diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7a77fe0a84e..da9ce3ff05c 100755
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ test-harness:
 .PHONY: test-docker-quick
 test-docker-quick: test-docker-fast
 
-.PHONY: bootstrap-inventory bootstrap-profile bootstrap-aot-lint bootstrap-aot-link bootstrap-aot-link-lib bootstrap-selfhost-probe bootstrap-selfhost-link bootstrap-selfhost-compile-smoke bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld bootstrap-loop-gen1-link bootstrap-loop-probe bootstrap-loop-probe-dry bootstrap-wave-check
+.PHONY: bootstrap-inventory bootstrap-profile bootstrap-aot-lint bootstrap-aot-link bootstrap-aot-link-lib bootstrap-selfhost-probe bootstrap-selfhost-link bootstrap-selfhost-compile-smoke bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld bootstrap-loop-gen1-link bootstrap-loop-probe bootstrap-loop-probe-dry bootstrap-wave-check
 bootstrap-inventory:
 	php script/bootstrap-inventory.php
 bootstrap-profile: bootstrap-inventory
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ bootstrap-selfhost-compile-smoke-run:
 	./script/bootstrap-selfhost-compile-smoke-run.sh
 bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke:
 	./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke-link.sh
+bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke:
+	./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh
 bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld:
 	./script/bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld-probe.sh
 bootstrap-loop-gen1-link:
diff --git a/docs/bootstrap-selfhost.md b/docs/bootstrap-selfhost.md
index 781499e0584..cd16d84f94a 100644
--- a/docs/bootstrap-selfhost.md
+++ b/docs/bootstrap-selfhost.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 | Self-host native link | `./script/bootstrap-selfhost-link.sh` | ✅ `build/selfhost` prints `compiler_minimal bundle OK` ([#557](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/557), [#913](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/913)) |
 | M2 lib spine smoke lint | `php bin/compile.php -l test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php` | ✅ **582** units ([#1492](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/1492), [#1419](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/1419)
 | M2 lib spine smoke native run | `./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke-link.sh` or `BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE=1 make bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke` | ✅ `build/selfhost-lib-spine-smoke` prints `compiler_lib_spine_smoke bundle OK` |
+| M2 lib spine VM `-r` smoke | `./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh` or `BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE=1 make bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke` | ✅ same binary + `PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE=1` prints `vm-spine-ok` ([#1846](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/1846); CI opt-in `BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE_GATE=1`) |
 | M3 HelloWorld self-host probe lint | `php bin/compile.php -l test/selfhost/compiler_helloworld_smoke/main.php` | ✅ `compiler_compile_smoke` spine + `helloworld_compile_smoke` driver (linkable) |
 | M3 HelloWorld compile driver lint | `php bin/compile.php -l test/selfhost/compiler_helloworld_smoke/compile_driver.php` | ✅ `Runtime::parseAndCompile` + mode-file dispatch (native link opt-in) |
 | M3 HelloWorld self-host probe | `./script/bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld-probe.sh` or `make bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld` | 🚧 **partial** — bundle link ✅; HelloWorld AOT **run** native ✅; **emit uses Zend fallback** until native runtime compile passes ([#1492](https://github.com/PurHur/php-compiler/issues/1492); probe sets `M3_NATIVE_COMPILE=1` / `emit_path=native` only on selfhost compile-driver success; `BOOTSTRAP_M3_HELLOWORLD_STRICT=1` fails without fallback — see [bootstrap-m5-fast-path.md](bootstrap-m5-fast-path.md)) |
diff --git a/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh b/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..ce16f9a6960
--- /dev/null
+++ b/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# M2 lib spine VM -r smoke: reuse build/selfhost-lib-spine-smoke, run bin/vm.php -r echo path (#1846).
+set -euo pipefail
+ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
+OUT="${ROOT}/build/selfhost-lib-spine-smoke"
+LINK="${ROOT}/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke-link.sh"
+# shellcheck source=php-env.sh
+source "$(dirname "$0")/php-env.sh"
+ci_apply_llvm_memory_env
+
+if [[ -z "${PHP_COMPILER_LLVM_PATH:-}" || ! -f "${PHP_COMPILER_LLVM_PATH}/libLLVM-9.so.1" ]]; then
+  echo "bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke: LLVM 9 not found (skip)" >&2
+  exit 2
+fi
+
+if [[ ! -x "${OUT}" ]]; then
+  "${LINK}"
+else
+  # Re-link when spine entry is newer than the native binary.
+  ENTRY="${ROOT}/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php"
+  if [[ "${ENTRY}" -nt "${OUT}" ]]; then
+    "${LINK}"
+  fi
+fi
+
+test -x "${OUT}"
+out="$({ PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE=1 "${OUT}"; })"
+if ! grep -q 'vm-spine-ok' <<< "${out}"; then
+  echo "bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke: unexpected stdout (want vm-spine-ok)" >&2
+  printf '%s\n' "${out}" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+echo "bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke: OK ${OUT}"
diff --git a/script/bootstrap-wave-check.sh b/script/bootstrap-wave-check.sh
index 0bc3f28ae0a..394810610ae 100755
--- a/script/bootstrap-wave-check.sh
+++ b/script/bootstrap-wave-check.sh
@@ -8,10 +8,14 @@ ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd)"
 FAIL_FAST=0
 WITH_COMPILE_SMOKE=0
 WITH_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE=0
+WITH_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE=0
 WITH_HELLOWORLD=0
 if [[ "${BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
   WITH_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE=1
 fi
+if [[ "${BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
+  WITH_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE=1
+fi
 if [[ "${BOOTSTRAP_M3_HELLOWORLD:-0}" == "1" ]]; then
   WITH_HELLOWORLD=1
 fi
@@ -26,6 +30,9 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
     --with-lib-spine-smoke)
       WITH_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE=1
       ;;
+    --with-lib-spine-vm-smoke)
+      WITH_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE=1
+      ;;
     --with-helloworld)
       WITH_HELLOWORLD=1
       ;;
@@ -107,6 +114,11 @@ if [[ "${WITH_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE}" -eq 1 ]]; then
   print_summary
 fi
 
