diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/egress_apply.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/egress_apply.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7212cbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/egress_apply.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+"""Egress apply for the smolmachines backend.
+
+The smolmachines sidecar bundle runs as a host-side Docker container,
+so egress signalling is identical to the docker backend.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from ..docker.egress_apply import (  # noqa: F401
+    EgressApplyError,
+    apply_routes_change,
+    fetch_current_routes,
+    validate_routes_content,
+)
+
+__all__ = [
+    "EgressApplyError",
+    "apply_routes_change",
+    "fetch_current_routes",
+    "validate_routes_content",
+]
diff --git a/bot_bottle/cli/supervise.py b/bot_bottle/cli/supervise.py
index 65b1139..4c006fa 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/cli/supervise.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/cli/supervise.py
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ from ..backend.docker.egress_apply import (
 from ..backend.macos_container.egress_apply import (
     apply_routes_change as _macos_apply_routes_change,
 )
+from ..backend.smolmachines.egress_apply import (
+    apply_routes_change as _smolmachines_apply_routes_change,
+)
 from ..log import Die, error, info
 
 
@@ -78,8 +81,11 @@ ApplyError = (CapabilityApplyError, EgressApplyError)
 
 def apply_routes_change(slug: str, content: str) -> tuple[str, str]:
     meta = read_metadata(slug)
-    if meta is not None and meta.backend == "macos-container":
+    backend = meta.backend if meta is not None else ""
+    if backend == "macos-container":
         return _macos_apply_routes_change(slug, content)
+    if backend == "smolmachines":
+        return _smolmachines_apply_routes_change(slug, content)
     return _docker_apply_routes_change(slug, content)