diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/state/notes.ts b/apps/mobile/src/state/notes.ts
index 68ee42ea1aa2..10b70d1fa4a2 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/src/state/notes.ts
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/state/notes.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useAtomValue } from "@effect/atom-react";
 import { createNotesEnvironmentAtoms } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/notes";
 import type { EnvironmentId, NoteSummary } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { isAnswerExpected } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/connection";
 import * as Option from "effect/Option";
 import { AsyncResult, Atom } from "effect/unstable/reactivity";
 import { connectionAtomRuntime } from "../connection/runtime";
@@ -15,11 +16,11 @@ const allNotesAtom = Atom.family((query: string) =>
   Atom.make((get) => {
     const notes: EnvironmentNote[] = [];
     let isPending = false;
-    for (const environmentId of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom).keys()) {
+    for (const [environmentId, presentation] of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom)) {
       const result = get(notesEnvironment.list({ environmentId, input: query ? { query } : {} }));
       const value = Option.getOrNull(AsyncResult.value(result));
       if (value === null) {
-        isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure";
+        isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure" && isAnswerExpected(presentation);
         continue;
       }
       notes.push(...value.notes.map((note) => ({ ...note, environmentId })));
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SkillsSettings.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SkillsSettings.tsx
index f6e28f845999..65efcef891c7 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/settings/SkillsSettings.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/settings/SkillsSettings.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import { normalizeSkillVisibilityPath } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/providerSkills";
-import { CopyIcon, EyeIcon, FolderOpenIcon, RefreshCwIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import {
+  CopyIcon,
+  EyeIcon,
+  FolderOpenIcon,
+  PlusIcon,
+  SearchIcon,
+  TriangleAlertIcon,
+} from "lucide-react";
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 
 import { useProjectFileQuery } from "../files/projectFilesQueryState";
@@ -12,9 +19,11 @@ import { useAtomCommand } from "../../state/use-atom-command";
 import { Badge } from "../ui/badge";
 import { Button } from "../ui/button";
 import { Dialog, DialogHeader, DialogPopup, DialogTitle } from "../ui/dialog";
-import { Input } from "../ui/input";
+import { InputGroup, InputGroupAddon, InputGroupInput } from "../ui/input-group";
+import { RefreshIcon } from "../ui/refresh-icon";
 import { toastManager } from "../ui/toast";
-import { SettingsPageContainer } from "./settingsLayout";
+import { Tooltip, TooltipPopup, TooltipTrigger } from "../ui/tooltip";
+import { SettingsPageContainer, SettingsSection } from "./settingsLayout";
 import { useSettingsScope } from "./SettingsScopeContext";
 import {
   discoverLocalSkillFiles,
@@ -109,158 +118,188 @@ export function SkillsSettings() {
 
   return (
     <SettingsPageContainer width="wide">
-      <section className="flex flex-col gap-2 px-3 sm:px-4">
-        <h1 className="text-2xl font-semibold">Skills</h1>
-        <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-          File skills in your home folders and selected projects.
-        </p>
-      </section>
-      <div className="flex items-center gap-3 px-3 sm:px-4">
-        <span className="shrink-0 text-sm tabular-nums text-muted-foreground">
-          {filtered.length} {filtered.length === 1 ? "skill" : "skills"}
-        </span>
-        <Input
-          nativeInput
-          type="search"
-          value={query}
-          onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.currentTarget.value)}
-          placeholder="Filter"
-          aria-label="Filter skills"
-          className="min-w-0 flex-1"
-        />
-        <Button
-          type="button"
-          size="icon-sm"
-          variant="ghost"
-          aria-label="Refresh skills"
-          disabled={refreshing}
-          onClick={() => setRevision((value) => value + 1)}
-        >
-          <RefreshCwIcon className={refreshing ? "animate-spin" : undefined} />
-        </Button>
-        <Button
-          type="button"
-          variant="outline"
-          size="sm"
-          disabled={targets.length === 0}
-          onClick={() => setAdding(true)}
-        >
-          Add skill
-        </Button>
-      </div>
-      {errors.length > 0 && (
-        <p role="alert" className="px-4 text-sm text-destructive">
-          Some skills could not be loaded. {errors.join("; ")}
-        </p>
-      )}
-      <p className="px-4 text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-        Switches show or hide skills in this client's T3 skill pickers. Providers manage automatic
-        skill discovery.