+if [[ "${WITH_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE}" -eq 1 ]]; then
+  run_step "selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke" ./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh
+  print_summary
+fi
+
 if [[ "${WITH_HELLOWORLD}" -eq 1 ]]; then
   run_step "selfhost-helloworld-probe" ./script/bootstrap-selfhost-helloworld-probe.sh
   print_summary
diff --git a/script/ci-common.sh b/script/ci-common.sh
index c33ce5c1c33..25bc4140ccd 100644
--- a/script/ci-common.sh
+++ b/script/ci-common.sh
@@ -221,6 +221,19 @@ ci_run_bootstrap_selfhost_probe() {
   "$_CI_SCRIPT_DIR/bootstrap-selfhost-compile-probe.sh" "${probe_args[@]}"
 }
 
+# M2 lib spine VM -r smoke (issue #1846); default off until green in llvm tail.
+ci_run_bootstrap_lib_spine_vm_smoke() {
+  if [[ "${BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE_GATE:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  if ! ci_llvm_ready; then
+    echo "bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke: skipped (LLVM 9 not available)"
+    return 0
+  fi
+  echo "bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke (BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE_GATE=1, issue #1846)..."
+  "$_CI_SCRIPT_DIR/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh"
+}
+
 # M4 bootstrap-loop dry-run probe (issue #1777, #1498); default off until M3 strict is stable.
 ci_run_bootstrap_loop_probe() {
   if [[ "${BOOTSTRAP_LOOP_PROBE_GATE:-0}" != "1" ]]; then
diff --git a/script/ci-defaults.env b/script/ci-defaults.env
index 1577e38f560..c13539a69f9 100755
--- a/script/ci-defaults.env
+++ b/script/ci-defaults.env
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export DEPLOY_SMOKE_GATE="${DEPLOY_SMOKE_GATE:-1}"
 export DEPLOY_SMOKE_003_EXECUTE="${DEPLOY_SMOKE_003_EXECUTE:-1}"  # default on (#1530)
 export BOOTSTRAP_SELFHOST_PROBE_UPDATE="${BOOTSTRAP_SELFHOST_PROBE_UPDATE:-0}"
 export BOOTSTRAP_LOOP_PROBE_GATE="${BOOTSTRAP_LOOP_PROBE_GATE:-0}"
+export BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE_GATE="${BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE_GATE:-0}"
 export CAPABILITY_SYNTAX_CHECK="${CAPABILITY_SYNTAX_CHECK:-1}"
 export M2_SPINE_ISSUE_HYGIENE_GATE="${M2_SPINE_ISSUE_HYGIENE_GATE:-1}"  # default on (#1819); opt-out for bulk spine PRs
 export WAVE3_ROADMAP_SYNC_GATE="${WAVE3_ROADMAP_SYNC_GATE:-1}"  # default on (#1814); opt-out WAVE3_ROADMAP_SYNC_GATE=0 for doc-only iteration
diff --git a/script/ci-local.sh b/script/ci-local.sh
index 72b60c2b160..e5aa1ae3cb3 100755
--- a/script/ci-local.sh
+++ b/script/ci-local.sh
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ if ci_llvm_ready; then
   ci_run_bootstrap_aot_lint
   BOOTSTRAP_SELFHOST_PROBE_GATE="${BOOTSTRAP_SELFHOST_PROBE_GATE:-1}" ci_run_bootstrap_selfhost_probe
   ci_run_bootstrap_loop_probe
+  ci_run_bootstrap_lib_spine_vm_smoke
 
