diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py b/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
index 36bbb37..06b279e 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/__init__.py
@@ -526,6 +526,11 @@ from .docker import DockerBottleBackend  # noqa: E402  # pylint: disable=wrong-i
 from .macos_container import MacosContainerBottleBackend  # noqa: E402  # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
 from .smolmachines import SmolmachinesBottleBackend  # noqa: E402  # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
 
+# Freezer is imported after the backend classes for the same reason:
+# Freezer.commit_slug constructs ActiveAgent, which must be fully
+# defined first.
+from .freeze import CommitCancelled, Freezer, get_freezer  # noqa: E402  # pylint: disable=wrong-import-position
+
 
 # The dict is heterogeneous: each value is a BottleBackend specialized
 # over its own plan type. Concrete plan types are erased here because
@@ -613,9 +618,12 @@ __all__ = [
     "BottleCleanupPlan",
     "BottlePlan",
     "BottleSpec",
+    "CommitCancelled",
     "ExecResult",
+    "Freezer",
     "enumerate_active_agents",
     "get_bottle_backend",
+    "get_freezer",
     "has_backend",
     "known_backend_names",
 ]
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/freezer.py b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/freezer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f50d96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/freezer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+"""DockerFreezer — snapshot a Docker bottle via `docker commit`."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from .. import ActiveAgent
+from ..freeze import Freezer
+from .util import commit_container
+from ...log import info
+
+
+class DockerFreezer(Freezer):
+    """Freezes a Docker bottle by running `docker commit`."""
+
+    backend_name = "docker"
+
+    def _freeze(self, agent: ActiveAgent) -> str:
+        container = f"bot-bottle-{agent.slug}"
+        image_tag = f"bot-bottle-committed-{agent.slug}:latest"
+        commit_container(container, image_tag)
+        return image_tag
+
+    def _export_hint(self, slug: str, image_ref: str) -> None:
+        info(f"to export for migration:      docker save {image_ref} -o {slug}.tar")
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/launch.py b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/launch.py
index c930b36..03ab619 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/launch.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/launch.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ from ...bottle_state import (
     bottle_state_dir,
     egress_state_dir,
     git_gate_state_dir,
+    read_committed_image,
 )
 from .compose import (
     bottle_plan_to_compose,
@@ -91,12 +92,22 @@ def launch(
         )
 
     try:
-        # Step 1: agent image build. Sidecar images get built lazily by
-        # `docker compose up` via the renderer's `build:` directives.
-        docker_mod.build_image(
-            plan.image, _REPO_DIR,
-            dockerfile=plan.dockerfile_path,
-        )
+        # Step 1: agent image. Use a committed snapshot when one exists
+        # and is present in the local daemon; otherwise build from the
+        # Dockerfile. Sidecar images get built lazily by `docker compose
+        # up` via the renderer's `build:` directives.
+        committed = read_committed_image(plan.slug)
+        if committed and docker_mod.image_exists(committed):
+            info(f"using committed image {committed!r}")
+            plan = dataclasses.replace(
+                plan,
+                agent_provision=dataclasses.replace(plan.agent_provision, image=committed),
+            )
+        else:
+            docker_mod.build_image(
+                plan.image, _REPO_DIR,
+                dockerfile=plan.dockerfile_path,
+            )
 
         internal_network = network_mod.network_name_for_slug(plan.slug)
         egress_network = network_mod.network_egress_name_for_slug(plan.slug)
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/util.py b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/util.py
index 85c4a42..8ac0339 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/docker/util.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/docker/util.py
@@ -152,6 +152,21 @@ def build_image(ref: str, context: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
 #         )
 
 
+def commit_container(container_name: str, image_tag: str) -> None:
+    """Run `docker commit <container_name> <image_tag>` to snapshot the
+    running container's filesystem state as a local Docker image."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        ["docker", "commit", container_name, image_tag],
+        capture_output=True, text=True, check=False,
+    )
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        die(
+            f"docker commit {container_name!r} → {image_tag!r} failed: "
+            f"{(result.stderr or '').strip() or '<no stderr>'}"
+        )
+    info(f"committed {container_name!r} → {image_tag!r}")
+
+
 def image_id(ref: str) -> str:
     """Return the content-addressed image ID (e.g.
     `sha256:abcd...`) for `ref`. The smolmachines backend keys its
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/freeze.py b/bot_bottle/backend/freeze.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d9a8013
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/freeze.py
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+"""Freezer — snapshot a running bottle to a resumable artifact.
+
+Follows the same pattern as BottleBackend: a shared base class with
+common post-freeze steps (write committed-image path, mark preserved,
+print resume hint) and backend-specific subclasses in their respective
+backend directories.
+
+Entry points:
+  Freezer.commit(agent)      — freeze by ActiveAgent
+  Freezer.commit_slug(slug)  — convenience wrapper for cmd_commit
+  get_freezer(backend_name)  — factory
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+
+from . import ActiveAgent
+from ..bottle_state import mark_preserved, write_committed_image
+from ..log import die, info
+
+
+class CommitCancelled(Exception):
+    """Raised by Freezer._freeze when the user declines a confirmation prompt."""
+
+
+class Freezer(ABC):
+    """Freezes a running bottle to a resumable artifact.
+
+    The base class owns the shared post-commit steps:
+      - write_committed_image  — records the artifact path in per-bottle state
+      - mark_preserved         — prevents teardown from removing the state dir
+      - resume hint            — printed to stderr after the snapshot
+
+    Subclasses implement _freeze with the backend-specific snapshot
+    operation and optionally override _export_hint for migration hints.
+    """
+
+    backend_name: str
+
+    def commit(self, agent: ActiveAgent) -> None:
+        """Freeze the bottle for `agent` to a resumable artifact.
+
+        Calls _freeze for the backend-specific snapshot, then writes the
+        committed image reference to per-bottle state and marks the bottle
+        preserved so the next `./cli.py resume` boots from the snapshot.
+
+        Raises CommitCancelled if the user declines an interactive
+        confirmation prompt (e.g. the macos-container stop prompt).
+        """
+        image_ref = self._freeze(agent)
+        write_committed_image(agent.slug, image_ref)
+        mark_preserved(agent.slug)
+        info(f"to resume from this snapshot: ./cli.py resume {agent.slug}")
+        self._export_hint(agent.slug, image_ref)
+
+    @abstractmethod
+    def _freeze(self, agent: ActiveAgent) -> str:
+        """Backend-specific snapshot. Returns the image tag or artifact path
+        stored by write_committed_image. Raises CommitCancelled if the user
+        declines a stop-confirmation prompt."""
+
+    def _export_hint(self, slug: str, image_ref: str) -> None:
+        """Optionally print an export-for-migration hint after committing.
+        Overridden by backends that provide a meaningful export command."""
+
+    def commit_slug(self, slug: str) -> None:
+        """Convenience entry for cmd_commit when only a slug is available."""
+        from ..bottle_state import read_metadata
+        metadata = read_metadata(slug)
+        agent = ActiveAgent(
+            backend_name=self.backend_name,
+            slug=slug,
+            agent_name=metadata.agent_name if metadata else "",
+            started_at=metadata.started_at if metadata else "",
+            services=(),
+        )
+        self.commit(agent)
+
+
+def get_freezer(backend_name: str) -> Freezer:
+    """Return the Freezer for the named backend.
+
+    backend_name "" is treated as "docker" for backward compatibility
+    with state dirs written before the backend field was added."""
+    resolved = backend_name or "docker"
+    if resolved == "docker":
+        from .docker.freezer import DockerFreezer
+        return DockerFreezer()
+    if resolved == "macos-container":
+        from .macos_container.freezer import MacosContainerFreezer
+        return MacosContainerFreezer()
+    if resolved == "smolmachines":
+        from .smolmachines.freezer import SmolmachinesFreezer
+        return SmolmachinesFreezer()
+    die(
+        f"commit is only supported for docker, macos-container, and "
+        f"smolmachines; backend {backend_name!r} has no freezer"
+    )
+    raise AssertionError("unreachable")
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/freezer.py b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/freezer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2fae40e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/freezer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""MacosContainerFreezer — snapshot a macOS container bottle.
+
+Apple Container removes containers when they stop, making stop-then-export
+impossible. Instead, commit_container execs into the running container and
+streams the root filesystem via tar. The bottle continues running after commit.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from .. import ActiveAgent
+from ..freeze import Freezer
+from .util import commit_container
+from ...log import info
+
+
+class MacosContainerFreezer(Freezer):
+    """Freezes a macOS-container bottle via exec-tar + image rebuild."""
+
+    backend_name = "macos-container"
+
+    def _freeze(self, agent: ActiveAgent) -> str:
+        container = f"bot-bottle-{agent.slug}"
+        image_tag = f"bot-bottle-committed-{agent.slug}:latest"
+        commit_container(container, image_tag)
+        return image_tag
+
+    def _export_hint(self, slug: str, image_ref: str) -> None:
+        info(
+            f"to export for migration:      "
+            f"container image save {image_ref} -o {slug}.tar"
+        )
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/launch.py b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/launch.py
index 8f0d47a..8de4385 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/launch.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/launch.py
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ from contextlib import ExitStack, contextmanager
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Callable, Generator
 
