diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b29cdf0b..53a0a200 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ Install repo skills with `npx skills add recodee/gitguardex`; `npx skills add re
 | [**cavekit**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavekit) — `npx skills add JuliusBrussee/cavekit` | Spec-driven build loop with `spec`, `build`, `check`, `caveman`, `backprop` skills bundled in. | [![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/JuliusBrussee/cavekit?style=social)](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/cavekit) |
 | [**caveman**](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman) — `npx skills add JuliusBrussee/caveman` | Ultra-compressed response mode for Claude / Codex. Less output-token churn on long reviews and debug loops. | [![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/JuliusBrussee/caveman?style=social)](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman) |
 | [**codex-account-switcher**](https://github.com/recodeecom/codex-account-switcher-cli) — `npm i -g @imdeadpool/codex-account-switcher` | Multi-identity Codex account switcher. Auto-registers accounts on `codex login`; switch with one command. | [![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/recodeecom/codex-account-switcher-cli?style=social)](https://github.com/recodeecom/codex-account-switcher-cli) |
-| [**GitHub CLI (`gh`)**](https://github.com/cli/cli) — see [cli.github.com](https://cli.github.com/) | Required for PR / merge automation. `gx branch finish --via-pr --wait-for-merge` depends on it. | [![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/cli/cli?style=social)](https://github.com/cli/cli) |
+| [**GitHub CLI (`gh`)**](https://github.com/cli/cli) — see [cli.github.com](https://cli.github.com/) | Required for PR / merge automation. `gx branch finish --via-pr --wait-for-merge` depends on it. If `ghx` is on `PATH`, Guardex uses that GitHub CLI cache proxy automatically; set `GUARDEX_GH_BIN=gh` to force direct `gh`. | [![stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/cli/cli?style=social)](https://github.com/cli/cli) |
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/src/cli/main.js b/src/cli/main.js
index 85f4d5b9..c7206000 100755
--- a/src/cli/main.js
+++ b/src/cli/main.js
@@ -1957,6 +1957,7 @@ function collectServicesSnapshot() {
     ...requiredSystemTools.map((tool) => ({
       name: tool.name,
       displayName: tool.displayName || tool.name,
+      command: tool.command,
       status: tool.status,
     })),
   ];
diff --git a/src/context.js b/src/context.js
index da650d22..09524bcb 100644
--- a/src/context.js
+++ b/src/context.js
@@ -61,11 +61,24 @@ const OPTIONAL_LOCAL_COMPANION_TOOLS = [
     installArgs: ['skills', 'add', 'JuliusBrussee/caveman'],
   },
 ];
-const GH_BIN = process.env.GUARDEX_GH_BIN || 'gh';
+function commandAvailable(command) {
+  const result = cp.spawnSync(command, ['--version'], { stdio: 'ignore' });
+  return result.status === 0;
+}
+
+function resolveGithubCliBin(env = process.env) {
+  const explicit = String(env.GUARDEX_GH_BIN || '').trim();
+  if (explicit) {
+    return explicit;
+  }
+  return commandAvailable('ghx') ? 'ghx' : 'gh';
+}
+
+const GH_BIN = resolveGithubCliBin();
 const REQUIRED_SYSTEM_TOOLS = [
   {
     name: 'gh',
-    displayName: 'GitHub (gh)',
+    displayName: GH_BIN === 'ghx' ? 'GitHub (ghx proxy)' : 'GitHub (gh)',
     command: GH_BIN,
     installHint: 'https://cli.github.com/',
   },
@@ -698,6 +711,7 @@ module.exports = {
   GLOBAL_TOOLCHAIN_SERVICES,
   GLOBAL_TOOLCHAIN_PACKAGES,
   OPTIONAL_LOCAL_COMPANION_TOOLS,
+  resolveGithubCliBin,
   GH_BIN,
   REQUIRED_SYSTEM_TOOLS,
   MAINTAINER_RELEASE_REPO,
diff --git a/src/doctor/index.js b/src/doctor/index.js
index 4240aa91..b27e5f4d 100644
--- a/src/doctor/index.js
+++ b/src/doctor/index.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ const {
   path,
   TOOL_NAME,
   SHORT_TOOL_NAME,
+  GH_BIN,
   LOCK_FILE_RELATIVE,
   REQUIRED_MANAGED_REPO_FILES,
   OMX_SCAFFOLD_DIRECTORIES,
@@ -442,7 +443,7 @@ function finishDoctorSandboxBranch(blocked, metadata, options = {}) {
     };
   }
 
-  const ghBin = process.env.GUARDEX_GH_BIN || 'gh';
+  const ghBin = GH_BIN;
   if (!isCommandAvailable(ghBin)) {
     return {
       status: 'skipped',
@@ -890,7 +891,7 @@ function autoFinishReadyAgentBranches(repoRoot, options = {}) {
 
   const originAvailable = hasOriginRemote(repoRoot);
   const explicitGhBin = Boolean(String(process.env.GUARDEX_GH_BIN || '').trim());
-  const ghBin = process.env.GUARDEX_GH_BIN || 'gh';
+  const ghBin = GH_BIN;
   const ghAvailable =
     originAvailable &&
     (explicitGhBin || originRemoteLooksLikeGithub(repoRoot)) &&
diff --git a/test/status.test.js b/test/status.test.js
index c71761fb..2a2adb7b 100644
--- a/test/status.test.js
+++ b/test/status.test.js
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ echo "unexpected gh args: $*" >&2
 exit 1
 `);
 
-  const result = runNodeWithEnv([], repoDir, {
+  const result = runNodeWithEnv(['status', '--verbose'], repoDir, {
     GUARDEX_GH_BIN: fakeGh.fakePath,
   });
   assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
@@ -150,6 +150,31 @@ exit 1
 });
 
 
+test('status prefers ghx as the GitHub CLI proxy when no explicit gh binary is set', () => {
+  const repoDir = initRepo();
+  const fakeGhx = createFakeBin('ghx', `
+if [[ "$1" == "--version" ]]; then
+  echo "ghx version 1.0.0"
+  exit 0
+fi
+echo "unexpected ghx args: $*" >&2
+exit 1
+`);
+
+  const result = runNodeWithEnv(['status', '--target', repoDir, '--json'], repoDir, {
+    PATH: `${fakeGhx.fakeBin}:${process.env.PATH}`,
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
+  const payload = JSON.parse(result.stdout);
+  const ghService = payload.services.find((service) => service.name === 'gh');
+  assert.ok(ghService, 'GitHub CLI service should be included in status payload');
+  assert.equal(ghService.displayName, 'GitHub (ghx proxy)');
+  assert.equal(ghService.command, 'ghx');
+  assert.equal(ghService.status, 'active');
+});
+
+
 test('warning-only degraded status avoids zero-error wording and points humans at doctor', () => {
   const repoDir = initRepo();
 
@@ -484,7 +509,7 @@ echo "unexpected npm args: $*" >&2
 exit 1
 `);
 
-  const result = runNodeWithEnv(['status', '--target', targetDir], targetDir, {
+  const result = runNodeWithEnv(['status', '--target', targetDir, '--verbose'], targetDir, {
     GUARDEX_NPM_BIN: fakeNpm,
     GUARDEX_HOME_DIR: fakeHome,
   });