diff --git a/scarf/Packages/ScarfCore/Sources/ScarfCore/Services/SkillPrereqService.swift b/scarf/Packages/ScarfCore/Sources/ScarfCore/Services/SkillPrereqService.swift
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8540f49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scarf/Packages/ScarfCore/Sources/ScarfCore/Services/SkillPrereqService.swift
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+import Foundation
+#if canImport(os)
+import os
+#endif
+
+/// Runs lightweight host-side `which <bin>` probes for skills that
+/// declare runtime dependencies. Used by the Skills view (Mac + iOS)
+/// to surface a yellow banner when a prereq is missing on the Hermes
+/// host — e.g. the `design-md` skill needs `npx` (Node.js 18+).
+///
+/// Pure transport-driven probes; never blocks the UI thread (callers
+/// invoke from async context). No state — call once per skill view per
+/// appear and cache in the calling view-model.
+public struct SkillPrereqService: Sendable {
+    #if canImport(os)
+    private static let logger = Logger(
+        subsystem: "com.scarf",
+        category: "SkillPrereqService"
+    )
+    #endif
+
+    public let context: ServerContext
+
+    public nonisolated init(context: ServerContext = .local) {
+        self.context = context
+    }
+
+    /// Result of a single prereq probe. Surfaced verbatim by the UI:
+    /// `present` → no banner; `missing` → yellow banner with `installHint`.
+    public enum Status: Sendable, Equatable {
+        case present
+        case missing(installHint: String)
+        case unknown(reason: String)
+    }
+
+    /// Check whether `binary` resolves on the host's PATH. Returns
+    /// `.present` on exit code 0, `.missing(installHint:)` on a clean
+    /// not-found exit, `.unknown(reason:)` on any transport error.
+    /// `installHint` is the `installHints` table entry below if known;
+    /// callers can override for skills with bespoke install steps.
+    public nonisolated func probe(
+        binary: String,
+        installHint: String? = nil
+    ) async -> Status {
+        let ctx = context
+        let resolvedHint = installHint ?? Self.installHints[binary] ?? "Install `\(binary)` on the Hermes host."
+        return await Task.detached {
+            let transport = ctx.makeTransport()
+            do {
+                let result = try transport.runProcess(
+                    executable: "/usr/bin/env",
+                    args: ["which", binary],
+                    stdin: nil,
+                    timeout: 4
+                )
+                if result.exitCode == 0,
+                   !result.stdoutString.trimmingCharacters(in: .whitespacesAndNewlines).isEmpty {
+                    return .present
+                }
+                return .missing(installHint: resolvedHint)
+            } catch {
+                #if canImport(os)
+                Self.logger.warning(
+                    "prereq probe for \(binary, privacy: .public) failed: \(error.localizedDescription, privacy: .public)"
+                )
+                #endif
+                return .unknown(reason: error.localizedDescription)
+            }
+        }.value
+    }
+
+    /// Built-in install hints for the binaries we know about. Skills
+    /// can pass a custom hint via `probe(binary:installHint:)` if they
+    /// want bespoke language. Keep these short — the banner has limited
+    /// vertical real estate on iPhone.
+    public static let installHints: [String: String] = [
+        "npx": "Install Node.js 18+ on the Hermes host (`brew install node` on macOS, `apt install nodejs npm` on Debian/Ubuntu).",
+        "node": "Install Node.js 18+ on the Hermes host.",
+        "gws": "Install the `gws` CLI on the Hermes host (Google Workspace skill).",
+        "ffmpeg": "Install `ffmpeg` on the Hermes host (`brew install ffmpeg` / `apt install ffmpeg`).",
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/scarf/Scarf iOS/Skills/SkillsListView.swift b/scarf/Scarf iOS/Skills/SkillsListView.swift
index 015f0f7..5146801 100644
--- a/scarf/Scarf iOS/Skills/SkillsListView.swift	
+++ b/scarf/Scarf iOS/Skills/SkillsListView.swift	
@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ struct SkillsListView: View {
 private struct SkillDetailView: View {
     let skill: HermesSkill
 
+    @Environment(\.serverContext) private var serverContext
+    @State private var npxStatus: SkillPrereqService.Status?
+
     var body: some View {
         List {
             Section("Location") {
@@ -89,6 +92,30 @@ private struct SkillDetailView: View {
                     .textSelection(.enabled)
             }
 
