diff --git a/local/docs/NETWORKING-RTL8125-NETCTL.md b/local/docs/NETWORKING-RTL8125-NETCTL.md
index 27b0df5f..ea81c30d 100644
--- a/local/docs/NETWORKING-RTL8125-NETCTL.md
+++ b/local/docs/NETWORKING-RTL8125-NETCTL.md
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ base networking services have started.
   `list`, `enable`, `status`, and `start`.
 - `rtl8168d` type-checks with the RTL8125 autoload configuration in place.
 - relibc type-checks with the interface and header updates in place.
+- `./local/scripts/validate-vm-network-baseline.sh` verifies the repo-level VM boot chain for
+  `redbear-minimal`: `pcid-spawner` → `smolnetd` → `dhcpd` → `netctl --boot` → `wired-dhcp`.
+- `./local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh` launches a VirtIO-backed QEMU run for the same Phase 2
+  baseline and prints the in-guest validation commands to run.
 
 ## Remaining hardware validation
 
diff --git a/local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh b/local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d602fa0e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+#
+# test-vm-network-qemu.sh - Launch the Red Bear OS VM networking baseline in QEMU
+#
+# This helper boots the selected Red Bear config with a VirtIO NIC so the
+# Phase 2 minimal-system networking path can be exercised:
+#   pcid-spawner -> virtio-netd -> smolnetd -> dhcpd -> netctl --boot
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+usage() {
+    cat <<'USAGE'
+Usage: test-vm-network-qemu.sh [config] [extra qemu args...]
+
+Launch Red Bear OS in QEMU with the VirtIO network baseline enabled.
+
+Arguments:
+  config            Optional config name (default: redbear-minimal)
+  extra qemu args   Additional arguments appended to QEMUFLAGS
+
+Examples:
+  ./local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh
+  ./local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh redbear-minimal -m 4G
+  QEMUFLAGS="-display sdl" ./local/scripts/test-vm-network-qemu.sh redbear-desktop
+
+In-guest validation commands:
+  redbear-info --verbose
+  redbear-info --json
+  netctl status
+  /scheme/pci/*/config via lspci
+USAGE
+}
+
+for arg in "$@"; do
+    case "$arg" in
+        --help|-h|help)
+            usage
+            exit 0
+            ;;
+    esac
+done
+
+CONFIG="redbear-minimal"
+if [[ $# -gt 0 ]] && [[ "$1" == redbear-* ]]; then
+    CONFIG="$1"
+    shift
+fi
+
+case "$CONFIG" in
+    redbear-minimal|redbear-desktop|redbear-full|redbear-kde|redbear-live)
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "ERROR: unsupported config '$CONFIG'" >&2
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
+
+ARCH="${ARCH:-$(uname -m)}"
+IMAGE="build/$ARCH/$CONFIG/harddrive.img"
+
+if [[ ! -f "$IMAGE" ]]; then
+    echo "ERROR: missing image $IMAGE" >&2
+    echo "Build it first with: ./local/scripts/build-redbear.sh $CONFIG" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+EXTRA_QEMU_ARGS="$*"
+if [[ -n "${QEMUFLAGS:-}" ]]; then
+    QEMUFLAGS="${QEMUFLAGS} ${EXTRA_QEMU_ARGS}"
+else
+    QEMUFLAGS="${EXTRA_QEMU_ARGS}"
+fi
+
+echo "=== Red Bear OS VM Network Baseline ==="
+echo "Config: $CONFIG"
+echo "Image:  $IMAGE"
+echo "Net:    virtio"
+echo
+echo "Suggested in-guest checks:"
+echo "  redbear-info --verbose"
+echo "  redbear-info --json"
+echo "  netctl status"
+echo "  lspci"
+echo
+
+exec make qemu CONFIG_NAME="$CONFIG" net=virtio QEMUFLAGS="$QEMUFLAGS"