   if ci_should_run_jit; then
     echo "PHPUnit: AOT lint only (@group aot-lint)..."
diff --git a/src/cli_driver.php b/src/cli_driver.php
index 76c7b30557c..a2bf022a123 100644
--- a/src/cli_driver.php
+++ b/src/cli_driver.php
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ function php_compiler_cli_should_skip_entry_driver(): bool
 if (
     (defined('PHP_COMPILER_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE') && PHP_COMPILER_LIB_SPINE_SMOKE)
     || php_compiler_cli_should_skip_entry_driver()
+    || ('1' === getenv('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE') || 'true' === strtolower((string) getenv('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE')))
 ) {
     return;
 }
diff --git a/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php b/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php
index 64bdec8b29c..8259b472c70 100644
--- a/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php
+++ b/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
  * M2 lib spine smoke: compiler_minimal closure plus vm.php-path lib and ext/standard units (issue #1056).
  * Gate: php bin/compile.php -l test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php
  * Native: ./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke-link.sh
+ * VM -r: ./script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh (#1846)
  */
 
 require_once __DIR__.'/../../../lib/AOT/ProjectGraph.php';
@@ -593,5 +594,11 @@
 require_once __DIR__.'/../../../src/yay-php8-compat.php';
 // src/cli.php + compat shims — deferred (#1467): String_.php JIT link failure when bundled; cli_driver split ready for M4.
 // bin/vm.php — deferred (#1423 M4): entry pulls src/cli.php + vendor/autoload argv driver; bundle vm_run_smoke.php instead.
+require_once __DIR__.'/../../../test/bootstrap-aot/vm_run_smoke.php';
 
-echo "compiler_lib_spine_smoke bundle OK\n";
+$vmSpineSmoke = getenv('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE');
+if ('1' === $vmSpineSmoke || 'true' === strtolower((string) $vmSpineSmoke)) {
+    vm_run_smoke('Command line code', '<?php echo "vm-spine-ok\n";', []);
+} else {
+    echo "compiler_lib_spine_smoke bundle OK\n";
+}
diff --git a/test/unit/BootstrapLibSpineVmSmokeTest.php b/test/unit/BootstrapLibSpineVmSmokeTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..2548e828c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/BootstrapLibSpineVmSmokeTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace PHPCompiler;
+
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+
+/** @group aot-lint */
+final class BootstrapLibSpineVmSmokeTest extends TestCase
+{
+    private static string $root;
+
+    public static function setUpBeforeClass(): void
+    {
+        self::$root = dirname(__DIR__, 2);
+    }
+
+    public function testVmSpineSmokeScriptExists(): void
+    {
+        $script = self::$root.'/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh';
+        $this->assertFileExists($script);
+        $this->assertFileIsReadable($script);
+    }
+
+    public function testVmSpineSmokeScriptDocumentsEnvAndArtifact(): void
+    {
+        $script = (string) file_get_contents(self::$root.'/script/bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke.sh');
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE=1', $script);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('selfhost-lib-spine-smoke', $script);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('vm-spine-ok', $script);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-smoke-link.sh', $script);
+    }
+
+    public function testSpineEntryBundlesVmRunSmoke(): void
+    {
+        $entry = (string) file_get_contents(self::$root.'/test/selfhost/compiler_lib_spine_smoke/main.php');
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('vm_run_smoke.php', $entry);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE', $entry);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('vm-spine-ok', $entry);
+    }
+
+    public function testMakefileDefinesVmSpineSmokeTarget(): void
+    {
+        $makefile = (string) file_get_contents(self::$root.'/Makefile');
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('bootstrap-selfhost-lib-spine-vm-smoke:', $makefile);
+    }
+
+    public function testCliDriverSkipsArgvWhenVmSpineSmoke(): void
+    {
+        $driver = (string) file_get_contents(self::$root.'/src/cli_driver.php');
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('PHP_COMPILER_VM_SPINE_SMOKE', $driver);
+    }
+
+    public function testWaveCheckDocumentsVmSpineSmokeFlag(): void
+    {
+        $script = (string) file_get_contents(self::$root.'/script/bootstrap-wave-check.sh');
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('--with-lib-spine-vm-smoke', $script);
+        $this->assertStringContainsString('BOOTSTRAP_LIB_SPINE_VM_SMOKE', $script);
+    }
+}