diff --git a/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.test.ts b/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bed39fe0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+import { describe, test, expect, beforeEach, mock } from "bun:test"
+
+describe("comment-checker CLI path resolution", () => {
+  describe("lazy initialization", () => {
+    // #given module is imported
+    // #when COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH is accessed
+    // #then findCommentCheckerPathSync should NOT have been called during import
+    
+    test("getCommentCheckerPathSync should be lazy - not called on module import", async () => {
+      // #given a fresh module import
+      // We need to verify that importing the module doesn't immediately call findCommentCheckerPathSync
+      
+      // #when we import the module
+      const cliModule = await import("./cli")
+      
+      // #then getCommentCheckerPathSync should exist and be callable
+      expect(typeof cliModule.getCommentCheckerPathSync).toBe("function")
+      
+      // The key test: calling getCommentCheckerPathSync should work
+      // (we can't easily test that it wasn't called on import without mocking,
+      // but we can verify the function exists and returns expected types)
+      const result = cliModule.getCommentCheckerPathSync()
+      expect(result === null || typeof result === "string").toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    test("getCommentCheckerPathSync should cache result after first call", async () => {
+      // #given getCommentCheckerPathSync is called once
+      const cliModule = await import("./cli")
+      const firstResult = cliModule.getCommentCheckerPathSync()
+      
+      // #when called again
+      const secondResult = cliModule.getCommentCheckerPathSync()
+      
+      // #then should return same cached result
+      expect(secondResult).toBe(firstResult)
+    })
+
+    test("COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH export should not exist (removed for lazy loading)", async () => {
+      // #given the cli module
+      const cliModule = await import("./cli")
+      
+      // #when checking for COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH
+      // #then it should not exist (replaced with lazy getter)
+      expect("COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH" in cliModule).toBe(false)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe("runCommentChecker", () => {
+    test("should use getCommentCheckerPathSync for fallback path resolution", async () => {
+      // #given runCommentChecker is called without explicit path
+      const { runCommentChecker } = await import("./cli")
+      
+      // #when called with input containing no comments
+      const result = await runCommentChecker({
+        session_id: "test",
+        tool_name: "Write",
+        transcript_path: "",
+        cwd: "/tmp",
+        hook_event_name: "PostToolUse",
+        tool_input: { file_path: "/tmp/test.ts", content: "const x = 1" },
+      })
+      
+      // #then should return CheckResult type (binary may or may not exist)
+      expect(typeof result.hasComments).toBe("boolean")
+      expect(typeof result.message).toBe("string")
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.ts b/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.ts
index 2b938c2b4..5ec5d4d9f 100644
--- a/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/comment-checker/cli.ts
@@ -121,9 +121,6 @@ export function startBackgroundInit(): void {
   }
 }
 
-// Legacy export for backwards compatibility (sync, no download)
-export const COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH = findCommentCheckerPathSync()
-
 export interface HookInput {
   session_id: string
   tool_name: string
@@ -152,7 +149,7 @@ export interface CheckResult {
  * @param customPrompt Optional custom prompt to replace default warning message
  */
 export async function runCommentChecker(input: HookInput, cliPath?: string, customPrompt?: string): Promise<CheckResult> {
-  const binaryPath = cliPath ?? resolvedCliPath ?? COMMENT_CHECKER_CLI_PATH
+  const binaryPath = cliPath ?? resolvedCliPath ?? getCommentCheckerPathSync()
   
   if (!binaryPath) {
     debugLog("comment-checker binary not found")