diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
index c836cfe..c3ada06 100644
--- a/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
@@ -117,12 +117,21 @@ def machine_create(
     Smolfile because `--from` and `--smolfile` are themselves
     mutually exclusive in smolvm 0.8.0 — and we want `--from`'s
     no-pull-at-start property. The flag form gives the same
-    result without the Smolfile complication."""
+    result without the Smolfile complication.
+
+    `--net` is sent explicitly when `allow_cidrs` is non-empty.
+    smolvm 0.8.0's docs say `--allow-cidr` implies `--net`, but
+    empirically the implication only fires when no `--from` is
+    set — `--from PATH --allow-cidr X/32` silently produces a
+    machine with `network: false` and no routes in the guest, so
+    the agent can't reach the bundle's pinned IP."""
     args: list[str] = ["machine", "create"]
     if image is not None:
         args += ["--image", image]
     if from_path is not None:
         args += ["--from", str(from_path)]
+    if allow_cidrs:
+        args.append("--net")
     for cidr in allow_cidrs:
         args += ["--allow-cidr", cidr]
     if env:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
index 02bdc90..b8ef49a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
@@ -82,12 +82,20 @@ class TestArgvShapes(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("smolvm", argv[0])
         self.assertIn("--from", argv)
         self.assertIn("/stage/agent.smolmachine", argv)
+        # `--net` is explicit because smolvm 0.8.0's implied-net
+        # from --allow-cidr doesn't fire when --from is set.
+        self.assertIn("--net", argv)
         self.assertIn("--allow-cidr", argv)
         self.assertIn("192.168.50.2/32", argv)
         self.assertIn("-e", argv)
         self.assertIn("HTTPS_PROXY=http://192.168.50.2:8888", argv)
         self.assertEqual("agent-xyz", argv[-1])
 
+    def test_machine_create_omits_net_when_no_allow_cidrs(self):
+        with self._patch_run() as m:
+            machine_create("agent-xyz", from_path=Path("/x.smolmachine"))
+        self.assertNotIn("--net", m.call_args.args[0])
+
     def test_machine_start_uses_dash_name(self):
         # `start` is the --name flag form, NOT positional.
         with self._patch_run() as m: