diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e8d3d05..8fcf88a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,18 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 2.4.9
+
+### Changed: consolidated coana launcher env vars into `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER`
+
+- The reachability launcher is now tuned via a single `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER`
+  environment variable (mirroring the Socket Node CLI): `auto` (default when unset; try
+  `npx` first, fall back to `npm install` + `node` on launcher-level failures),
+  `npm-install` (skip `npx` entirely), or `npx` (never fall back). An unrecognized value
+  logs a warning and behaves as `auto`.
+- The legacy `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL` and `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK`
+  variables remain supported for back-compat when `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER` is unset, but
+  are deprecated and no longer documented.
+
 ## 2.4.8
 
 ### Fixed: retry transient full-scan upload failures
diff --git a/docs/cli-reference.md b/docs/cli-reference.md
index adb41ca..dfee47e 100644
--- a/docs/cli-reference.md
+++ b/docs/cli-reference.md
@@ -316,9 +316,10 @@ For CI-specific examples and guidance, see [`ci-cd.md`](ci-cd.md).
 
 The CLI runs a pinned `@coana-tech/cli` version via `npx --yes --force` (the same flags the Socket Node CLI passes for coana); it does **not** auto-update the engine or install it globally. `--yes` skips npx's interactive install prompt so non-interactive/CI runs don't hang. If the `npx` launcher is unavailable or fails before the engine starts, the CLI falls back to `npm install`-ing the pinned version into a temp directory and running it via `node`. Pass `--reach-version latest` to opt into the newest published version. Use `--reach` to enable reachability analysis during a full scan, or add `--only-facts-file` (with `--reach`) to submit only the reachability facts file (`.socket.facts.json`) when creating the full scan.
 
-The launcher fallback can be tuned via environment variables:
-- `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL` — skip `npx` entirely and always use the `npm install` + `node` path (useful where `npx` is known-broken).
-- `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK` — never fall back; surface the `npx` failure directly.
+The launcher can be tuned via the `SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER` environment variable:
+- `auto` (default when unset) — try `npx` first; fall back to `npm install` + `node` if the launcher fails before the engine starts.
+- `npm-install` — skip `npx` entirely and always use the `npm install` + `node` path (useful where `npx` is known-broken).
+- `npx` — never fall back; surface the `npx` failure directly.
 
 #### Advanced Configuration
 | Parameter                | Required | Default | Description                                                           |
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 7876f8d..acff1fb 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "socketsecurity"
-version = "2.4.8"
+version = "2.4.9"
 requires-python = ">= 3.11"
 license = {"file" = "LICENSE"}
 dependencies = [
diff --git a/socketsecurity/__init__.py b/socketsecurity/__init__.py
index 9f1797f..cc95834 100644
--- a/socketsecurity/__init__.py
+++ b/socketsecurity/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 __author__ = 'socket.dev'
-__version__ = '2.4.8'
+__version__ = '2.4.9'
 USER_AGENT = f'SocketPythonCLI/{__version__}'
diff --git a/socketsecurity/core/tools/reachability.py b/socketsecurity/core/tools/reachability.py
index 88d3105..7cde14d 100644
--- a/socketsecurity/core/tools/reachability.py
+++ b/socketsecurity/core/tools/reachability.py
@@ -298,6 +298,31 @@ def _npx_launcher_failed_before_coana(returncode: int) -> bool:
         """
         return returncode < 0 or returncode >= 128
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _resolve_coana_launcher_mode() -> str:
+        """Resolve the coana launcher mode: ``auto``, ``npx``, or ``npm-install``.
+
+        ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER`` wins when set to a recognized value; an unrecognized
+        value warns and behaves as ``auto``. Only when it is unset/empty do the legacy vars
+        apply: ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL`` -> ``npm-install``, else
+        ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK`` -> ``npx``. Mirrors the Node CLI.
+        """
+        raw = os.environ.get("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER", "")
+        mode = raw.strip().lower()
+        if mode in ("auto", "npx", "npm-install"):
+            return mode
+        if mode:
+            log.warning(
+                f'Ignoring unrecognized SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER value "{raw}"; '
+                'expected "auto", "npm-install", or "npx".'
+            )
+            return "auto"
+        if os.environ.get("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL"):
+            return "npm-install"
+        if os.environ.get("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK"):
+            return "npx"
+        return "auto"
+
     def _spawn_coana(
         self,
         coana_args: List[str],
@@ -318,14 +343,15 @@ def _spawn_coana(
 
