diff --git a/crates/core/src/commands/snapshot.rs b/crates/core/src/commands/snapshot.rs
index 6c4f067..af124ce 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/commands/snapshot.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/commands/snapshot.rs
@@ -17,11 +17,12 @@ pub struct SnapshotArgs {
 
 pub fn execute(args: SnapshotArgs, adapter: &dyn PlatformAdapter) -> Result<Value, AppError> {
     tracing::debug!(
-        "tree: snapshot app={:?} window_id={:?} max_depth={} interactive_only={}",
+        "tree: snapshot app={:?} window_id={:?} max_depth={} interactive_only={} compact={}",
         args.app.as_deref().unwrap_or("(focused)"),
         args.window_id.as_deref().unwrap_or("(auto)"),
         args.max_depth,
-        args.interactive_only
+        args.interactive_only,
+        args.compact
     );
 
     let opts = crate::adapter::TreeOptions {
diff --git a/crates/core/src/snapshot.rs b/crates/core/src/snapshot.rs
index bd30b55..80d097e 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/snapshot.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/snapshot.rs
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ pub fn build(
         &mut refmap,
         opts.include_bounds,
         opts.interactive_only,
+        opts.compact,
         window.pid,
         Some(window.app.as_str()),
     );
@@ -142,16 +143,26 @@ pub fn append_surface_refs(
     };
     let raw_tree = adapter.get_tree(&window, &opts).ok()?;
     let mut refmap = RefMap::load().ok()?;
-    let tree = allocate_refs(raw_tree, &mut refmap, false, true, pid, source_app);
+    let tree = allocate_refs(raw_tree, &mut refmap, false, true, false, pid, source_app);
     refmap.save().ok()?;
     Some(tree)
 }
 
+fn is_collapsible(node: &AccessibilityNode) -> bool {
+    node.ref_id.is_none()
+        && node.name.as_deref().is_none_or(str::is_empty)
+        && node.value.as_deref().is_none_or(str::is_empty)
+        && node.description.as_deref().is_none_or(str::is_empty)
+        && node.states.is_empty()
+        && node.children.len() == 1
+}
+
 fn allocate_refs(
     mut node: AccessibilityNode,
     refmap: &mut RefMap,
     include_bounds: bool,
     interactive_only: bool,
+    compact: bool,
     window_pid: i32,
     source_app: Option<&str>,
 ) -> AccessibilityNode {
@@ -185,9 +196,13 @@ fn allocate_refs(
                 refmap,
                 include_bounds,
                 interactive_only,
+                compact,
                 window_pid,
                 source_app,
             );
+            if compact && is_collapsible(&child) {
+                return child.children.into_iter().next();
+            }
             if interactive_only && child.ref_id.is_none() && child.children.is_empty() {
                 None
             } else {
@@ -211,3 +226,129 @@ fn actions_for_role(role: &str) -> Vec<String> {
         _ => vec!["Click".into()],
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::node::AccessibilityNode;
+
+    fn node(role: &str) -> AccessibilityNode {
+        AccessibilityNode {
+            ref_id: None,
+            role: role.into(),
+            name: None,
+            value: None,
+            description: None,
+            hint: None,
+            states: vec![],
+            bounds: None,
+            children: vec![],
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn run_compact(tree: AccessibilityNode) -> AccessibilityNode {
+        let mut refmap = RefMap::new();
+        allocate_refs(tree, &mut refmap, false, false, true, 1, Some("Test"))
+    }
+
+    fn run_compact_interactive(tree: AccessibilityNode) -> AccessibilityNode {
+        let mut refmap = RefMap::new();
+        allocate_refs(tree, &mut refmap, false, true, true, 1, Some("Test"))
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_collapses_single_child_chain() {
+        let mut btn = node("button");
+        btn.name = Some("Send".into());
+        let mut g1 = node("group");
+        g1.children = vec![btn];
+        let mut g2 = node("group");
+        g2.children = vec![g1];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![g2];
+
+        let result = run_compact(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.role, "window");
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "button");
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].name.as_deref(), Some("Send"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_preserves_named_containers() {
+        let btn = node("button");
+        let mut named = node("group");
+        named.name = Some("Sidebar".into());
+        named.children = vec![btn];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![named];
+
+        let result = run_compact(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "group");
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].name.as_deref(), Some("Sidebar"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_preserves_description() {
+        let btn = node("button");
+        let mut desc_node = node("group");
+        desc_node.description = Some("toolbar".into());
+        desc_node.children = vec![btn];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![desc_node];
+
+        let result = run_compact(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "group");
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].description.as_deref(), Some("toolbar"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_preserves_states() {
+        let btn = node("button");
+        let mut disabled = node("group");
+        disabled.states = vec!["disabled".into()];
+        disabled.children = vec![btn];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![disabled];
+
+        let result = run_compact(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "group");
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].states, vec!["disabled"]);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_preserves_multi_child() {
+        let btn = node("button");
+        let tf = node("textfield");
+        let mut group = node("group");
+        group.children = vec![btn, tf];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![group];
+
+        let result = run_compact(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "group");
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].children.len(), 2);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_compact_with_interactive_only() {
+        let mut btn = node("button");
+        btn.name = Some("OK".into());
+        let text = node("statictext");
+        let mut g1 = node("group");
+        g1.children = vec![btn];
+        let mut g2 = node("group");
+        g2.children = vec![text];
+        let mut root = node("window");
+        root.children = vec![g1, g2];
+
+        let result = run_compact_interactive(root);
+        assert_eq!(result.children.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(result.children[0].role, "button");
+        assert!(result.children[0].ref_id.is_some());
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/cli_args.rs b/src/cli_args.rs
index 5ad2192..cff8caf 100644
--- a/src/cli_args.rs
+++ b/src/cli_args.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,10 @@ pub struct SnapshotArgs {
     pub include_bounds: bool,
     #[arg(long, short = 'i', help = "Include interactive elements only")]
     pub interactive_only: bool,
-    #[arg(long, help = "Omit empty structural nodes from output")]
+    #[arg(
+        long,
+        help = "Collapse single-child unnamed nodes to reduce tree depth"
+    )]
     pub compact: bool,
     #[arg(long, value_enum, default_value_t = Surface::Window, help = "Surface to snapshot")]
     pub surface: Surface,