diff --git a/agent/skill_utils.py b/agent/skill_utils.py
index d4d94f7e2..de1d0c311 100644
--- a/agent/skill_utils.py
+++ b/agent/skill_utils.py
@@ -75,7 +75,12 @@ def parse_frontmatter(content: str) -> Tuple[Dict[str, Any], str]:
         parsed = yaml_load(yaml_content)
         if isinstance(parsed, dict):
             frontmatter = parsed
-    except Exception:
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.debug(
+            "Skill frontmatter YAML parse failed, using line fallback: %s",
+            e,
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
         # Fallback: simple key:value parsing for malformed YAML
         for line in yaml_content.strip().split("\n"):
             if ":" not in line:
@@ -136,7 +141,12 @@ def get_disabled_skill_names(platform: str | None = None) -> Set[str]:
     try:
         parsed = yaml_load(config_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
     except Exception as e:
-        logger.debug("Could not read skill config %s: %s", config_path, e)
+        logger.debug(
+            "Could not read skill config %s: %s",
+            config_path,
+            e,
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
         return set()
     if not isinstance(parsed, dict):
         return set()
@@ -183,7 +193,13 @@ def get_external_skills_dirs() -> List[Path]:
         return []
     try:
         parsed = yaml_load(config_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
-    except Exception:
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.debug(
+            "Could not read config for external skills dirs %s: %s",
+            config_path,
+            e,
+            exc_info=True,
+        )
         return []
     if not isinstance(parsed, dict):
         return []
@@ -337,7 +353,13 @@ def discover_all_skill_config_vars() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
             try:
                 raw = skill_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
                 frontmatter, _ = parse_frontmatter(raw)
-            except Exception:
+            except Exception as e:
+                logger.debug(
+                    "Skipping skill file due to read/parse error %s: %s",
+                    skill_file,
+                    e,
+                    exc_info=True,
+                )
                 continue
 
             skill_name = frontmatter.get("name") or skill_file.parent.name
@@ -391,8 +413,13 @@ def resolve_skill_config_values(
             parsed = yaml_load(config_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8"))
             if isinstance(parsed, dict):
                 config = parsed
-        except Exception:
-            pass
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.debug(
+                "Could not read config for skill config var resolution %s: %s",
+                config_path,
+                e,
+                exc_info=True,
+            )
 
     resolved: Dict[str, Any] = {}
     for var in config_vars:
diff --git a/tests/agent/test_skill_utils.py b/tests/agent/test_skill_utils.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..56e4b468b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/agent/test_skill_utils.py
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+"""Regression tests for agent.skill_utils logging on defensive parse paths."""
+
+import logging
+import os
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+
+class TestParseFrontmatter:
+    def test_malformed_yaml_falls_back_to_line_parser(self):
+        from agent.skill_utils import parse_frontmatter
+
+        content = (
+            "---\n"
+            "name: broken-skill\n"
+            "bad: [ this bracket never closes\n"
+            "---\n\n"
+            "# Body\n"
+        )
+        fm, body = parse_frontmatter(content)
+        assert "name" in fm
+        assert fm["name"] == "broken-skill"
+        assert "# Body" in body
+
+    def test_malformed_yaml_emits_debug_log(self, caplog):
+        import agent.skill_utils as su
+
+        caplog.set_level(logging.DEBUG, logger=su.__name__)
+        content = (
+            "---\n"
+            "x: [\n"
+            "---\n\n"
+            "ok\n"
+        )
+        su.parse_frontmatter(content)
+        assert any(
+            "frontmatter YAML parse failed" in r.message for r in caplog.records
+        )
+
+
+class TestGetExternalSkillsDirsLogging:
+    def test_yaml_failure_logs_and_returns_empty(self, tmp_path, caplog):
+        home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        home.mkdir()
+        (home / "skills").mkdir()
+        (home / "config.yaml").write_text("skills:\n  external_dirs: []\n")
+
+        import agent.skill_utils as su
+
+        caplog.set_level(logging.DEBUG, logger=su.__name__)
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"HERMES_HOME": str(home)}):
+            with patch.object(su, "yaml_load", side_effect=ValueError("forced")):
+                result = su.get_external_skills_dirs()
+        assert result == []
+        assert any(
+            "external skills dirs" in r.message for r in caplog.records
+        )
+
+
+class TestDiscoverAllSkillConfigVarsLogging:
+    def test_unreadable_skill_file_skipped_with_log(self, tmp_path, caplog):
+        home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        home.mkdir()
+        (home / "skills").mkdir()
+        (home / "config.yaml").write_text("skills:\n  external_dirs: []\n")
+        skill_dir = home / "skills" / "bad-read"
+        skill_dir.mkdir()
+        bad = skill_dir / "SKILL.md"
+        bad.write_bytes(b"\xff\xfe not utf-8")
+
+        import agent.skill_utils as su
+
+        caplog.set_level(logging.DEBUG, logger=su.__name__)
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"HERMES_HOME": str(home)}):
+            out = su.discover_all_skill_config_vars()
+        assert out == []
+        assert any("Skipping skill file" in r.message for r in caplog.records)
+
+
+class TestResolveSkillConfigValuesLogging:
+    def test_yaml_failure_logs(self, tmp_path, caplog):
+        home = tmp_path / ".hermes"
+        home.mkdir()
+        (home / "skills").mkdir()
+        (home / "config.yaml").write_text("skills: {}\n")
+
+        import agent.skill_utils as su
+
+        caplog.set_level(logging.DEBUG, logger=su.__name__)
+        vars_ = [
+            {
+                "key": "k",
+                "description": "d",
+                "default": "defval",
+                "prompt": "p",
+            }
+        ]
+        with patch.dict(os.environ, {"HERMES_HOME": str(home)}):
+            with patch.object(su, "yaml_load", side_effect=RuntimeError("bad yaml")):
+                resolved = su.resolve_skill_config_values(vars_)
+        assert resolved["k"] == "defval"
+        assert any(
+            "skill config var resolution" in r.message for r in caplog.records
+        )