diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-install.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-install.yml
index f69c222..e650fbe 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-install.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-install.yml
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@ jobs:
               exit 1
             fi
 
+            echo "--- squad-cli ---"
+            export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
+            [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
+            squad --version | head -1
+
             echo "All Linux assertions passed"
           '
 
@@ -225,6 +230,11 @@ jobs:
               exit 1
             fi
 
+            echo "--- squad-cli ---"
+            export NVM_DIR="$HOME/.nvm"
+            [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ] && . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh"
+            squad --version | head -1
+
             echo "All macOS assertions passed"
           '
 
@@ -373,6 +383,9 @@ jobs:
               $failures += 'profile'
             }
 
+            Write-Host "--- squad-cli ---"
+            Assert-Command 'squad' '--version'
+
             if ($failures.Count -gt 0) {
               Write-Host "`nFailed assertions: $($failures -join ', ')"
               exit 1
diff --git a/.tool-versions b/.tool-versions
index 541bb76..ac7553f 100644
--- a/.tool-versions
+++ b/.tool-versions
@@ -3,4 +3,5 @@ nvm 0.39.7
 nvm-windows 1.2.2
 uv 0.4.18
 copilot-cli 1.0.48
+squad-cli 0.10.0
 gh 2.92.0
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9478c38..0dea8d5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 | `nvm` + Node.js LTS | Node Version Manager + latest Node LTS |
 | `gh` | GitHub CLI |
 | GitHub Copilot CLI | AI pair programmer in your terminal (`gh copilot`) |
+| `squad` CLI | Multi-agent copilot orchestrator (`gosquad` launcher) |
 | `vim` | Modal text editor -- installed on all platforms |
 | `tmux` | Terminal multiplexer (Linux/macOS) |
 | `psmux` | Terminal multiplexer (Windows) |
@@ -93,7 +94,8 @@ dev-setup/
 |   |   \-- tools/            -- Individual tool install scripts
 |   |       +-- auth.sh       -- GitHub CLI authentication (interactive)
 |   |       +-- copilot-cli.sh
-|   |       +-- gh.sh
+|   |       +-- squad-cli.sh
+|       +-- gh.sh
 |   |       +-- nvm.sh
 |   |       +-- uv.sh
 |   |       \-- zsh.sh
@@ -103,9 +105,9 @@ dev-setup/
 |       \-- tools/            -- Per-tool install scripts
 |           +-- auth.ps1      -- GitHub CLI authentication (interactive)
 |           +-- copilot.ps1, dotfiles.ps1, gh.ps1, git.ps1, nvm.ps1
-|           +-- profile.ps1, psmux.ps1
+|           +-- profile.ps1, psmux.ps1, squad-cli.ps1
 |           +-- uv.ps1, vim.ps1
-|           \-- (9 files total)
+|           \-- (10 files total)
 +-- config/
 |   \-- dotfiles/             -- Dotfile templates (.aliases, .gitconfig, .editorconfig, etc.)
 |       \-- install.sh        -- Dotfile installer
diff --git a/scripts/linux/setup.sh b/scripts/linux/setup.sh
index 0e7a0d9..5460544 100755
--- a/scripts/linux/setup.sh
+++ b/scripts/linux/setup.sh
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ main() {
   run_tool "gh"
   run_tool "auth"
   run_tool "copilot-cli"
+  run_tool "squad-cli"
 
