diff --git a/src/cli/index.ts b/src/cli/index.ts
index 6043f23..883caf0 100644
--- a/src/cli/index.ts
+++ b/src/cli/index.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ program.command("scan")
   .option("--config <path>", "path to debtlens.config.json")
   .option("--cwd <path>", "working directory", process.cwd())
   .option("--no-color", "disable ANSI color in terminal output")
+  .option("-q, --quiet", "print only the summary line, suppress individual findings")
   .action(async (target: string, rawOptions: Record<string, unknown>) => {
     try {
       const format = parseFormat(String(rawOptions.format ?? "terminal"));
@@ -88,7 +89,7 @@ program.command("scan")
         ? applyBaseline(result, loadBaseline(cwd, String(rawOptions.baseline)))
         : result;
 
-      const report = renderReport(reported, format, { color: rawOptions.color !== false && format === "terminal" && process.stdout.isTTY });
+      const report = renderReport(reported, format, { color: rawOptions.color !== false && format === "terminal" && process.stdout.isTTY, quiet: rawOptions.quiet === true });
 
       if (rawOptions.output) {
         const outputPath = resolve(cwd, String(rawOptions.output));
diff --git a/src/reporters/index.ts b/src/reporters/index.ts
index b8716b0..86a39a9 100644
--- a/src/reporters/index.ts
+++ b/src/reporters/index.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ import { renderMarkdown } from "./markdownReporter.js";
 import { renderSarif } from "./sarifReporter.js";
 import { renderTerminal } from "./terminalReporter.js";
 
-export function renderReport(result: ScanResult, format: OutputFormat, options: { color?: boolean } = {}): string {
+export function renderReport(result: ScanResult, format: OutputFormat, options: { color?: boolean; quiet?: boolean } = {}): string {
   if (format === "json") return renderJson(result);
   if (format === "markdown") return renderMarkdown(result);
   if (format === "sarif") return renderSarif(result);
-  return renderTerminal(result, { color: options.color ?? true });
+  return renderTerminal(result, { color: options.color ?? true, quiet: options.quiet });
 }
diff --git a/src/reporters/terminalReporter.ts b/src/reporters/terminalReporter.ts
index 1ced779..8a6bfea 100644
--- a/src/reporters/terminalReporter.ts
+++ b/src/reporters/terminalReporter.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { createColorizer } from "../utils/color.js";
 
 const severityOrder: Severity[] = ["high", "medium", "low", "info"];
 
-export function renderTerminal(result: ScanResult, options: { color: boolean } = { color: true }): string {
+export function renderTerminal(result: ScanResult, options: { color: boolean; quiet?: boolean } = { color: true }): string {
   const color = createColorizer(options.color);
   const lines: string[] = [];
 
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ export function renderTerminal(result: ScanResult, options: { color: boolean } =
   lines.push(`Scanned ${result.summary.filesScanned} files with ${result.summary.rulesRun} rules in ${result.summary.elapsedMs}ms.`);
   lines.push(`Issues: ${result.summary.totalIssues} | high ${result.summary.bySeverity.high} | medium ${result.summary.bySeverity.medium} | low ${result.summary.bySeverity.low} | info ${result.summary.bySeverity.info}`);
 
+  if (options.quiet) {
+    return `${lines.join("\n")}\n`;
+  }
+
   if (result.issues.length === 0) {
     lines.push("");
     lines.push("No maintainability debt found at the configured severity level.");
diff --git a/tests/reporters/terminalReporter.test.ts b/tests/reporters/terminalReporter.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b10c653
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/reporters/terminalReporter.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { describe, it } from "node:test";
+import type { DebtIssue, ScanResult, Severity } from "../../src/core/types.js";
+import { renderTerminal } from "../../src/reporters/terminalReporter.js";
+
+function makeResult(issues: DebtIssue[]): ScanResult {
+  const bySeverity: Record<Severity, number> = { info: 0, low: 0, medium: 0, high: 0 };
+  for (const issue of issues) bySeverity[issue.severity] += 1;
+  return {
+    issues,
+    summary: {
+      totalIssues: issues.length,
+      bySeverity,
+      byRule: {},
+      filesScanned: 3,
+      rulesRun: 8,
+      elapsedMs: 42,
+    },
+    options: { target: ".", include: [], exclude: [], minSeverity: "info", rules: undefined },
+  };
+}
+
+const issue: DebtIssue = {
+  id: "dl_test",
+  ruleId: "prop-drilling",
+  ruleName: "Prop drilling",
+  severity: "high",
+  confidence: 0.9,
+  message: "Parent forwards 5 props across 2 components.",
+  file: "src/Parent.tsx",
+  location: { startLine: 10, endLine: 20 },
+  tags: [],
+};
+
+describe("renderTerminal", () => {
+  it("includes summary line", () => {
+    const out = renderTerminal(makeResult([issue]), { color: false });
+    assert.ok(out.includes("Issues: 1 | high 1"));
+  });
+
+  it("includes individual findings by default", () => {
+    const out = renderTerminal(makeResult([issue]), { color: false });
+    assert.ok(out.includes("Prop drilling"));
+    assert.ok(out.includes("src/Parent.tsx"));
+  });
+
+  it("quiet mode omits individual findings", () => {
+    const out = renderTerminal(makeResult([issue]), { color: false, quiet: true });
+    assert.ok(out.includes("Issues: 1 | high 1"), "summary should be present");
+    assert.ok(!out.includes("src/Parent.tsx"), "file path should not appear in quiet mode");
+    assert.ok(!out.includes("Prop drilling"), "rule name should not appear in quiet mode");
+  });
+
+  it("quiet mode still shows summary when no issues", () => {
+    const out = renderTerminal(makeResult([]), { color: false, quiet: true });
+    assert.ok(out.includes("Issues: 0"));
+    assert.ok(!out.includes("No maintainability debt found"));
+  });
+});