diff --git a/src/config/skill_registry.rs b/src/config/skill_registry.rs
index 2a58df8..bb97089 100644
--- a/src/config/skill_registry.rs
+++ b/src/config/skill_registry.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use super::role::{Role, RoleLike};
 use super::skill::Skill;
 use super::skill_policy::SkillPolicy;
 
-use anyhow::{Result, bail};
+use anyhow::{Result, anyhow, bail};
 use indexmap::IndexMap;
 use std::collections::BTreeSet;
 
@@ -24,12 +24,10 @@ impl SkillRegistry {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn unload(&mut self, name: &str) -> Result<()> {
-        if self.loaded.shift_remove(name).is_none() {
-            bail!("Skill '{name}' is not loaded");
-        }
-
-        Ok(())
+    pub fn unload(&mut self, name: &str) -> Result<Skill> {
+        self.loaded
+            .shift_remove(name)
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Skill '{name}' is not loaded"))
     }
 
     pub fn loaded_names(&self) -> Vec<String> {
@@ -67,17 +65,13 @@ impl SkillRegistry {
         let mut effective = base.clone();
         let skip_body = effective.is_embedded_prompt();
 
-        let base_tools_set = effective.enabled_tools().is_some();
-        let base_mcps_set = effective.enabled_mcp_servers().is_some();
+        let base_tools = effective.enabled_tools();
+        let base_tools_set = base_tools.is_some();
+        let base_mcps = effective.enabled_mcp_servers();
+        let base_mcps_set = base_mcps.is_some();
 
-        let mut tools: BTreeSet<String> = effective
-            .enabled_tools()
-            .map(|v| v.into_iter().collect())
-            .unwrap_or_default();
-        let mut mcps: BTreeSet<String> = effective
-            .enabled_mcp_servers()
-            .map(|v| v.into_iter().collect())
-            .unwrap_or_default();
+        let mut tools: BTreeSet<String> = base_tools.unwrap_or_default().into_iter().collect();
+        let mut mcps: BTreeSet<String> = base_mcps.unwrap_or_default().into_iter().collect();
 
         for (name, skill) in &self.loaded {
             if !policy.allows(name) {
diff --git a/src/function/skill.rs b/src/function/skill.rs
index f8e759c..a53776c 100644
--- a/src/function/skill.rs
+++ b/src/function/skill.rs
@@ -212,12 +212,18 @@ async fn handle_unload(ctx: &mut RequestContext, args: &Value) -> Result<Value>
         _ => return Ok(json!({"error": "name is required"})),
     };
 
-    if let Err(e) = ctx.skill_registry.unload(name) {
-        return Ok(json!({"error": e.to_string()}));
-    }
+    let skill = match ctx.skill_registry.unload(name) {
+        Ok(s) => s,
+        Err(e) => return Ok(json!({"error": e.to_string()})),
+    };
 
     if let Err(e) = ctx.refresh_tool_scope(create_abort_signal()).await {
-        warn!("Unloaded skill '{name}' but failed to refresh tool scope: {e}");
+        let _ = ctx.skill_registry.insert(skill);
+        return Ok(json!({
+            "error": format!(
+                "Unloaded skill '{name}' but failed to refresh tool scope; restored: {e}"
+            )
+        }));
     }
 
     Ok(json!({