diff --git a/autolens/analysis/latent.py b/autolens/analysis/latent.py
index e1c314d29..8dbad3b6e 100644
--- a/autolens/analysis/latent.py
+++ b/autolens/analysis/latent.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 which would kill the post-fit metric write of an otherwise-converged
 search).
 """
+import importlib
 import logging
 from typing import Callable, Dict, List, Optional
 
@@ -35,6 +36,33 @@
 # the many fit evaluations a single search performs.
 _MAGZERO_WARNED: set = set()
 
+# Set to True the first time ``effective_einstein_radius`` falls back from
+# the JAX path to the NumPy path because ``jax_zero_contour`` is missing.
+# Deduplicates the fallback warning across the many fit evaluations a
+# single search performs.
+_JAX_ZERO_CONTOUR_FALLBACK_WARNED: bool = False
+
+
+def _jax_zero_contour_available() -> bool:
+    """
+    Return True if ``jax_zero_contour`` can be imported; False otherwise.
+    The first False return emits one warning per process noting that
+    ``effective_einstein_radius`` will use the slower NumPy path.
+    """
+    global _JAX_ZERO_CONTOUR_FALLBACK_WARNED
+    try:
+        importlib.import_module("jax_zero_contour")
+        return True
+    except ModuleNotFoundError:
+        if not _JAX_ZERO_CONTOUR_FALLBACK_WARNED:
+            logger.warning(
+                "jax_zero_contour not installed; effective_einstein_radius "
+                "falling back to NumPy path (slower). "
+                "pip install jax_zero_contour to enable the JIT path."
+            )
+            _JAX_ZERO_CONTOUR_FALLBACK_WARNED = True
+        return False
+
 
 def _maybe_magzero_warn(magzero, name) -> bool:
     """
@@ -217,7 +245,7 @@ def effective_einstein_radius(fit, magzero, xp=np):
 
     try:
         lens_calc = LensCalc.from_mass_obj(fit.tracer)
-        if xp is not np:
+        if xp is not np and _jax_zero_contour_available():
             import jax.numpy as jnp
             init_guess = jnp.array(
                 [[1.0, 0.0], [0.0, 1.0], [-1.0, 0.0], [0.0, -1.0]]
diff --git a/test_autolens/analysis/test_latent.py b/test_autolens/analysis/test_latent.py
index 73f6d2951..df4d254a5 100644
--- a/test_autolens/analysis/test_latent.py
+++ b/test_autolens/analysis/test_latent.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import importlib
 import logging
 from types import SimpleNamespace
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock
@@ -283,6 +284,61 @@ def einstein_radius_jit_from(self, init_guess):
     assert calls["grid"] == "sentinel_grid"
 
 
+def test_effective_einstein_radius_jax_path_falls_back_to_numpy_when_dep_missing(
+    monkeypatch, caplog
+):
+    """
+    When ``xp is not np`` but ``jax_zero_contour`` isn't installed, the
+    function must fall through to ``einstein_radius_from`` (the NumPy path)
+    instead of crashing or returning NaN — caller-side fallback yields a
+    real Einstein radius value. One warning is emitted per process.
+    """
+    _latent_module._JAX_ZERO_CONTOUR_FALLBACK_WARNED = False
+
+    real_import = importlib.import_module
+
+    def fake_import(name, *args, **kwargs):
+        if name == "jax_zero_contour":
+            raise ModuleNotFoundError(f"No module named '{name}'")
+        return real_import(name, *args, **kwargs)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_latent_module.importlib, "import_module", fake_import)
+
+    calls = {}
+
+    class _SpyLensCalc:
+        def einstein_radius_from(self, grid):
+            calls["grid"] = grid
+            return 5.678
+
+        def einstein_radius_jit_from(self, init_guess):
+            raise AssertionError(
+                "jit path must not run when jax_zero_contour is missing"
+            )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "autogalaxy.operate.lens_calc.LensCalc.from_mass_obj",
+        classmethod(lambda cls, tracer: _SpyLensCalc()),
+    )
+    fit = SimpleNamespace(
+        tracer=object(),
+        dataset=SimpleNamespace(grids=SimpleNamespace(lp="sentinel_grid")),
+    )
+
+    sentinel_xp = MagicMock()  # truthy `xp is not np`
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.WARNING, logger=_latent_module.__name__):
+        value = effective_einstein_radius(
+            fit=fit, magzero=None, xp=sentinel_xp
+        )
+
+    assert value == pytest.approx(5.678)
+    assert calls["grid"] == "sentinel_grid"
+    fallback_warnings = [
+        r for r in caplog.records if "falling back to NumPy" in r.message
+    ]
+    assert len(fallback_warnings) == 1
+
+
 def test_effective_einstein_radius_returns_nan_on_value_error(monkeypatch):
     def _raise(cls, tracer):
         raise ValueError("singular mass model")