diff --git a/electron/gateway/clawhub.ts b/electron/gateway/clawhub.ts
index 591c933c7..fc93e0853 100644
--- a/electron/gateway/clawhub.ts
+++ b/electron/gateway/clawhub.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { spawn } from 'child_process';
 import fs from 'fs';
 import path from 'path';
 import { app, shell } from 'electron';
-import { getOpenClawConfigDir, ensureDir } from '../utils/paths';
+import { getOpenClawConfigDir, ensureDir, getClawHubCliBinPath, getClawHubCliEntryPath } from '../utils/paths';
 
 export interface ClawHubSearchParams {
     query: string;
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ export interface ClawHubSkillResult {
 export class ClawHubService {
     private workDir: string;
     private cliPath: string;
+    private cliEntryPath: string;
+    private useNodeRunner: boolean;
     private ansiRegex: RegExp;
 
     constructor() {
@@ -44,11 +46,17 @@ export class ClawHubService {
         this.workDir = getOpenClawConfigDir();
         ensureDir(this.workDir);
 
-        // In development, we use the locally installed clawhub CLI from node_modules
-        const isWin = process.platform === 'win32';
-        const binName = isWin ? 'clawhub.cmd' : 'clawhub';
-        const localCli = path.resolve(app.getAppPath(), 'node_modules', '.bin', binName);
-        this.cliPath = localCli;
+        const binPath = getClawHubCliBinPath();
+        const entryPath = getClawHubCliEntryPath();
+
+        this.cliEntryPath = entryPath;
+        if (!app.isPackaged && fs.existsSync(binPath)) {
+            this.cliPath = binPath;
+            this.useNodeRunner = false;
+        } else {
+            this.cliPath = process.execPath;
+            this.useNodeRunner = true;
+        }
         const esc = String.fromCharCode(27);
         const csi = String.fromCharCode(155);
         const pattern = `(?:${esc}|${csi})[[()#;?]*(?:[0-9]{1,4}(?:;[0-9]{0,4})*)?[0-9A-ORZcf-nqry=><]`;
@@ -64,17 +72,33 @@ export class ClawHubService {
      */
     private async runCommand(args: string[]): Promise<string> {
         return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-            console.log(`Running ClawHub command: ${this.cliPath} ${args.join(' ')}`);
+            if (this.useNodeRunner && !fs.existsSync(this.cliEntryPath)) {
+                reject(new Error(`ClawHub CLI entry not found at: ${this.cliEntryPath}`));
+                return;
+            }
+
+            if (!this.useNodeRunner && !fs.existsSync(this.cliPath)) {
+                reject(new Error(`ClawHub CLI not found at: ${this.cliPath}`));
+                return;
+            }
+
+            const commandArgs = this.useNodeRunner ? [this.cliEntryPath, ...args] : args;
+            const displayCommand = [this.cliPath, ...commandArgs].join(' ');
+            console.log(`Running ClawHub command: ${displayCommand}`);
 
             const isWin = process.platform === 'win32';
-            const child = spawn(this.cliPath, args, {
+            const env = {
+                ...process.env,
+                CI: 'true',
+                FORCE_COLOR: '0', // Disable colors for easier parsing
+            };
+            if (this.useNodeRunner) {
+                env.ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE = '1';
+            }
+            const child = spawn(this.cliPath, commandArgs, {
                 cwd: this.workDir,
-                shell: isWin,
-                env: {
-                    ...process.env,
-                    CI: 'true',
-                    FORCE_COLOR: '0', // Disable colors for easier parsing
-                },
+                shell: isWin && !this.useNodeRunner,
+                env,
             });
 
             let stdout = '';
diff --git a/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts b/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
index 21493e899..c2cc5dec8 100644
--- a/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
+++ b/electron/main/ipc-handlers.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import {
   isEncryptionAvailable,
   type ProviderConfig,
 } from '../utils/secure-storage';
-import { getOpenClawStatus, getOpenClawDir } from '../utils/paths';
+import { getOpenClawStatus, getOpenClawDir, getOpenClawConfigDir, getOpenClawSkillsDir } from '../utils/paths';
 import { getOpenClawCliCommand, installOpenClawCliMac } from '../utils/openclaw-cli';
 import { getSetting } from '../utils/store';
 import { saveProviderKeyToOpenClaw, setOpenClawDefaultModel } from '../utils/openclaw-auth';
@@ -506,6 +506,16 @@ function registerOpenClawHandlers(): void {
     return getOpenClawDir();
   });
 
