diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/netpool.py b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/netpool.py
index 5c9078d..ddbb968 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/netpool.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/netpool.py
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ a pool of point-to-point TAP devices (owned by the invoking user, so
 `./cli.py start` never needs root) and a dedicated nftables table that
 isolates every VM. This module is the single source of truth for the
 pool parameters — the shell script (`scripts/firecracker-netpool.sh`),
-the printed NixOS snippet, and the backend's fail-closed preflight all
-derive from the constants here so they can't drift.
+the NixOS module (`nix/firecracker-netpool.nix`), and the backend's
+fail-closed preflight all derive from these constants so they can't
+drift.
 
 Topology (per slot i):
   * TAP  ``bbfc{i}``  — no shared bridge, so no docker0 / virbr0 / cni0
@@ -237,72 +238,9 @@ def render_shell_setup() -> str:
     return f"sudo {prefix}./scripts/firecracker-netpool.sh up"
 
 
-def render_nixos_module() -> str:
-    """A paste-ready NixOS snippet, derived from the live constants.
-
-    Uses systemd-networkd tap netdevs (so TAPs are only reconfigured
-    when this config changes, not torn down on every rebuild — which
-    would drop running VMs) and `networking.nftables.tables.<name>`
-    (an independent table that coexists with Docker's iptables rules
-    rather than replacing the whole ruleset)."""
-    slots = all_slots()
-    owner = os.environ.get("USER", "youruser")
-
-    netdevs = "\n".join(
-        f'''        "10-{s.iface}" = {{
-          netdevConfig = {{ Name = "{s.iface}"; Kind = "tap"; }};
-          tapConfig = {{ User = "{owner}"; }};
-        }};'''
-        for s in slots
-    )
-    networks = "\n".join(
-        f'''        "10-{s.iface}" = {{
-          matchConfig.Name = "{s.iface}";
-          address = [ "{s.host_ip}/31" ];
-          networkConfig.ConfigureWithoutCarrier = true;
-        }};'''
-        for s in slots
-    )
-
-    return f"""# bot-bottle Firecracker network pool ({len(slots)} slots, base {ip_base()}).
-# Generated by `./cli.py backend setup --backend=firecracker`; owner user = {owner!r}.
-{{ ... }}:
-{{
-  boot.kernel.sysctl."net.ipv4.ip_forward" = 1;
-
-  systemd.network.enable = true;
-  systemd.network.netdevs = {{
-{netdevs}
-  }};
-  systemd.network.networks = {{
-{networks}
-  }};
-
-  # Independent table — does not touch Docker/ufw/firewalld rules.
-  # A bottle VM (traffic from a bbfc* TAP) may reach only its own
-  # sidecar (DNAT'd from the host TAP IP); everything else is dropped,
-  # so there is no egress except through the sidecar proxy.
-  networking.nftables.enable = true;
-  networking.nftables.tables."{NFT_TABLE}" = {{
-    family = "inet";
-    content = ''
-      chain forward {{
-        type filter hook forward priority -10; policy accept;
-        iifname != "{IFACE_PREFIX}*" return
-        ct state established,related accept
-        ct status dnat accept
-        drop
-      }}
-      chain input {{
-        type filter hook input priority -10; policy accept;
-        iifname != "{IFACE_PREFIX}*" return
-        ct state established,related accept
-        drop
-      }}
-    '';
-  }};
-}}
-"""
+# The NixOS setup is a real, importable module (nix/firecracker-netpool.nix,
+# exposed as the flake output nixosModules.firecracker-netpool) rather than a
+# generated paste — see `backend setup` output.
 
 
 def _nondefault_env() -> str:
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
index 95a1e41..931055a 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ def _owner() -> str:
     return os.environ.get("USER", "youruser")
 
