diff --git a/crates/ecrou/src/krun.rs b/crates/ecrou/src/krun.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..395e9bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/ecrou/src/krun.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,367 @@
+//! Runtime bindings to libkrun's stable C ABI.
+//!
+//! The library (`libkrun.so.1`) loads through dlopen so a missing
+//! install is a remediation message rather than a link error. The
+//! symbol signatures mirror the `stable-1.19.x` headers; the main
+//! branch is mid-rewrite to a vtable API and is not the target.
+//!
+//! The founding rule holds for this module too: libkrun's VMM runs in
+//! our process and touches only files, sockets, and `/dev/kvm`, all
+//! inside the confinement budget (SPEC.md).
+
+use std::ffi::{c_char, CString};
+use std::os::unix::ffi::OsStrExt;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use anyhow::{anyhow, Context, Result};
+
+use crate::Error;
+
+/// The ABI version libkrun reports for a working `/dev/kvm`
+/// (`KVM_GET_API_VERSION`, the first request of the KVMIO range).
+const KVM_GET_API_VERSION: libc::c_ulong = 0xAE00;
+const KVM_API_VERSION_EXPECTED: libc::c_int = 12;
+
+pub const SONAME: &str = "libkrun.so.1";
+
+/// Remediation shown when libkrun cannot be loaded: distro packaging is
+/// still sparse (Fedora carries it; Debian and Ubuntu do not yet).
+const LOAD_REMEDIATION: &str = "install libkrun, or point LD_LIBRARY_PATH \
+at the directory holding it (a snap stages it next to the binary)";
+
+macro_rules! symbol {
+    ($lib:expr, $name:expr, $ty:ty) => {{
+        // Safety: the symbol is used through the library handle with the
+        // signature from libkrun.h written at the call site.
+        unsafe { $lib.get::<$ty>($name) }.with_context(|| {
+            format!(
+                "symbol {} missing: libkrun too old?",
+                String::from_utf8_lossy($name)
+            )
+        })?
+    }};
+}
+
+/// Map a negative libkrun return (a negated errno) onto an error.
+fn krun_ret(ret: i32, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    if ret < 0 {
+        Err(anyhow::Error::from(std::io::Error::from_raw_os_error(-ret)))
+            .with_context(|| format!("{name} failed"))
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+/// An open libkrun library handle. Methods map one-to-one onto the C
+/// API; negative returns become errno errors with the symbol named.
+pub struct Krun {
+    lib: libloading::Library,
+}
+
+impl Krun {
+    /// dlopen libkrun, failing with the install remediation.
+    pub fn load() -> Result<Self> {
+        // Safety: dlopen of a fixed SONAME; the handle lives in `self`
+        // and every symbol below is used through it.
+        let lib = unsafe { libloading::Library::new(SONAME) }
+            .with_context(|| format!("cannot load {SONAME}: {LOAD_REMEDIATION}"))?;
+        Ok(Krun { lib })
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_log_level`
+    pub fn set_log_level(&self, level: u32) -> Result<()> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_log_level\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32) -> i32
+        );
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(level) }, "krun_set_log_level")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_create_ctx`, returning the new context id.
+    pub fn create_ctx(&self) -> Result<u32> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_create_ctx\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn() -> i32
+        );
+        let ret = unsafe { f() };
+        if ret < 0 {
+            krun_ret(ret, "krun_create_ctx")?;
+            unreachable!("krun_create_ctx returns a ctx id or a negative errno");
+        }
+        Ok(ret as u32)
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_free_ctx`
+    pub fn free_ctx(&self, ctx_id: u32) -> Result<()> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_free_ctx\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32) -> i32
+        );
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id) }, "krun_free_ctx")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_vm_config`
+    pub fn set_vm_config(&self, ctx_id: u32, vcpus: u8, ram_mib: u32) -> Result<()> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_vm_config\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, u8, u32) -> i32
+        );
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id, vcpus, ram_mib) }, "krun_set_vm_config")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_root`: the virtiofs share that becomes the guest root.
+    pub fn set_root(&self, ctx_id: u32, root: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+        let root_c = path_cstring(root)?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_root\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, *const c_char) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: root_c is NUL-terminated and outlives the call.