+  // Get the OpenClaw config directory (~/.openclaw)
+  ipcMain.handle('openclaw:getConfigDir', () => {
+    return getOpenClawConfigDir();
+  });
+
+  // Get the OpenClaw skills directory (~/.openclaw/skills)
+  ipcMain.handle('openclaw:getSkillsDir', () => {
+    return getOpenClawSkillsDir();
+  });
+
   // Get a shell command to run OpenClaw CLI without modifying PATH
   ipcMain.handle('openclaw:getCliCommand', () => {
     try {
diff --git a/electron/preload/index.ts b/electron/preload/index.ts
index 9267a14c0..f2e3eb211 100644
--- a/electron/preload/index.ts
+++ b/electron/preload/index.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ const electronAPI = {
         'log:listFiles',
         // OpenClaw extras
         'openclaw:getDir',
+        'openclaw:getConfigDir',
+        'openclaw:getSkillsDir',
         'openclaw:getCliCommand',
         'openclaw:installCliMac',
       ];
diff --git a/electron/utils/paths.ts b/electron/utils/paths.ts
index c308ca163..c29792897 100644
--- a/electron/utils/paths.ts
+++ b/electron/utils/paths.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,13 @@ export function getOpenClawConfigDir(): string {
   return join(homedir(), '.openclaw');
 }
 
+/**
+ * Get OpenClaw skills directory
+ */
+export function getOpenClawSkillsDir(): string {
+  return join(getOpenClawConfigDir(), 'skills');
+}
+
 /**
  * Get ClawX config directory
  */
@@ -108,6 +115,21 @@ export function getOpenClawEntryPath(): string {
   return join(getOpenClawDir(), 'openclaw.mjs');
 }
 
+/**
+ * Get ClawHub CLI entry script path (clawdhub.js)
+ */
+export function getClawHubCliEntryPath(): string {
+  return join(app.getAppPath(), 'node_modules', 'clawhub', 'bin', 'clawdhub.js');
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get ClawHub CLI binary path (node_modules/.bin)
+ */
+export function getClawHubCliBinPath(): string {
+  const binName = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'clawhub.cmd' : 'clawhub';
+  return join(app.getAppPath(), 'node_modules', '.bin', binName);
+}
+
 /**
  * Check if OpenClaw package exists
  */
diff --git a/src/pages/Skills/index.tsx b/src/pages/Skills/index.tsx
index 96a376b8e..8bf69f31d 100644
--- a/src/pages/Skills/index.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/Skills/index.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * Skills Page
  * Browse and manage AI skills
  */
-import { useEffect, useState, useCallback } from 'react';
+import { useEffect, useState, useCallback, useRef } from 'react';
 import { motion, AnimatePresence } from 'framer-motion';
 import {
   Search,
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import {
   Save,
   Key,
   ChevronDown,
+  FolderOpen,
 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { Button } from '@/components/ui/button';
 import { Card, CardContent, CardDescription, CardHeader, CardTitle } from '@/components/ui/card';
@@ -528,6 +529,7 @@ export function Skills() {
     installSkill,
     uninstallSkill,
     searching,
+    searchError,
     installing
   } = useSkillsStore();
   const gatewayStatus = useGatewayStore((state) => state.status);
@@ -536,6 +538,7 @@ export function Skills() {
   const [selectedSkill, setSelectedSkill] = useState<Skill | null>(null);
   const [activeTab, setActiveTab] = useState('all');
   const [selectedSource, setSelectedSource] = useState<'all' | 'built-in' | 'marketplace'>('all');
+  const marketplaceDiscoveryAttemptedRef = useRef(false);
 
   const isGatewayRunning = gatewayStatus.state === 'running';
   const [showGatewayWarning, setShowGatewayWarning] = useState(false);
@@ -609,6 +612,21 @@ export function Skills() {
     }
   }, [enableSkill, disableSkill]);
 
