diff --git a/scripts/verify_ucp_flow.js b/scripts/verify_ucp_flow.js
index f245d99..6e62d7c 100644
--- a/scripts/verify_ucp_flow.js
+++ b/scripts/verify_ucp_flow.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class DBAdapter {
     async createWallet(data) { return Wallet.create(data); }
     async createTransaction(data) { return Transaction.create(data); }
     async updateTransaction(id, data) { return Transaction.findByIdAndUpdate(id, data, { new: true }); }
+    async findAgentById(id) { return Agent.findById(id); }
 
     async updateWalletBalance(walletId, amount) {
         return Wallet.findByIdAndUpdate(walletId, { $inc: { balance: amount } }, { new: true });
diff --git a/src/services/tokenization.js b/src/services/tokenization.js
index 5bfc751..924f3f0 100644
--- a/src/services/tokenization.js
+++ b/src/services/tokenization.js
@@ -331,53 +331,20 @@ class TokenizationService {
   async signWithToken(tokenId, dataToSign, mandate, context = {}) {
     // Zero Trust Validation: Verify mandate BEFORE entering try/catch simulation block
     if (mandate) {
-      let decodedMandate;
       try {
-        decodedMandate = await this.mandateService.verifyMandate(mandate);
+        // Normalize context for MandateService (merchant -> recipient)
+        const validationContext = {
+          ...context,
+          recipient: context.recipient || context.merchant,
+        };
+        await this.mandateService.verifyMandate(mandate, validationContext);
       } catch (error) {
-        if (error.message?.includes("jwt expired")) {
-          throw new Error("Zero Trust Validation Failed: Mandate has expired");
-        }
         if (error.message?.includes("Zero Trust Validation Failed:")) {
           throw error;
         }
-        throw new Error(`Zero Trust Validation Failed: ${error.message || error}`);
-      }
-
-      // Validate budget if context amount is provided
-      if (context.amount) {
-        // Check Intent Mandate budget
-        if (
-          decodedMandate.max_budget &&
-          context.amount > decodedMandate.max_budget.value
-        ) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `Zero Trust Validation Failed: Amount ${context.amount} exceeds mandate budget of ${decodedMandate.max_budget.value}`,
-          );
-        }
-        // Check Cart Mandate total price
-        if (
-          decodedMandate.total_price &&
-          context.amount !== decodedMandate.total_price
-        ) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `Zero Trust Validation Failed: Amount ${context.amount} does not match cart mandate total of ${decodedMandate.total_price}`,
-          );
-        }
-      }
-
-      // Validate merchant if context merchant is provided
-      if (context.merchant && decodedMandate.allowed_merchants?.length > 0) {
-        if (!decodedMandate.allowed_merchants.includes(context.merchant)) {
-          throw new Error(
-            `Zero Trust Validation Failed: Merchant ${context.merchant} not authorized by mandate`,
-          );
-        }
-      }
-
-      // Validate expiration
-      if (decodedMandate.exp < Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000)) {
-        throw new Error("Zero Trust Validation Failed: Mandate has expired");
+        throw new Error(
+          `Zero Trust Validation Failed: ${error.message || error}`,
+        );
       }
     } else if (this.strictMandateMode) {
       throw new Error(
diff --git a/tests/unit/a2a_zerotrust.spec.js b/tests/unit/a2a_zerotrust.spec.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf68ca7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/a2a_zerotrust.spec.js
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+const MandateService = require('../../src/services/mandate');
+const A2AService = require('../../src/services/a2aService');
+
+describe('A2AService Zero Trust Validation', () => {
+  let a2aService;
+  let mandateService;
+  let mockWalletService;
+  let mockDb;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    mockWalletService = {
+      transfer: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ transferId: 'tx_123' })
+    };
+    mockDb = {
+      findAgentById: jest.fn().mockImplementation((id) => ({
+        id,
+        name: `Agent ${id}`,
+        status: 'active',
+        walletId: `wallet_${id}`,
+        config: { limits: { perTransaction: 1000 } }
+      }))
+    };
+    mandateService = new MandateService({ signingKey: 'test-secret' });
+    a2aService = new A2AService(mockWalletService, mockDb, {
+      mandateConfig: { signingKey: 'test-secret' },
+      strictMandateMode: true
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('should fail if mandate is missing in strict mode', async () => {
+    await expect(a2aService.executeTransfer({
+      fromAgentId: 'agent1',
+      toAgentId: 'agent2',
+      amount: 100
+    })).rejects.toThrow('Zero Trust Validation Failed: Mandate required for A2A transfer in strict mode');
+  });
+
+  it('should fail if mandate budget is exceeded', async () => {
+    const mandate = await mandateService.issueIntentMandate({
+      userDid: 'did:user:1',
+      agentDid: 'did:agent:1',
+      maxBudget: 50
+    });
+
+    await expect(a2aService.executeTransfer({
+      fromAgentId: 'agent1',
+      toAgentId: 'agent2',
+      amount: 100,
+      mandate
+    })).rejects.toThrow('Zero Trust Validation Failed: Amount 100 exceeds mandate budget of 50');
+  });
+
+  it('should fail if recipient is not authorized by mandate', async () => {
+    const mandate = await mandateService.issueIntentMandate({
+      userDid: 'did:user:1',
+      agentDid: 'did:agent:1',
+      maxBudget: 200,
+      allowedMerchants: ['agent2']
+    });
+
+    await expect(a2aService.executeTransfer({
+      fromAgentId: 'agent1',
+      toAgentId: 'agent3',
+      amount: 100,
+      mandate
+    })).rejects.toThrow('Zero Trust Validation Failed: Merchant agent3 not authorized by mandate');
+  });
+
+  it('should succeed with valid mandate', async () => {
+    const mandate = await mandateService.issueIntentMandate({
+      userDid: 'did:user:1',
+      agentDid: 'did:agent:1',
+      maxBudget: 200,
+      allowedMerchants: ['agent2']
+    });
+
+    const result = await a2aService.executeTransfer({
+      fromAgentId: 'agent1',
+      toAgentId: 'agent2',
+      amount: 100,
+      mandate
+    });
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(mockWalletService.transfer).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});