diff --git a/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.test.ts b/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.test.ts
index 4c557d8a6..1009933ed 100644
--- a/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.test.ts
+++ b/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.test.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,6 @@ describe("injected skill staging", () => {
         "global-skills",
         staged.catalogHash,
       ),
-      skillNames: ["release-notes"],
     });
 
     if (!claudeRoot) {
@@ -192,7 +191,14 @@ describe("injected skill staging", () => {
     if (!claudeRoot) {
       throw new Error("Expected Claude Code skill root");
     }
-    expect(claudeRoot.skillNames).toEqual(["building-bb-apps"]);
+    await expect(
+      readFile(
+        path.join(claudeRoot.localPluginPath, ".claude-plugin", "plugin.json"),
+        "utf8",
+      ).then((content) => JSON.parse(content)),
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      skills: ["./skills/building-bb-apps"],
+    });
     await expect(
       readFile(
         path.join(claudeRoot.localPluginPath, "catalog.json"),
diff --git a/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.ts b/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.ts
index cee671f6d..545ed1cbf 100644
--- a/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.ts
+++ b/apps/host-daemon/src/injected-skills.ts
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@ interface WriteStageRootArgs {
 
 interface BuildSkillRootsArgs {
   catalogHash: string;
-  skillNames: readonly string[];
   stageRootPath: string;
 }
 
@@ -432,9 +431,6 @@ async function writeStageRoot(args: WriteStageRootArgs): Promise<string> {
 }
 
 function buildSkillRoots(args: BuildSkillRootsArgs): AgentRuntimeSkillRoot[] {
-  if (args.skillNames.length === 0) {
-    return [];
-  }
   return [
     {
       id: `global-skills:${args.catalogHash}:codex`,
@@ -445,7 +441,6 @@ function buildSkillRoots(args: BuildSkillRootsArgs): AgentRuntimeSkillRoot[] {
       id: `global-skills:${args.catalogHash}:claude-code`,
       providerId: "claude-code",
       localPluginPath: args.stageRootPath,
-      skillNames: [...args.skillNames],
     },
   ];
 }
@@ -499,12 +494,10 @@ export async function stageInjectedSkillSources(
     dataDir: args.dataDir,
     trees: sortedTrees,
   });
-  const skillNames = sortedTrees.map((tree) => tree.source.name);
   return {
     catalogHash,
     skillRoots: buildSkillRoots({
       catalogHash,
-      skillNames,
       stageRootPath,
     }),
   };
diff --git a/apps/host-daemon/src/runtime-manager.test.ts b/apps/host-daemon/src/runtime-manager.test.ts
index 8e2f22c5b..6f68b356b 100644
--- a/apps/host-daemon/src/runtime-manager.test.ts
+++ b/apps/host-daemon/src/runtime-manager.test.ts
@@ -371,7 +371,6 @@ describe("RuntimeManager", () => {
           "global-skills",
           entry.skillCatalogHash ?? "",
         ),
-        skillNames: ["release-notes"],
       },
     ]);
   });
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.test.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.test.ts
index 1ede09e0e..482743843 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.test.ts
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ describe("claude-code provider adapter", () => {
     expect(resume?.params).toMatchObject({ workflowsEnabled: false });
   });
 
-  it("buildCommand thread/start maps skill roots to Claude local plugins and skills", () => {
+  it("buildCommand thread/start maps skill roots to Claude local plugins without a skills allowlist", () => {
     const adapter = createClaudeCodeProviderAdapter();
     const cmd = adapter.buildCommandPlan({
       type: "thread/start",
@@ -341,7 +341,6 @@ describe("claude-code provider adapter", () => {
             id: "bb-cli",
             providerId: "claude-code",
             localPluginPath: "/tmp/bb-skills",
-            skillNames: ["bb-cli"],
           },
           {
             id: "repo-tools",
@@ -357,8 +356,9 @@ describe("claude-code provider adapter", () => {
         { type: "local", path: "/tmp/bb-skills" },
         { type: "local", path: "/tmp/repo-skills" },
       ],
-      skills: ["bb-cli"],
     });
+    // A skills allowlist would hide every skill the user installed themselves.
+    expect(cmd?.params).not.toHaveProperty("skills");
   });
 
   it("buildCommand thread/start includes construction-level workspace-write roots", () => {
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.ts
index ebf0ecb07..911eaf9c8 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/adapter.ts
@@ -152,7 +152,6 @@ interface ClaudeLocalPluginConfig {
 
