diff --git a/src/skillspector/nodes/deduplicate.py b/src/skillspector/nodes/deduplicate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abda513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/skillspector/nodes/deduplicate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+# 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.
+
+"""Cross-analyzer finding deduplication.
+
+Merges findings that represent the same conceptual issue observed multiple
+times — either within the same file or across files with identical patterns.
+
+Deduplication strategy:
+1. Same-file dedup: Same rule_id + same file + same matched_text
+   → keep highest confidence instance
+2. Cross-file consolidation: Same rule_id + same matched_text across files
+   → keep highest confidence instance
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from skillspector.logging_config import get_logger
+from skillspector.models import Finding
+
+logger = get_logger(__name__)
+
+
+def _same_file_key(finding: Finding) -> tuple[str, str, str]:
+    """Build a deduplication key for same-file matches."""
+    matched = (finding.matched_text or "").strip()[:100]
+    return (finding.rule_id, finding.file, matched)
+
+
+def _cross_file_key(finding: Finding) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """Build a cross-file deduplication key from rule_id and normalized matched_text."""
+    matched = (finding.matched_text or "").strip()[:100]
+    return (finding.rule_id, matched)
+
+
+def deduplicate(findings: list[Finding]) -> list[Finding]:
+    """Deduplicate a list of findings, returning a reduced list.
+
+    Two-pass deduplication:
+    1. Same-file: identical (rule_id, file, matched_text) → keep highest confidence
+    2. Cross-file: identical (rule_id, matched_text) across different files
+       → keep highest confidence representative
+
+    Findings without matched_text are never cross-file deduplicated (they lack
+    a reliable identity signal).
+    """
+    if not findings:
+        return []
+
+    original_count = len(findings)
+
+    # Pass 1: Same-file deduplication
+    same_file_best: dict[tuple[str, str, str], Finding] = {}
+    for f in findings:
+        key = _same_file_key(f)
+        existing = same_file_best.get(key)
+        if existing is None or f.confidence > existing.confidence:
+            same_file_best[key] = f
+
+    after_same_file = list(same_file_best.values())
+
+    # Pass 2: Cross-file deduplication (only for findings WITH matched_text)
+    cross_file_best: dict[tuple[str, str], Finding] = {}
+    no_text_findings: list[Finding] = []
+
+    for f in after_same_file:
+        matched = (f.matched_text or "").strip()
+        if not matched:
+            no_text_findings.append(f)
+            continue
+        key = _cross_file_key(f)
+        existing = cross_file_best.get(key)
+        if existing is None or f.confidence > existing.confidence:
+            cross_file_best[key] = f
+
+    deduplicated = list(cross_file_best.values()) + no_text_findings
+
+    removed = original_count - len(deduplicated)
+    if removed > 0:
+        logger.info(
+            "Deduplication: %d → %d findings (%d duplicates removed)",
+            original_count,
+            len(deduplicated),
+            removed,
+        )
+
+    severity_order = {"CRITICAL": 0, "HIGH": 1, "MEDIUM": 2, "LOW": 3}
+    deduplicated.sort(
+        key=lambda f: (severity_order.get(f.severity.upper(), 4), f.file, f.start_line)
+    )
+
+    return deduplicated
diff --git a/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py b/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
index 1b76cbf..21aa5c7 100644
--- a/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
+++ b/src/skillspector/nodes/report.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 from skillspector.llm_utils import is_llm_available
 from skillspector.logging_config import get_logger
 from skillspector.models import Finding
+from skillspector.nodes.deduplicate import deduplicate
 from skillspector.sarif_models import (
     SARIF_SCHEMA_URI,
     SarifArtifactLocation,
@@ -376,12 +377,11 @@ def _format_markdown(
 
 def report(state: SkillspectorState) -> dict[str, object]:
     """Generate SARIF, compute risk score, and set report_body from output_format."""
