diff --git a/packages/core/src/tool/plugin/skill.ts b/packages/core/src/tool/plugin/skill.ts
index 55fef6599090..da3ada17562f 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/tool/plugin/skill.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/tool/plugin/skill.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 export * as SkillTool from "./skill.js"
 
-import type { Context } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/effect/plugin"
 import { ToolFailure } from "@opencode-ai/ai"
+import type { Context } from "@opencode-ai/plugin/effect/plugin"
 import { Effect, Schema } from "effect"
 import { FSUtil } from "@opencode-ai/util/fs-util"
+import { Agent } from "../../agent.js"
 import { Skill } from "../../skill.js"
 import { Permission } from "../../permission.js"
 
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ export const Plugin = {
   effect: Effect.fn("SkillTool.Plugin")(function* (ctx: Context) {
     const fs = yield* FSUtil.Service
     const skills = yield* Skill.Service
+    const agents = yield* Agent.Service
     const permission = yield* Permission.Service
     yield* ctx.tool
       .transform((draft) =>
@@ -46,7 +48,13 @@ export const Plugin = {
           execute: (input, context) =>
             Effect.gen(function* () {
               const skill = yield* skills.get(input.id)
-              if (!skill) return yield* unableToLoad(input.id)
+              if (!skill) {
+                if ((yield* agents.resolve(input.id)) !== undefined)
+                  return yield* new ToolFailure({
+                    message: `\`${input.id}\` is an agent, not a skill. Prompt the agent as a subagent instead of loading it as a skill.`,
+                  })
+                return yield* unableToLoad(input.id)
+              }
               return yield* Effect.gen(function* () {
                 yield* permission.assert({
                   action: name,
diff --git a/packages/core/test/tool-skill.test.ts b/packages/core/test/tool-skill.test.ts
index ecd27383a032..7770f217fde0 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/tool-skill.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/tool-skill.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Effect, Layer } from "effect"
 import { AppNodeBuilder } from "@opencode-ai/core/effect/app-node-builder"
 import { LayerNode } from "@opencode-ai/util/effect/layer-node"
 import { Permission } from "@opencode-ai/core/permission"
+import { Agent } from "@opencode-ai/core/agent"
 import { AbsolutePath } from "@opencode-ai/core/schema"
 import { Session } from "@opencode-ai/core/session"
 import { Skill } from "@opencode-ai/core/skill"
@@ -22,7 +23,21 @@ import { toolIdentity, executeTool, registerToolPlugin, toolDefinitions } from "
 const skillToolNode = makeLocationNode({
   name: "test/skill-tool-plugin",
   layer: Layer.effectDiscard(registerToolPlugin(SkillTool.Plugin)),
-  deps: [Tool.node, FSUtil.node, Skill.node, Permission.node],
+  deps: [Tool.node, FSUtil.node, Skill.node, Permission.node, Agent.node],
+})
+
+const agentInfo = Agent.Info.make({
+  id: Agent.ID.make("my-agent"),
+  name: Agent.Name.make("My Agent"),
+  request: { settings: {}, headers: {}, body: {} },
+  mode: "subagent",
+  hidden: false,
+  permissions: [],
+})
+
+const agentsMock = Layer.mock(Agent.Service, {
+  resolve: (id: string | undefined) => Effect.succeed(id === "my-agent" ? agentInfo : undefined),
+  list: () => Effect.succeed([agentInfo]),
 })
 
 const sessionID = Session.ID.make("ses_skill_tool_test")
@@ -76,6 +91,7 @@ describe("SkillTool", () => {
           const skillToolLayer = AppNodeBuilder.build(LayerNode.group([Tool.node, skillToolNode]), [
             Permission.node.replace(permission),
             Skill.node.replace(skills),
+            Agent.node.replace(agentsMock),
             Image.node.replace(imagePassthrough),
           ])
 
@@ -122,6 +138,19 @@ describe("SkillTool", () => {
               status: "error",
               error: { type: "tool.execution", message: "Unable to load skill missing" },
             })
+            expect(
+              yield* executeTool(registry, {
+                sessionID,
+                ...toolIdentity,
+                call: { type: "tool-call", id: "call-agent-as-skill", name: "skill", input: { id: "my-agent" } },
+              }),
+            ).toEqual({
+              status: "error",
+              error: {
+                type: "tool.execution",
+                message: "`my-agent` is an agent, not a skill. Prompt the agent as a subagent instead of loading it as a skill.",
+              },
+            })
             deny = true
             expect(
               yield* executeTool(registry, {