diff --git a/internal/cli/cli_test.go b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
index 4b7acec..f66dff2 100644
--- a/internal/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -584,7 +584,8 @@ func TestRunVMCreatePollsUntilDone(t *testing.T) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	got, err := d.runVMCreate(context.Background(), "/tmp/bangerd.sock", &bytes.Buffer{}, api.VMCreateParams{Name: "devbox"})
+	var stderr bytes.Buffer
+	got, err := d.runVMCreate(context.Background(), "/tmp/bangerd.sock", &stderr, api.VMCreateParams{Name: "devbox"})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("d.runVMCreate: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -594,6 +595,27 @@ func TestRunVMCreatePollsUntilDone(t *testing.T) {
 	if statusCalls != 2 {
 		t.Fatalf("statusCalls = %d, want 2", statusCalls)
 	}
+	if !strings.Contains(stderr.String(), "[vm create] ready in ") {
+		t.Fatalf("stderr missing elapsed line:\n%s", stderr.String())
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFormatVMCreateElapsed(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		in   time.Duration
+		want string
+	}{
+		{350 * time.Millisecond, "350ms"},
+		{4*time.Second + 700*time.Millisecond, "4.7s"},
+		{59*time.Second + 900*time.Millisecond, "59.9s"},
+		{62 * time.Second, "1m02s"},
+		{2*time.Minute + 5*time.Second, "2m05s"},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		if got := formatVMCreateElapsed(tc.in); got != tc.want {
+			t.Errorf("formatVMCreateElapsed(%s) = %q, want %q", tc.in, got, tc.want)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 func TestVMCreateProgressRendererSuppressesDuplicateLines(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/internal/cli/vm_create.go b/internal/cli/vm_create.go
index a1e8238..e72f197 100644
--- a/internal/cli/vm_create.go
+++ b/internal/cli/vm_create.go
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ func printVMSpecLine(out io.Writer, params api.VMCreateParams) {
 // On context cancel we cooperate with the daemon to cancel the
 // in-flight op so it doesn't leak partially-created VM state.
 func (d *deps) runVMCreate(ctx context.Context, socketPath string, stderr io.Writer, params api.VMCreateParams) (model.VMRecord, error) {
+	start := time.Now()
 	printVMSpecLine(stderr, params)
 	begin, err := d.vmCreateBegin(ctx, socketPath, params)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ func (d *deps) runVMCreate(ctx context.Context, socketPath string, stderr io.Wri
 		if op.Done {
 			renderer.render(op)
 			if op.Success && op.VM != nil {
+				_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(stderr, "[vm create] ready in %s\n", formatVMCreateElapsed(time.Since(start)))
 				return *op.VM, nil
 			}
 			if strings.TrimSpace(op.Error) == "" {
@@ -231,6 +233,22 @@ func vmCreateStageLabel(stage string) string {
 	}
 }
 
+// formatVMCreateElapsed renders a wall-clock duration as a friendly
+// "ready in 4.7s" / "ready in 1m02s" string. Sub-second durations
+// keep one decimal so quick smoke runs don't print "0s".
+func formatVMCreateElapsed(d time.Duration) string {
+	if d < time.Second {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%dms", d.Milliseconds())
+	}
+	if d < time.Minute {
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%.1fs", d.Seconds())
+	}
+	d = d.Round(time.Second)
+	minutes := int(d / time.Minute)
+	seconds := int((d % time.Minute) / time.Second)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%dm%02ds", minutes, seconds)
+}
+
 func validatePositiveSetting(label string, value int) error {
 	if value <= 0 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("%s must be a positive integer", label)