diff --git a/agent/display.py b/agent/display.py
index 063b7bb1c7..a7f3cbaa2d 100644
--- a/agent/display.py
+++ b/agent/display.py
@@ -600,6 +600,45 @@ class KawaiiSpinner:
         "analyzing", "computing", "synthesizing", "formulating", "brainstorming",
     ]
 
+    @classmethod
+    def get_waiting_faces(cls) -> list:
+        """Return waiting faces from the active skin, falling back to KAWAII_WAITING."""
+        try:
+            skin = _get_skin()
+            if skin:
+                faces = skin.spinner.get("waiting_faces", [])
+                if faces:
+                    return faces
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        return cls.KAWAII_WAITING
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_thinking_faces(cls) -> list:
+        """Return thinking faces from the active skin, falling back to KAWAII_THINKING."""
+        try:
+            skin = _get_skin()
+            if skin:
+                faces = skin.spinner.get("thinking_faces", [])
+                if faces:
+                    return faces
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        return cls.KAWAII_THINKING
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_thinking_verbs(cls) -> list:
+        """Return thinking verbs from the active skin, falling back to THINKING_VERBS."""
+        try:
+            skin = _get_skin()
+            if skin:
+                verbs = skin.spinner.get("thinking_verbs", [])
+                if verbs:
+                    return verbs
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+        return cls.THINKING_VERBS
+
     def __init__(self, message: str = "", spinner_type: str = 'dots', print_fn=None):
         self.message = message
         self.spinner_frames = self.SPINNERS.get(spinner_type, self.SPINNERS['dots'])
diff --git a/run_agent.py b/run_agent.py
index ec96ee86eb..2781bf1888 100644
--- a/run_agent.py
+++ b/run_agent.py
@@ -7490,7 +7490,7 @@ class AIAgent:
         # Start spinner for CLI mode (skip when TUI handles tool progress)
         spinner = None
         if self._should_emit_quiet_tool_messages() and self._should_start_quiet_spinner():
-            face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_WAITING)
+            face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_waiting_faces())
             spinner = KawaiiSpinner(f"{face} ⚡ running {num_tools} tools concurrently", spinner_type='dots', print_fn=self._print_fn)
             spinner.start()
 
@@ -7786,7 +7786,7 @@ class AIAgent:
                     spinner_label = f"🔀 {goal_preview}" if goal_preview else "🔀 delegating"
                 spinner = None
                 if self._should_emit_quiet_tool_messages() and self._should_start_quiet_spinner():
-                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_WAITING)
+                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_waiting_faces())
                     spinner = KawaiiSpinner(f"{face} {spinner_label}", spinner_type='dots', print_fn=self._print_fn)
                     spinner.start()
                 self._delegate_spinner = spinner
@@ -7813,7 +7813,7 @@ class AIAgent:
                 # Context engine tools (lcm_grep, lcm_describe, lcm_expand, etc.)
                 spinner = None
                 if self.quiet_mode and not self.tool_progress_callback:
-                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_WAITING)
+                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_waiting_faces())
                     emoji = _get_tool_emoji(function_name)
                     preview = _build_tool_preview(function_name, function_args) or function_name
                     spinner = KawaiiSpinner(f"{face} {emoji} {preview}", spinner_type='dots', print_fn=self._print_fn)
@@ -7837,7 +7837,7 @@ class AIAgent:
                 # These are not in the tool registry — route through MemoryManager.
                 spinner = None
                 if self._should_emit_quiet_tool_messages() and self._should_start_quiet_spinner():
-                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_WAITING)
+                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_waiting_faces())
                     emoji = _get_tool_emoji(function_name)
                     preview = _build_tool_preview(function_name, function_args) or function_name
                     spinner = KawaiiSpinner(f"{face} {emoji} {preview}", spinner_type='dots', print_fn=self._print_fn)
@@ -7859,7 +7859,7 @@ class AIAgent:
             elif self.quiet_mode:
                 spinner = None
                 if self._should_emit_quiet_tool_messages() and self._should_start_quiet_spinner():
-                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_WAITING)
+                    face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_waiting_faces())
                     emoji = _get_tool_emoji(function_name)
                     preview = _build_tool_preview(function_name, function_args) or function_name
                     spinner = KawaiiSpinner(f"{face} {emoji} {preview}", spinner_type='dots', print_fn=self._print_fn)
@@ -8731,8 +8731,8 @@ class AIAgent:
                 self._vprint(f"{self.log_prefix}   🔧 Available tools: {len(self.tools) if self.tools else 0}")
             else:
                 # Animated thinking spinner in quiet mode
-                face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.KAWAII_THINKING)
-                verb = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.THINKING_VERBS)
+                face = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_thinking_faces())
+                verb = random.choice(KawaiiSpinner.get_thinking_verbs())
                 if self.thinking_callback:
                     # CLI TUI mode: use prompt_toolkit widget instead of raw spinner
                     # (works in both streaming and non-streaming modes)