays the fee, so it is booked in ustx alongside the amount.
         reservation = await getSpendLimiter().reserve(
           [
             { unit: isSbtc ? "sats" : "ustx", amount },
-            { unit: "ustx", amount: fee },
+            ...(sponsored ? [] : [{ unit: "ustx" as const, amount: fee }]),
           ],
           acct.address
         );
 
-        // Build a non-sponsored signed transaction: the sender pays its own
-        // STX gas (fee + nonce auto-estimated by @stacks), and the x402
-        // facilitator simply verifies and broadcasts it. No relay sponsorship
-        // — this is the same tx shape the x402-stacks lib produces, and the
-        // balance check in onBeforePayment already accounts for the gas.
+        // Build the signed transaction. Self-paid: the sender pays its own STX
+        // gas and the facilitator verifies and broadcasts it. Sponsored: the
+        // sponsor slot is left empty for the endpoint's relay to fill.
         const networkName = getStacksNetwork(acct.network);
 
         const memo = paymentIdMemo(selectedOption.extra);
@@ -961,6 +965,7 @@ export async function createApiClient(baseUrl?: string, options?: CreateApiClien
                 .ft(contracts.SBTC_TOKEN as `${string}.${string}`, "sbtc-token"),
             ],
             fee,
+            sponsored,
           });
         } else {
           transaction = await makeSTXTokenTransfer({
@@ -970,6 +975,7 @@ export async function createApiClient(baseUrl?: string, options?: CreateApiClien
             network: networkName,
             memo: memo ?? "",
             fee,
+            sponsored,
           });
         }
 
diff --git a/src/tools/endpoint.tools.ts b/src/tools/endpoint.tools.ts
index b85d83fc..0dc89998 100644
--- a/src/tools/endpoint.tools.ts
+++ b/src/tools/endpoint.tools.ts
@@ -434,9 +434,8 @@ For aibtc.com inbox messages, use send_inbox_message_direct instead — it signs
           toolName: "execute_x402_endpoint",
           asset,
           onBeforePayment: async (requirements) => {
-            // Non-sponsored: sender pays its own gas, so validate STX for the
-            // fee too (sponsored=false is the default, passed explicitly here).
-            await checkSufficientBalance(requirements.account, requirements.amount, requirements.asset, false);
+            // Self-paid payments also need STX for the fee; sponsored ones don't.
+            await checkSufficientBalance(requirements.account, requirements.amount, requirements.asset, requirements.sponsored);
           },
         });
         const response = await api.request({ method, url: parsed.requestPath, params, data });
diff --git a/tests/services/x402-fee-metering.test.ts b/tests/services/x402-fee-metering.test.ts
index b63f832f..3058353f 100644
--- a/tests/services/x402-fee-metering.test.ts
+++ b/tests/services/x402-fee-metering.test.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ vi.mock("../../src/services/wallet-manager.js", () => ({
 
 const { createApiClient } = await import("../../src/services/x402.service.js");
 
-function respond402(asset: string, amount: string) {
+function respond402(asset: string, amount: string, extra?: Record<string, unknown>) {
   const paymentRequired = {
     x402Version: 2,
     resource: { url: "https://x402.test.com/paid" },
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ function respond402(asset: string, amount: string) {
         asset,
         payTo: "SP2J6ZY48GV1EZ5V2V5RB9MP66SW86PYKKNRV9EJ7",
         maxTimeoutSeconds: 300,
+        ...(extra ? { extra } : {}),
       },
     ],
   };
@@ -94,4 +95,19 @@ describe("x402 auto-payment metering (#713)", () => {
       "SP000000000000000000002Q6VF78"
     );
   });
+
+  it("books no STX fee when the endpoint sponsors gas", async () => {
+    const client = await createApiClient("https://x402.test.com");
+    client.defaults.adapter = respond402(
+      "SM3VDXK3WZZSA84XXFKAFAF15NNZX32CTSG82JFQ4.sbtc-token",
+      "100",
+      { sponsored: true }
+    ) as never;
+
+    await expect(client.get("/paid")).rejects.toThrow("stop at the rail");
+    expect(reserve).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      [{ unit: "sats", amount: 100n }],
+      "SP000000000000000000002Q6VF78"
+    );
+  });
 });