 
+def _module_path() -> str:
+    """Absolute path to the importable NixOS module in this checkout."""
+    return str(Path(__file__).resolve().parents[3] / "nix" / "firecracker-netpool.nix")
+
+
 def _print_prereqs() -> None:
     """The firecracker binary + KVM + guest artifacts, shown before the
     privileged network-pool step so operators see the full picture."""
@@ -96,18 +101,18 @@ def setup() -> int:
     _warn_overlaps()
     if _is_nixos():
         sys.stderr.write(
-            "Detected NixOS. Preferred: consume the flake module (versioned, "
-            "no copy-paste drift):\n\n"
-            "  # flake inputs (point at wherever you host bot-bottle):\n"
+            "Detected NixOS. Import the module — it is NON-INVASIVE: it does "
+            "not flip networking.nftables.enable or systemd.network.enable, so "
+            "your existing (iptables) firewall and Docker are untouched. A "
+            "systemd oneshot brings the pool up alongside them.\n\n"
+            "  # flake users:\n"
             "  inputs.bot-bottle.url = \"git+ssh://<your-bot-bottle-remote>\";\n"
-            "  # host module:\n"
             "  imports = [ inputs.bot-bottle.nixosModules.firecracker-netpool ];\n"
+            "  # channel (non-flake) users — import the file directly:\n"
+            f"  imports = [ {_module_path()} ];\n\n"
             f"  services.bot-bottle-firecracker = {{ enable = true; owner = \"{_owner()}\"; }};\n\n"
-            "Then `nixos-rebuild switch`. Channel (non-flake) users can "
-            "`imports = [ <bot-bottle>/nix/firecracker-netpool.nix ];` instead.\n\n"
-            "Fallback — paste this generated module directly:\n\n"
+            "Then `nixos-rebuild switch`.\n"
         )
-        sys.stdout.write(netpool.render_nixos_module())
     else:
         sys.stderr.write("Run the one-time setup as root:\n\n")
         sys.stdout.write(netpool.render_shell_setup() + "\n")
diff --git a/nix/firecracker-netpool.nix b/nix/firecracker-netpool.nix
index 8d5f6b3..0357bda 100644
--- a/nix/firecracker-netpool.nix
+++ b/nix/firecracker-netpool.nix
@@ -2,10 +2,20 @@
 #
 # The one-time privileged setup the Firecracker backend needs: a pool of
 # user-owned point-to-point TAP devices plus a fail-closed nftables table
-# that confines every microVM to its own sidecar. Enabling this module is
-# the NixOS equivalent of `sudo ./scripts/firecracker-netpool.sh up` — but
-# declarative, so the taps/table survive `nixos-rebuild` and are only
-# reconfigured when this config changes (running VMs aren't dropped).
+# that confines every microVM to its own sidecar.
+#
+# NON-INVASIVE BY DESIGN. It does NOT flip `networking.nftables.enable`
+# (which would switch your whole host firewall backend) or
+# `systemd.network.enable` (which would hand your interfaces to
+# systemd-networkd). Instead a single systemd oneshot service brings the
+# pool up on boot — the declarative equivalent of
+# `sudo ./scripts/firecracker-netpool.sh up`. The `inet <tableName>` table
+# is independent (its own hooks at priority -10), so it coexists with an
+# iptables `networking.firewall`, Docker, ufw, firewalld, etc.
+#
+# The oneshot is only restarted when this config changes, so a
+# `nixos-rebuild switch` doesn't tear down TAPs out from under running
+# VMs unless you actually changed the pool.
 #
 # The option defaults MUST match the backend constants in
 # bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/netpool.py (pool size, IP base, iface
@@ -13,7 +23,7 @@
 # the BOT_BOTTLE_FC_* env vars; if you override an option here, override
 # the matching env var for the CLI too (or set writeEnvFile = true below
 # to have this module emit them). Keep the two sides in lockstep.
-{ config, lib, ... }:
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
 
 let
   cfg = config.services.bot-bottle-firecracker;
@@ -42,7 +52,47 @@ let
     hostIp = intToIp (baseInt + 2 * i);
   }) cfg.poolSize;
 
-  mkAttr = f: lib.listToAttrs (map (s: lib.nameValuePair "10-${s.iface}" (f s)) slots);
+  ip = "${pkgs.iproute2}/bin/ip";
+  nft = "${pkgs.nftables}/bin/nft";
+
+  # Idempotent ruleset: (create-if-absent → delete → recreate) is atomic
+  # within one `nft -f`, so re-running `up` always lands a clean table.
+  nftFile = pkgs.writeText "bot-bottle-fc.nft" ''
+    table inet ${cfg.tableName}
+    delete table inet ${cfg.tableName}
+    table inet ${cfg.tableName} {
+      chain forward {
+        type filter hook forward priority -10; policy accept;
+        iifname != "${cfg.ifacePrefix}*" return
+        ct state established,related accept
+        ct status dnat accept
+        drop
+      }
+      chain input {
+        type filter hook input priority -10; policy accept;
+        iifname != "${cfg.ifacePrefix}*" return
+        ct state established,related accept
+        drop
+      }
+    }
+  '';
+
+  upScript = pkgs.writeShellScript "bot-bottle-fc-netpool-up" ''
+    set -eu
+    ${lib.concatMapStringsSep "\n" (s: ''
+      ${ip} link show ${s.iface} >/dev/null 2>&1 || ${ip} tuntap add dev ${s.iface} mode tap user ${cfg.owner}
+      ${ip} addr replace ${s.hostIp}/31 dev ${s.iface}
+      ${ip} link set ${s.iface} up
+    '') slots}
+    ${nft} -f ${nftFile}
+  '';
+
+  downScript = pkgs.writeShellScript "bot-bottle-fc-netpool-down" ''
+    ${nft} delete table inet ${cfg.tableName} 2>/dev/null || true
+    ${lib.concatMapStringsSep "\n" (s: ''
+      ${ip} link show ${s.iface} >/dev/null 2>&1 && ${ip} tuntap del dev ${s.iface} mode tap || true
+    '') slots}
+  '';
 in
 {
   options.services.bot-bottle-firecracker = {
@@ -106,39 +156,18 @@ in
     # VM->sidecar traffic is DNAT'd and forwarded, so forwarding must be on.
     boot.kernel.sysctl."net.ipv4.ip_forward" = 1;
 