-from ...bottle_state import egress_state_dir, git_gate_state_dir
+from ...bottle_state import (
+    egress_state_dir,
+    git_gate_state_dir,
+    read_committed_image,
+)
 from ...egress import EGRESS_ROUTES_IN_CONTAINER, egress_resolve_token_values
 from ...git_gate import revoke_git_gate_provisioned_keys
 from ...log import die, info, warn
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ def launch(
 
     try:
         plan = _mint_certs(plan)
-        _build_images(plan)
+        plan = _build_images(plan)
 
         internal_network = internal_network_name(plan.slug)
         egress_network = egress_network_name(plan.slug)
@@ -134,17 +138,28 @@ def _mint_certs(plan: MacosContainerBottlePlan) -> MacosContainerBottlePlan:
     return dataclasses.replace(plan, egress_plan=egress_plan)
 
 
-def _build_images(plan: MacosContainerBottlePlan) -> None:
+def _build_images(plan: MacosContainerBottlePlan) -> MacosContainerBottlePlan:
     container_mod.build_image(
         SIDECAR_BUNDLE_IMAGE,
         _REPO_DIR,
         dockerfile=SIDECAR_BUNDLE_DOCKERFILE,
     )
+    committed = read_committed_image(plan.slug)
+    if committed and container_mod.image_exists(committed):
+        info(f"using committed image {committed!r}")
+        return dataclasses.replace(
+            plan,
+            agent_provision=dataclasses.replace(
+                plan.agent_provision,
+                image=committed,
+            ),
+        )
     container_mod.build_image(
         plan.image,
         _REPO_DIR,
         dockerfile=plan.dockerfile_path,
     )
+    return plan
 
 
 def _create_networks(
@@ -313,7 +328,6 @@ def _agent_run_argv(
         "container", "run",
         "--name", plan.container_name,
         "--detach",
-        "--rm",
         "--network", internal_network,
     ]
     for entry in _agent_env_entries(plan, sidecar_ip):
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/util.py b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/util.py
index 350ba3b..52ea20d 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/util.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/macos_container/util.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import ipaddress
 import platform
 import shutil
 import subprocess
+import tempfile
 import time
 from typing import Iterable
 
@@ -72,6 +73,53 @@ def build_image(ref: str, context: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
     subprocess.run(args, check=True)
 
 
+def commit_container(container_name: str, image_tag: str) -> None:
+    """Snapshot a running Apple Container as a local image.
+
+    `container export` requires a stopped container, but Apple Container
+    removes containers when they stop, making stop-then-export impossible.
+    Instead, exec into the running container as root and stream the root
+    filesystem out via tar, then build a new image from that archive.
+    The bottle continues running after commit.
+    """
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="bot-bottle-container-commit.") as tmp:
+        rootfs_tar = os.path.join(tmp, "rootfs.tar")
+        dockerfile = os.path.join(tmp, "Dockerfile")
+        with open(rootfs_tar, "wb") as tar_out:
+            result = subprocess.run(
+                [
+                    _CONTAINER, "exec",
+                    "--user", "root",
+                    container_name,
+                    "tar", "--create",
+                    "--exclude=./proc",
+                    "--exclude=./sys",
+                    "--exclude=./dev",
+                    "--exclude=./run",
+                    "--file=-",
+                    "--directory=/",
+                    ".",
+                ],
+                stdout=tar_out,
+                stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+                check=False,
+            )
+        if result.returncode != 0:
+            die(
+                f"container exec tar {container_name!r} failed: "
+                f"{(result.stderr or b'').decode().strip() or '<no stderr>'}"
+            )
+        with open(dockerfile, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            f.write(
+                "FROM scratch\n"
+                "ADD rootfs.tar /\n"
+                "USER node\n"
+                "WORKDIR /home/node\n"
+            )
+        build_image(image_tag, tmp, dockerfile=dockerfile)
+    info(f"committed {container_name!r} → {image_tag!r}")
+
+
 def _ensure_builder_dns() -> None:
     dns = dns_server()
     status = _builder_status()
@@ -218,6 +266,36 @@ def container_exists(name: str) -> bool:
     return name in {line.strip() for line in result.stdout.splitlines()}
 
 
+def container_is_running(name: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True if the named container is currently running.
+
+    `container list` without `--all` lists only running containers."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [_CONTAINER, "list", "--quiet"],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        check=False,
+    )
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        return False
+    return name in {line.strip() for line in result.stdout.splitlines()}
+
+
+def stop_container(name: str) -> None:
+    """Stop the named container without deleting it."""
+    result = subprocess.run(
+        [_CONTAINER, "stop", name],
+        capture_output=True,
+        text=True,
+        check=False,
+    )
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        die(
+            f"container stop {name!r} failed: "
+            f"{(result.stderr or '').strip() or '<no stderr>'}"
+        )
+
+
 def force_remove_container(name: str) -> None:
     if container_exists(name):
         subprocess.run(
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py
index ca3ff71..c278937 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/bottle.py
@@ -145,7 +145,12 @@ class SmolmachinesBottle(Bottle):
         script = exec_shell_script(agent_argv, self.terminal_title, self.terminal_color) if tty else None
         if script is None:
             return subprocess.run(agent_argv, check=False).returncode
-        return subprocess.run(["sh", "-lc", script], check=False).returncode
+        # Use sh -c (not -lc) so the script inherits PATH from the calling
+        # process. sh -l sources login-shell init files (e.g. /etc/profile)
+        # which may NOT include smolvm's location when it was installed via
+        # homebrew. The calling process (./cli.py) already has smolvm on PATH
+        # (provision steps succeed), so -c is sufficient.
+        return subprocess.run(["sh", "-c", script], check=False).returncode
 