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id, root_c.as_ptr()) }, "krun_set_root")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_add_virtiofs`: an extra tagged share, mounted guest-side.
+    pub fn add_virtiofs(&self, ctx_id: u32, tag: &str, path: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+        let tag_c = CString::new(tag).context("share tag contains a NUL")?;
+        let path_c = path_cstring(path)?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_add_virtiofs\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, *const c_char, *const c_char) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: both CStrings are NUL-terminated and outlive the call.
+        krun_ret(
+            unsafe { f(ctx_id, tag_c.as_ptr(), path_c.as_ptr()) },
+            "krun_add_virtiofs",
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_workdir`
+    pub fn set_workdir(&self, ctx_id: u32, workdir: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        let workdir_c = CString::new(workdir).context("workdir contains a NUL")?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_workdir\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, *const c_char) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: workdir_c is NUL-terminated and outlives the call.
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id, workdir_c.as_ptr()) }, "krun_set_workdir")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_exec`: the payload path (relative to the guest root),
+    /// its argv, and its envp. A NULL envp would inherit the host
+    /// environment, which ecrou never does; callers always pass one.
+    pub fn set_exec(
+        &self,
+        ctx_id: u32,
+        exec_path: &str,
+        argv: &[String],
+        envp: &[String],
+    ) -> Result<()> {
+        let path_c = CString::new(exec_path).context("exec path contains a NUL")?;
+        let argv_c = CArgs::build(argv)?;
+        let envp_c = CArgs::build(envp)?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_exec\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(
+                u32,
+                *const c_char,
+                *const *const c_char,
+                *const *const c_char,
+            ) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: path_c and both pointer arrays are NUL-terminated and
+        // outlive the call; the pointed-to CStrings live in the CArgs
+        // values held across it.
+        krun_ret(
+            unsafe { f(ctx_id, path_c.as_ptr(), argv_c.ptr(), envp_c.ptr()) },
+            "krun_set_exec",
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_env`: extra environment for the payload.
+    pub fn set_env(&self, ctx_id: u32, envp: &[String]) -> Result<()> {
+        let envp_c = CArgs::build(envp)?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_env\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, *const *const c_char) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: envp_c is NUL-terminated and outlives the call.
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id, envp_c.ptr()) }, "krun_set_env")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_set_console_output`: redirect the guest console to a file.
+    pub fn set_console_output(&self, ctx_id: u32, path: &Path) -> Result<()> {
+        let path_c = path_cstring(path)?;
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_set_console_output\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32, *const c_char) -> i32
+        );
+        // Safety: path_c is NUL-terminated and outlives the call.
+        krun_ret(
+            unsafe { f(ctx_id, path_c.as_ptr()) },
+            "krun_set_console_output",
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_start_enter`: enter the VM loop on the calling thread.
+    /// Blocks until the guest powers off.
+    pub fn start_enter(&self, ctx_id: u32) -> Result<()> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_start_enter\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn(u32) -> i32
+        );
+        krun_ret(unsafe { f(ctx_id) }, "krun_start_enter")
+    }
+
+    /// `krun_check_nested_virt`: true when nested virtualization is
+    /// available.
+    pub fn check_nested_virt(&self) -> Result<bool> {
+        let f = symbol!(
+            self.lib,
+            b"krun_check_nested_virt\0",
+            unsafe extern "C" fn() -> i32
+        );
+        let ret = unsafe { f() };
+        if ret < 0 {
+            krun_ret(ret, "krun_check_nested_virt")?;
+            unreachable!("krun_check_nested_virt returns 0/1 or a negative errno");
+        }
+        Ok(ret == 1)
+    }
+}
+
+/// NUL-terminated pointer array for argv/envp-style C arguments. The
+/// strings live as long as the value, so the caller holds it across the
+/// FFI call.
+struct CArgs {
+    // Holds the CStrings the pointer array points into; never read
+    // directly, but dropping it would dangle every pointer.