 interface ClaudeSkillConfigParams {
   plugins: ClaudeLocalPluginConfig[];
-  skills?: string[];
 }
 
 interface ClaudeSkillConfigEntryArgs {
@@ -181,6 +180,12 @@ function buildClaudeSkillConfigEntry(
   };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Injected skill roots load as local plugins only. Never pass the SDK `skills`
+ * option here: it is a session-wide allowlist, so listing the injected skills
+ * would hide and reject every other skill the user has installed (~/.claude,
+ * plugins, built-ins). Plugin skills are enabled by CLI defaults.
+ */
 function buildClaudeSkillConfigParams(
   skillRoots: ProviderExecutionContext["skillRoots"],
 ): ClaudeSkillConfigParams | undefined {
@@ -188,19 +193,10 @@ function buildClaudeSkillConfigParams(
     return undefined;
   }
 
-  const plugins: ClaudeLocalPluginConfig[] = [];
-  const skillNames: string[] = [];
-  for (const skillRoot of skillRoots) {
-    plugins.push(buildClaudeSkillConfigEntry({ skillRoot }));
-    if (skillRoot.providerId === "claude-code" && skillRoot.skillNames) {
-      skillNames.push(...skillRoot.skillNames);
-    }
-  }
-  const distinctSkillNames = [...new Set(skillNames)];
-
   return {
-    plugins,
-    ...(distinctSkillNames.length > 0 ? { skills: distinctSkillNames } : {}),
+    plugins: skillRoots.map((skillRoot) =>
+      buildClaudeSkillConfigEntry({ skillRoot }),
+    ),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/bridge.test.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/bridge.test.ts
index aafde1378..630ece325 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/bridge.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/bridge.test.ts
@@ -603,7 +603,7 @@ describe("bridge", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("passes Claude local plugins and skills through to the session", () => {
+  it("passes Claude local plugins through to the session", () => {
     const options = buildSessionOptions(
       {
         workflowsEnabled: false,
@@ -613,7 +613,6 @@ describe("bridge", () => {
         permissionEscalation: "ask",
         permissionMode: "default",
         plugins: [{ type: "local", path: "/tmp/bb-skills" }],
-        skills: ["bb-cli"],
       },
       {},
     );
@@ -621,7 +620,7 @@ describe("bridge", () => {
     expect(options.plugins).toEqual([
       { type: "local", path: "/tmp/bb-skills" },
     ]);
-    expect(options.skills).toEqual(["bb-cli"]);
+    expect(options).not.toHaveProperty("skills");
   });
 
   it("passes the resolved Claude permission mode through to the session", () => {
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/sdk-session.test.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/sdk-session.test.ts
index bf860f9fe..ca689aecf 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/sdk-session.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/__tests__/sdk-session.test.ts
@@ -170,14 +170,13 @@ describe("SdkSession", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("forwards local plugins and enabled skills to the SDK when configured", () => {
+  it("forwards local plugins to the SDK without a skills allowlist", () => {
     const onMessage = vi.fn();
     const onDone = vi.fn();
     const session = new SdkSession(
       {
         ...defaultOptions,
         plugins: [{ type: "local", path: "/tmp/bb-skills" }],
-        skills: ["bb-cli"],
       },
       onMessage,
       onDone,
@@ -189,10 +188,12 @@ describe("SdkSession", () => {
       expect.objectContaining({
         options: expect.objectContaining({
           plugins: [{ type: "local", path: "/tmp/bb-skills" }],
-          skills: ["bb-cli"],
         }),
       }),
     );
+    // The SDK `skills` option is an allowlist: setting it would hide every
+    // skill the user installed outside bb (~/.claude, plugins, built-ins).
+    expect(queryMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]?.options).not.toHaveProperty("skills");
   });
 
   it("mirrors the Claude CLI settings cascade so user, project, and local settings all load", () => {
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/commands.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/commands.ts
index c35c8e0bf..dcebfa4ff 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/commands.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/commands.ts
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ const bridgeClaudeLocalPluginSchema = z.object({
 const bridgeClaudePluginsSchema = z
   .array(bridgeClaudeLocalPluginSchema)
   .optional();
-const bridgeClaudeSkillsSchema = z.array(z.string()).optional();
 