     # smolvm/libkrun can SIGKILL an otherwise-normal exec during
     # early-VM provisioning. Retry once after a short settle so
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/freezer.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/freezer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1315008
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/freezer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+"""SmolmachinesFreezer — snapshot a smolmachines bottle.
+
+`smolvm pack create --from-vm` requires the VM to be stopped, and smolvm
+removes VMs when stopped (same issue as Apple Container). Instead, exec
+into the running VM as root to write a gzip-compressed tar of the root
+filesystem to /var/tmp, then copy it to the host with `smolvm machine cp`,
+build a Docker image from the archive, convert it to a smolmachine artifact
+via the existing registry pipeline, and record the sidecar path. The VM
+stays running throughout."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from .. import ActiveAgent
+from ..freeze import Freezer
+from ..docker import util as docker_mod
+from .local_registry import crane_push_tarball, ephemeral_registry
+from .smolvm import machine_cp, machine_exec, pack_create
+from ...bottle_state import bottle_state_dir
+from ...log import die, info
+
+
+# Temp file written inside the VM during commit. Lives in /var/tmp
+# (on-disk, unlike tmpfs /tmp) to survive for machine_cp.
+_VM_COMMIT_TAR = "/var/tmp/.bot-bottle-commit.tar.gz"
+
+
+class SmolmachinesFreezer(Freezer):
+    """Freezes a smolmachines bottle via exec-tar + Docker image + smolmachine pack.
+
+    The VM is NOT stopped. We exec into the running VM to write a compressed
+    tar of the root filesystem to /var/tmp, copy it to the host with
+    machine_cp, build a Docker image (Docker's ADD decompresses .tar.gz
+    automatically), then run the same image→registry→pack_create pipeline
+    that _ensure_smolmachine uses for fresh builds."""
+
+    backend_name = "smolmachines"
+
+    def _freeze(self, agent: ActiveAgent) -> str:
+        machine = f"bot-bottle-{agent.slug}"
+        image_ref = f"bot-bottle-committed-{agent.slug}:latest"
+        output_dir = bottle_state_dir(agent.slug)
+        output_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        binary = output_dir / "committed-smolmachine"
+        sidecar = output_dir / "committed-smolmachine.smolmachine"
+        _snapshot_running_vm(machine, image_ref, binary)
+        return str(sidecar)
+
+    def _export_hint(self, slug: str, image_ref: str) -> None:
+        info(f"to export for migration:      cp {image_ref} {slug}.smolmachine")
+
+
+def _snapshot_running_vm(machine: str, image_ref: str, binary: Path) -> None:
+    """Exec-tar the running VM, build a Docker image, and pack to a smolmachine.
+
+    binary:  destination for the launcher (sibling .smolmachine is the artifact
+             that machine_create --from consumes, same convention as pack_create).
+    """
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="bot-bottle-vm-commit.") as tmp:
+        tmp_path = Path(tmp)
+        # Use .tar.gz — Docker ADD decompresses automatically and the
+        # compressed archive fits in the VM's /var/tmp more easily.
+        rootfs_tar_gz = tmp_path / "rootfs.tar.gz"
+        dockerfile = tmp_path / "Dockerfile"
+
+        _exec_tar_to_file(machine, rootfs_tar_gz)
+
+        dockerfile.write_text(
+            "FROM scratch\n"
+            "ADD rootfs.tar.gz /\n"
+            "USER node\n"
+            "WORKDIR /home/node\n"
+        )
+        docker_mod.build_image(image_ref, str(tmp_path), dockerfile=str(dockerfile))
+
+    image_tarball = binary.parent / "committed.image.tar"
+    docker_mod.save(image_ref, str(image_tarball))
+    try:
+        with ephemeral_registry() as handle:
+            digest = docker_mod.image_id(image_ref).split(":", 1)[-1][:16]
+            push_ref = f"{handle.push_endpoint}/bot-bottle-committed:{digest}"
+            pack_ref = f"{handle.pull_endpoint}/bot-bottle-committed:{digest}"
+            crane_push_tarball(handle, str(image_tarball), push_ref)
+            pack_create(pack_ref, binary)
+    finally:
+        image_tarball.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
+
+def _exec_tar_to_file(machine: str, dest: Path) -> None:
+    """Snapshot the running VM's root filesystem to dest (.tar.gz).
+
+    Writes a gzip-compressed tar to _VM_COMMIT_TAR inside the VM via
+    machine_exec (same mechanism as provisioning), then copies it to the
+    host with machine_cp. This avoids binary-stdout piping through the
+    smolvm exec channel, which does not reliably handle large binary output.
+
+    A connectivity probe (machine_exec true) runs first so a concurrent-exec
+    limitation (smolvm may reject a second exec while -i -t is active) is
+    reported clearly rather than as a silent failure."""
+    # Connectivity probe — if smolvm rejects concurrent exec while an
+    # interactive session is running, fail clearly here.
+    probe = machine_exec(machine, ["true"])
+    if probe.returncode != 0:
+        die(
+            f"smolvm exec is not available for {machine!r} "
+            f"(exit {probe.returncode}: {probe.stderr.strip() or probe.stdout.strip() or '<no output>'}). "
+            f"If an interactive session is active, smolvm may not support concurrent exec."
+        )
+
+    # Create the compressed tar inside the VM.
+    # tar exits 1 when files change during archiving (normal for a live
+    # filesystem); only treat exit > 1 as fatal.
+    tar_result = machine_exec(
+        machine,
+        [
+            "tar", "--create", "--gzip",
+            "--exclude=./proc",
+            "--exclude=./sys",
+            "--exclude=./dev",
+            "--exclude=./run",
+            # /tmp and /var/tmp are ephemeral. Their stale contents
+            # (e.g. /tmp/claude-<uid>) have uid remapped by smolvm's
+            # pack process, causing Claude Code to refuse to use them
+            # on resume. Exclude both; _init_vm recreates them with
+            # mkdir -p + correct ownership on every boot.
+            "--exclude=./tmp",
+            "--exclude=./var/tmp",
+            f"--file={_VM_COMMIT_TAR}",
+            "--directory=/",
+            ".",
+        ],
+    )
+    if tar_result.returncode > 1:
+        die(
+            f"smolvm exec tar {machine!r} failed (exit {tar_result.returncode}): "
+            f"{tar_result.stderr.strip() or tar_result.stdout.strip() or '<no output>'}"
+        )
+
+    # Copy from VM to host, then clean up.
+    try:
+        machine_cp(f"{machine}:{_VM_COMMIT_TAR}", str(dest))
+    finally:
+        machine_exec(machine, ["rm", "-f", _VM_COMMIT_TAR])
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
index d1a8eda..e45fbbb 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py
@@ -40,8 +40,12 @@ from ..docker.git_gate import (
     GIT_GATE_HOOK_IN_CONTAINER,
 )
 from ...git_gate import revoke_git_gate_provisioned_keys
-from ...log import warn
-from ...bottle_state import egress_state_dir, git_gate_state_dir
+from ...log import info, warn
+from ...bottle_state import (
+    egress_state_dir,
+    git_gate_state_dir,
+    read_committed_image,
+)
 from . import loopback_alias as _loopback
 from . import sidecar_bundle as _bundle
 from . import smolvm as _smolvm
@@ -85,14 +89,7 @@ def launch(
         plan = _start_bundle(plan, network, loopback_ip, stack)
         plan = _discover_urls(plan, loopback_ip)
 
-        # Build the agent image and pack it into a `.smolmachine`
-        # artifact (or hit the per-Dockerfile-digest cache). Runs
-        # here, not in prepare, so the docker-build output doesn't
-        # garble the dashboard's preflight modal.
-        agent_from_path = _ensure_smolmachine(
-            plan.agent_image,
-            dockerfile=plan.agent_dockerfile_path,
-        )
+        agent_from_path = _agent_from_path(plan)
 
         _launch_vm(plan, agent_from_path, loopback_ip, stack)
         _init_vm(plan)
@@ -279,10 +276,16 @@ def _init_vm(plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan) -> None:
     All folded into one sh -c to avoid back-to-back exec calls
     immediately after machine_start (libkrun exec-channel race).
 
+    mkdir -p guards: when booting from a committed snapshot, /tmp and
+    /var/tmp are excluded from the archive (they're ephemeral and their
+    stale contents would have wrong uid after smolvm's uid remap). The
+    directories must be created before chown/chmod can set permissions.
+
     wait_exec_ready polls until the exec channel is ready for the
     subsequent provision calls, replacing the empirical sleep."""
     _smolvm.machine_exec(plan.machine_name, [
         "sh", "-c",
+        "mkdir -p /tmp /var/tmp && "
         "chown -R node:node /home/node && "
         "chown root:root /tmp /var/tmp && "
         "chmod 1777 /tmp /var/tmp",
@@ -386,6 +389,30 @@ def _resolve_token_env(
     return egress_resolve_token_values(plan.egress_plan.token_env_map, effective_env)
 
 
+def _agent_from_path(plan: SmolmachinesBottlePlan) -> Path:
+    """Return the `.smolmachine` artifact used for `machine create --from`.
+
+    Prefer a committed VM artifact when one is recorded and still
+    present. If the file was removed, fall back to the normal image
+    build + pack cache path.
+    """
+    committed = read_committed_image(plan.slug)
+    if committed:
+        committed_path = Path(committed)
+        if committed_path.is_file():
+            info(f"using committed smolmachine {str(committed_path)!r}")
+            return committed_path
+
+    # Build the agent image and pack it into a `.smolmachine`
+    # artifact (or hit the per-Dockerfile-digest cache). Runs here,
+    # not in prepare, so the docker-build output doesn't garble the
+    # dashboard's preflight modal.
+    return _ensure_smolmachine(
+        plan.agent_image,
+        dockerfile=plan.agent_dockerfile_path,
+    )
+
+
 def _ensure_smolmachine(image_ref: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> Path:
     """Build the agent docker image and convert it into a
     `.smolmachine` artifact, caching the result under
diff --git a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
index fc25573..d2dd280 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/smolvm.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ smolvm binary."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import json
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 import time
@@ -94,6 +95,16 @@ def pack_create(image: str, output: Path) -> None:
     _smolvm("pack", "create", "--image", image, "-o", str(output))
 