-    systemd.network.enable = true;
-    systemd.network.netdevs = mkAttr (s: {
-      netdevConfig = { Name = s.iface; Kind = "tap"; };
-      tapConfig = { User = cfg.owner; };
-    });
-    systemd.network.networks = mkAttr (s: {
-      matchConfig.Name = s.iface;
-      address = [ "${s.hostIp}/31" ];
-      networkConfig.ConfigureWithoutCarrier = true;
-    });
-
-    # Independent, fail-closed table — coexists with Docker/ufw/firewalld
-    # rather than replacing the ruleset. A VM (traffic from a
-    # ${cfg.ifacePrefix}* TAP) may reach only its own sidecar (DNAT'd from
-    # the host TAP IP); everything else is dropped.
-    networking.nftables.enable = true;
-    networking.nftables.tables.${cfg.tableName} = {
-      family = "inet";
-      content = ''
-        chain forward {
-          type filter hook forward priority -10; policy accept;
-          iifname != "${cfg.ifacePrefix}*" return
-          ct state established,related accept
-          ct status dnat accept
-          drop
-        }
-        chain input {
-          type filter hook input priority -10; policy accept;
-          iifname != "${cfg.ifacePrefix}*" return
-          ct state established,related accept
-          drop
-        }
-      '';
+    # One oneshot brings up the whole pool (TAPs + independent nft table).
+    # No networking.nftables.enable / systemd.network.enable — see header.
+    systemd.services."bot-bottle-firecracker-netpool" = {
+      description = "bot-bottle Firecracker TAP pool + nft isolation table";
+      wantedBy = [ "multi-user.target" ];
+      after = [ "network-pre.target" ];
+      serviceConfig = {
+        Type = "oneshot";
+        RemainAfterExit = true;
+        ExecStart = upScript;
+        ExecStop = downScript;
+      };
     };
 
     environment.etc."bot-bottle/firecracker.env" = lib.mkIf cfg.writeEnvFile {
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py b/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
index 79e6954..28f92c7 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
@@ -55,16 +55,17 @@ class TestNetpoolSlots(unittest.TestCase):
 
 
 class TestNetpoolRenderers(unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_nixos_module_has_table_and_taps(self):
-        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"BOT_BOTTLE_FC_POOL_SIZE": "2"}):
-            out = netpool.render_nixos_module()
-        self.assertIn('networking.nftables.tables."bot_bottle_fc"', out)
-        self.assertIn('Name = "bbfc0"', out)
-        self.assertIn('Name = "bbfc1"', out)
-        self.assertIn("net.ipv4.ip_forward", out)
-        # fail-closed isolation rules present
-        self.assertIn('iifname != "bbfc*" return', out)
-        self.assertIn("ct status dnat accept", out)
+    def test_nixos_module_is_non_invasive(self):
+        # The NixOS module must NOT flip the host firewall backend or
+        # hand interfaces to systemd-networkd; it brings the pool up via
+        # a systemd oneshot that coexists with an iptables firewall.
+        root = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+        mod = (root / "nix" / "firecracker-netpool.nix").read_text()
+        self.assertNotIn("networking.nftables.enable = true", mod)
+        self.assertNotIn("systemd.network.enable = true", mod)
+        self.assertIn("bot-bottle-firecracker-netpool", mod)  # the oneshot
+        self.assertIn(netpool.NFT_TABLE, mod)
+        self.assertIn('iifname != "${cfg.ifacePrefix}*" return', mod)
 
     def test_shell_setup_reflects_overrides(self):
         with patch.dict(os.environ, {"BOT_BOTTLE_FC_POOL_SIZE": "3"}):