+  const handleOpenSkillsFolder = useCallback(async () => {
+    try {
+      const skillsDir = await window.electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('openclaw:getSkillsDir') as string;
+      if (!skillsDir) {
+        throw new Error('Skills directory not available');
+      }
+      const result = await window.electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('shell:openPath', skillsDir) as string;
+      if (result) {
+        throw new Error(result);
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      toast.error('Failed to open skills folder: ' + String(err));
+    }
+  }, []);
+
   // Handle marketplace search
   const handleMarketplaceSearch = useCallback((e: React.FormEvent) => {
     e.preventDefault();
@@ -632,10 +650,21 @@ export function Skills() {
 
   // Initial marketplace load (Discovery)
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (activeTab === 'marketplace' && searchResults.length === 0 && !searching) {
-      searchSkills('');
+    if (activeTab !== 'marketplace') {
+      return;
     }
-  }, [activeTab, searchResults.length, searching, searchSkills]);
+    if (marketplaceQuery.trim()) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (searching) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (marketplaceDiscoveryAttemptedRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+    marketplaceDiscoveryAttemptedRef.current = true;
+    searchSkills('');
+  }, [activeTab, marketplaceQuery, searching, searchSkills]);
 
   // Handle uninstall
   const handleUninstall = useCallback(async (slug: string) => {
@@ -665,10 +694,16 @@ export function Skills() {
             Browse and manage AI capabilities
           </p>
         </div>
-        <Button variant="outline" onClick={fetchSkills} disabled={!isGatewayRunning}>
-          <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
-          Refresh
-        </Button>
+        <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
+          <Button variant="outline" onClick={fetchSkills} disabled={!isGatewayRunning}>
+            <RefreshCw className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+            Refresh
+          </Button>
+          <Button variant="outline" onClick={handleOpenSkillsFolder}>
+            <FolderOpen className="h-4 w-4 mr-2" />
+            Open Skills Folder
+          </Button>
+        </div>
       </div>
 
       {/* Gateway Warning */}
@@ -907,6 +942,15 @@ export function Skills() {
               </form>
             </div>
 
+            {searchError && (
+              <Card className="border-destructive/50 bg-destructive/5">
+                <CardContent className="py-3 text-sm text-destructive flex items-center gap-2">
+                  <AlertCircle className="h-4 w-4" />
+                  <span>ClawHub search failed. Check your connection or installation.</span>
+                </CardContent>
+              </Card>
+            )}
+
             {searchResults.length > 0 ? (
               <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 md:grid-cols-2 lg:grid-cols-3">
                 {searchResults.map((skill) => {
diff --git a/src/stores/skills.ts b/src/stores/skills.ts
index 042fa4681..9576728c9 100644
--- a/src/stores/skills.ts
+++ b/src/stores/skills.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ interface SkillsState {
   searchResults: MarketplaceSkill[];
   loading: boolean;
   searching: boolean;
+  searchError: string | null;
   installing: Record<string, boolean>; // slug -> boolean
   error: string | null;
 
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ export const useSkillsStore = create<SkillsState>((set, get) => ({
   searchResults: [],
   loading: false,
   searching: false,
+  searchError: null,
   installing: {},
   error: null,
 
@@ -145,7 +147,7 @@ export const useSkillsStore = create<SkillsState>((set, get) => ({
   },
 
   searchSkills: async (query: string) => {
-    set({ searching: true, error: null });
+    set({ searching: true, searchError: null });
     try {
       const result = await window.electron.ipcRenderer.invoke('clawhub:search', { query }) as { success: boolean; results?: MarketplaceSkill[]; error?: string };
       if (result.success) {
@@ -154,7 +156,7 @@ export const useSkillsStore = create<SkillsState>((set, get) => ({
         throw new Error(result.error || 'Search failed');
       }
     } catch (error) {
-      set({ error: String(error) });
+      set({ searchError: String(error) });
     } finally {
       set({ searching: false });
     }