diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py
index f24be61..a85905d 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/backend.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ from ...env import ResolvedEnv
 from ...git_gate import GitGatePlan
 from ...supervise import SupervisePlan
 from ...manifest import Manifest
-from .. import ActiveAgent, BottleBackend, BottleSpec
+from .. import ActiveAgent, BottleBackend, BottleImages, BottleSpec
 from . import cleanup as _cleanup
 from . import enumerate as _enumerate
 from . import launch as _launch
@@ -77,11 +77,14 @@ class SmolmachinesBottleBackend(
             stage_dir=stage_dir,
         )
 
+    def _build_or_load_images(self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan) -> BottleImages:
+        return _launch.build_or_load_images(plan)
+
     @contextmanager
-    def launch(
-        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan
+    def _launch_impl(
+        self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan, images: BottleImages
     ) -> Generator[SmolmachinesBottle, None, None]:
-        with _launch.launch(plan, provision=self.provision) as bottle:
+        with _launch.launch(plan, images, provision=self.provision) as bottle:
             yield bottle
 
     def supervise_mcp_url(self, plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan) -> str:
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
index 56e5929..ebff3e9 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ from ...bottle_state import (
     git_gate_state_dir,
     read_committed_image,
 )
+from .. import BottleImages
 from . import loopback_alias as _loopback
 from . import sidecar_bundle as _bundle
 from . import smolvm as _smolvm
@@ -79,13 +80,20 @@ _GIT_HTTP_PORT = 9420
 _SUPERVISE_PORT = SUPERVISE_PORT
 
 
+def build_or_load_images(plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan) -> BottleImages:
+    """Build or resolve the agent smolmachine artifact and sidecar bundle image."""
+    _bundle.ensure_bundle_image()
+    return BottleImages(agent=_agent_from_path(plan), sidecar=_bundle.SIDECAR_BUNDLE_IMAGE)
+
+
 @contextmanager
 def launch(
     plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan,
+    images: BottleImages,
     *,
     provision: Callable[[SmolmachinesBottlePlan, "SmolmachinesBottle"], str | None],
 ) -> Generator[SmolmachinesBottle, None, None]:
-    """Build + run the bottle and yield a handle; tear everything
+    """Run the bottle from pre-built images and yield a handle; tear everything
     down on exit. Errors during bringup unwind any partial state
     via the ExitStack."""
     stack = ExitStack()
@@ -96,9 +104,7 @@ def launch(
         plan = _start_bundle(plan, network, proxy_host, stack)
         plan = _discover_urls(plan, proxy_host)
 
-        agent_from_path = _agent_from_path(plan)
-
-        _launch_vm(plan, agent_from_path, proxy_host, stack)
+        _launch_vm(plan, Path(images.agent), proxy_host, stack)
         _init_vm(plan)
 
         bottle = SmolmachinesBottle(
@@ -184,7 +190,6 @@ def _start_bundle(
     plan = _provision_git_gate_keys(plan)
     bundle_spec = _bundle_launch_spec(plan, network, proxy_host)
     token_env = _resolve_token_env(plan, dict(os.environ))
-    _bundle.ensure_bundle_image(bundle_spec.image)
     _bundle.start_bundle(bundle_spec, env={**os.environ, **token_env})
     stack.callback(_bundle.stop_bundle, plan.slug)
     return plan
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py b/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py
index bbdfb6b..ce2742a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from typing import Any
 from unittest import mock
 
 from bot_bottle.agent_provider import AgentProvisionPlan
-from bot_bottle.backend import BottleImages, BottleSpec
+from bot_bottle.backend import BottleSpec
 from bot_bottle.backend.docker import launch as launch_mod
 from bot_bottle.backend.docker.bottle_plan import DockerBottlePlan
 from bot_bottle.egress import EgressPlan
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
index a2c5978..6c7d490 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from typing import cast
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from bot_bottle.agent_provider import AgentProvisionPlan
-from bot_bottle.backend import BottleImages, BottleSpec
+from bot_bottle.backend import BottleSpec
 from bot_bottle.backend.macos_container import launch
 from bot_bottle.backend.macos_container.bottle_plan import MacosContainerBottlePlan
 from bot_bottle.egress import EgressPlan