 
+def pack_create_from_vm(name: str, output: Path) -> None:
+    """`smolvm pack create --from-vm <name> -o <output>`.
+
+    Snapshots an existing persistent VM into a pack artifact. As
+    with `pack_create`, smolvm writes a launcher at `output` and the
+    bootable sidecar at `output.smolmachine`.
+    """
+    _smolvm("pack", "create", "--from-vm", name, "-o", str(output))
+
+
 # --- Machine lifecycle ---------------------------------------------------
 
 
@@ -143,6 +154,21 @@ def machine_create(
     _smolvm(*args)
 
 
+def machine_is_running(name: str) -> bool:
+    """Return True if the named VM is in the 'running' state."""
+    result = _smolvm("machine", "ls", "--json", check=False)
+    if result.returncode != 0:
+        return False
+    try:
+        machines = json.loads(result.stdout or "[]")
+    except ValueError:
+        return False
+    return any(
+        isinstance(m, dict) and m.get("name") == name and m.get("state") == "running"
+        for m in machines
+    )
+
+
 def machine_start(name: str) -> None:
     """`smolvm machine start --name NAME`."""
     _smolvm("machine", "start", "--name", name)
diff --git a/bot_bottle/bottle_state.py b/bot_bottle/bottle_state.py
index d7cb7de..93b671a 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/bottle_state.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/bottle_state.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ from . import supervise as _supervise
 # Directory layout: ~/.bot-bottle/state/<identity>/...
 _STATE_SUBDIR = "state"
 _PER_BOTTLE_DOCKERFILE_NAME = "Dockerfile"
+_COMMITTED_IMAGE_NAME = "committed-image"
 _TRANSCRIPT_SUBDIR = "transcript"
 # Per-sidecar scratch subdirs. PRD 0018 chunk 2: bind-mount sources
 # live here so chunk 3's `docker compose up` can find them at stable
@@ -179,6 +180,32 @@ def write_per_bottle_dockerfile(identity: str, content: str) -> Path:
     return p
 
 
+def committed_image_path(identity: str) -> Path:
+    return bottle_state_dir(identity) / _COMMITTED_IMAGE_NAME
+
+
+def write_committed_image(identity: str, image_tag: str) -> Path:
+    """Persist the committed image tag for `identity`. The next
+    `cli.py resume <identity>` will boot from this image instead of
+    rebuilding from the Dockerfile."""
+    path = committed_image_path(identity)
+    path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    path.write_text(image_tag.strip() + "\n")
+    path.chmod(0o644)
+    return path
+
+
+def read_committed_image(identity: str) -> str | None:
+    """Return the committed image tag for `identity`, or None if no
+    commit has been recorded. Used by the Docker launch step to skip
+    the Dockerfile build when a committed snapshot exists."""
+    path = committed_image_path(identity)
+    if not path.is_file():
+        return None
+    tag = path.read_text().strip()
+    return tag or None
+
+
 def per_bottle_image_tag(identity: str) -> str:
     """Image tag for a rebuilt bottle. Distinct from the base
     bot-bottle-claude:latest so per-bottle rebuilds don't collide in
@@ -314,6 +341,7 @@ __all__ = [
     "bottle_state_dir",
     "cleanup_state",
     "clear_preserve_marker",
+    "committed_image_path",
     "egress_state_dir",
     "git_gate_state_dir",
     "is_preserved",
@@ -323,9 +351,11 @@ __all__ = [
     "per_bottle_dockerfile_path",
     "per_bottle_image_tag",
     "preserve_marker_path",
+    "read_committed_image",
     "read_metadata",
     "supervise_state_dir",
     "transcript_snapshot_dir",
+    "write_committed_image",
     "write_metadata",
     "write_per_bottle_dockerfile",
 ]
diff --git a/bot_bottle/cli/__init__.py b/bot_bottle/cli/__init__.py
index a0ca633..879d067 100644
--- a/bot_bottle/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/bot_bottle/cli/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 """Main CLI dispatcher.
 
-Commands: cleanup, edit, info, init, list, resume, start, supervise
+Commands: cleanup, commit, edit, info, init, list, resume, start, supervise
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from ..manifest import ManifestError
 from ._common import PROG
 from . import list as _list_mod
 from .cleanup import cmd_cleanup
+from .commit import cmd_commit
 from .edit import cmd_edit
 from .info import cmd_info
 from .init import cmd_init
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ cmd_list = _list_mod.cmd_list
 
