diff --git a/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.test.ts b/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.test.ts
index 81ef588..ad6239d 100644
--- a/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.test.ts
+++ b/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.test.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ class FakeHermesApiClient {
     }]
   };
   modelsPayload: unknown = { models: [] };
+  skillsPayload: unknown = { data: [] };
+  toolsetsPayload: unknown = { data: [] };
+  healthPayload: unknown = { ok: true };
 
   async listSessions(): Promise<unknown> {
     return this.sessionsPayload;
@@ -72,12 +75,20 @@ class FakeHermesApiClient {
     return this.modelsPayload;
   }
 
+  async listSkills(): Promise<unknown> {
+    return this.skillsPayload;
+  }
+
+  async listToolsets(): Promise<unknown> {
+    return this.toolsetsPayload;
+  }
+
   async capabilities(): Promise<unknown> {
     return {};
   }
 
   async health(): Promise<unknown> {
-    return { ok: true };
+    return this.healthPayload;
   }
 
   async stopRun(): Promise<void> {}
@@ -204,6 +215,72 @@ test("Hermes model listing enriches API models with local metadata", async () =>
   });
 });
 
+test("Hermes model listing suppresses generic API proxy when provider models are discovered", async () => {
+  await withHermesHome({
+    "config.yaml": [
+      "model:",
+      "  default: gpt-5.5",
+      "  provider: openai-codex"
+    ].join("\n"),
+    "auth.json": JSON.stringify({
+      credential_pool: {
+        "openai-codex": [{}]
+      }
+    })
+  }, async () => {
+    const api = new FakeHermesApiClient();
+    api.modelsPayload = { data: [{ id: "gpt-5.5", owned_by: "hermes" }] };
+    const client = new HermesChatClient({ ...config, hermesModel: "talos" }, api as unknown as HermesApiClient, null);
+
+    const payload = await client.listModels() as { models: Array<Record<string, unknown>> };
+
+    assert.equal(payload.models.some((model) => model.id === "gpt-5.5" && model.provider === "hermes"), false);
+    assert.equal(payload.models[0]?.id, "openai-codex:gpt-5.5");
+  });
+});
+
+test("Hermes lists native API skills as skill commands", async () => {
+  const api = new FakeHermesApiClient();
+  api.skillsPayload = {
+    data: [{ name: "android-control", description: "Control Android", category: "phone" }]
+  };
+  const client = new HermesChatClient(config, api as unknown as HermesApiClient, null);
+
+  const payload = await client.listCommands() as { commands: Array<Record<string, unknown>> };
+  const skill = payload.commands.find((command) => command.name === "android-control");
+
+  assert.equal(skill?.source, "skill");
+  assert.deepEqual(skill?.textAliases, ["/skill android-control"]);
+  assert.equal(skill?.description, "Control Android");
+  assert.ok(payload.commands.some((command) => command.name === "skill"));
+});
+
+test("Hermes lists native API toolsets as effective tools", async () => {
+  const api = new FakeHermesApiClient();
+  api.toolsetsPayload = {
+    data: [{ name: "terminal", label: "Terminal", enabled: true, tools: ["terminal", "process"] }, { name: "browser", label: "Browser", enabled: false, tools: ["browser_click"] }]
+  };
+  const client = new HermesChatClient(config, api as unknown as HermesApiClient, null);
+
+  const payload = await client.effectiveTools() as { tools: Array<Record<string, unknown>> };
+
+  assert.deepEqual(payload.tools.map((tool) => tool.id), ["terminal", "process"]);
+  assert.equal(payload.tools[0]?.group, "Terminal");
+  assert.equal(payload.tools[0]?.source, "terminal");
+});
+
+test("Hermes health normalizes native API status responses", async () => {
+  const api = new FakeHermesApiClient();
+  api.healthPayload = { status: "ok" };
+  const client = new HermesChatClient(config, api as unknown as HermesApiClient, null);
+
+  const payload = await client.health() as Record<string, unknown>;
+
+  assert.equal(payload.ok, true);
+  assert.equal(payload.mode, "api");
+  assert.equal(payload.status, "ok");
+});
+
 test("Hermes lists sessions with flat token count fields", async () => {
   const api = new FakeHermesApiClient();
   api.sessionsPayload = {
diff --git a/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.ts b/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.ts
index 1f2b6be..17c312a 100644
--- a/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.ts
+++ b/pc/src/bridge/HermesChatClient.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { join } from "node:path";
 import { promisify } from "node:util";
 import { HermesApiClient } from "../dispatcher/HermesApiClient.js";
 import { HermesRunDriver, type HermesActiveRun, type HermesRunDriverEvent } from "../dispatcher/HermesRunDriver.js";
-import type { ChatAttachment, ChatHistoryMessage, ChatModelOption, ChatSessionSummary } from "../protocol/messages.js";
+import type { ChatAttachment, ChatCommandOption, ChatHistoryMessage, ChatModelOption, ChatSessionSummary, ChatToolSummary } from "../protocol/messages.js";
 import { resolveCommand, type CommandResolution } from "../host/CommandDiscovery.js";
 import type { BridgeConfig } from "./config.js";
 import { discoverHermesModels } from "./HermesModelDiscovery.js";
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ function asRecord(value: unknown): Record<string, unknown> | undefined {
   return value && typeof value === "object" ? value as Record<string, unknown> : undefined;
 }
 
