diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 84bcad828..8e39531ca 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+## [v0.51.434] — 2026-06-15 — Release OU (reject symlinked skill files on save)
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Saving a skill no longer writes through a symlinked `SKILL.md`.** `_handle_skill_save` now rejects a symlinked skill file with a 400 instead of following it and overwriting the link's target — extending the workspace symlink hardening (#4217 / #4234) to the skills surface. (#4240)
+
 ## [v0.51.433] — 2026-06-15 — Release OT (reject symlinked entries in /api/file/save, #4234)
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/api/routes.py b/api/routes.py
index 10de8e9c8..f82ea13c8 100644
--- a/api/routes.py
+++ b/api/routes.py
@@ -16602,6 +16602,8 @@ def _handle_skill_save(handler, body):
         return bad(handler, "Invalid skill path")
     skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
     skill_file = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
+    if skill_file.is_symlink():
+        return bad(handler, "Cannot save to a symlinked skill file")
     skill_file.write_text(body["content"], encoding="utf-8")
     return j(handler, {"ok": True, "name": skill_name, "path": str(skill_file)})
 
diff --git a/tests/test_skill_save_symlink_guard.py b/tests/test_skill_save_symlink_guard.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3af776370
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_skill_save_symlink_guard.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+import os
+
+import pytest
+
+import api.routes as routes
+
+
+class _FakeHandler:
+    pass
+
+
+def _patch_skill_routes(monkeypatch, skills_dir):
+    cap = {}
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "_active_skills_dir", lambda: skills_dir)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(routes, "j", lambda h, o: (cap.__setitem__("ok", o), True)[1])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        routes,
+        "bad",
+        lambda h, m, c=400: (cap.__setitem__("bad", (m, c)), True)[1],
+    )
+    return cap
+
+
+def test_skill_save_rejects_symlinked_skill_file(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    skills_dir = tmp_path / "skills"
+    skill_dir = skills_dir / "demo"
+    skill_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+    outside = tmp_path / "outside.md"
+    outside.write_text("important", encoding="utf-8")
+    link = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
+    try:
+        os.symlink(str(outside), str(link))
+    except (OSError, NotImplementedError):
+        pytest.skip("platform does not support symlinks")
+
+    cap = _patch_skill_routes(monkeypatch, skills_dir)
+    routes._handle_skill_save(
+        _FakeHandler(),
+        {"name": "demo", "content": "changed"},
+    )
+
+    assert "bad" in cap, f"expected 400, got {cap}"
+    assert cap["bad"][1] == 400
+    assert "Cannot save to a symlinked skill file" in cap["bad"][0]
+    assert outside.read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "important"
+
+
+def test_skill_save_real_file_still_works(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    skills_dir = tmp_path / "skills"
+
+    cap = _patch_skill_routes(monkeypatch, skills_dir)
+    routes._handle_skill_save(
+        _FakeHandler(),
+        {"name": "Demo Skill", "content": "# Demo\n"},
+    )
+
+    skill_file = skills_dir / "demo-skill" / "SKILL.md"
+    assert "ok" in cap, f"expected success, got {cap}"
+    assert cap["ok"]["ok"] is True
+    assert skill_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "# Demo\n"