   # Apply dotfiles if installer script exists
   local dotfiles_script="${REPO_ROOT}/config/dotfiles/install.sh"
diff --git a/scripts/linux/tools/squad-cli.sh b/scripts/linux/tools/squad-cli.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..66553af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/linux/tools/squad-cli.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# scripts/linux/tools/squad-cli.sh -- Install squad-cli globally via npm at pinned version
+#
+# Called by: scripts/linux/setup.sh
+# Idempotent: yes -- version-aware; upgrades if installed version != pinned version.
+
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+. "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")/../lib/log.sh"
+
+# Source nvm if available, to get node/npm on PATH in this subshell.
+export NVM_DIR="${NVM_DIR:-$HOME/.nvm}"
+# shellcheck source=/dev/null
+if [ -s "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" ]; then
+  . "$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" --no-use
+  nvm use default 2>/dev/null || true
+fi
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+SQUAD_CLI_VERSION="$(sh "${SCRIPT_DIR}/../../lib/read-tool-version.sh" squad-cli)"
+
+log_info "Pinned squad-cli version: ${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}"
+
+# Detect installed version; use timeout to prevent a network-dependent binary from hanging
+INSTALLED_VERSION=""
+if command -v squad &>/dev/null; then
+  INSTALLED_VERSION="$(timeout 10 squad --version 2>&1 | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1 || true)"
+fi
+
+if [ "${INSTALLED_VERSION}" = "${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}" ]; then
+  log_ok "squad-cli already at pinned version ${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+if [ -n "${INSTALLED_VERSION}" ]; then
+  log_info "squad-cli ${INSTALLED_VERSION} installed; upgrading to pinned ${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}..."
+else
+  log_info "Installing squad-cli ${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}..."
+fi
+
+if ! command -v npm &>/dev/null; then
+  log_warn "npm not found -- cannot install squad-cli; run 'npm install -g @bradygaster/squad-cli@${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}' once Node is available"
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+npm install -g --no-fund --no-audit "@bradygaster/squad-cli@${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}"
+log_ok "squad-cli installed at ${SQUAD_CLI_VERSION}"
diff --git a/scripts/windows/setup.ps1 b/scripts/windows/setup.ps1
index 6a16797..4b5ea2f 100644
--- a/scripts/windows/setup.ps1
+++ b/scripts/windows/setup.ps1
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ function Test-WingetAvailable {
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\vim.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\psmux.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\copilot.ps1"
+. "$PSScriptRoot\tools\squad-cli.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\dotfiles.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\profile.ps1"
 . "$PSScriptRoot\tools\auth.ps1"
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ function Main {
     Install-Vim
     Install-Psmux
     Install-CopilotCli
+    Install-SquadCli
     Install-Dotfiles
     Write-PowerShellProfile
     Install-GitHook
diff --git a/scripts/windows/tools/squad-cli.ps1 b/scripts/windows/tools/squad-cli.ps1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e9560f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/windows/tools/squad-cli.ps1
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# scripts/windows/tools/squad-cli.ps1 - squad-cli installer
+#
+# Installs squad-cli globally via npm at pinned version from .tool-versions.
+# Version-aware: upgrades if installed version != pinned version.
+
+Set-StrictMode -Version Latest
+$ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
+
+. "$PSScriptRoot\..\lib\logging.ps1"
+. "$PSScriptRoot\..\lib\path.ps1"
+. "$PSScriptRoot\..\..\lib\Read-ToolVersion.ps1"
+
+function Install-SquadCli {
+    $SquadCliVersion = Get-ToolVersion -Name 'squad-cli'
+
+    # Detect installed version (squad --version may emit a warning before the semver)
+    $InstalledVersion = ''
+    if (Get-Command squad -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue) {
+        $raw = (squad --version 2>&1) | Out-String
+        $m = [regex]::Match($raw, '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+')
+        if ($m.Success) { $InstalledVersion = $m.Value }
+    }
+
+    if ($InstalledVersion -eq $SquadCliVersion) {
+        Write-Ok "squad-cli already at pinned version $SquadCliVersion"
+        return
+    }
+
+    if ($InstalledVersion) {
+        Write-Info "squad-cli $InstalledVersion installed; upgrading to pinned $SquadCliVersion..."
+    } else {
+        Write-Info "Installing squad-cli $SquadCliVersion..."
+    }
+
+    Refresh-SessionPath
+    if (-not (Get-Command npm -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+        Write-Warn "npm not found -- cannot install squad-cli via npm; run 'npm install -g `"@bradygaster/squad-cli@$SquadCliVersion`"' once Node is available"
+        return
+    }
+
+    npm install -g "@bradygaster/squad-cli@$SquadCliVersion"
+    Assert-LastExit -ToolName "squad-cli"
+    Write-Ok "squad-cli installed at $SquadCliVersion"
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_nvm_bootstrap.sh b/tests/test_nvm_bootstrap.sh
index fffd1ea..d624cf2 100644
--- a/tests/test_nvm_bootstrap.sh
+++ b/tests/test_nvm_bootstrap.sh
@@ -73,6 +73,32 @@ else
   fail "copilot-cli.sh still uses bare binary-exists guard (no version comparison)"
 fi
 
