diff --git a/server/src/routes/skill-registry-groups.ts b/server/src/routes/skill-registry-groups.ts
index 06ade9b7..f8998fd2 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/skill-registry-groups.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/skill-registry-groups.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ import { skillGroupService } from "../services/skill-registry-groups.js";
 import { skillRegistryService } from "../services/skill-registry.js";
 import { assertBoard } from "./authz.js";
 
+/** Default skills directory when client doesn't provide one */
+function defaultSkillsDir(): string {
+  return path.join(os.homedir(), ".claude", "skills");
+}
+
 /**
  * Resolves the agentSkillsDir for a given agentId by looking up the agent's
  * adapter type and calling resolveAdapterSkillConfig. Throws with a status