diff --git a/server/src/index.ts b/server/src/index.ts
index caa6c39d..a7d3b35e 100644
--- a/server/src/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/index.ts
@@ -600,6 +600,17 @@ export async function startServer(): Promise<StartedServer> {
     .catch((err) => {
       logger.error({ err }, "startup reconciliation of persisted runtime services failed");
     });
+
+  // [nexus] Initialize skill registry database (fire-and-forget)
+  void (async () => {
+    try {
+      const { getSkillRegistryDb } = await import("./services/skill-registry-db.js");
+      await getSkillRegistryDb();
+      logger.info("skill registry database initialized");
+    } catch (err) {
+      logger.error({ err }, "skill registry init failed");
+    }
+  })();
   
   if (config.heartbeatSchedulerEnabled) {
     const heartbeat = heartbeatService(db as any);
diff --git a/server/src/services/index.ts b/server/src/services/index.ts
index 241355b6..f4f32099 100644
--- a/server/src/services/index.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/index.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 export { companyService } from "./companies.js";
 export { companySkillService } from "./company-skills.js";
+export { skillRegistryService } from "./skill-registry.js";
 export { agentService, deduplicateAgentName } from "./agents.js";
 export { agentInstructionsService, syncInstructionsBundleConfigFromFilePath } from "./agent-instructions.js";
 export { assetService } from "./assets.js";