diff --git a/hermes_cli/write_approval_commands.py b/hermes_cli/write_approval_commands.py
index 5f399e0cc53f1..ad6696feaae4c 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/write_approval_commands.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/write_approval_commands.py
@@ -38,7 +38,12 @@ def _fmt_pending_list(subsystem: str) -> str:
     for r in records:
         origin = r.get("origin", "foreground")
         tag = " [auto]" if origin == "background_review" else ""
-        lines.append(f"  {r['id']}{tag}  {r.get('summary', '')}")
+        badge = ""
+        v = r.get("validation")
+        if v and v != "ok":
+            reason = v[len("blocked: "):] if v.startswith("blocked: ") else v
+            badge = "  \u26a0\ufe0f BLOCKED: %s" % reason[:70]
+        lines.append(f"  {r['id']}{tag}{badge}  {r.get('summary', '')}")
     where = "/{s} approve <id>".format(s=subsystem)
     lines.append("")
     lines.append(f"Apply: {where}   Reject: /{subsystem} reject <id>")
diff --git a/tools/skill_manager_tool.py b/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
index 3d018a3da9bb6..9d46b91b5280b 100644
--- a/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
+++ b/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
@@ -1459,10 +1459,29 @@ def _apply_skill_write_gate(action, name, **payload_kwargs):
         old_string=payload_kwargs.get("old_string") or "",
         new_string=payload_kwargs.get("new_string") or "",
     )
-    record = wa.stage_write(wa.SKILLS, payload, summary=gist, origin=wa.current_origin())
+    # Pre-validate creates at staging time so a record that can never be
+    # applied (frontmatter description over SKILL_PROMPT_DESC_LIMIT, missing
+    # name, missing frontmatter, etc.) is flagged immediately instead of
+    # failing later at /skills approve — the exact trap that left 26 blocked
+    # creates in the backlog. The record is STILL staged (nothing is lost);
+    # the blocker is recorded, shown in /skills pending, and echoed in the
+    # response so the agent can fix the description before approving.
+    validation = "ok"
+    if action == "create":
+        try:
+            err = _validate_frontmatter(payload.get("content") or "", new_skill=True)
+            if err:
+                validation = "blocked: " + err.splitlines()[0]
+        except Exception:
+            validation = "ok"  # fail open: never block staging on validator bugs
+    record = wa.stage_write(
+        wa.SKILLS, payload, summary=gist, origin=wa.current_origin(),
+        validation=validation,
+    )
     return json.dumps(
         {"success": True, "staged": True, "pending_id": record["id"],
-         "gist": gist, "message": decision.message},
+         "gist": gist, "message": decision.message,
+         "validation": validation},
         ensure_ascii=False,
     )
 
diff --git a/tools/write_approval.py b/tools/write_approval.py
index b017299d806b8..1ee59f97b9cec 100644
--- a/tools/write_approval.py
+++ b/tools/write_approval.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def _pending_dir(subsystem: str) -> Path:
 
 
 def stage_write(subsystem: str, payload: Dict[str, Any],
-                *, summary: str, origin: str) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+                *, summary: str, origin: str, validation: str = "ok") -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Persist a pending write and return a short record describing it.
 
     Args:
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ def stage_write(subsystem: str, payload: Dict[str, Any],
             For skills this is the LLM/heuristic gist; for memory it can be the
             entry text itself.
         origin: ``foreground`` or ``background_review`` — recorded for audit.
+        validation: pre-computed apply-time check result for the staged write.
+            ``"ok"`` (default) means it will apply; anything else is a short
+            ``"blocked: <reason>"`` flag surfaced in pending lists so a record
+            that can never be applied is visible before approval. Recorded for
+            audit; never used to refuse staging (a staged write is never lost).
 
     Returns a dict with ``id`` and metadata. Best-effort: on disk failure it
     logs and still returns a record (the write is simply lost, which is the
@@ -136,6 +141,7 @@ def stage_write(subsystem: str, payload: Dict[str, Any],
         "action": payload.get("action", ""),
         "summary": (summary or "").strip(),
         "origin": origin or "foreground",
+        "validation": validation,
         "created_at": time.time(),
         "payload": payload,
     }