diff --git a/agent/skill_commands.py b/agent/skill_commands.py
index c8b7d039c4..42e7c85743 100644
--- a/agent/skill_commands.py
+++ b/agent/skill_commands.py
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ def build_skill_invocation_message(
 
     loaded = _load_skill_payload(skill_info["skill_dir"], task_id=task_id)
     if not loaded:
-        return f"[Failed to load skill: {skill_info['name']}]"
+        return None
 
     loaded_skill, skill_dir, skill_name = loaded