diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_common/src/event.rs b/crates/ironclaw_common/src/event.rs
index da801e11..f44805a6 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_common/src/event.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_common/src/event.rs
@@ -181,6 +181,14 @@ pub enum AppEvent {
         thread_id: Option<String>,
     },
 
+    /// Skills activated for a conversation turn.
+    #[serde(rename = "skill_activated")]
+    SkillActivated {
+        skill_names: Vec<String>,
+        #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+        thread_id: Option<String>,
+    },
+
     /// Extension activation status change (WASM channels).
     #[serde(rename = "extension_status")]
     ExtensionStatus {
@@ -260,6 +268,7 @@ impl AppEvent {
             Self::ImageGenerated { .. } => "image_generated",
             Self::Suggestions { .. } => "suggestions",
             Self::TurnCost { .. } => "turn_cost",
+            Self::SkillActivated { .. } => "skill_activated",
             Self::ExtensionStatus { .. } => "extension_status",
             Self::ReasoningUpdate { .. } => "reasoning_update",
             Self::JobReasoning { .. } => "job_reasoning",
@@ -381,6 +390,10 @@ mod tests {
                 cost_usd: String::new(),
                 thread_id: None,
             },
+            AppEvent::SkillActivated {
+                skill_names: vec![],
+                thread_id: None,
+            },
             AppEvent::ExtensionStatus {
                 extension_name: String::new(),
                 status: String::new(),
diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_engine/orchestrator/default.py b/crates/ironclaw_engine/orchestrator/default.py
index a74059bb..ae1f7a15 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_engine/orchestrator/default.py
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_engine/orchestrator/default.py
@@ -266,6 +266,9 @@ def run_loop(context, goal, actions, state, config):
             if active_skills:
                 skill_text = format_skills(active_skills)
                 __add_message__("system_append", skill_text)
+                # Emit skill activation event for CLI/gateway display
+                skill_names = ",".join(s.get("metadata", {}).get("name", "?") for s in active_skills)
+                __emit_event__("skill_activated", skill_names=skill_names)
                 # Store active skill IDs in state for tracking
                 state["active_skill_ids"] = [s.get("doc_id", "") for s in active_skills]
                 state["skill_snippet_names"] = []
diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/executor/orchestrator.rs b/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/executor/orchestrator.rs
index e2ddeb82..1ab883e7 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/executor/orchestrator.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/executor/orchestrator.rs
@@ -375,14 +375,10 @@ pub async fn execute_orchestrator(
                     "__get_actions__" => handle_get_actions(thread, effects, leases).await,
 
                     // __list_skills__(max_candidates, max_tokens)
-                    "__list_skills__" => {
-                        handle_list_skills(args, thread, store).await
-                    }
+                    "__list_skills__" => handle_list_skills(args, thread, store).await,
 
                     // __record_skill_usage__(doc_id, success)
-                    "__record_skill_usage__" => {
-                        handle_record_skill_usage(args, store).await
-                    }
+                    "__record_skill_usage__" => handle_record_skill_usage(args, store).await,
 
                     // Unknown — let Monty resolve it (user-defined functions, builtins)
                     other => ExtFunctionResult::NotFound(other.to_string()),
@@ -702,7 +698,11 @@ async fn handle_execute_action(
         }
         thread.events.push(event);
         thread.updated_at = chrono::Utc::now();
-        thread.add_message(ThreadMessage::action_result(call_id, action_name, output.to_string()));
+        thread.add_message(ThreadMessage::action_result(
+            call_id,
+            action_name,
+            output.to_string(),
+        ));
     };
 
     // 1. Find lease for this action
@@ -899,6 +899,15 @@ fn handle_emit_event(
                 error,
             }
         }
+        "skill_activated" => {
+            let names_str = extract_string_kwarg(kwargs, "skill_names").unwrap_or_default();
+            let skill_names: Vec<String> = names_str
+                .split(',')
+                .map(|s| s.trim().to_string())
+                .filter(|s| !s.is_empty())
+                .collect();
+            EventKind::SkillActivated { skill_names }
+        }
         _ => {
             debug!(kind = %kind_str, "orchestrator: unknown event kind, skipping");
             return ExtFunctionResult::Return(MontyObject::None);
diff --git a/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/types/event.rs b/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/types/event.rs
index b858e57a..629a37b5 100644
--- a/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/types/event.rs
+++ b/crates/ironclaw_engine/src/types/event.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ pub enum EventKind {
         error: String,
     },
 
