diff --git a/tests/tools/test_skill_manager_tool.py b/tests/tools/test_skill_manager_tool.py
index e7e5e4a78b2..97cf3e9d194 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_skill_manager_tool.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_skill_manager_tool.py
@@ -179,6 +179,24 @@ class TestValidateFilePath:
         assert "File must be under one of:" in err
         assert "'malicious.py'" in err
 
+    def test_skill_md_accepted_at_root(self):
+        # SKILL.md is the canonical skill file and must be accepted even
+        # though it does not live under an allowed subdirectory.
+        assert _validate_file_path("SKILL.md") is None
+
+    def test_skill_md_accepted_name_prefixed(self):
+        assert _validate_file_path("my-skill/SKILL.md") is None
+
+    def test_skill_md_traversal_still_rejected(self):
+        # The SKILL.md exception must not weaken the traversal guard.
+        err = _validate_file_path("../SKILL.md")
+        assert err == "Path traversal ('..') is not allowed."
+
+    def test_other_root_md_still_rejected(self):
+        # Only SKILL.md gets the root-level exception, not arbitrary files.
+        err = _validate_file_path("README.md")
+        assert "File must be under one of:" in err
+
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # CRUD operations
diff --git a/tools/skill_manager_tool.py b/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
index 4ce5f06e4c9..c131db9d54f 100644
--- a/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
+++ b/tools/skill_manager_tool.py
@@ -410,10 +410,19 @@ def _validate_file_path(file_path: str) -> Optional[str]:
 
     normalized = Path(file_path)
 
-    # Prevent path traversal
+    # Prevent path traversal (checked before any allow-listing so the SKILL.md
+    # exception below can never be reached by a traversal-laden path).
     if has_traversal_component(file_path):
         return "Path traversal ('..') is not allowed."
 
+    # SKILL.md is the canonical skill file and lives at the skill root, not
+    # under an allowed subdirectory. Accept its two natural spellings —
+    # 'SKILL.md' and '<skill-name>/SKILL.md' — so callers can target the main
+    # file. The traversal guard above still applies, so this can't escape.
+    if normalized.parts and normalized.name == "SKILL.md":
+        if len(normalized.parts) == 1 or len(normalized.parts) == 2:
+            return None
+
     # Must be under an allowed subdirectory
     if not normalized.parts or normalized.parts[0] not in ALLOWED_SUBDIRS:
         allowed = ", ".join(sorted(ALLOWED_SUBDIRS))