diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 56c72292..28811de7 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@ The format is based on Keep a Changelog and the project follows Semantic Version
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- Node backend auto execution mode now falls back to inline for headless worker-ineligible runs, and worker environment checks reject empty `nativeShimModule` strings.
+
+### Tests
+
+- Added node backend regressions for auto-mode fallback selection and worker environment support checks.
+
 ## [0.1.0-alpha.60] - 2026-03-14
 
 ### Bug Fixes
diff --git a/docs/architecture/index.md b/docs/architecture/index.md
index 5cc4c42e..c0e61ad4 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/index.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/index.md
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Both formats are little-endian, 4-byte aligned, and versioned. Mismatched versio
 
 The Node/Bun backend supports three execution modes:
 
-- **`"auto"`** (default): selects `"inline"` when `fpsCap <= 30`, otherwise `"worker"`.
+- **`"auto"`** (default): selects `"inline"` when `fpsCap <= 30`; otherwise prefers `"worker"` and falls back to `"inline"` when no TTY or `nativeShimModule` is available.
 - **`"worker"`**: native engine runs on a dedicated worker thread. Main thread is never blocked by terminal I/O.
 - **`"inline"`**: engine runs on the main thread. Lower latency, but main thread blocks during I/O.
 
diff --git a/docs/backend/node.md b/docs/backend/node.md
index 8550f5d3..65c38c31 100644
--- a/docs/backend/node.md
+++ b/docs/backend/node.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ knobs aligned:
 
 - `maxEventBytes` is applied to both app parsing and backend transport buffers.
 - `fpsCap` is the single scheduling knob.
-- `executionMode: "auto"` resolves to inline when `fpsCap <= 30`, worker otherwise.
+- `executionMode: "auto"` resolves to inline when `fpsCap <= 30`, otherwise it prefers worker mode and falls back to inline for headless runs without a TTY or `nativeShimModule`.
 
 Development hot reload:
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Development hot reload:
 
 Execution mode details:
 
-- `auto` (default): select inline for low-fps workloads (`fpsCap <= 30`), worker otherwise.
+- `auto` (default): select inline for low-fps workloads (`fpsCap <= 30`); otherwise prefer worker mode and fall back to inline when no TTY or `nativeShimModule` is available.
 - `worker`: force worker-thread engine execution. With the real native addon this
   requires an interactive TTY; test harnesses can provide `nativeShimModule`
   instead.
diff --git a/docs/backend/worker-model.md b/docs/backend/worker-model.md
index 0700565d..7251ffe1 100644
--- a/docs/backend/worker-model.md
+++ b/docs/backend/worker-model.md
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 Rezi supports three backend execution modes via `config.executionMode`:
 
-- `auto` (default): inline when `fpsCap <= 30`, worker otherwise
+- `auto` (default): inline when `fpsCap <= 30`; otherwise prefer worker and fall back to inline when no TTY or `nativeShimModule` is available
 - `worker`: run native engine/polling on a worker thread
 - `inline`: run native engine inline on the main JS thread
 
diff --git a/docs/packages/node.md b/docs/packages/node.md
index b4ac6a34..a6c17180 100644
--- a/docs/packages/node.md
+++ b/docs/packages/node.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ bun add @rezi-ui/node
 
 Set `config.executionMode` on `createNodeApp(...)`:
 
-- `auto` (default): inline when `fpsCap <= 30`, worker otherwise
+- `auto` (default): inline when `fpsCap <= 30`; otherwise prefer worker and fall back to inline when no TTY or `nativeShimModule` is available
 - `worker`: always run the engine on a worker thread
 - `inline`: run the engine inline on the main JS thread
 
diff --git a/packages/node/src/__tests__/config_guards.test.ts b/packages/node/src/__tests__/config_guards.test.ts
index 30dd9904..e042b0ee 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/__tests__/config_guards.test.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/__tests__/config_guards.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
 } from "@rezi-ui/core";
 import { ZrUiError } from "@rezi-ui/core";
 import { selectNodeBackendExecutionMode } from "../backend/nodeBackend.js";
+import { hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport } from "../backend/nodeBackend/executionMode.js";
 import { createNodeApp, createNodeBackend } from "../index.js";
 
 async function withTempDir<T>(run: (dir: string) => Promise<T> | T): Promise<T> {
@@ -204,6 +205,39 @@ test("config guard: worker mode with shim does not fallback", () => {
   });
 });
 