 COMMANDS = {
     "cleanup": cmd_cleanup,
+    "commit": cmd_commit,
     "edit": cmd_edit,
     "info": cmd_info,
     "init": cmd_init,
@@ -37,6 +39,7 @@ def usage() -> None:
     sys.stderr.write(f"usage: {PROG} <command> [args...]\n\n")
     sys.stderr.write("Commands:\n")
     sys.stderr.write("  cleanup   stop and remove all active bot-bottle containers\n")
+    sys.stderr.write("  commit    snapshot a running bottle's container state to a Docker image\n")
     sys.stderr.write("  edit      open an agent in vim for editing\n")
     sys.stderr.write("  info      print env, skills, and prompt details for a named agent\n")
     sys.stderr.write("  init      interactively create a new agent and add it to bot-bottle.json\n")
diff --git a/bot_bottle/cli/commit.py b/bot_bottle/cli/commit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d724bcc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bot_bottle/cli/commit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+"""commit: freeze a running bottle's state to a resumable artifact.
+
+Docker bottles are committed to a local Docker image. Macos-container
+bottles are exported and rebuilt as a local Apple Container image.
+Smolmachines bottles are packed from the running VM into a
+`.smolmachine` artifact. The resulting reference is stored in
+per-bottle state so the next `./cli.py resume <slug>` boots from the
+snapshot instead of rebuilding from the Dockerfile.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+
+from ..backend import enumerate_active_agents
+from ..backend.freeze import CommitCancelled, get_freezer
+from ..bottle_state import read_metadata
+from ..log import die
+from ._common import PROG
+from . import tui
+
+
+def cmd_commit(argv: list[str]) -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog=f"{PROG} commit", add_help=True)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "slug",
+        nargs="?",
+        default=None,
+        help=(
+            "bottle slug from `cli.py list active` "
+            "(omit to pick interactively)"
+        ),
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+
+    slug = args.slug
+    if slug is None:
+        active = enumerate_active_agents()
+        if not active:
+            die("no active bottles; start one with `./cli.py start`")
+        choices = [a.slug for a in active]
+        slug = tui.filter_select(choices, title="Select bottle to commit")
+        if slug is None:
+            return 0
+
+    metadata = read_metadata(slug)
+    backend = metadata.backend if metadata else ""
+
+    try:
+        get_freezer(backend).commit_slug(slug)
+    except CommitCancelled:
+        return 0
+    return 0
diff --git a/docs/prds/prd-new-commit-bottle-state.md b/docs/prds/prd-new-commit-bottle-state.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..93f6ef1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/prds/prd-new-commit-bottle-state.md
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+# PRD prd-new: Commit bottle state to an image
+
+- **Status:** Active
+- **Author:** Claude
+- **Created:** 2026-06-20
+- **Issue:** #194
+
+## Summary
+
+Add a `commit` CLI command that freezes a running bottle's state to a
+resumable local artifact. Docker bottles are stored as Docker images;
+smolmachines bottles are stored as `.smolmachine` artifacts. Operators
+can then resume the bottle from that exact filesystem snapshot, or
+export the artifact to migrate work to a different host.
+
+## Problem
+
+When a long-running agent session is interrupted — by a host reboot, a
+network failure, or a planned infrastructure migration — the in-progress
+container state is lost. `cli.py resume` rebuilds the agent image from
+the Dockerfile and reprovi-sions the bottle, but that returns the guest
+to its initial state, not to wherever the agent was mid-task.
+
+There is no mechanism today to capture "what's installed / configured
+inside the running container right now" and make it reproducible. The
+`capability-block` flow writes a new Dockerfile and marks the bottle for
+resume, but that only applies when the agent itself has requested a
+capability change; it doesn't help the operator who wants to take a
+snapshot before a planned host reboot or hardware migration.
+
+## Goals / Success Criteria
+
+- `./cli.py commit [<slug>]` takes a snapshot of the running agent and
+  stores it as a local artifact.
+- Without a slug argument the command shows the same interactive picker
+  as `start` (the list of active slugs).
+- The committed artifact reference is stored in per-bottle state so
+  that the next `./cli.py resume <slug>` automatically uses the
+  snapshot instead of rebuilding from the Dockerfile.
+- `mark_preserved` is called so the state dir survives the normal
+  session-end cleanup.
+- A backend-specific export hint is printed so operators know how to
+  migrate the snapshot.
+- The command errors clearly on unsupported backends.
+
+## Non-goals
+
+- macOS-container backend support.
+- Automatic commit on agent exit.
+- Image push to a remote registry.
+- Storing the image tag in the manifest or sharing it between operators.
+
+## Design
+
+### Docker image tag
+
+`bot-bottle-committed-<slug>:latest` — namespaced under `bot-bottle-`
+to match existing image naming conventions; `committed` distinguishes it
+from the build-time image (`bot-bottle-claude:latest`) and the
+capability-block rebuild image (`bot-bottle-rebuilt-<identity>:latest`).
+
+### State storage
+
+A new plain-text file `committed-image` is added to the per-bottle state
+directory:
+
+```
+~/.bot-bottle/state/<identity>/
+    metadata.json
+    Dockerfile            (capability-block override; optional)
+    committed-image       (committed artifact reference; optional)
+    transcript/
+```
+
+`bottle_state.committed_image_path(identity)` returns the path.
+`write_committed_image` / `read_committed_image` are the read/write
+helpers, matching the existing `per_bottle_dockerfile` pattern. Docker
+stores a Docker tag in this file; smolmachines stores the absolute path
+to the committed `.smolmachine` artifact.
+
+### `commit` command
+
+```
+./cli.py commit [<slug>]
+```
+
+1. Resolve slug (arg or interactive picker from `enumerate_active_agents`).
+2. Check metadata and branch by backend.
+3. For Docker, derive container name `bot-bottle-<slug>` and run
+   `docker commit <container> bot-bottle-committed-<slug>:latest`.
+4. For smolmachines, derive machine name `bot-bottle-<slug>` and run
+   `smolvm pack create --from-vm <machine> -o ~/.bot-bottle/state/<slug>/committed-smolmachine`.
+5. Write the Docker image tag or smolmachine artifact path to
+   `~/.bot-bottle/state/<slug>/committed-image`.
+6. Call `mark_preserved(<slug>)` so the state dir survives session-end.
+7. Print the resume hint and a backend-specific export example.
+
+### Resume from committed image
+
+`bot_bottle/backend/docker/launch.py` already rebuilds the agent image
+at the top of the `launch` context manager. The change is a check
+immediately before that step:
+
+```python
+committed = read_committed_image(plan.slug)
+if committed and docker_mod.image_exists(committed):
+    info(f"using committed image {committed!r}")
+    plan = dataclasses.replace(
+        plan,
+        agent_provision=dataclasses.replace(plan.agent_provision, image=committed),
+    )
+else:
+    docker_mod.build_image(plan.image, _REPO_DIR, dockerfile=plan.dockerfile_path)
+```
+
+Replacing `agent_provision.image` propagates to `plan.image` (a
+property) and from there to the Compose spec renderer's `_agent_service`
+→ `image:` field, so the container boots from the committed snapshot.
+The build step is skipped entirely when a committed image is found and
+exists locally.
+
+If the committed image has been deleted from the local daemon (e.g.
+after `docker rmi` or a `docker system prune`), the launch falls back
+to a normal Dockerfile build, matching the pre-commit behavior.
+
+### Resume from committed smolmachine
+
+`bot_bottle/backend/smolmachines/launch.py` checks the committed
+reference before the normal Docker build -> pack cache path:
+
+```python
+committed = read_committed_image(plan.slug)
+if committed and Path(committed).is_file():
+    return Path(committed)
+return _ensure_smolmachine(plan.agent_image, dockerfile=plan.agent_dockerfile_path)
+```
+
+The returned path is passed to `smolvm machine create --from`, so the
+resumed VM boots from the committed snapshot. If the artifact has been
+deleted, launch falls back to the normal build and pack flow.
+
+## Testing strategy
+
+- Unit tests for `write_committed_image` / `read_committed_image` in
+  `tests/unit/test_bottle_state.py`, using the existing `_FakeHomeMixin`
+  pattern.
+- Unit tests for `commit_container` in `tests/unit/test_docker_util_image.py`,
+  mocking `subprocess.run` and asserting on the `docker commit` argv.
+- Unit tests for `cmd_commit` argument parsing, Docker commit,
+  smolmachines pack, and the unsupported backend error path, mocking
+  `enumerate_active_agents`, `commit_container`, and
+  `pack_create_from_vm`.
+- Unit tests for the launch-step committed-image branch: patch
+  `read_committed_image` to return a tag, patch `image_exists` to return
+  True, and assert that `build_image` is not called and `plan.image` is
+  overridden.
+- Unit tests for the smolmachines launch-step committed-artifact branch:
+  patch `read_committed_image` to return an existing path and assert the
+  normal `_ensure_smolmachine` path is skipped.
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_backend_freezer.py b/tests/unit/test_backend_freezer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ed1cec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_backend_freezer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+"""Unit: Freezer class hierarchy."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from bot_bottle import supervise, bottle_state
+from bot_bottle.backend import ActiveAgent
+from bot_bottle.backend.freeze import get_freezer
+from bot_bottle.backend.docker.freezer import DockerFreezer
+from bot_bottle.backend.macos_container.freezer import MacosContainerFreezer
+from bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines.freezer import SmolmachinesFreezer
+
+
+class _FakeHomeMixin:
+    def _setup_fake_home(self):
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="freezer-test.")
+        original = supervise.bot_bottle_root
+
+        def fake_root() -> Path:
+            return Path(self._tmp.name) / ".bot-bottle"
+
+        supervise.bot_bottle_root = fake_root  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        self._restore = lambda: setattr(supervise, "bot_bottle_root", original)
+
+    def _teardown_fake_home(self):
+        self._restore()
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+
+def _make_agent(slug: str, backend: str = "docker") -> ActiveAgent:
+    return ActiveAgent(
+        backend_name=backend,
+        slug=slug,
+        agent_name="dev",
+        started_at="t",
+        services=(),
+    )
+
+
+class TestGetFreezer(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_docker(self):
+        self.assertIsInstance(get_freezer("docker"), DockerFreezer)
+
+    def test_empty_backend_gives_docker(self):
+        self.assertIsInstance(get_freezer(""), DockerFreezer)
+
+    def test_macos_container(self):
+        self.assertIsInstance(get_freezer("macos-container"), MacosContainerFreezer)
+
+    def test_smolmachines(self):
+        self.assertIsInstance(get_freezer("smolmachines"), SmolmachinesFreezer)
+
+    def test_unknown_backend_dies(self):
+        with patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.die", side_effect=SystemExit("die")):
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                get_freezer("unknown-backend")
+
+
+class TestFreezerBaseCommit(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    """The base Freezer.commit() owns the shared post-freeze steps."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def test_writes_committed_image_and_marks_preserved(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend="docker",
+        ))
+        freezer = get_freezer("docker")
+        agent = _make_agent(slug)
+
+        with patch.object(freezer, "_freeze", return_value="bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest"), \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.info"):
+            freezer.commit(agent)
+
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image(slug),
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(bottle_state.is_preserved(slug))
+
+    def test_commit_slug_passes_correct_slug_to_freeze(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend="docker",
+        ))
+        freezer = get_freezer("docker")
+        captured = {}
+
+        def capture_freeze(agent: ActiveAgent) -> str:
+            captured["slug"] = agent.slug
+            return "some-ref"
+
+        with patch.object(freezer, "_freeze", side_effect=capture_freeze), \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.info"):
+            freezer.commit_slug(slug)
+
+        self.assertEqual(slug, captured["slug"])
+
+
+class TestDockerFreezer(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def test_commits_container_and_records_image(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend="docker",
+        ))
+        freezer = DockerFreezer()
+        agent = _make_agent(slug)
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.backend.docker.freezer.commit_container") as mock_commit, \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.info"), \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.docker.freezer.info"):
+            freezer.commit(agent)
+
+        mock_commit.assert_called_once_with(
+            f"bot-bottle-{slug}",
+            f"bot-bottle-committed-{slug}:latest",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            f"bot-bottle-committed-{slug}:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image(slug),
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(bottle_state.is_preserved(slug))
+
+
+class TestMacosContainerFreezer(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def _write_meta(self, slug: str) -> None:
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend="macos-container",
+        ))
+
+    def test_commits_running_container_without_stopping(self):
+        """Commit should exec-tar the running container, not stop it."""
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug)
+        freezer = MacosContainerFreezer()
+        agent = _make_agent(slug, "macos-container")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.backend.macos_container.freezer.commit_container") as mock_commit, \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.info"), \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.macos_container.freezer.info"):
+            freezer.commit(agent)
+
+        mock_commit.assert_called_once_with(
+            f"bot-bottle-{slug}",
+            f"bot-bottle-committed-{slug}:latest",
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            f"bot-bottle-committed-{slug}:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image(slug),
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(bottle_state.is_preserved(slug))
+
+
+class TestSmolmachinesFreezer(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def _write_meta(self, slug: str) -> None:
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend="smolmachines",
+        ))
+
+    def test_snapshots_running_vm_without_stopping(self):
+        """Commit should exec-tar the running VM, not stop it."""
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug)
+        freezer = SmolmachinesFreezer()
+        agent = _make_agent(slug, "smolmachines")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines.freezer._snapshot_running_vm") as mock_snap, \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.freeze.info"), \
+             patch("bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines.freezer.info"):
+            freezer.commit(agent)
+
+        expected_binary = bottle_state.bottle_state_dir(slug) / "committed-smolmachine"
+        mock_snap.assert_called_once_with(
+            f"bot-bottle-{slug}",
+            f"bot-bottle-committed-{slug}:latest",
+            expected_binary,
+        )
+        expected_sidecar = str(expected_binary.with_suffix(".smolmachine"))
+        self.assertEqual(expected_sidecar, bottle_state.read_committed_image(slug))
+        self.assertTrue(bottle_state.is_preserved(slug))
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_bottle_state.py b/tests/unit/test_bottle_state.py
index acda6c9..8507b56 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_bottle_state.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_bottle_state.py
@@ -277,5 +277,56 @@ class TestBottleMetadataBackend(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual("", loaded.backend)
 