+            // v2.5 design-md prereq surface — the skill needs `npx`
+            // (Node.js 18+) on the host. iOS read-only banner: same
+            // wording as the Mac one, no install button (the user is
+            // already going to need a shell to fix this).
+            if skill.name.lowercased() == "design-md",
+               case .missing(let hint) = npxStatus {
+                Section("Prerequisite missing") {
+                    Label {
+                        VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
+                            Text("`npx` not found on the Hermes host.")
+                                .font(.callout.weight(.medium))
+                            Text(hint)
+                                .font(.caption)
+                                .foregroundStyle(.secondary)
+                                .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
+                        }
+                    } icon: {
+                        Image(systemName: "exclamationmark.triangle.fill")
+                            .foregroundStyle(.orange)
+                    }
+                    .padding(.vertical, 4)
+                }
+            }
+
             if skill.name.lowercased() == "spotify" {
                 Section("Authentication") {
                     Label {
@@ -119,5 +146,17 @@ private struct SkillDetailView: View {
         }
         .navigationTitle(skill.name)
         .navigationBarTitleDisplayMode(.inline)
+        .task(id: skill.id) {
+            // Only probe when this skill needs it. design-md is the
+            // only skill in v2.5 with a host-side prereq surface; the
+            // probe runs once per appear and isn't cached across
+            // navigation events (cheap — single SSH `which` call).
+            guard skill.name.lowercased() == "design-md" else {
+                npxStatus = nil
+                return
+            }
+            let svc = SkillPrereqService(context: serverContext)
+            npxStatus = await svc.probe(binary: "npx")
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/scarf/scarf/Features/Skills/Views/SkillsView.swift b/scarf/scarf/Features/Skills/Views/SkillsView.swift
index f2a26c9..fabfb1f 100644
--- a/scarf/scarf/Features/Skills/Views/SkillsView.swift
+++ b/scarf/scarf/Features/Skills/Views/SkillsView.swift
@@ -4,6 +4,11 @@ import ScarfCore
 struct SkillsView: View {
     @State private var viewModel: SkillsViewModel
     @State private var showSpotifySignIn: Bool = false
+    /// Result of the npx prereq probe for the design-md skill, when
+    /// selected. Re-fetched on each skill change. Nil while the probe
+    /// is in flight; populated with `.present` / `.missing(...)` /
+    /// `.unknown(...)` on completion.
+    @State private var designMdNpxStatus: SkillPrereqService.Status?
     @Environment(\.serverContext) private var serverContext
     @State private var currentTab: Tab = .installed
 
@@ -39,6 +44,20 @@ struct SkillsView: View {
         }
         .navigationTitle("Skills (\(viewModel.totalSkillCount))")
         .onAppear { viewModel.load() }
+        // v2.5: re-probe `npx` whenever the selected skill changes;
+        // only the design-md skill cares about the result, but binding
+        // to the selection makes the probe automatic across switches.
+        .onChange(of: viewModel.selectedSkill?.name) { _, newName in
+            guard newName?.lowercased() == "design-md" else {
+                designMdNpxStatus = nil
+                return
+            }
+            designMdNpxStatus = nil
+            let svc = SkillPrereqService(context: serverContext)
+            Task { @MainActor in
+                designMdNpxStatus = await svc.probe(binary: "npx")
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     private var modePicker: some View {
@@ -144,6 +163,13 @@ struct SkillsView: View {
                     if skill.name.lowercased() == "spotify" {
                         spotifyAuthRow
                     }
+                    // v2.5 design-md prereq surface. The skill needs
+                    // `npx` (Node.js 18+) on the host; show a yellow
+                    // banner with an install hint when it's missing.
+                    if skill.name.lowercased() == "design-md",
+                       case .missing(let hint) = designMdNpxStatus {
+                        designMdNpxBanner(hint: hint)
+                    }
                     Divider()
                     if !skill.files.isEmpty {
                         VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 4) {
@@ -205,6 +231,27 @@ struct SkillsView: View {
         }
     }
 
+    /// Yellow banner surfaced on the design-md skill detail when the
+    /// host's `npx` probe came back missing. Reuses the same color
+    /// language as the missing-config banner.
+    private func designMdNpxBanner(hint: String) -> some View {
+        HStack(alignment: .top, spacing: 8) {
+            Image(systemName: "exclamationmark.triangle")
+            VStack(alignment: .leading, spacing: 2) {
+                Text("`npx` not found on the Hermes host.")
+                    .font(.caption.bold())
+                Text(hint)
+                    .font(.caption)
+                    .fixedSize(horizontal: false, vertical: true)
+            }
+        }
+        .foregroundStyle(.orange)
+        .padding(10)
+        .frame(maxWidth: .infinity, alignment: .leading)
+        .background(.orange.opacity(0.1))
+        .clipShape(RoundedRectangle(cornerRadius: 8))
+    }
+
     /// Renders the v2.5 Spotify auth row when the user has the
     /// `spotify` skill selected. Tapping opens `SpotifySignInSheet`
     /// which drives `hermes auth spotify` end-to-end in-app.