diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/billing/billing.service.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/billing/billing.service.ts
index fdd230d33..ab6b2f8c8 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/billing/billing.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/billing/billing.service.ts
@@ -963,6 +963,21 @@ export class BillingService {
       .getRepository(Invoice)
       .update({ id: invoice.id }, { paymentId: result.intentId });
 
+    // DEMO: manually fire the gateway `payment.succeeded` callback here, without
+    // waiting for real gateway settlement. Runs AFTER the paymentId link above so
+    // `handlePaymentEvent → settleByPaymentId` can correlate the invoice. TODO:
+    // remove — real settlement flips this via the `${source}.invoice.paid` handler.
+    if (!result.immediateSuccess) {
+      await this.payment.handlePaymentEvent({
+        eventType: "payment.succeeded",
+        eventId: `demo-${result.intentId}`,
+        referenceId: invoice.sourceId,
+        intentId: result.intentId,
+        providerTxnId: result.providerTxnId,
+        paidAt: (result.paidAt ?? new Date()).toISOString(),
+      });
+    }
+
     if (result.immediateSuccess) {
       await this.settleByPaymentId(
         result.intentId,
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/payment/payment.service.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/payment/payment.service.ts
index d773ebe1f..5b8a3ddca 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/payment/payment.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/payment/payment.service.ts
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ export class PaymentService {
     alreadyFinalized?: boolean;
     reason?: string;
   }> {
-    console.log(`Received payment event: ${JSON.stringify(event)}`);
+    this.logger.log(`Received payment event: ${JSON.stringify(event)}`);
     if (event.eventType === "payment.succeeded") {
       const intent = await this.paymentRepo.findOneBy({
         refId: event.referenceId,
@@ -490,13 +490,12 @@ export class PaymentService {
           reason: `No local intent for reference ${event.referenceId}`,
         };
       }
-      console.log(`Processing payment succeeded event for intent: }`, intent);
       const { alreadyFinalized } = await this.markIntentSucceeded(intent.id, {
         providerTxnId: event.providerTxnId,
         paidAt: event.paidAt ? new Date(event.paidAt) : undefined,
         notify: true,
       });
-      console.log(
+      this.logger.log(
         `Payment finalized for intent ${intent.id}, alreadyFinalized: ${alreadyFinalized}`,
       );