diff --git a/docs/testing.md b/docs/testing.md
index 887d601b45..f249bbb04f 100644
--- a/docs/testing.md
+++ b/docs/testing.md
@@ -983,9 +983,16 @@ runner. Preserve simultaneous launches where concurrency is itself under test.
 Build/documentation writers hold checkout-local output locks. Tests do not
 hold a broad command lock; `check:pr` finishes tests before document validation.
 
-Vitest and Node persistent compile caches are deliberately not enabled by
-default. To evaluate repeated local runs, opt in for both cold and warm
-measurements with an isolated cache:
+Vitest's persistent compile cache remains disabled. The `cliTest` fixture shares
+a temporary Node compile cache among its fresh CLI subprocesses. The worker
+removes it after test-scoped processes finish. Explicit child environment
+settings take precedence; children requesting `NODE_V8_COVERAGE` do not receive
+the fixture cache. These subprocesses are outside aggregate Vitest coverage;
+subprocess coverage attachment remains disabled. Cold-start import checks launch
+independently without this fixture cache.
+
+To evaluate persistent compile caching for repeated local runs, opt in for both
+cold and warm measurements with an isolated cache:
 
 ```bash
 NODE_COMPILE_CACHE=.cache/node-compile npm test
diff --git a/tests/boundary/cli/cliCompileCache.test.ts b/tests/boundary/cli/cliCompileCache.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c2587d9ca9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/boundary/cli/cliCompileCache.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { readdir } from "node:fs/promises";
+
+import { expect } from "vitest";
+
+import { PRODUCT_IDENTITY } from "../../../src/identity.js";
+import { createTestTempDirectory } from "../../fixtures/temporaryDirectory.js";
+import { cliTest, createTestCli } from "../../support/cli/cliFixture.js";
+
+cliTest(
+  "reuses an owned CLI compile cache and preserves a caller-selected cache",
+  async ({ cli, cliCompileCache }) => {
+    const cached = await cli.run({ arguments: ["--version"] });
+    expect(cached.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(cached.stdout).toContain(PRODUCT_IDENTITY.packageVersion);
+    expect(await readdir(cliCompileCache)).not.toHaveLength(0);
+
+    const selected = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-cli-selected-cache-");
+    const overridden = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["--version"],
+      environment: { NODE_COMPILE_CACHE: selected },
+    });
+    expect(overridden.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(overridden.stdout).toBe(cached.stdout);
+    expect(await readdir(selected)).not.toHaveLength(0);
+  },
+);
+
+cliTest(
+  "collects requested child coverage without populating the fixture cache",
+  async ({ processes }) => {
+    const cache = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-cli-coverage-cache-");
+    const coverage = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-cli-child-coverage-");
+    const cli = createTestCli(processes, cache);
+    const result = await cli.run({
+      arguments: ["--version"],
+      environment: { NODE_V8_COVERAGE: coverage },
+    });
+    expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(result.stdout).toContain(PRODUCT_IDENTITY.packageVersion);
+    expect(await readdir(cache)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(
+      (await readdir(coverage)).some((path) => path.endsWith(".json")),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  },
+);
+
+cliTest("preserves a caller's cold CLI launch", async ({ processes }) => {
+  const cache = await createTestTempDirectory("rea-cli-disabled-cache-");
+  const cli = createTestCli(processes, cache);
+  const result = await cli.run({
+    arguments: ["--version"],
+    environment: { NODE_DISABLE_COMPILE_CACHE: "1" },
+  });
+  expect(result.exitCode).toBe(0);
+  expect(result.stdout).toContain(PRODUCT_IDENTITY.packageVersion);
+  expect(await readdir(cache)).toEqual([]);
+});
diff --git a/tests/support/cli/cliFixture.ts b/tests/support/cli/cliFixture.ts
index ad67889ea0..c6babc2f1b 100644
--- a/tests/support/cli/cliFixture.ts
+++ b/tests/support/cli/cliFixture.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { resolve } from "node:path";
 
+import {
+  createTestWorkspace,
+  removeTestWorkspace,
+} from "../workspace/workspaceFixture.js";
 import {
   processTest,
   type ProcessResult,
@@ -36,7 +40,10 @@ const parseJson = (stdout: string): unknown | undefined => {
 };
 
 /** Create a compiled CLI driver backed by the supplied process registry. */
-export const createTestCli = (processes: TestProcesses): TestCli => ({
+export const createTestCli = (
+  processes: TestProcesses,
+  compileCache?: string,
+): TestCli => ({
   run: async ({
     arguments: arguments_,
     cwd,
@@ -51,6 +58,10 @@ export const createTestCli = (processes: TestProcesses): TestCli => ({
         cwd: cwd ?? process.cwd(),
         env: {
           PATH: process.env.PATH ?? "",
+          ...(compileCache === undefined ||
+          environment?.NODE_V8_COVERAGE !== undefined
+            ? {}
+            : { NODE_COMPILE_CACHE: compileCache }),
           ...environment,
         },
         ...(input === undefined ? {} : { input }),
@@ -62,8 +73,23 @@ export const createTestCli = (processes: TestProcesses): TestCli => ({
 });
 
 /** Vitest API extended with an owned process registry and compiled CLI driver. */
-export const cliTest = processTest.extend<{ cli: TestCli }>({
-  cli: async ({ processes }, use) => {
-    await use(createTestCli(processes));
+export const cliTest = processTest.extend<{
+  $test: { cli: TestCli };
+  $worker: { cliCompileCache: string };
+}>({
+  cliCompileCache: [
+    // oxlint-disable-next-line no-empty-pattern -- Vitest parses fixture dependencies from object destructuring.
+    async ({}, use) => {
+      const workspace = await createTestWorkspace("rea-cli-compile-cache-");
+      try {
+        await use(workspace.path("node-compile"));
+      } finally {
+        await removeTestWorkspace(workspace.root);
+      }
+    },
+    { scope: "worker" },
+  ],
+  cli: async ({ processes, cliCompileCache }, use) => {
+    await use(createTestCli(processes, cliCompileCache));
   },
 });