 
+class TestCommittedImage(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    """write_committed_image / read_committed_image round-trip."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def test_returns_none_when_absent(self):
+        self.assertIsNone(bottle_state.read_committed_image("dev"))
+
+    def test_write_then_read_roundtrip(self):
+        bottle_state.write_committed_image("dev", "bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image("dev"),
+        )
+
+    def test_strips_trailing_newline_on_read(self):
+        path = bottle_state.committed_image_path("dev")
+        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        path.write_text("bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest\n\n")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image("dev"),
+        )
+
+    def test_isolated_per_slug(self):
+        bottle_state.write_committed_image("dev", "bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest")
+        bottle_state.write_committed_image("api", "bot-bottle-committed-api:latest")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-dev:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image("dev"),
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-api:latest",
+            bottle_state.read_committed_image("api"),
+        )
+
+    def test_path_under_state_dir(self):
+        path = bottle_state.committed_image_path("dev")
+        self.assertTrue(str(path).endswith("/.bot-bottle/state/dev/committed-image"))
+
+    def test_empty_content_returns_none(self):
+        path = bottle_state.committed_image_path("dev")
+        path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        path.write_text("   \n")
+        self.assertIsNone(bottle_state.read_committed_image("dev"))
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_cli_commit.py b/tests/unit/test_cli_commit.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c88cc9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_cli_commit.py
@@ -0,0 +1,143 @@
+"""Unit: cli.py commit command."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+from bot_bottle.cli.commit import cmd_commit
+from bot_bottle import supervise
+from bot_bottle import bottle_state
+from bot_bottle.backend.freeze import CommitCancelled
+
+
+class _FakeHomeMixin:
+    def _setup_fake_home(self):
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="cli-commit-test.")
+        original = supervise.bot_bottle_root
+
+        def fake_root() -> Path:
+            return Path(self._tmp.name) / ".bot-bottle"
+
+        supervise.bot_bottle_root = fake_root  # type: ignore[assignment]
+        self._restore = lambda: setattr(supervise, "bot_bottle_root", original)
+
+    def _teardown_fake_home(self):
+        self._restore()
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+
+class TestCmdCommitSlugArg(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    """cmd_commit with an explicit slug delegates to get_freezer."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def _write_meta(self, slug: str, backend: str) -> None:
+        bottle_state.write_metadata(bottle_state.BottleMetadata(
+            identity=slug, agent_name="dev", cwd="", copy_cwd=False,
+            started_at="t", backend=backend,
+        ))
+
+    def test_commits_docker_bottle(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug, "docker")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.cli.commit.get_freezer") as mock_gf:
+            mock_freezer = MagicMock()
+            mock_gf.return_value = mock_freezer
+            rc = cmd_commit([slug])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+        mock_gf.assert_called_once_with("docker")
+        mock_freezer.commit_slug.assert_called_once_with(slug)
+
+    def test_empty_backend_passed_to_get_freezer(self):
+        """Old state dirs without a backend field pass '' to get_freezer."""
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug, "")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.cli.commit.get_freezer") as mock_gf:
+            mock_freezer = MagicMock()
+            mock_gf.return_value = mock_freezer
+            rc = cmd_commit([slug])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+        mock_gf.assert_called_once_with("")
+
+    def test_commits_macos_container_bottle(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug, "macos-container")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.cli.commit.get_freezer") as mock_gf:
+            mock_freezer = MagicMock()
+            mock_gf.return_value = mock_freezer
+            rc = cmd_commit([slug])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+        mock_gf.assert_called_once_with("macos-container")
+        mock_freezer.commit_slug.assert_called_once_with(slug)
+
+    def test_commits_smolmachines_bottle(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug, "smolmachines")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.cli.commit.get_freezer") as mock_gf:
+            mock_freezer = MagicMock()
+            mock_gf.return_value = mock_freezer
+            rc = cmd_commit([slug])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+        mock_gf.assert_called_once_with("smolmachines")
+
+    def test_returns_zero_on_commit_cancelled(self):
+        slug = "dev-abc12"
+        self._write_meta(slug, "macos-container")
+
+        with patch("bot_bottle.cli.commit.get_freezer") as mock_gf:
+            mock_freezer = MagicMock()
+            mock_freezer.commit_slug.side_effect = CommitCancelled
+            mock_gf.return_value = mock_freezer
+            rc = cmd_commit([slug])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+
+
+class TestCmdCommitNoActiveBottles(_FakeHomeMixin, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._setup_fake_home()
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._teardown_fake_home()
+
+    def test_dies_when_no_active_bottles_and_no_slug(self):
+        with patch(
+            "bot_bottle.cli.commit.enumerate_active_agents", return_value=[],
+        ), patch(
+            "bot_bottle.cli.commit.die", side_effect=SystemExit("die"),
+        ) as mock_die:
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                cmd_commit([])
+
+        mock_die.assert_called_once()
+
+    def test_returns_zero_when_picker_cancelled(self):
+        active = MagicMock()
+        active.slug = "dev-abc12"
+        with patch(
+            "bot_bottle.cli.commit.enumerate_active_agents", return_value=[active],
+        ), patch(
+            "bot_bottle.cli.commit.tui.filter_select", return_value=None,
+        ):
+            rc = cmd_commit([])
+
+        self.assertEqual(0, rc)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py b/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1152e63
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_docker_launch_committed_image.py
@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+"""Unit: Docker launch step uses committed image when available."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import contextlib
+import io
+import tempfile
+import unittest
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+from unittest import mock
+
+from bot_bottle.agent_provider import AgentProvisionPlan
+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
+from bot_bottle.git_gate import GitGatePlan
+from bot_bottle.manifest import ManifestIndex
+
+
+_SLUG = "dev-abc12"
+_COMMITTED_TAG = f"bot-bottle-committed-{_SLUG}:latest"
+_DEFAULT_IMAGE = "bot-bottle-claude:latest"
+
+_IDX = ManifestIndex.from_json_obj({
+    "bottles": {"dev": {}},
+    "agents": {"demo": {"skills": [], "prompt": "", "bottle": "dev"}},
+})
+
+
+def _plan(tmp: str) -> DockerBottlePlan:
+    stage = Path(tmp)
+    spec = BottleSpec(
+        manifest=_IDX,
+        agent_name="demo",
+        copy_cwd=False,
+        user_cwd=tmp,
+        identity=_SLUG,
+    )
+    return DockerBottlePlan(
+        spec=spec,
+        manifest=_IDX.load_for_agent("demo"),
+        stage_dir=stage,
+        git_gate_plan=GitGatePlan(
+            slug=_SLUG,
+            entrypoint_script=stage / "entrypoint.sh",
+            hook_script=stage / "hook.sh",
+            access_hook_script=stage / "access-hook.sh",
+            upstreams=(),
+        ),
+        egress_plan=EgressPlan(
+            slug=_SLUG,
+            routes_path=stage / "egress.yaml",
+            routes=(),
+            token_env_map={},
+        ),
+        supervise_plan=None,
+        agent_provision=AgentProvisionPlan(
+            template="claude",
+            command="claude",
+            prompt_mode="append_file",
+            image=_DEFAULT_IMAGE,
+            dockerfile="",
+            guest_home="/home/node",
+            instance_name=f"bot-bottle-{_SLUG}",
+            prompt_file=stage / "prompt.txt",
+            guest_env={},
+        ),
+        slug=_SLUG,
+        forwarded_env={},
+        use_runsc=False,
+    )
+
+
+class TestLaunchCommittedImage(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self) -> None:
+        self._tmp = tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix="launch-committed-test.")
+
+    def tearDown(self) -> None:
+        import shutil
+        shutil.rmtree(self._tmp, ignore_errors=True)
+
+    def _run_launch(
+        self,
+        plan: DockerBottlePlan,
+        *,
+        committed_tag: str | None = None,
+        image_present: bool = True,
+    ) -> list[str]:
+        """Drive launch() through its full sequence with the committed-image
+        behaviour controlled by the arguments. Returns the images that were
+        passed to `build_image` (empty list if it was never called)."""
+        built: list[str] = []
+
+        def fake_build(image: str, ctx: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
+            del ctx, dockerfile
+            built.append(image)
+
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "read_committed_image", return_value=committed_tag,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.docker_mod, "image_exists", return_value=image_present,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.docker_mod, "build_image", side_effect=fake_build,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "egress_tls_init",
+            return_value=(Path("/egress_ca"), Path("/egress_cert")),
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.network_mod, "network_name_for_slug",
+            return_value="bb-internal",
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.network_mod, "network_egress_name_for_slug",
+            return_value="bb-egress",
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "bottle_plan_to_compose",
+            return_value={"services": {"agent": {}}},
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "write_compose_file",
+            return_value=Path("/tmp/compose.yml"),
+        ), mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_up"), \
+           mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_dump_logs"), \
+           mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_down"), \
+           contextlib.redirect_stderr(io.StringIO()):
+            provision = mock.Mock(return_value=None)
+            with launch_mod.launch(plan, provision=provision):
+                pass
+
+        return built
+
+    def test_skips_build_when_committed_image_present(self) -> None:
+        plan = _plan(self._tmp)
+        built = self._run_launch(plan, committed_tag=_COMMITTED_TAG, image_present=True)
+        self.assertEqual([], built, "build_image should not be called when committed image exists")
+
+    def test_uses_committed_image_in_compose_spec(self) -> None:
+        """The compose spec renderer receives the committed image tag via
+        plan.image — captured here by checking what bottle_plan_to_compose
+        was called with."""
+        plan = _plan(self._tmp)
+        captured_plans: list[DockerBottlePlan] = []
+
+        def fake_compose(p: DockerBottlePlan) -> dict[str, Any]:
+            captured_plans.append(p)
+            return {"services": {"agent": {}}}
+
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "read_committed_image", return_value=_COMMITTED_TAG,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.docker_mod, "image_exists", return_value=True,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.docker_mod, "build_image",
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "egress_tls_init",
+            return_value=(Path("/egress_ca"), Path("/egress_cert")),
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.network_mod, "network_name_for_slug",
+            return_value="bb-internal",
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod.network_mod, "network_egress_name_for_slug",
+            return_value="bb-egress",
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "bottle_plan_to_compose", side_effect=fake_compose,
+        ), mock.patch.object(
+            launch_mod, "write_compose_file",
+            return_value=Path("/tmp/compose.yml"),
+        ), mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_up"), \
+           mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_dump_logs"), \
+           mock.patch.object(launch_mod, "compose_down"), \
+           contextlib.redirect_stderr(io.StringIO()):
+            provision = mock.Mock(return_value=None)
+            with launch_mod.launch(plan, provision=provision):
+                pass
+
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(captured_plans))
+        self.assertEqual(_COMMITTED_TAG, captured_plans[0].image)
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_build_when_no_committed_image(self) -> None:
+        plan = _plan(self._tmp)
+        built = self._run_launch(plan, committed_tag=None)
+        self.assertEqual([_DEFAULT_IMAGE], built)
+
+    def test_falls_back_to_build_when_committed_image_missing_from_daemon(self) -> None:
+        plan = _plan(self._tmp)
+        built = self._run_launch(
+            plan, committed_tag=_COMMITTED_TAG, image_present=False,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual([_DEFAULT_IMAGE], built)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_docker_util_image.py b/tests/unit/test_docker_util_image.py
index 67b5124..06acfde 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_docker_util_image.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_docker_util_image.py
@@ -67,5 +67,46 @@ class TestSave(unittest.TestCase):
         )
 