+    // ── Skill activation ───────────────────────────────────────
+    SkillActivated {
+        skill_names: Vec<String>,
+    },
+
     // ── Orchestrator versioning ───────────────────────────────
     OrchestratorRollback {
         from_version: u64,
diff --git a/src/bridge/router.rs b/src/bridge/router.rs
index 72bd3e0d..2ef67022 100644
--- a/src/bridge/router.rs
+++ b/src/bridge/router.rs
@@ -289,7 +289,10 @@ pub async fn init_engine(agent: &Agent) -> Result<(), Error> {
     }
 
     // Create mission manager and start cron ticker
-    let mission_manager = Arc::new(MissionManager::new(store_dyn.clone(), Arc::clone(&thread_manager)));
+    let mission_manager = Arc::new(MissionManager::new(
+        store_dyn.clone(),
+        Arc::clone(&thread_manager),
+    ));
     if let Err(e) = thread_manager.recover_project_threads(project_id).await {
         debug!("engine v2: recover_project_threads failed: {e}");
     }
@@ -309,10 +312,7 @@ pub async fn init_engine(agent: &Agent) -> Result<(), Error> {
     mission_manager.start_event_listener(agent.deps.owner_id.clone());
 
     // Ensure all learning missions exist for this project
-    if let Err(e) = mission_manager
-        .ensure_learning_missions(project_id)
-        .await
-    {
+    if let Err(e) = mission_manager.ensure_learning_missions(project_id).await {
         debug!("engine v2: failed to create learning missions: {e}");
     }
 
@@ -320,9 +320,9 @@ pub async fn init_engine(agent: &Agent) -> Result<(), Error> {
     // Python orchestrator at runtime via __list_skills__).
     if let Some(registry) = agent.deps.skill_registry.as_ref() {
         let skills_snapshot = {
-            let guard = registry.read().map_err(|e| {
-                engine_err("skill registry", format!("lock poisoned: {e}"))
-            })?;
+            let guard = registry
+                .read()
+                .map_err(|e| engine_err("skill registry", format!("lock poisoned: {e}")))?;
             guard.skills().to_vec()
         };
         if !skills_snapshot.is_empty() {
@@ -350,7 +350,9 @@ pub async fn init_engine(agent: &Agent) -> Result<(), Error> {
         .await;
 
     // Wire mission manager into agent for /expected command
-    agent.set_mission_manager(Arc::clone(&mission_manager)).await;
+    agent
+        .set_mission_manager(Arc::clone(&mission_manager))
+        .await;
 
     *guard = Some(EngineState {
         thread_manager,
@@ -1064,9 +1066,7 @@ async fn await_thread_outcome(
                 .ok()
         };
         if let Some(cid) = v1_conv_id {
-            let _ = db
-                .add_conversation_message(cid, "assistant", text)
-                .await;
+            let _ = db.add_conversation_message(cid, "assistant", text).await;
         }
     }
 