+function isHealthyHermesResponse(value: unknown): boolean {
+  const record = asRecord(value);
+  return record?.ok === true || record?.status === "ok";
+}
+
 function firstStringField(value: unknown, keys: string[]): string | undefined {
   if (typeof value === "string" && value.trim()) {
     return value.trim();
@@ -131,7 +136,11 @@ function mergeHermesModels(apiModels: ChatModelOption[], discoveredModels: ChatM
 
   const discoveredByKey = new Map(discoveredModels.flatMap((model) => modelKeys(model).map((key) => [key, model] as const)));
   const seen = new Set<string>();
-  const merged = apiModels.map((apiModel) => {
+  const suppressGenericHermesProxy = discoveredModels.length > 0;
+  const merged = apiModels.flatMap((apiModel) => {
+    if (suppressGenericHermesProxy && isGenericHermesProxyModel(apiModel, discoveredModels, defaultModel)) {
+      return [];
+    }
     const discovered = modelKeys(apiModel)
       .map((key) => discoveredByKey.get(key))
       .find(Boolean);
@@ -139,18 +148,18 @@ function mergeHermesModels(apiModels: ChatModelOption[], discoveredModels: ChatM
       seen.add(key);
     }
     if (!discovered) {
-      return apiModel;
+      return [apiModel];
     }
     for (const key of modelKeys(discovered)) {
       seen.add(key);
     }
-    return {
+    return [{
       ...discovered,
       ...apiModel,
       contextWindow: apiModel.contextWindow ?? discovered.contextWindow ?? null,
       reasoningOptions: apiModel.reasoningOptions ?? discovered.reasoningOptions ?? null,
       defaultReasoningEffort: apiModel.defaultReasoningEffort ?? discovered.defaultReasoningEffort ?? null
-    };
+    }];
   });
 
   for (const discovered of discoveredModels) {
@@ -169,6 +178,81 @@ function modelKeys(model: ChatModelOption): string[] {
   return [...new Set([model.id, model.modelId ?? undefined].filter((value): value is string => Boolean(value)))];
 }
 