 
+class TestCommitContainer(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_runs_docker_commit(self):
+        with patch.object(
+            docker_mod.subprocess, "run", return_value=_ok(),
+        ) as run, patch.object(docker_mod, "info"):
+            docker_mod.commit_container(
+                "bot-bottle-dev-abc12",
+                "bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest",
+            )
+        argv = run.call_args.args[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [
+                "docker", "commit",
+                "bot-bottle-dev-abc12",
+                "bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest",
+            ],
+            argv,
+        )
+
+    def test_dies_on_docker_commit_failure(self):
+        with patch.object(
+            docker_mod.subprocess, "run", return_value=_fail("No such container"),
+        ), patch.object(
+            docker_mod, "die", side_effect=SystemExit("die"),
+        ) as die:
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                docker_mod.commit_container("missing-container", "some:tag")
+        die.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertIn("missing-container", die.call_args.args[0])
+
+    def test_die_message_includes_image_tag(self):
+        with patch.object(
+            docker_mod.subprocess, "run", return_value=_fail("boom"),
+        ), patch.object(
+            docker_mod, "die", side_effect=SystemExit("die"),
+        ) as die:
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                docker_mod.commit_container("ctr", "my-tag:v1")
+        self.assertIn("my-tag:v1", die.call_args.args[0])
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
index 415884a..d9ae81c 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_launch.py
@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@ from types import SimpleNamespace
 from typing import cast
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
+from bot_bottle.agent_provider import AgentProvisionPlan
+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
+from bot_bottle.git_gate import GitGatePlan
 from bot_bottle.manifest import ManifestIndex
 
 _MANIFEST = ManifestIndex.from_json_obj({
@@ -261,5 +265,80 @@ class TestMacosContainerLaunchArgv(unittest.TestCase):
         )
 