 const dynamicToolSchema = z.object({
   name: z.string(),
@@ -52,7 +51,6 @@ const claudeCodeCommandSchema = z.discriminatedUnion("method", [
       baseInstructions: z.string(),
       additionalWorkspaceWriteRoots: bridgeAdditionalWorkspaceWriteRootsSchema,
       plugins: bridgeClaudePluginsSchema,
-      skills: bridgeClaudeSkillsSchema,
       permissionMode: claudePermissionModeSchema,
       permissionEscalation: bridgePermissionEscalationSchema,
       config: z.record(z.string(), z.unknown()).optional(),
@@ -73,7 +71,6 @@ const claudeCodeCommandSchema = z.discriminatedUnion("method", [
       baseInstructions: z.string().optional(),
       additionalWorkspaceWriteRoots: bridgeAdditionalWorkspaceWriteRootsSchema,
       plugins: bridgeClaudePluginsSchema,
-      skills: bridgeClaudeSkillsSchema,
       permissionMode: claudePermissionModeSchema,
       permissionEscalation: bridgePermissionEscalationSchema,
       config: z.record(z.string(), z.unknown()).optional(),
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/sdk-session.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/sdk-session.ts
index cbb2ef093..13f13d906 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/sdk-session.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/sdk-session.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ export interface SdkSessionOptions {
   env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv;
   pathToClaudeCodeExecutable?: Options["pathToClaudeCodeExecutable"];
   plugins?: Options["plugins"];
-  skills?: Options["skills"];
   thinking?: Options["thinking"];
   /** Flag-tier settings (highest user-controlled tier); BB owns this layer. */
   settings?: Options["settings"];
@@ -124,7 +123,6 @@ export class SdkSession {
         ? { pathToClaudeCodeExecutable: this.options.pathToClaudeCodeExecutable }
         : {}),
       ...(this.options.plugins ? { plugins: this.options.plugins } : {}),
-      ...(this.options.skills ? { skills: this.options.skills } : {}),
       ...(this.options.thinking ? { thinking: this.options.thinking } : {}),
       ...(this.options.settings ? { settings: this.options.settings } : {}),
     };
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/session-options.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/session-options.ts
index c28850b0c..0e914e0c3 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/session-options.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/claude-code/bridge/session-options.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ export interface BuildSessionOptionsArgs {
   permissionMode: ClaudePermissionMode;
   plugins?: Options["plugins"];
   reasoningLevel?: ReasoningLevel;
-  skills?: Options["skills"];
   workflowsEnabled: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -246,7 +245,6 @@ export function buildSessionOptions(
     ...(flagSettings ? { settings: flagSettings } : {}),
     ...(pathToClaudeCodeExecutable ? { pathToClaudeCodeExecutable } : {}),
     ...(params.plugins ? { plugins: params.plugins } : {}),
-    ...(params.skills ? { skills: params.skills } : {}),
     ...(sandbox ? { sandbox } : {}),
     ...(hooks ? { hooks } : {}),
     ...(additionalDirectories.length > 0
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/integration.skill-roots.test.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/integration.skill-roots.test.ts
index dc1a7a09e..5c818b7d2 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/integration.skill-roots.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/integration.skill-roots.test.ts
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ function createClaudeSkillPlugin(
     id: skillName,
     providerId: "claude-code",
     localPluginPath: pluginDir,
-    skillNames: [skillName],
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.test.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.test.ts
index 8167c1b05..076ffff41 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.test.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ describe("runtime skill roots", () => {
           id: "claude-root",
           providerId: "claude-code",
           localPluginPath: "/tmp/claude-plugin",
-          skillNames: ["bb-cli"],
         },
         {
           id: "pi-root",
@@ -38,7 +37,6 @@ describe("runtime skill roots", () => {
         id: "claude-root",
         providerId: "claude-code",
         localPluginPath: "/tmp/claude-plugin",
-        skillNames: ["bb-cli"],
       },
       {
         id: "pi-root",
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.ts
index 500d4d6fe..8bdad26a4 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/runtime-skill-roots.ts
@@ -69,9 +69,6 @@ function normalizeClaudeCodeSkillRoot(
     id: skillRoot.id,
     providerId: skillRoot.providerId,
     localPluginPath: skillRoot.localPluginPath,
-    ...(skillRoot.skillNames && skillRoot.skillNames.length > 0
-      ? { skillNames: [...skillRoot.skillNames] }
-      : {}),
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/agent-runtime/src/types.ts b/packages/agent-runtime/src/types.ts
index 9717bf561..cdedf9602 100644
--- a/packages/agent-runtime/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/agent-runtime/src/types.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ export interface AgentRuntimeClaudeCodeSkillRoot {
   id: string;
   providerId: "claude-code";
   localPluginPath: string;
-  skillNames?: readonly string[];
 }
 
 export interface AgentRuntimePiSkillRoot {