diff --git a/src/skillspector/nodes/meta_analyzer.py b/src/skillspector/nodes/meta_analyzer.py
index ba8a5975..c5268375 100644
--- a/src/skillspector/nodes/meta_analyzer.py
+++ b/src/skillspector/nodes/meta_analyzer.py
@@ -215,8 +215,70 @@ def _format_findings_for_prompt(findings: list[Finding]) -> str:
     return "\n".join(lines)
 
 
+_NO_LLM_CONFIDENCE_THRESHOLD = 0.4
+_HIGH_SEVERITY_PASS_THROUGH = frozenset({"CRITICAL", "HIGH"})
+_CODE_EXAMPLE_DOWNWEIGHT = 0.5
+
+
 def _fallback_filtered(findings: list[Finding]) -> list[Finding]:
-    """Apply default remediation to all findings (pass-through with defaults)."""
+    """Heuristic fallback filter for --no-llm mode.
+
+    Applies rule-based filtering when LLM analysis is unavailable:
+    1. Drop findings with confidence below threshold (0.4), UNLESS severity
+       is CRITICAL or HIGH (high-severity findings are never dropped on
+       confidence alone)
+    2. Downweight findings whose context matches code-example indicators
+       (0.5x confidence reduction) — never hard-drop, as there is no LLM
+       safety net in this mode
+    3. Apply default remediations from pattern_defaults
+    """
+    from skillspector.nodes.analyzers.common import is_code_example
+
+    result: list[Finding] = []
+    for f in findings:
+        severity_upper = f.severity.upper()
+        confidence = f.confidence
+        if f.context and is_code_example(f.context):
+            confidence *= _CODE_EXAMPLE_DOWNWEIGHT
+        if confidence < _NO_LLM_CONFIDENCE_THRESHOLD:
+            if severity_upper not in _HIGH_SEVERITY_PASS_THROUGH:
+                continue
+        result.append(
+            Finding(
+                rule_id=f.rule_id,
+                message=f.message,
+                severity=f.severity,
+                confidence=confidence,
+                file=f.file,
+                start_line=f.start_line,
+                end_line=f.end_line,
+                remediation=f.remediation or get_remediation(f.rule_id),
+                tags=f.tags,
+                context=f.context,
+                matched_text=f.matched_text,
+                category=getattr(f, "category", None),
+                pattern=getattr(f, "pattern", None),
+                finding=getattr(f, "finding", None),
+                explanation=getattr(f, "explanation", None),
+                code_snippet=getattr(f, "code_snippet", None) or f.context,
+                intent=None,
+            )
+        )
+    logger.info(
+        "Heuristic fallback filter (--no-llm): %d → %d findings",
+        len(findings),
+        len(result),
+    )
+    return result
+
+
+def _passthrough_with_defaults(findings: list[Finding]) -> list[Finding]:
+    """Pass all findings through with default remediations (fail-closed).
+
+    Used on LLM failure path: when the LLM call fails, we pass ALL findings
+    through unchanged (except adding default remediations). A security tool
+    should fail-closed — showing more findings is safer than silently dropping.
+    """
     return [
         Finding(
             rule_id=f.rule_id,
@@ -431,5 +493,5 @@ def meta_analyzer(state: SkillspectorState) -> MetaAnalyzerResponse:
     except ValueError:
         raise
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.warning("LLM call failed, using fallback: %s", e)
-        return {"filtered_findings": _fallback_filtered(findings)}
+        logger.warning("LLM call failed, passing all findings through (fail-closed): %s", e)
+        return {"filtered_findings": _passthrough_with_defaults(findings)}
diff --git a/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py b/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
index 1b76cbfd..8199e486 100644
--- a/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
+++ b/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
@@ -256,12 +256,16 @@ def _format_terminal(
 def _build_metadata(has_executable_scripts: bool, use_llm: bool) -> dict[str, object]:
     """Build the metadata section shared by all output formats."""
     llm_available, llm_error = is_llm_available()
+    meta_analysis_applied = use_llm and llm_available
     meta: dict[str, object] = {
         "has_executable_scripts": has_executable_scripts,
         "skillspector_version": skillspector_version,
         "llm_requested": use_llm,
         "llm_available": llm_available,
+        "meta_analysis_applied": meta_analysis_applied,
     }
+    if not meta_analysis_applied:
+        meta["filtering_mode"] = "heuristic"
     if use_llm and not llm_available:
         meta["llm_error"] = llm_error
     return meta
diff --git a/tests/nodes/test_meta_analyzer_fallback.py b/tests/nodes/test_meta_analyzer_fallback.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..130d4e0a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/nodes/test_meta_analyzer_fallback.py
@@ -0,0 +1,239 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Tests for meta_analyzer heuristic fallback filter (--no-llm mode)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from skillspector.models import Finding
+from skillspector.nodes.meta_analyzer import (
+    _fallback_filtered,
+    _passthrough_with_defaults,
+    meta_analyzer,
+)
+
+
+def _finding(
+    rule_id: str = "TM1",
+    confidence: float = 0.8,
+    severity: str = "HIGH",
+    context: str | None = "import subprocess\nsubprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+    matched_text: str = "subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+    file: str = "tool.py",
+) -> Finding:
+    return Finding(
+        rule_id=rule_id,
+        message=f"Test {rule_id}",
+        severity=severity,
+        confidence=confidence,
+        file=file,
+        start_line=1,
+        context=context,
+        matched_text=matched_text,
+    )
+
+
+class TestConfidenceThreshold:
+    """Findings below confidence threshold are dropped (unless high severity)."""