@@ -1138,7 +1138,9 @@ async fn await_thread_outcome(
                 action_name
             )))
         }
-        ThreadOutcome::NeedAuthentication { credential_name, .. } => {
+        ThreadOutcome::NeedAuthentication {
+            credential_name, ..
+        } => {
             // This shouldn't reach here in the non-blocking design (the error
             // flows through the LLM as a normal action result), but handle
             // gracefully in case it does.
@@ -1228,11 +1230,7 @@ async fn forward_event_to_channel(
                 tokens.input_tokens, tokens.output_tokens
             );
             let _ = channels
-                .send_status(
-                    channel_name,
-                    StatusUpdate::Thinking(tok_msg),
-                    metadata,
-                )
+                .send_status(channel_name, StatusUpdate::Thinking(tok_msg), metadata)
                 .await;
         }
         EventKind::MessageAdded {
@@ -1245,8 +1243,7 @@ async fn forward_event_to_channel(
             } else if role == "User" && content_preview.starts_with("[code ") {
                 Some("Code executed (no output)".to_string())
             } else if role == "User"
-                && (content_preview.contains("Error")
-                    || content_preview.starts_with("Traceback"))
+                && (content_preview.contains("Error") || content_preview.starts_with("Traceback"))
             {
                 Some("Code error — retrying...".to_string())
             } else if role == "Assistant" {
@@ -1256,14 +1253,21 @@ async fn forward_event_to_channel(
             };
             if let Some(text) = msg {
                 let _ = channels
-                    .send_status(
-                        channel_name,
-                        StatusUpdate::Thinking(text),
-                        metadata,
-                    )
+                    .send_status(channel_name, StatusUpdate::Thinking(text), metadata)
                     .await;
             }
         }
+        EventKind::SkillActivated { skill_names } => {
+            let _ = channels
+                .send_status(
+                    channel_name,
+                    StatusUpdate::SkillActivated {
+                        skill_names: skill_names.clone(),
+                    },
+                    metadata,
+                )
+                .await;
+        }
         _ => {}
     }
 }
@@ -1331,8 +1335,7 @@ fn thread_event_to_app_events(
             } else if role == "User" && content_preview.starts_with("[code ") {
                 Some("Code executed (no output)")
             } else if role == "User"
-                && (content_preview.contains("Error")
-                    || content_preview.starts_with("Traceback"))
+                && (content_preview.contains("Error") || content_preview.starts_with("Traceback"))
             {
                 Some("Code error — retrying...")
             } else if role == "Assistant" {
@@ -1349,9 +1352,9 @@ fn thread_event_to_app_events(
         }
         EventKind::StateChanged { from, to, reason } => {
             vec![AppEvent::ThreadStateChanged {
-            thread_id: thread_id.into(),
-            from_state: format!("{from:?}"),
-            to_state: format!("{to:?}"),
+                thread_id: thread_id.into(),
+                from_state: format!("{from:?}"),
+                to_state: format!("{to:?}"),
                 reason: reason.clone(),
             }]
         }
@@ -1360,6 +1363,10 @@ fn thread_event_to_app_events(
             child_thread_id: child_id.to_string(),
             goal: goal.clone(),
         }],
+        EventKind::SkillActivated { skill_names } => vec![AppEvent::SkillActivated {
+            skill_names: skill_names.clone(),
+            thread_id: Some(thread_id.into()),
+        }],
         _ => vec![],
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/channels/channel.rs b/src/channels/channel.rs
index 784b6bcf..5d0483f8 100644
--- a/src/channels/channel.rs
+++ b/src/channels/channel.rs
@@ -355,6 +355,10 @@ pub enum StatusUpdate {
         output_tokens: u64,
         cost_usd: String,
     },
+    /// Skills activated for this conversation turn.
+    SkillActivated {
+        skill_names: Vec<String>,
+    },
 }
 
 impl StatusUpdate {
diff --git a/src/channels/repl.rs b/src/channels/repl.rs
index 41d73a8c..25c8f33f 100644
--- a/src/channels/repl.rs
+++ b/src/channels/repl.rs
@@ -879,6 +879,14 @@ impl Channel for ReplChannel {
             StatusUpdate::TurnCost { .. } => {
                 // Cost display is handled by the TUI channel
             }
+            StatusUpdate::SkillActivated { skill_names } => {
+                if !skill_names.is_empty() {
+                    eprintln!(
+                        "  \x1b[36m\u{25C8} skills: {}\x1b[0m",
+                        skill_names.join(", ")
+                    );
+                }
+            }
         }
         Ok(())
     }
diff --git a/src/channels/web/mod.rs b/src/channels/web/mod.rs
index 2b8203af..f5595e41 100644
--- a/src/channels/web/mod.rs
+++ b/src/channels/web/mod.rs
@@ -515,6 +515,10 @@ impl Channel for GatewayChannel {
                 cost_usd,
                 thread_id,
             },
+            StatusUpdate::SkillActivated { skill_names } => AppEvent::SkillActivated {
+                skill_names,
+                thread_id,
+            },
         };
 
         // Scope events to the user when user_id is available in metadata.