 
+def _build_plan(stage_dir: Path) -> MacosContainerBottlePlan:
+    return MacosContainerBottlePlan(
+        spec=cast(BottleSpec, SimpleNamespace()),
+        manifest=_MANIFEST,
+        stage_dir=stage_dir,
+        git_gate_plan=cast(GitGatePlan, SimpleNamespace(upstreams=())),
+        egress_plan=cast(EgressPlan, SimpleNamespace()),
+        supervise_plan=None,
+        agent_provision=AgentProvisionPlan(
+            template="claude",
+            command="claude",
+            prompt_mode="append_file",
+            image="bot-bottle-agent:latest",
+            dockerfile="/repo/Dockerfile",
+            guest_home="/home/node",
+            instance_name="bot-bottle-dev-abc",
+            prompt_file=stage_dir / "prompt.txt",
+            guest_env={},
+        ),
+        slug="dev-abc",
+        forwarded_env={},
+    )
+
+
+class TestMacosContainerLaunchCommittedImage(unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self._tmp = tempfile.TemporaryDirectory()
+        self.stage_dir = Path(self._tmp.name)
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self._tmp.cleanup()
+
+    def test_build_images_uses_committed_image_when_present(self):
+        plan = _build_plan(self.stage_dir)
+        calls = []
+
+        def fake_build(image: str, context: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
+            calls.append((image, context, dockerfile))
+
+        with patch.object(
+            launch, "read_committed_image",
+            return_value="bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc:latest",
+        ), patch.object(
+            launch.container_mod, "image_exists", return_value=True,
+        ), patch.object(
+            launch.container_mod, "build_image", side_effect=fake_build,
+        ), patch.object(launch, "info"):
+            updated = launch._build_images(plan)
+
+        self.assertEqual("bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc:latest", updated.image)
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual(launch.SIDECAR_BUNDLE_IMAGE, calls[0][0])
+
+    def test_build_images_builds_agent_when_committed_image_missing(self):
+        plan = _build_plan(self.stage_dir)
+        calls = []
+
+        def fake_build(image: str, context: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
+            calls.append((image, context, dockerfile))
+
+        with patch.object(
+            launch, "read_committed_image",
+            return_value="bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc:latest",
+        ), patch.object(
+            launch.container_mod, "image_exists", return_value=False,
+        ), patch.object(
+            launch.container_mod, "build_image", side_effect=fake_build,
+        ):
+            updated = launch._build_images(plan)
+
+        self.assertEqual("bot-bottle-agent:latest", updated.image)
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(calls))
+        self.assertEqual("bot-bottle-agent:latest", calls[1][0])
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_util.py b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_util.py
index 9789a29..9943163 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_macos_container_util.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_macos_container_util.py
@@ -73,6 +73,53 @@ resolver #2
         )
         self.assertTrue(run.call_args_list[-1].kwargs["check"])
 
+    def test_commit_container_execs_tar_and_builds_image(self):
+        # stderr is bytes because subprocess.run uses stderr=PIPE without text=True
+        completed = util.subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+            args=[], returncode=0, stdout=b"", stderr=b"",
+        )
+        dockerfile_text = ""
+
+        def fake_build_image(image_tag: str, context: str, *, dockerfile: str = "") -> None:
+            nonlocal dockerfile_text
+            with open(dockerfile, encoding="utf-8") as f:
+                dockerfile_text = f.read()
+
+        with patch.object(util.subprocess, "run", return_value=completed) as run, \
+             patch.object(util, "build_image", side_effect=fake_build_image) as build_image, \
+             patch.object(util, "info"):
+            util.commit_container(
+                "bot-bottle-dev-abc12",
+                "bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest",
+            )
+
+        argv = run.call_args.args[0]
+        self.assertEqual("container", argv[0])
+        self.assertEqual("exec", argv[1])
+        self.assertIn("bot-bottle-dev-abc12", argv)
+        self.assertIn("tar", argv)
+        self.assertIn("--directory=/", argv)
+        build_image.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertEqual(
+            "bot-bottle-committed-dev-abc12:latest",
+            build_image.call_args.args[0],
+        )
+        self.assertIn("ADD rootfs.tar /\n", dockerfile_text)
+        self.assertIn("USER node\n", dockerfile_text)
+        self.assertIn("WORKDIR /home/node\n", dockerfile_text)
+
+    def test_commit_container_dies_on_exec_tar_failure(self):
+        failed = util.subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+            args=[], returncode=1, stdout=b"", stderr=b"No such container",
+        )
+        with patch.object(util.subprocess, "run", return_value=failed), \
+             patch.object(util, "die", side_effect=SystemExit("die")) as die:
+            with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
+                util.commit_container("missing-container", "some:tag")
+
+        die.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertIn("missing-container", die.call_args.args[0])
+
     def test_build_image_restarts_builder_when_dns_mismatches(self):
         status = util.subprocess.CompletedProcess(
             args=[],
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_launch_image.py b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_launch_image.py
index add3fab..e767089 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_launch_image.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_launch_image.py
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 import tempfile
 import unittest
 from pathlib import Path
+from types import SimpleNamespace
+from typing import Any, cast
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines import launch as _launch_mod
@@ -141,5 +143,46 @@ class TestEnsureSmolmachine(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(str(pack_args[1]).endswith(f"{digest}.smolmachine"))
 
 
+class TestAgentFromPath(unittest.TestCase):
+    def _plan(self) -> Any:
+        return cast(Any, SimpleNamespace(
+            slug="dev-abc12",
+            agent_image="bot-bottle-claude:latest",
+            agent_dockerfile_path="/repo/Dockerfile",
+        ))
+
+    def test_uses_committed_artifact_when_present(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory(prefix="committed-smolmachine.") as tmp:
+            artifact = Path(tmp) / "committed-smolmachine.smolmachine"
+            artifact.write_text("")
+            with patch.object(
+                _launch_mod, "read_committed_image", return_value=str(artifact),
+            ), patch.object(
+                _launch_mod, "_ensure_smolmachine",
+            ) as ensure, patch.object(
+                _launch_mod, "info",
+            ):
+                result = _launch_mod._agent_from_path(self._plan())
+
+        self.assertEqual(artifact, result)
+        ensure.assert_not_called()
+
+    def test_falls_back_when_committed_artifact_missing(self):
+        packed = Path("/cache/agent.smolmachine")
+        with patch.object(
+            _launch_mod, "read_committed_image",
+            return_value="/missing/committed.smolmachine",
+        ), patch.object(
+            _launch_mod, "_ensure_smolmachine", return_value=packed,
+        ) as ensure:
+            result = _launch_mod._agent_from_path(self._plan())
+
+        self.assertEqual(packed, result)
+        ensure.assert_called_once_with(
+            "bot-bottle-claude:latest",
+            dockerfile="/repo/Dockerfile",
+        )
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
index e693c57..9d17f5b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_smolmachines_smolvm.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines.smolvm import (
     machine_start,
     machine_stop,
     pack_create,
+    pack_create_from_vm,
     wait_exec_ready,
 )
 
@@ -63,6 +64,17 @@ class TestArgvShapes(unittest.TestCase):
             argv,
         )
 
+    def test_pack_create_from_vm_argv(self):
+        with self._patch_run() as m:
+            pack_create_from_vm("bot-bottle-dev-abc12", Path("/tmp/committed"))
+        argv = m.call_args.args[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            ["smolvm", "pack", "create",
+             "--from-vm", "bot-bottle-dev-abc12",
+             "-o", "/tmp/committed"],
+            argv,
+        )
+
     def test_machine_create_minimal(self):
         with self._patch_run() as m:
             machine_create("agent-xyz")
@@ -193,6 +205,14 @@ class TestErrorPath(unittest.TestCase):
             with self.assertRaises(SmolvmError):
                 pack_create("missing:tag", Path("/tmp/out"))
 
+    def test_pack_create_from_vm_failure_raises(self):
+        with patch(
+            "bot_bottle.backend.smolmachines.smolvm.subprocess.run",
+            return_value=_fail("pack failed"),
+        ):
+            with self.assertRaises(SmolvmError):
+                pack_create_from_vm("bot-bottle-dev-abc12", Path("/tmp/out"))
+
     def test_exec_failure_returns_result(self):
         # The in-VM command's exit code is what Bottle.exec sees;
         # `false` exiting non-zero is not a smolvm failure.