-    findings = state.get("filtered_findings", state.get("findings", []))
-    # When use_llm is False, meta_analyzer is skipped; ensure final state has filtered_findings
+    raw_findings = state.get("filtered_findings", state.get("findings", []))
     if "filtered_findings" not in state:
-        filtered_findings = state.get("findings", [])
-    else:
-        filtered_findings = findings
+        raw_findings = state.get("findings", [])
+    findings_for_scoring = deduplicate(raw_findings)
+    filtered_findings = raw_findings
     component_metadata = state.get("component_metadata") or []
     has_executable_scripts = state.get("has_executable_scripts", False)
     manifest = state.get("manifest") or {}
@@ -390,13 +390,13 @@ def report(state: SkillspectorState) -> dict[str, object]:
     use_llm = state.get("use_llm", True)
 
     risk_score, risk_severity, risk_recommendation = _compute_risk_score(
-        findings, has_executable_scripts
+        findings_for_scoring, has_executable_scripts
     )
-    sarif_report = _build_sarif(findings)
+    sarif_report = _build_sarif(filtered_findings)
 
     if output_format == "terminal":
         report_body = _format_terminal(
-            findings,
+            filtered_findings,
             component_metadata,
             manifest,
             skill_path,
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ def report(state: SkillspectorState) -> dict[str, object]:
         )
     elif output_format == "json":
         report_body = _format_json(
-            findings,
+            filtered_findings,
             component_metadata,
             manifest,
             skill_path,
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ def report(state: SkillspectorState) -> dict[str, object]:
         )
     elif output_format == "markdown":
         report_body = _format_markdown(
-            findings,
+            filtered_findings,
             component_metadata,
             manifest,
             skill_path,
diff --git a/tests/nodes/test_deduplicate.py b/tests/nodes/test_deduplicate.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..16e913c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/nodes/test_deduplicate.py
@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+# 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 cross-analyzer finding deduplication."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from skillspector.models import Finding
+from skillspector.nodes.deduplicate import deduplicate
+
+
+def _finding(
+    rule_id: str = "TM1",
+    file: str = "tool.py",
+    matched_text: str = "subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+    confidence: float = 0.8,
+    severity: str = "HIGH",
+    start_line: int = 1,
+) -> Finding:
+    return Finding(
+        rule_id=rule_id,
+        message=f"Test finding {rule_id}",
+        severity=severity,
+        confidence=confidence,
+        file=file,
+        start_line=start_line,
+        matched_text=matched_text,
+    )
+
+
+class TestSameFileDedup:
+    """Same rule_id + same file + same matched_text → keep highest confidence."""
+
+    def test_exact_duplicates_reduced_to_one(self) -> None:
+        """Two identical findings in same file → one output."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", start_line=1),
+            _finding(file="a.py", start_line=5),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_keeps_highest_confidence(self) -> None:
+        """When duplicates exist, the highest confidence one is kept."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", confidence=0.6),
+            _finding(file="a.py", confidence=0.9),
+            _finding(file="a.py", confidence=0.3),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].confidence == 0.9
+
+    def test_different_rules_same_file_not_deduped(self) -> None:
+        """Different rule_ids in same file are independent findings."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="a.py"),
+            _finding(rule_id="TM2", file="a.py"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+    def test_different_matched_text_same_file_not_deduped(self) -> None:
+        """Same rule but different matched text in same file → separate findings."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text="subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)"),
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text="subprocess.Popen(cmd, shell=True)"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+
+class TestCrossFileDedup:
+    """Same rule_id + same matched_text across files → keep best."""
+
+    def test_same_pattern_across_files_deduplicated(self) -> None:
+        """Same rule + same matched text in different files → one output."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="step1.py"),
+            _finding(file="step2.py"),
+            _finding(file="step3.py"),
+            _finding(file="step4.py"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_cross_file_keeps_highest_confidence(self) -> None:
+        """Cross-file dedup keeps the highest confidence finding."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", confidence=0.5),
+            _finding(file="b.py", confidence=0.9),
+            _finding(file="c.py", confidence=0.7),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].confidence == 0.9
+        assert result[0].file == "b.py"
+
+    def test_different_patterns_across_files_not_deduped(self) -> None:
+        """Different matched texts are independent even with same rule_id."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text="curl -k"),
+            _finding(file="b.py", matched_text="wget --no-check-certificate"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+    def test_different_rules_same_pattern_not_deduped(self) -> None:
+        """Different rules with same matched text are independent."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="a.py", matched_text="curl -k"),
+            _finding(rule_id="SC1", file="b.py", matched_text="curl -k"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+
+class TestNoMatchedText:
+    """Findings without matched_text are never cross-file deduplicated."""
+
+    def test_no_matched_text_kept_independently(self) -> None:
+        """Findings with empty/None matched_text are all kept."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text=""),
+            _finding(file="b.py", matched_text=""),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+    def test_none_matched_text_kept(self) -> None:
+        """Findings with None matched_text are preserved."""