-      </p>
-      <div className="overflow-hidden rounded-xl border">
+      <SettingsSection
+        title="Skills"
+        headerAction={
+          <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+            <span className="text-2xs tabular-nums text-muted-foreground">
+              {filtered.length} {filtered.length === 1 ? "skill" : "skills"}
+            </span>
+            <InputGroup className="w-48">
+              <InputGroupAddon>
+                <SearchIcon aria-hidden className="size-3" />
+              </InputGroupAddon>
+              <InputGroupInput
+                type="search"
+                size="sm"
+                value={query}
+                onChange={(event) => setQuery(event.currentTarget.value)}
+                onKeyDown={(event) => {
+                  if (event.key === "Escape") setQuery("");
+                }}
+                placeholder="Search skills"
+                aria-label="Search skills"
+              />
+            </InputGroup>
+            <Tooltip>
+              <TooltipTrigger
+                render={
+                  <Button
+                    type="button"
+                    size="icon-xs"
+                    variant="ghost-muted"
+                    aria-label="Refresh skills"
+                    disabled={refreshing}
+                    onClick={() => setRevision((value) => value + 1)}
+                  >
+                    <RefreshIcon refreshing={refreshing} />
+                  </Button>
+                }
+              />
+              <TooltipPopup side="top">Refresh skills</TooltipPopup>
+            </Tooltip>
+            <Tooltip>
+              <TooltipTrigger
+                render={
+                  <Button
+                    type="button"
+                    size="icon-xs"
+                    variant="ghost-muted"
+                    aria-label="Add skill"
+                    disabled={targets.length === 0}
+                    onClick={() => setAdding(true)}
+                  >
+                    <PlusIcon />
+                  </Button>
+                }
+              />
+              <TooltipPopup side="top">Add skill</TooltipPopup>
+            </Tooltip>
+          </div>
+        }
+      >
+        {errors.map((error) => (
+          <p
+            key={error}
+            role="alert"
+            className="flex items-center gap-2 px-4 py-2.5 text-xs text-warning-foreground"
+          >
+            <TriangleAlertIcon aria-hidden className="size-3.5 shrink-0 text-warning" />
+            {error}
+          </p>
+        ))}
         {filtered.length === 0 ? (
           <p className="px-4 py-8 text-center text-sm text-muted-foreground">
             {refreshing
               ? "Loading skills..."
               : normalizedQuery
                 ? "No matching skills"
-                : "No file skills found for this selection"}
+                : "No skills in your home folders or selected projects"}
           </p>
         ) : (
-          filtered.map((skill) => (
-            <div
-              key={JSON.stringify([skill.environmentId, skill.path])}
-              className="flex flex-col gap-1 border-b px-4 py-3 last:border-b-0"
-            >
-              <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-left text-sm font-medium hover:underline"
-                  onClick={() => setPreview(skill)}
-                >
-                  {skill.name}
-                </button>
-                <Badge variant="secondary" size="sm">
-                  {skill.scope === "project" ? "Project" : "Personal"}
-                </Badge>
-                <span className="w-20 shrink-0 truncate text-right text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  {skill.source}
-                </span>
-                <Switch
-                  size="sm"
-                  checked={
-                    !skill.aliases.some((alias) =>
-                      (hiddenByEnvironment[skill.environmentId] ?? []).some(
-                        (hidden) =>
-                          normalizeSkillVisibilityPath(hidden) ===
-                          normalizeSkillVisibilityPath(alias),
-                      ),
-                    )
-                  }
-                  aria-label={`Show ${skill.name} in skill pickers`}
-                  onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
-                    setVisible(skill.environmentId, skill.aliases, checked)
-                  }
-                />
-              </div>
-              {skill.description ? (
-                <p className="truncate text-sm text-muted-foreground">{skill.description}</p>
-              ) : null}
-              <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1">
-                <p className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                  {skill.path}
-                </p>
-                {multipleEnvironments ? (
-                  <span className="max-w-24 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
-                    {skill.environmentLabel}
+          filtered.map((skill) => {
+            const visible = !skill.aliases.some((alias) =>
+              (hiddenByEnvironment[skill.environmentId] ?? []).some(
