diff --git a/internal/skills/registry/registry.go b/internal/skills/registry/registry.go
index ae98570fe56..6f27fc15601 100644
--- a/internal/skills/registry/registry.go
+++ b/internal/skills/registry/registry.go
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ var Agents = []AgentHost{
 		ID:         "universal",
 		Name:       "Universal",
 		ProjectDir: sharedProjectSkillsDir,
-		UserDir:    ".config/agents/skills",
+		UserDir:    sharedProjectSkillsDir,
 	},
 	{
 		ID:         "warp",
diff --git a/internal/skills/registry/registry_test.go b/internal/skills/registry/registry_test.go
index b7a8e9a64f5..f3bc0b59596 100644
--- a/internal/skills/registry/registry_test.go
+++ b/internal/skills/registry/registry_test.go
@@ -125,6 +125,25 @@ func TestInstallDir(t *testing.T) {
 			homeDir: "/home/monalisa",
 			wantDir: filepath.Join("/tmp/monalisa-repo", ".agents", "skills"),
 		},
+		{
+			// Issue #13494: Universal must use the shared .agents/skills dir
+			// at user scope so compliant clients (Copilot, Pi, OpenCode) pick up
+			// skills per the agentskills.io cross-client convention.
+			name:    "universal project scope",
+			hostID:  "universal",
+			scope:   ScopeProject,
+			gitRoot: "/tmp/monalisa-repo",
+			homeDir: "/home/monalisa",
+			wantDir: filepath.Join("/tmp/monalisa-repo", ".agents", "skills"),
+		},
+		{
+			name:    "universal user scope",
+			hostID:  "universal",
+			scope:   ScopeUser,
+			gitRoot: "/tmp/monalisa-repo",
+			homeDir: "/home/monalisa",
+			wantDir: filepath.Join("/home/monalisa", ".agents", "skills"),
+		},
 		{
 			name:    "project scope without git root",
 			hostID:  "github-copilot",