diff --git a/bot_bottle/docker_cmd.py b/bot_bottle/docker_cmd.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b8b4961
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/docker_cmd.py
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+"""Lean, framework-free `docker` subprocess primitive.
+
+Deliberately a top-level module with a single stdlib import so it can be
+reused from anywhere without cost. It is intentionally *not* placed in
+`backend.docker.util`: importing that module runs `backend/__init__.py`,
+which eagerly loads all three bottle backends (docker + firecracker +
+macos) plus the manifest/egress/git-gate/supervise framework — ~76 modules
+— which would drag the whole backend layer into the deliberately-lean
+orchestrator. This primitive stays free of that so both the orchestrator's
+docker components and (in time) `backend.docker.util` can share it."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import subprocess
+
+
+def run_docker(argv: list[str]) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
+    """Run a `docker` command, capturing stdout/stderr as text. Never raises
+    on a non-zero exit — callers inspect `returncode` / `stderr` so they can
+    stay fail-closed or tolerate idempotent no-ops (e.g. removing an
+    already-absent container)."""
+    return subprocess.run(
+        argv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True, check=False,
+    )
+
+
+__all__ = ["run_docker"]
diff --git a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/docker_broker.py b/bot_bottle/orchestrator/docker_broker.py
index c3d2685..9caf3a6 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/docker_broker.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/orchestrator/docker_broker.py
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import subprocess
 
+from ..docker_cmd import run_docker
 from .broker import LaunchBroker, LaunchRequest
-from .dockerutil import run_docker
 
 CONTAINER_PREFIX = "bot-bottle-orch-"
 BOTTLE_ID_LABEL = "bot-bottle-bottle-id"
diff --git a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/dockerutil.py b/bot_bottle/orchestrator/dockerutil.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 6646f6b..0000000
--- a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/dockerutil.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-"""Shared `docker` subprocess helper for the orchestrator's docker-backed
-components (the launch broker and the consolidated sidecar)."""
-
-from __future__ import annotations
-
-import subprocess
-
-
-def run_docker(argv: list[str]) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
-    """Run a `docker` command, capturing stdout/stderr as text. Never raises
-    on a non-zero exit — callers inspect `returncode` / `stderr` so they can
-    stay fail-closed or tolerate idempotent no-ops (e.g. removing an
-    already-absent container)."""
-    return subprocess.run(
-        argv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True, check=False,
-    )
-
-
-__all__ = ["run_docker"]
diff --git a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/sidecar.py b/bot_bottle/orchestrator/sidecar.py
index 2d60bcb..4def186 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/orchestrator/sidecar.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/orchestrator/sidecar.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 import abc
 
-from .dockerutil import run_docker
+from ..docker_cmd import run_docker
 
 SIDECAR_NAME = "bot-bottle-orch-sidecar"
 SIDECAR_LABEL = "bot-bottle-orch-sidecar=1"