+                (hidden) =>
+                  normalizeSkillVisibilityPath(hidden) === normalizeSkillVisibilityPath(alias),
+              ),
+            );
+            return (
+              <div
+                key={JSON.stringify([skill.environmentId, skill.path])}
+                className="flex flex-col gap-1 px-4 py-3"
+              >
+                <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-2">
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-left text-sm font-medium hover:underline"
+                    onClick={() => setPreview(skill)}
+                  >
+                    {skill.name}
+                  </button>
+                  <Badge variant="secondary" size="sm">
+                    {skill.scope === "project" ? "Project" : "Personal"}
+                  </Badge>
+                  <span className="w-20 shrink-0 truncate text-right text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    {skill.source}
                   </span>
+                  <Tooltip>
+                    <TooltipTrigger
+                      render={
+                        <Switch
+                          size="sm"
+                          checked={visible}
+                          aria-label={`Show ${skill.name} in skill pickers`}
+                          onCheckedChange={(checked) =>
+                            setVisible(skill.environmentId, skill.aliases, checked)
+                          }
+                        />
+                      }
+                    />
+                    <TooltipPopup side="top">
+                      {visible ? "Shown in skill pickers" : "Hidden from skill pickers"}
+                    </TooltipPopup>
+                  </Tooltip>
+                </div>
+                {skill.description ? (
+                  <p className="truncate text-sm text-muted-foreground">{skill.description}</p>
                 ) : null}
-                <Button
-                  type="button"
-                  size="icon-micro"
-                  variant="ghost-muted"
-                  aria-label={`Preview ${skill.name}`}
-                  onClick={() => setPreview(skill)}
-                >
-                  <EyeIcon />
-                </Button>
-                <Button
-                  type="button"
-                  size="icon-micro"
-                  variant="ghost-muted"
-                  aria-label={`Copy path of ${skill.name}`}
-                  onClick={() => {
-                    void writeTextToClipboard(skill.path).catch(() =>
-                      toastManager.add({ type: "error", title: "Could not copy skill path" }),
-                    );
-                  }}
-                >
-                  <CopyIcon />
-                </Button>
-                {revealableEnvironments.has(skill.environmentId) ? (
+                <div className="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-1">
+                  <p className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                    {skill.path}
+                  </p>
+                  {multipleEnvironments ? (
+                    <span className="max-w-24 truncate text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                      {skill.environmentLabel}
+                    </span>
+                  ) : null}
                   <Button
                     type="button"
                     size="icon-micro"
                     variant="ghost-muted"
-                    aria-label={`Reveal ${skill.name} in file manager`}
+                    aria-label={`Preview ${skill.name}`}
+                    onClick={() => setPreview(skill)}
+                  >
+                    <EyeIcon />
+                  </Button>
+                  <Button
+                    type="button"
+                    size="icon-micro"
+                    variant="ghost-muted"
+                    aria-label={`Copy path of ${skill.name}`}
                     onClick={() => {
-                      void openInEditor({
-                        environmentId: skill.environmentId,
-                        input: { cwd: skill.path, editor: "file-manager", reveal: true },
-                      }).then((result) => {
-                        if (result._tag === "Failure")
-                          toastManager.add({ type: "error", title: "Could not reveal skill" });
-                      });
+                      void writeTextToClipboard(skill.path).catch(() =>
+                        toastManager.add({ type: "error", title: "Could not copy skill path" }),
+                      );
                     }}
                   >
-                    <FolderOpenIcon />
+                    <CopyIcon />
                   </Button>
-                ) : null}
+                  {revealableEnvironments.has(skill.environmentId) ? (
+                    <Button
+                      type="button"
+                      size="icon-micro"
+                      variant="ghost-muted"
+                      aria-label={`Reveal ${skill.name} in file manager`}
+                      onClick={() => {
+                        void openInEditor({
