diff --git a/tui/component_command_runtime.go b/tui/component_command_runtime.go
index 328a336d..36c7dc67 100644
--- a/tui/component_command_runtime.go
+++ b/tui/component_command_runtime.go
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ func (m *model) activateSkillCommand(input, name string, args map[string]string)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	response := fmt.Sprintf("Activated skill `%s` (%s).\nTool policy: %s\nEntry: %s", skill.Name, skill.Scope, skill.ToolPolicy.Policy, skill.Entry.Slash)
+	response := fmt.Sprintf("Activated skill `%s` (%s).\nTool policy: %s", skill.Name, skill.Scope, skill.ToolPolicy.Policy)
 	if len(args) > 0 {
 		argParts := make([]string, 0, len(args))
 		keys := make([]string, 0, len(args))
@@ -145,5 +145,5 @@ func (m *model) activateSelectedSkill() error {
 	}
 	index := clamp(m.commandCursor, 0, len(items)-1)
 	selected := items[index]
-	return m.activateSkillCommand(selected.Usage, selected.Usage, nil)
+	return m.activateSkillCommand("Skill select: "+selected.Name, selected.Name, nil)
 }
diff --git a/tui/component_command_utils.go b/tui/component_command_utils.go
index df8ce6e6..5820153a 100644
--- a/tui/component_command_utils.go
+++ b/tui/component_command_utils.go
@@ -17,13 +17,13 @@ func (m model) helpText() string {
 		"- `/agents [name]`: list available subagents or show one definition.",
 		"- `/review`: run the builtin review subagent with a bounded task.",
 		"- `/explorer`: run the builtin explorer subagent with a bounded task.",
+		"- `/skills-select`: open the loaded skills picker.",
 		"- `/skills`: list discovered skills and diagnostics.",
 		"- `/mcp list`: list configured MCP servers and runtime status.",
 		"- `/mcp help`: show MCP command help.",
 		"- `/mcp show <id>`: show one MCP server config and runtime status.",
 		"- Add MCP servers by writing `.bytemind/mcp.json` in the workspace.",
 		"- `/model`: open the configured provider/model picker and switch with Up/Down + Enter.",
-		"- `/<skill-name> [k=v...]`: activate a skill for this session.",
 		"- `/skill clear`: clear the active skill in this session.",
 		"- `/skill delete <name>`: delete the specified project skill.",
 		"- `/new`: start a fresh session.",
diff --git a/tui/component_palette_runtime.go b/tui/component_palette_runtime.go
index f573a7fe..79f64aab 100644
--- a/tui/component_palette_runtime.go
+++ b/tui/component_palette_runtime.go
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ func (m model) skillPickerItems() []commandItem {
 		}
 		items = append(items, commandItem{
 			Name:        name,
-			Usage:       "/" + name,
+			Usage:       name,
 			Description: description,
 			Kind:        "skill",
 		})
diff --git a/tui/model_test.go b/tui/model_test.go
index 27417715..43b32a97 100644
--- a/tui/model_test.go
+++ b/tui/model_test.go
@@ -3742,6 +3742,7 @@ func TestHelpTextOnlyMentionsSupportedEntryPoints(t *testing.T) {
 		"/plan",
 		"/skill use",
 		"/skill show",
+		"/<skill-name>",
 	} {
 		if strings.Contains(text, unwanted) {
 			t.Fatalf("help text should not mention %q", unwanted)
@@ -3752,6 +3753,7 @@ func TestHelpTextOnlyMentionsSupportedEntryPoints(t *testing.T) {
 		"go run ./cmd/bytemind chat",
 		"go run ./cmd/bytemind run -prompt",
 		"/session",
+		"/skills-select",
 		"TUI does not expose `/resume`",
 		"CLI keeps `/resume <id>`",
 		"/skill clear",
@@ -4496,26 +4498,27 @@ func TestFilteredCommandsExcludeSkillSlashCommands(t *testing.T) {
 
 	items := m.filteredCommands()
 	for _, item := range items {
-		if item.Name == "review" && item.Kind == "skill" {
-			t.Fatalf("skill commands should NOT appear in filtered commands, found %q", item.Name)
+		if item.Kind == "skill" {
+			t.Fatalf("command palette should not expose skill slash items, got %+v in %+v", item, items)
 		}
 	}
 
-	m.syncCommandPalette()
 	skills := m.skillPickerItems()
 	found := false
-	for _, s := range skills {
-		if s.Name == "review" && s.Usage == "/review" && s.Kind == "skill" {
+	for _, item := range skills {
+		if item.Name == "review" && item.Usage == "review" && item.Kind == "skill" {
 			found = true
-			break
+		}
+		if strings.HasPrefix(item.Usage, "/") {
+			t.Fatalf("skill picker should show skill names without slash, got %+v", item)
 		}
 	}
 	if !found {
-		t.Fatal("expected /review skill in skillPickerItems")
+		t.Fatalf("expected review skill in picker items, got %+v", skills)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestFilteredCommandsExcludeProjectSkillSlashCommands(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSkillPickerActivatesProjectSkillWithoutShowingSlash(t *testing.T) {
 	workspace := t.TempDir()
 	skillDir := filepath.Join(workspace, ".bytemind", "skills", "review-plus")
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(skillDir, 0o755); err != nil {
@@ -4558,21 +4561,40 @@ func TestFilteredCommandsExcludeProjectSkillSlashCommands(t *testing.T) {
 
 	items := m.filteredCommands()
 	for _, item := range items {
-		if item.Name == "review-plus" && item.Kind == "skill" {
-			t.Fatalf("skill commands should NOT appear in filtered commands, found %q", item.Name)
+		if item.Kind == "skill" {
+			t.Fatalf("command palette should not expose project skill slash items, got %+v in %+v", item, items)
 		}
 	}
 
-	skills := m.skillPickerItems()
-	found := false
-	for _, s := range skills {
-		if s.Name == "review-plus" && s.Usage == "/review-plus" && s.Kind == "skill" {
-			found = true
+	pickerItems := m.skillPickerItems()
+	pickerIndex := -1
+	for i, item := range pickerItems {
+		if item.Name == "review-plus" {
+			pickerIndex = i
+			if item.Usage != "review-plus" {
+				t.Fatalf("expected skill picker usage without slash, got %+v", item)
+			}
 			break
 		}
 	}
-	if !found {
-		t.Fatal("expected /review-plus project skill in skillPickerItems")
+	if pickerIndex < 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected review-plus in skill picker items, got %+v", pickerItems)
+	}
+
+	m.commandCursor = pickerIndex
+	if err := m.activateSelectedSkill(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected skill picker activation to succeed, got %v", err)
+	}
+	if m.sess.ActiveSkill == nil || m.sess.ActiveSkill.Name != "review-plus" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected review-plus active after picker activation, got %#v", m.sess.ActiveSkill)
+	}
+	if len(m.chatItems) < 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected picker activation command exchange, got %#v", m.chatItems)
+	}
+	userBody := m.chatItems[len(m.chatItems)-2].Body
+	responseBody := m.chatItems[len(m.chatItems)-1].Body
+	if strings.Contains(userBody, "/review-plus") || strings.Contains(responseBody, "/review-plus") || strings.Contains(responseBody, "Entry:") {
+		t.Fatalf("skill picker activation should not render slash entry, user=%q response=%q", userBody, responseBody)
 	}
 }