diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
index 931055a..c52de23 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/firecracker/setup.py
@@ -143,12 +143,13 @@ def teardown() -> int:
 
 
 def status() -> int:
+    # Readiness == what the launch preflight hard-requires: the TAP pool
+    # present (unprivileged, authoritative) and no range overlap. Listing
+    # the nft table usually needs root, so — like the preflight — an
+    # unconfirmable table is reported but NOT treated as not-ready; the
+    # post-boot isolation probe is the authoritative check. This keeps an
+    # unprivileged `backend status` usable as a launch gate.
     ok = True
-    if netpool.nft_table_present():
-        sys.stderr.write(f"nft table inet {netpool.NFT_TABLE}: present\n")
-    else:
-        sys.stderr.write(f"nft table inet {netpool.NFT_TABLE}: MISSING\n")
-        ok = False
     missing = netpool.missing_taps()
     total = netpool.pool_size()
     if missing:
@@ -157,6 +158,14 @@ def status() -> int:
         ok = False
     else:
         sys.stderr.write(f"TAP pool: {total}/{total} present\n")
+    if shutil.which("nft") is None:
+        sys.stderr.write(f"nft table inet {netpool.NFT_TABLE}: unverified "
+                         f"(nft not on PATH; enforced + checked post-boot)\n")
+    elif netpool.nft_table_present():
+        sys.stderr.write(f"nft table inet {netpool.NFT_TABLE}: present\n")
+    else:
+        sys.stderr.write(f"nft table inet {netpool.NFT_TABLE}: not confirmable "
+                         f"unprivileged (listing needs root; verified post-boot)\n")
     conflicts = netpool.overlapping_routes()
     if conflicts:
         detail = ", ".join(f"{c.dst} dev {c.dev}" for c in conflicts)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py b/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
index 28f92c7..58c19a8 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_firecracker_backend.py
@@ -74,6 +74,49 @@ class TestNetpoolRenderers(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("firecracker-netpool.sh up", out)
 
 
+class TestFirecrackerStatus(unittest.TestCase):
+    """`status()` gates launch: ready == TAP pool present + no overlap.
+    An nft table that can't be confirmed unprivileged is reported, not
+    treated as not-ready (the post-boot probe is authoritative)."""
+
+    def _run(self):
+        import contextlib
+        import io
+        from bot_bottle.backend.firecracker import setup as fc_setup
+        buf = io.StringIO()
+        with contextlib.redirect_stderr(buf):
+            rc = fc_setup.status()
+        return rc, buf.getvalue()
+
+    def test_ready_when_taps_present_even_if_nft_unverifiable(self):
+        from bot_bottle.backend.firecracker import setup as fc_setup
+        with patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "missing_taps", return_value=[]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "overlapping_routes", return_value=[]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.shutil, "which", return_value=None):
+            rc, out = self._run()
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+        self.assertIn("unverified", out)
+
+    def test_not_ready_when_taps_missing(self):
+        from bot_bottle.backend.firecracker import setup as fc_setup
+        with patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "missing_taps", return_value=["bbfc0"]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "overlapping_routes", return_value=[]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.shutil, "which", return_value=None):
+            rc, _ = self._run()
+        self.assertEqual(1, rc)
+
+    def test_not_ready_on_range_overlap(self):
+        from bot_bottle.backend.firecracker import netpool
+        from bot_bottle.backend.firecracker import setup as fc_setup
+        conflict = netpool.RouteConflict(dst="10.243.0.0/24", dev="eth0")
+        with patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "missing_taps", return_value=[]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.netpool, "overlapping_routes", return_value=[conflict]), \
+             patch.object(fc_setup.shutil, "which", return_value=None):
+            rc, out = self._run()
+        self.assertEqual(1, rc)
+        self.assertIn("CLASHES", out)
+
+
 class TestNetpoolOverlap(unittest.TestCase):
     """`overlapping_routes()` flags a pool base that collides with an
     existing host route (Tailscale CGNAT peer, docker/libvirt bridge,