+# --- squad-cli bootstrap tests ---
+
+SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT="${REPO_ROOT}/scripts/linux/tools/squad-cli.sh"
+
+# T7: squad-cli.sh sources nvm in-script before npm checks
+# shellcheck disable=SC2016
+if grep -q '\. "\$NVM_DIR/nvm.sh" --no-use' "$SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT" && grep -q 'nvm use default 2>/dev/null || true' "$SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT"; then
+  pass "squad-cli.sh sources nvm and activates default alias in-script"
+else
+  fail "squad-cli.sh does not source nvm/default alias before npm checks"
+fi
+
+# T8: squad-cli.sh reads pinned version from .tool-versions
+if grep -q 'read-tool-version.sh.*squad-cli' "$SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT"; then
+  pass "squad-cli.sh reads squad-cli version from .tool-versions"
+else
+  fail "squad-cli.sh does not read squad-cli version from .tool-versions"
+fi
+
+# T9: squad-cli.sh performs version-aware idempotency check
+if grep -q 'INSTALLED_VERSION' "$SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT" && grep -q 'SQUAD_CLI_VERSION' "$SQUAD_CLI_SCRIPT"; then
+  pass "squad-cli.sh performs version-aware idempotency check"
+else
+  fail "squad-cli.sh still uses bare binary-exists guard (no version comparison)"
+fi
+
 # --- Summary ---
 
 echo ""
diff --git a/tests/test_windows_setup.ps1 b/tests/test_windows_setup.ps1
index 043e6d0..02cfc41 100644
--- a/tests/test_windows_setup.ps1
+++ b/tests/test_windows_setup.ps1
@@ -2391,6 +2391,65 @@ Test-Scenario "GG-7: Non-zero host exit -- fallback path returned" {
 }
 $global:LASTEXITCODE = 0  # v5-H2: reset after native-command contamination
 
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# Group HH: squad-cli installer (Issue #487)
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+Write-Host "`n========================================================" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+Write-Host " Group HH: squad-cli installer (#487)" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+Write-Host "========================================================" -ForegroundColor Cyan
+
+$squadCliToolPath    = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'scripts\windows\tools\squad-cli.ps1'
+$squadCliToolContent = Get-Content $squadCliToolPath -Raw
+
+Test-Scenario "HH-1: Install-SquadCli function defined in squad-cli.ps1" {
+    $found = Select-String -Path $squadCliToolPath -Pattern 'function Install-SquadCli' -Quiet
+    if (-not $found) {
+        throw "Install-SquadCli function not found in scripts/windows/tools/squad-cli.ps1"
+    }
+}
+
+Test-Scenario "HH-2: squad-cli.ps1 reads pinned version via Get-ToolVersion" {
+    if ($squadCliToolContent -notmatch "Get-ToolVersion.*-Name\s+'squad-cli'") {
+        throw "squad-cli.ps1 does not call Get-ToolVersion -Name 'squad-cli'"
+    }
+}
+
+Test-Scenario "HH-3: Install-SquadCli called in setup.ps1 Main() after Install-CopilotCli" {
+    $setupPath = Join-Path $RepoRoot 'scripts\windows\setup.ps1'
+    $tokens = $null; $errors = $null
+    $ast = [System.Management.Automation.Language.Parser]::ParseFile($setupPath, [ref]$tokens, [ref]$errors)
+    $mainFn = $ast.FindAll({ param($n) $n -is [System.Management.Automation.Language.FunctionDefinitionAst] -and $n.Name -eq 'Main' }, $true)
+    if ($mainFn.Count -eq 0) { throw "Main function not found in setup.ps1" }
+    $mainBody = $mainFn[0].Body.Extent.Text
+    if ($mainBody -notmatch 'Install-SquadCli') {
+        throw "Install-SquadCli is not called in Main"
+    }
+    # Verify ordering: Install-CopilotCli must appear before Install-SquadCli
+    $copilotIdx  = $mainBody.IndexOf('Install-CopilotCli')
+    $squadCliIdx = $mainBody.IndexOf('Install-SquadCli')
+    if ($copilotIdx -lt 0) { throw "Install-CopilotCli not found in Main" }
+    if ($squadCliIdx -le $copilotIdx) {
+        throw "Install-SquadCli does not appear after Install-CopilotCli in Main"
+    }
+}
+
+Test-Scenario "HH-4: Missing npm guard uses Write-Warn + return (soft-fail, not exit 1)" {
+    if ($squadCliToolContent -notmatch 'Write-Warn.*npm not found') {
+        throw "squad-cli.ps1 does not use Write-Warn for missing npm (soft-fail pattern missing)"
+    }
+    # Must NOT contain exit 1 for the npm-absent path
+    $lines = $squadCliToolContent -split "`n"
+    $npmAbsentSection = $false
+    foreach ($line in $lines) {
+        if ($line -match 'npm not found') { $npmAbsentSection = $true }
+        if ($npmAbsentSection -and $line -match '\bexit 1\b') {
+            throw "squad-cli.ps1 uses exit 1 for npm-absent path -- must use return (soft-fail)"
+        }
+        if ($npmAbsentSection -and $line -match '\breturn\b') { break }
+    }
+}
+
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Results
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------