+test("config guard: auto mode falls back to inline when worker prerequisites are unavailable", () => {
+  const selection = selectNodeBackendExecutionMode({
+    requestedExecutionMode: "auto",
+    fpsCap: 60,
+    hasAnyTty: false,
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(selection, {
+    resolvedExecutionMode: "worker",
+    selectedExecutionMode: "inline",
+    fallbackReason: "worker backend requires a TTY or nativeShimModule in auto mode",
+  });
+});
+
+test("config guard: explicit worker mode stays on worker without silent fallback", () => {
+  const selection = selectNodeBackendExecutionMode({
+    requestedExecutionMode: "worker",
+    fpsCap: 60,
+    hasAnyTty: false,
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(selection, {
+    resolvedExecutionMode: "worker",
+    selectedExecutionMode: "worker",
+    fallbackReason: null,
+  });
+});
+
+test("config guard: worker environment support rejects empty shim strings", () => {
+  assert.equal(hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport(undefined, false), false);
+  assert.equal(hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport("", false), false);
+  assert.equal(hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport("mock://native-shim", false), true);
+  assert.equal(hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport(undefined, true), true);
+});
+
 test("createNodeApp constructs a compatible app/backend pair", () => {
   const app = createNodeApp({
     initialState: { value: 0 },
diff --git a/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/executionMode.ts b/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/executionMode.ts
index 48bb6c7f..1fefc4cd 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/executionMode.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/executionMode.ts
@@ -37,10 +37,17 @@ export function hasInteractiveTty(): boolean {
   );
 }
 
+export function hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport(
+  nativeShimModule: string | undefined,
+  hasAnyTty: boolean,
+): boolean {
+  return hasAnyTty || (typeof nativeShimModule === "string" && nativeShimModule.length > 0);
+}
+
 export function selectNodeBackendExecutionMode(
   input: NodeBackendExecutionModeSelectionInput,
 ): NodeBackendExecutionModeSelection {
-  const { requestedExecutionMode, fpsCap } = input;
+  const { requestedExecutionMode, fpsCap, hasAnyTty, nativeShimModule } = input;
   const resolvedExecutionMode: "worker" | "inline" =
     requestedExecutionMode === "inline"
       ? "inline"
@@ -49,6 +56,17 @@ export function selectNodeBackendExecutionMode(
         : fpsCap <= 30
           ? "inline"
           : "worker";
+  if (
+    requestedExecutionMode === "auto" &&
+    resolvedExecutionMode === "worker" &&
+    !hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport(nativeShimModule, hasAnyTty)
+  ) {
+    return {
+      resolvedExecutionMode,
+      selectedExecutionMode: "inline",
+      fallbackReason: "worker backend requires a TTY or nativeShimModule in auto mode",
+    };
+  }
   return {
     resolvedExecutionMode,
     selectedExecutionMode: resolvedExecutionMode,
@@ -57,8 +75,7 @@ export function selectNodeBackendExecutionMode(
 }
 
 export function assertWorkerEnvironmentSupported(nativeShimModule: string | undefined): void {
-  if (nativeShimModule !== undefined) return;
-  if (hasInteractiveTty()) return;
+  if (hasWorkerEnvironmentSupport(nativeShimModule, hasInteractiveTty())) return;
   throw new ZrUiError(
     "ZRUI_BACKEND_ERROR",
     'Worker backend requires a TTY when using @rezi-ui/native. Use `executionMode: "inline"` for headless runs or pass `nativeShimModule` in test harnesses.',
diff --git a/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/shared.ts b/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/shared.ts
index 0149ea9a..e1b26d9e 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/shared.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/backend/nodeBackend/shared.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,8 @@ import type { DebugBackend, RuntimeBackend } from "@rezi-ui/core";
 export type NodeBackendConfig = Readonly<{
   /**
    * Runtime execution mode:
-   * - "auto": pick inline only for very low fps caps (<=30), worker otherwise
+   * - "auto": pick inline for very low fps caps (<=30); otherwise prefer worker
+   *   and fall back to inline when no TTY/native shim is available
    * - "worker": worker-thread engine ownership
    * - "inline": single-thread inline backend (no worker-hop transport)
    */