diff --git a/src/daemon/index.test.ts b/src/daemon/index.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c0c8f0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/daemon/index.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { configSchema } from '../config/schema.js';
+import { createConfiguredExternalBackends } from './index.js';
+
+describe('createConfiguredExternalBackends', () => {
+  it('returns externalBackends under the routing key expected by createMessageRouter', () => {
+    const config = configSchema.parse({
+      telegram: { bot_token: 'test-token', allowed_chat_ids: [1] },
+      models: { default: { provider: 'anthropic', model: 'claude-3-5-sonnet-latest' } },
+      backends: {
+        default: 'pi_embedded',
+        pi_embedded: {
+          enabled: true,
+          module: '@mariozechner/pi-agent-core',
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const resolved = createConfiguredExternalBackends(config);
+
+    expect(resolved.defaultName).toBe('pi_embedded');
+    expect(resolved.externalBackends.pi_embedded?.name).toBe('pi_embedded');
+    expect((resolved as unknown as { backends?: unknown }).backends).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/daemon/index.ts b/src/daemon/index.ts
index 47ed9c1..648a8ca 100644
--- a/src/daemon/index.ts
+++ b/src/daemon/index.ts
@@ -44,8 +44,8 @@ import {
   type ExternalBackendName,
 } from '../backends/index.js';
 
-function createConfiguredExternalBackends(config: Config): {
-  backends: Partial<Record<ExternalBackendName, ExternalBackend>>;
+export function createConfiguredExternalBackends(config: Config): {
+  externalBackends: Partial<Record<ExternalBackendName, ExternalBackend>>;
   defaultName?: ExternalBackendName;
 } {
   const backends: Partial<Record<ExternalBackendName, ExternalBackend>> = {};
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ function createConfiguredExternalBackends(config: Config): {
     ? selectedDefault
     : (Object.keys(backends)[0] as ExternalBackendName | undefined);
 
-  return { backends, defaultName };
+  return { externalBackends: backends, defaultName };
 }
 
 export interface DaemonContext {