+
+    def test_low_confidence_low_severity_dropped(self) -> None:
+        """LOW severity finding with confidence 0.3 is below threshold and dropped."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.3, severity="LOW")]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 0
+
+    def test_low_confidence_medium_severity_dropped(self) -> None:
+        """MEDIUM severity finding with confidence 0.3 is dropped."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.3, severity="MEDIUM")]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 0
+
+    def test_at_threshold_kept(self) -> None:
+        """Finding with confidence exactly 0.4 is kept (>= 0.4)."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.4)]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_high_confidence_kept(self) -> None:
+        """Finding with high confidence passes through."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.9)]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+
+class TestSeverityFloor:
+    """HIGH and CRITICAL findings are never dropped on confidence alone."""
+
+    def test_critical_below_threshold_retained(self) -> None:
+        """CRITICAL finding at 0.35 confidence is retained (severity floor)."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.35, severity="CRITICAL")]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].severity == "CRITICAL"
+
+    def test_high_below_threshold_retained(self) -> None:
+        """HIGH finding at 0.2 confidence is retained (severity floor)."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.2, severity="HIGH")]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].severity == "HIGH"
+
+    def test_low_severity_below_threshold_still_dropped(self) -> None:
+        """LOW finding at 0.2 confidence is still dropped (no severity protection)."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.2, severity="LOW")]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 0
+
+
+class TestCodeExampleFiltering:
+    """Findings in code example context are downweighted, not hard-dropped."""
+
+    def test_fenced_code_block_context_downweighted(self) -> None:
+        """Finding whose context contains ``` gets confidence halved."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                context="```bash\ncurl -k https://api.example.com\n```",
+                confidence=0.8,
+            )
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].confidence == 0.4
+
+    def test_example_keyword_context_downweighted(self) -> None:
+        """Finding whose context contains 'example:' gets downweighted."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                context="Example: how to use subprocess\nsubprocess.run(cmd)",
+                confidence=0.8,
+            )
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].confidence == 0.4
+
+    def test_code_example_low_confidence_low_severity_dropped(self) -> None:
+        """LOW severity finding at 0.6 conf in code-example context: 0.6*0.5=0.3 < 0.4, dropped."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                context="```\ncurl -k https://api.example.com\n```",
+                confidence=0.6,
+                severity="LOW",
+            )
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 0
+
+    def test_code_example_high_severity_retained(self) -> None:
+        """HIGH severity finding in code-example context at low conf: retained by severity floor."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                context="```\ncurl -k https://api.example.com\n```",
+                confidence=0.6,
+                severity="HIGH",
+            )
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_normal_code_context_kept(self) -> None:
+        """Finding with regular code context (no example indicators) passes."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                context="import subprocess\nresult = subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+                confidence=0.8,
+            )
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_no_context_kept(self) -> None:
+        """Finding with no context (None) passes through."""
+        findings = [_finding(context=None, confidence=0.8)]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+
+class TestCombinedFiltering:
+    """Both filters work together."""
+
+    def test_mixed_findings_filtered(self) -> None:
+        """Mix of low-confidence, code-example, and genuine findings."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(confidence=0.2, severity="LOW"),  # dropped: low conf + low sev
+            _finding(
+                confidence=0.8,
+                context="```\ncurl -k https://example.com\n```",
+            ),  # kept but downweighted (HIGH severity protects)
+            _finding(confidence=0.8),  # kept: genuine finding
+            _finding(confidence=0.6),  # kept: above threshold, normal context
+        ]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 3
+
+    def test_remediation_applied(self) -> None:
+        """Kept findings get default remediation if none set."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.8)]
+        result = _fallback_filtered(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].remediation is not None
+        assert len(result[0].remediation) > 0
+
+    def test_empty_input(self) -> None:
+        """Empty findings list returns empty."""
+        assert _fallback_filtered([]) == []
+
+
+class TestLLMFailurePassthrough:
+    """On LLM failure, all findings pass through (fail-closed)."""
+
+    def test_passthrough_preserves_all_findings(self) -> None:
+        """_passthrough_with_defaults keeps all findings regardless of confidence."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(confidence=0.1, severity="LOW"),
+            _finding(confidence=0.3, severity="MEDIUM"),
+            _finding(confidence=0.9, severity="CRITICAL"),
+        ]
+        result = _passthrough_with_defaults(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 3
+
+    def test_passthrough_adds_default_remediation(self) -> None:
+        """Passthrough adds default remediation to findings without one."""
+        findings = [_finding(confidence=0.8)]
+        result = _passthrough_with_defaults(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].remediation is not None
+
+    def test_meta_analyzer_llm_failure_uses_passthrough(self) -> None:
+        """When LLM call raises, meta_analyzer passes all findings through."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(confidence=0.2, severity="LOW"),
+            _finding(confidence=0.8, severity="HIGH"),
+        ]
+        state = {
+            "findings": findings,
+            "use_llm": True,
+            "file_cache": {"tool.py": "import subprocess"},
+            "manifest": {},
+            "model_config": {},
+        }
+        with patch(
+            "skillspector.nodes.meta_analyzer.LLMMetaAnalyzer"
+        ) as mock_cls:
+            mock_cls.return_value.get_batches.side_effect = RuntimeError("API timeout")
+            result = meta_analyzer(state)
+        assert len(result["filtered_findings"]) == 2