diff --git a/docs/deploy.md b/docs/deploy.md
index 4f38718..9d2d776 100644
--- a/docs/deploy.md
+++ b/docs/deploy.md
@@ -177,9 +177,9 @@ runs on the drukbox machine. It does not support Tailscale.
 Prepare the host fully before drukbox starts. drukbox only connects to
 the host:
 
-1. Install Docker Engine and `docker-sbx`. Ubuntu 24.04+ with KVM is
-   necessary: `/dev/kvm` must exist, and the service user must be in the
-   `kvm` group.
+1. Install Docker Engine and `docker-sbx` 0.48.0 or later. Ubuntu 24.04+
+   with KVM is necessary: `/dev/kvm` must exist, and the service user
+   must be in the `kvm` group.
 2. Sign in one time with `sbx login`. Headless hosts use a device-code
    flow.
 3. Start the daemon: `sbx daemon start -d --policy balanced`.
diff --git a/src/providers/docker_sbx/api.py b/src/providers/docker_sbx/api.py
index 4ca5861..07fda42 100644
--- a/src/providers/docker_sbx/api.py
+++ b/src/providers/docker_sbx/api.py
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ async def create_sandbox(
             str(cpus),
             "--memory",
             memory,
-            "--quiet",
             "shell",
             workspace,
         )
@@ -129,10 +128,9 @@ async def remove_template(self, template: str) -> None:
     async def sandbox_count(self) -> int:
         output = await self._run("ls", "--json")
         try:
-            payload = json.loads(output)
             # Go writes an empty list as null.
-            return len(payload["sandboxes"] or [])
-        except (json.JSONDecodeError, KeyError, TypeError) as error:
+            return len(json.loads(output) or [])
+        except json.JSONDecodeError as error:
             raise DockerSbxTransportError(
                 f"sbx ls returned an unreadable sandbox list: {output.strip()!r}"
             ) from error
diff --git a/src/providers/docker_sbx/tests/test_api.py b/src/providers/docker_sbx/tests/test_api.py
index 36f96b0..f0111a7 100644
--- a/src/providers/docker_sbx/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/src/providers/docker_sbx/tests/test_api.py
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ async def fake_exec(*args, **kwargs):
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_sandbox_count_reads_the_listing(monkeypatch):
-    listing = b'{"sandboxes": [{"name": "sb-a"}, {"name": "sb-b"}]}'
+    listing = b'[{"name": "sb-a"}, {"name": "sb-b"}]'
     create = AsyncMock(return_value=_process(stdout=listing))
     monkeypatch.setattr("providers.docker_sbx.api.asyncio.create_subprocess_exec", create)
 
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ async def test_sandbox_count_reads_the_listing(monkeypatch):
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_sandbox_count_treats_a_null_list_as_empty(monkeypatch):
     # Go writes an empty list as null. An unused daemon shows null.
-    create = AsyncMock(return_value=_process(stdout=b'{"sandboxes": null}'))
+    create = AsyncMock(return_value=_process(stdout=b"null"))
     monkeypatch.setattr("providers.docker_sbx.api.asyncio.create_subprocess_exec", create)
 
     assert await SbxCLI().sandbox_count() == 0