+        f1 = Finding(rule_id="TM1", message="Test", file="a.py", start_line=1, matched_text=None)
+        f2 = Finding(rule_id="TM1", message="Test", file="b.py", start_line=1, matched_text=None)
+        result = deduplicate([f1, f2])
+        assert len(result) == 2
+
+
+class TestEdgeCases:
+    """Edge cases and ordering."""
+
+    def test_empty_list(self) -> None:
+        """Empty input returns empty output."""
+        assert deduplicate([]) == []
+
+    def test_single_finding_unchanged(self) -> None:
+        """A single finding passes through unchanged."""
+        findings = [_finding()]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+        assert result[0].rule_id == "TM1"
+
+    def test_output_sorted_by_severity_then_file(self) -> None:
+        """Output is sorted: CRITICAL > HIGH > MEDIUM > LOW, then by file."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(rule_id="A", severity="LOW", file="z.py", matched_text="low"),
+            _finding(rule_id="B", severity="CRITICAL", file="a.py", matched_text="crit"),
+            _finding(rule_id="C", severity="HIGH", file="m.py", matched_text="high"),
+            _finding(rule_id="D", severity="MEDIUM", file="b.py", matched_text="med"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 4
+        assert [r.severity for r in result] == ["CRITICAL", "HIGH", "MEDIUM", "LOW"]
+
+    def test_real_world_repetitive_skill(self) -> None:
+        """Simulates a skill with subprocess in 5 files — should deduplicate to 1."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(
+                rule_id="TM1",
+                file=f"step{i}.py",
+                matched_text="subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+                confidence=0.8,
+            )
+            for i in range(5)
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_mixed_dedup_scenario(self) -> None:
+        """Mix of same-file, cross-file, and unique findings."""
+        findings = [
+            # Same pattern in 3 files → should become 1
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="a.py", matched_text="shell=True"),
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="b.py", matched_text="shell=True"),
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="c.py", matched_text="shell=True"),
+            # Different pattern, unique
+            _finding(rule_id="E1", file="a.py", matched_text="requests.post(url)"),
+            # Same rule different pattern
+            _finding(rule_id="TM1", file="d.py", matched_text="--force delete"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        # TM1 shell=True (1) + E1 requests.post (1) + TM1 --force (1) = 3
+        assert len(result) == 3
+
+    def test_whitespace_normalization(self) -> None:
+        """Leading/trailing whitespace in matched_text is trimmed for key."""
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text="  curl -k  "),
+            _finding(file="b.py", matched_text="curl -k"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        assert len(result) == 1
+
+    def test_long_matched_text_truncated_for_key(self) -> None:
+        """Only first 100 chars of matched_text are used for dedup key."""
+        base = "x" * 100
+        findings = [
+            _finding(file="a.py", matched_text=base + "AAAA"),
+            _finding(file="b.py", matched_text=base + "BBBB"),
+        ]
+        result = deduplicate(findings)
+        # First 100 chars are identical → deduplicated
+        assert len(result) == 1
diff --git a/tests/nodes/test_report.py b/tests/nodes/test_report.py
index 8e2e994..4f45443 100644
--- a/tests/nodes/test_report.py
+++ b/tests/nodes/test_report.py
@@ -501,3 +501,32 @@ def test_report_default_output_format_is_sarif(self) -> None:
         body = result["report_body"]
         json.loads(body)
         assert "sarif_report" in result
+
+    def test_report_dedup_affects_score_only_not_report_output(self) -> None:
+        """Deduplication reduces score but all affected files appear in the report."""
+        duplicated = [
+            Finding(
+                rule_id="TM1",
+                message="shell injection",
+                severity="HIGH",
+                confidence=0.8,
+                file=f"step{i}.py",
+                start_line=10,
+                matched_text="subprocess.run(cmd, shell=True)",
+            )
+            for i in range(4)
+        ]
+        state: SkillspectorState = {
+            "filtered_findings": duplicated,
+            "component_metadata": [],
+            "has_executable_scripts": False,
+            "manifest": {"name": "multi-file"},
+            "skill_path": "/tmp/skill",
+            "output_format": "json",
+        }
+        result = report(state)
+        body = json.loads(result["report_body"])
+        reported_files = {issue["location"]["file"] for issue in body["issues"]}
+        assert reported_files == {"step0.py", "step1.py", "step2.py", "step3.py"}
+        assert len(body["issues"]) == 4
+        assert result["risk_score"] < 4 * 25