+                          environmentId: skill.environmentId,
+                          input: { cwd: skill.path, editor: "file-manager", reveal: true },
+                        }).then((result) => {
+                          if (result._tag === "Failure")
+                            toastManager.add({ type: "error", title: "Could not reveal skill" });
+                        });
+                      }}
+                    >
+                      <FolderOpenIcon />
+                    </Button>
+                  ) : null}
+                </div>
               </div>
-            </div>
-          ))
+            );
+          })
         )}
-      </div>
+      </SettingsSection>
       {adding && (
         <AddSkillDialog
           targets={targets}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/state/automations.ts b/apps/web/src/state/automations.ts
index 4752d96d1a3d..70a415d03b67 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/state/automations.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/state/automations.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   createEnvironmentRpcCommand,
   createEnvironmentRpcSubscriptionAtomFamily,
 } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/runtime";
+import { isAnswerExpected } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/connection";
 import * as Option from "effect/Option";
 import { AsyncResult, Atom } from "effect/unstable/reactivity";
 
@@ -47,18 +48,19 @@ export const runAutomationNow = createEnvironmentRpcCommand(connectionAtomRuntim
 
 interface AutomationsView {
   readonly automations: readonly EnvironmentAutomation[];
-  /** True until every environment has answered at least once. */
+  /** True while a reachable environment has not answered yet. */
   readonly isPending: boolean;
 }
 
 const allAutomationsAtom = Atom.make((get): AutomationsView => {
   const automations: EnvironmentAutomation[] = [];
   let isPending = false;
-  for (const environmentId of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom).keys()) {
+  for (const [environmentId, presentation] of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom)) {
     const result = get(automationsByEnvironment({ environmentId, input: {} }));
     const snapshot = Option.getOrNull(AsyncResult.value(result));
     if (snapshot === null) {
-      isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure";
+      // An unreachable environment never answers; it must not hold the whole list in loading.
+      isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure" && isAnswerExpected(presentation);
       continue;
     }
     for (const automation of snapshot.automations) {
diff --git a/apps/web/src/state/notes.ts b/apps/web/src/state/notes.ts
index c83e8741c458..7f1fc17e67e5 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/state/notes.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/state/notes.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useAtomValue } from "@effect/atom-react";
 import { createNotesEnvironmentAtoms } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/state/notes";
 import type { EnvironmentId, NoteSummary } from "@t3tools/contracts";
+import { isAnswerExpected } from "@t3tools/client-runtime/connection";
 import * as Option from "effect/Option";
 import { AsyncResult, Atom } from "effect/unstable/reactivity";
 import { connectionAtomRuntime } from "../connection/runtime";
@@ -15,11 +16,11 @@ const allNotesAtom = Atom.family((query: string) =>
   Atom.make((get) => {
     const notes: EnvironmentNote[] = [];
     let isPending = false;
-    for (const environmentId of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom).keys()) {
+    for (const [environmentId, presentation] of get(environmentPresentations.presentationsAtom)) {
       const result = get(notesEnvironment.list({ environmentId, input: query ? { query } : {} }));
       const snapshot = Option.getOrNull(AsyncResult.value(result));
       if (snapshot === null) {
-        isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure";
+        isPending ||= result._tag !== "Failure" && isAnswerExpected(presentation);
         continue;
       }
       notes.push(...snapshot.notes.map((note) => ({ ...note, environmentId })));
diff --git a/packages/client-runtime/src/connection/presentation.ts b/packages/client-runtime/src/connection/presentation.ts
index f7586c5e3dbf..463920269c44 100644
--- a/packages/client-runtime/src/connection/presentation.ts
+++ b/packages/client-runtime/src/connection/presentation.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,15 @@ export interface EnvironmentPresentation {
   readonly serverConfig: ServerConfig | null;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Whether a pending subscription on this environment is worth showing as loading.
+ * Offline or failing environments never answer and must not hold a merged list in loading.
+ */
+export function isAnswerExpected(presentation: EnvironmentPresentation): boolean {
+  const { phase } = presentation.connection;
+  return phase === "connected" || phase === "connecting";
+}
+
 export function presentConnectionState(
   state: SupervisorConnectionState,
 ): EnvironmentConnectionPresentation {