+function isGenericHermesProxyModel(apiModel: ChatModelOption, discoveredModels: ChatModelOption[], defaultModel: string): boolean {
+  if (apiModel.provider !== "hermes") {
+    return false;
+  }
+  const apiBareId = bareSelectionModel(apiModel.id);
+  if (!apiBareId) {
+    return false;
+  }
+  return apiModel.id === defaultModel || discoveredModels.some((model) => model.provider !== "hermes" && bareSelectionModel(model.modelId ?? model.id) === apiBareId);
+}
+
+function bareSelectionModel(value: string): string {
+  const separator = value.indexOf(":");
+  return separator > 0 ? value.slice(separator + 1) : value;
+}
+
+function normalizeHermesSkills(payload: unknown): ChatCommandOption[] {
+  const rawSkills = Array.isArray(asRecord(payload)?.data)
+    ? asRecord(payload)?.data as unknown[]
+    : Array.isArray(asRecord(payload)?.skills)
+      ? asRecord(payload)?.skills as unknown[]
+      : [];
+  return rawSkills.flatMap((item) => {
+    const record = asRecord(item);
+    const name = directStringField(record, ["name", "id"]);
+    if (!name) {
+      return [];
+    }
+    return [{
+      name,
+      description: directStringField(record, ["description", "summary"]),
+      category: directStringField(record, ["category"]),
+      textAliases: [`/skill ${name}`],
+      source: "skill",
+      acceptsArgs: true,
+      args: [{ name: "input", description: "Optional prompt or instructions for this skill", type: "string", required: false }]
+    }];
+  });
+}
+
+function normalizeHermesToolsets(payload: unknown): ChatToolSummary[] {
+  const rawToolsets = Array.isArray(asRecord(payload)?.data)
+    ? asRecord(payload)?.data as unknown[]
+    : Array.isArray(asRecord(payload)?.toolsets)
+      ? asRecord(payload)?.toolsets as unknown[]
+      : [];
+  const tools: ChatToolSummary[] = [];
+  const seen = new Set<string>();
+  for (const item of rawToolsets) {
+    const record = asRecord(item);
+    if (record?.enabled === false) {
+      continue;
+    }
+    const group = directStringField(record, ["label", "name"]);
+    const source = directStringField(record, ["name"]);
+    const rawTools = Array.isArray(record?.tools) ? record.tools as unknown[] : [];
+    for (const rawTool of rawTools) {
+      const rawToolRecord = asRecord(rawTool);
+      const id = typeof rawTool === "string" ? rawTool : directStringField(rawToolRecord, ["id", "name"]);
+      if (!id || seen.has(id)) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      seen.add(id);
+      tools.push({
+        id,
+        label: id,
+        description: typeof rawTool === "string" ? null : directStringField(rawToolRecord, ["description"]),
+        source,
+        group
+      });
+    }
+  }
+  return tools;
+}
+
 function cliPrompt(message: string, instructions: string | undefined): string {
   return instructions?.trim()
     ? `${instructions.trim()}\n\nCurrent user message:\n${message}`
@@ -430,27 +514,31 @@ export class HermesChatClient {
   }
 
   async listCommands(): Promise<unknown> {
+    const skills = this.api ? normalizeHermesSkills(await this.api.listSkills().catch(() => undefined)) : [];
     return {
       commands: [
         { name: "status", description: "Show Hermes status", textAliases: ["/status"], acceptsArgs: false },
         { name: "new", description: "Start a new Hermes chat", textAliases: ["/new"], acceptsArgs: false },
-        { name: "help", description: "Show available Hermes commands", textAliases: ["/help"], acceptsArgs: false }
+        { name: "help", description: "Show available Hermes commands", textAliases: ["/help"], acceptsArgs: false },
+        { name: "skills", description: "List available Hermes skills", textAliases: ["/skills"], acceptsArgs: false },
+        { name: "skill", description: "Load or use a Hermes skill", textAliases: ["/skill"], acceptsArgs: true },
+        ...skills
       ]
     };
   }
 
   async effectiveTools(): Promise<unknown> {
     const capabilities = await this.api?.capabilities().catch(() => undefined);
-    return { tools: [], capabilities };
+    const toolsets = await this.api?.listToolsets().catch(() => undefined);
+    return { tools: normalizeHermesToolsets(toolsets), capabilities, toolsets: asRecord(toolsets)?.data ?? [] };
   }
 
   async health(): Promise<unknown> {
     if (this.api) {
       try {
         const health = await this.api.health();
-        const record = asRecord(health);
-        if (record?.ok === true) {
-          return health;
+        if (isHealthyHermesResponse(health)) {
+          return { ...asRecord(health), ok: true, mode: "api" };
         }
       } catch {
         // Fall through to CLI mode if Hermes itself is installed but no Lynk runs API is serving.
@@ -674,7 +762,7 @@ export class HermesChatClient {
     }
     try {
       const health = await this.api.health();
-      return asRecord(health)?.ok === true;
+      return isHealthyHermesResponse(health);
     } catch {
       return false;
     }
diff --git a/pc/src/dispatcher/HermesApiClient.ts b/pc/src/dispatcher/HermesApiClient.ts
index 6c8b494..d9c4e72 100644
--- a/pc/src/dispatcher/HermesApiClient.ts
+++ b/pc/src/dispatcher/HermesApiClient.ts
@@ -152,6 +152,20 @@ export class HermesApiClient {
     });
   }
 
+  async listSkills(): Promise<unknown> {
+    return await this.requestJson("/skills", {
+      method: "GET",
+      headers: this.headers()
+    });
+  }
+
+  async listToolsets(): Promise<unknown> {
+    return await this.requestJson("/toolsets", {
+      method: "GET",
+      headers: this.headers()
+    });
+  }
+
   async listSessions(): Promise<unknown> {
     return await this.requestJson("/api/sessions", {
       method: "GET",