+    #[allow(dead_code)]
+    strings: Vec<CString>,
+    ptrs: Vec<*const c_char>,
+}
+
+impl CArgs {
+    fn build(items: &[String]) -> Result<Self> {
+        let strings = items
+            .iter()
+            .map(|s| CString::new(s.as_str()).context("argument contains a NUL"))
+            .collect::<Result<Vec<_>>>()?;
+        let mut ptrs = strings.iter().map(|c| c.as_ptr()).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        ptrs.push(std::ptr::null());
+        Ok(CArgs { strings, ptrs })
+    }
+
+    fn ptr(&self) -> *const *const c_char {
+        self.ptrs.as_ptr()
+    }
+}
+
+fn path_cstring(path: &Path) -> Result<CString> {
+    CString::new(path.as_os_str().as_bytes())
+        .with_context(|| format!("path contains a NUL: {}", path.display()))
+}
+
+/// Probe KVM the crun way: open `/dev/kvm` read-write, then check
+/// `KVM_GET_API_VERSION` returns 12.
+pub fn kvm_probe() -> Result<()> {
+    use std::os::unix::io::AsRawFd;
+    let file = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .read(true)
+        .write(true)
+        .open("/dev/kvm")
+        .map_err(|err| anyhow::Error::from(err).context(Error::KvmUnavailable.to_string()))?;
+    // Safety: the fd is open and an ioctl on /dev/kvm with
+    // KVM_GET_API_VERSION reads nothing; only the kernel writes the int
+    // return.
+    let ret = unsafe { libc::ioctl(file.as_raw_fd(), KVM_GET_API_VERSION) };
+    if ret != KVM_API_VERSION_EXPECTED {
+        return Err(anyhow!(
+            "/dev/kvm reports API version {}, expected {}; the kernel module \
+             and the userspace disagree",
+            ret,
+            KVM_API_VERSION_EXPECTED
+        ));
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+/// True when a KVM probe passes; `ecrou probe` and tests use this.
+pub fn kvm_available() -> bool {
+    kvm_probe().is_ok()
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn kvm_probe_constant_matches_kvm_abi() {
+        // KVMIO base 0xAE; KVM_GET_API_VERSION is the first request.
+        assert_eq!(KVM_GET_API_VERSION, 0xAE00);
+        assert_eq!(KVM_API_VERSION_EXPECTED, 12);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn kvm_probe_reports_unavailability_or_works() {
+        match kvm_probe() {
+            Ok(()) => {}
+            Err(err) => {
+                let msg = format!("{err:#}");
+                assert!(msg.contains("/dev/kvm"), "unhelpful probe error: {msg}");
+                assert!(msg.contains("usermod"), "remediation missing: {msg}");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn load_fails_with_remediation_or_round_trips() {
+        match Krun::load() {
+            Ok(krun) => {
+                // A real libkrun: context create/free round-trips.
+                let ctx = krun.create_ctx().expect("create_ctx on real libkrun");
+                krun.free_ctx(ctx).expect("free_ctx");
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                let msg = format!("{err:#}");
+                assert!(msg.contains(SONAME), "bad load error: {msg}");
+                assert!(
+                    msg.contains("LD_LIBRARY_PATH"),
+                    "remediation missing: {msg}"
+                );
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ptr_array_is_null_terminated() {
+        let args = CArgs::build(&["a".to_string(), "b".to_string()]).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(args.ptrs.len(), 3);
+        assert!(args.ptrs[2].is_null());
+        assert_eq!(args.strings[0].to_str().unwrap(), "a");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ptr_array_rejects_nul_bytes() {
+        let items = vec!["bad\0arg".to_string()];
+        assert!(CArgs::build(&items).is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn krun_ret_maps_negated_errno() {
+        let err = krun_ret(-2, "krun_set_root").unwrap_err();
+        let msg = format!("{err:#}");
+        assert!(msg.contains("krun_set_root failed"), "{msg}");
+        assert!(msg.contains("No such file"), "{msg}");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/ecrou/src/lib.rs b/crates/ecrou/src/lib.rs
index 5a957b6..0b60b12 100644
--- a/crates/ecrou/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/ecrou/src/lib.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ pub mod distro;
 pub mod download;
 pub mod error;
 pub mod extract;
+pub mod krun;
 pub mod progress;
 pub mod rootfs;
 pub mod utils;