         Fallback path: if npx is missing, or its launcher dies before coana starts, install
         @coana-tech/cli into a temp dir via ``npm install`` and run it directly via ``node``.
-        Toggle with ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL`` (use the fallback as the primary
-        path) and ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK`` (never fall back).
+        Tune with ``SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER``: ``auto`` (default; npx with the npm-install
+        fallback), ``npm-install`` (skip npx, always use the fallback path), or ``npx``
+        (never fall back).
         """
         effective_version = self._resolve_coana_version(version)
         coana_env = self._sanitize_coana_env(env)
-        disable_fallback = bool(os.environ.get("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK"))
+        launcher_mode = self._resolve_coana_launcher_mode()
 
-        if os.environ.get("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL"):
+        if launcher_mode == "npm-install":
             return self._spawn_coana_via_npm_install(coana_args, effective_version, coana_env, cwd)
 
         package_spec = f"@coana-tech/cli@{effective_version}"
@@ -341,7 +367,7 @@ def _spawn_coana(
             )
         except FileNotFoundError:
             # npx is not on PATH: the launcher provably never started coana.
-            if disable_fallback:
+            if launcher_mode == "npx":
                 raise
             log.warning("npx not found on PATH; retrying reachability analysis via `npm install` + `node`.")
             return self._spawn_coana_via_npm_install(coana_args, effective_version, coana_env, cwd)
@@ -349,7 +375,7 @@ def _spawn_coana(
         if result.returncode == 0:
             return 0
 
-        if not disable_fallback and self._npx_launcher_failed_before_coana(result.returncode):
+        if launcher_mode != "npx" and self._npx_launcher_failed_before_coana(result.returncode):
             log.warning(
                 f"npx launcher failed (exit {result.returncode}) before coana started; "
                 "retrying reachability analysis via `npm install` + `node`."
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_reachability.py b/tests/unit/test_reachability.py
index 1130be3..86d7d0d 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_reachability.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_reachability.py
@@ -302,6 +302,54 @@ def fake_run(argv, **_kw):
     assert all(c[:2] != ["npm", "install"] for c in calls)
 
 
+def test_launcher_npm_install_skips_npx(analyzer, mocker, monkeypatch):
+    """SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER=npm-install routes straight to npm install + node."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER", "npm-install")
+    calls = _capture_spawns(analyzer, mocker, npx_behavior=0)
+    assert all(c[0] != "npx" for c in calls)
+    assert calls[0][:2] == ["npm", "install"]
+    assert calls[1][0] == "node"
+
+
+def test_launcher_npx_propagates_npx_failure(analyzer, mocker, monkeypatch):
+    """SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER=npx: a launcher failure is NOT retried via npm."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER", "npx")
+    mocker.patch.object(analyzer, "_extract_scan_id", return_value=None)
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(argv, **_kw):
+        calls.append(argv)
+        m = MagicMock()
+        m.returncode = 137
+        return m
+
+    mocker.patch.object(reachability.subprocess, "run", side_effect=fake_run)
+    with pytest.raises(Exception):
+        analyzer.run_reachability_analysis(org_slug="my-org", target_directory=".")
+    assert calls[0][0] == "npx"
+    assert all(c[:2] != ["npm", "install"] for c in calls)
+
+
+def test_launcher_overrides_legacy_vars(analyzer, mocker, monkeypatch):
+    """A recognized SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER wins; legacy vars are ignored entirely."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER", "auto")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_FORCE_NPM_INSTALL", "1")
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_DISABLE_NPM_FALLBACK", "1")
+    calls = _capture_spawns(analyzer, mocker, npx_behavior=137)
+    assert calls[0][0] == "npx"  # force-npm-install ignored: npx still attempted
+    assert calls[1][:2] == ["npm", "install"]  # disable-fallback ignored: fallback runs
+    assert calls[2][0] == "node"
+
+
+def test_launcher_unrecognized_value_behaves_as_auto(analyzer, mocker, monkeypatch):
+    """An unrecognized SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER value warns and behaves as auto."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("SOCKET_CLI_COANA_LAUNCHER", "bogus")
+    calls = _capture_spawns(analyzer, mocker, npx_behavior=137)
+    assert calls[0][0] == "npx"
+    assert calls[1][:2] == ["npm", "install"]
+    assert calls[2][0] == "node"
+
+
 def test_fallback_installs_once_per_version(analyzer, mocker):
     """A second in-process fallback for the same version reuses the install (no re-install)."""
     mocker.patch.object(analyzer, "_extract_scan_id", return_value="scan-123")
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index 0ed1361..86d19ff 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -1283,7 +1283,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "socketsecurity"
-version = "2.4.8"
+version = "2.4.9"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "brotli", marker = "platform_python_implementation == 'CPython'" },