diff --git a/hermes_cli/kanban.py b/hermes_cli/kanban.py
index a0300daaa7d..fa198a7dd2d 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/kanban.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/kanban.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Any, Optional
 
 from hermes_cli import kanban_db as kb
+from hermes_cli.profiles import get_active_profile_name, get_profile_dir, seed_profile_skills
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1027,6 +1028,22 @@ def _parse_duration(val) -> Optional[int]:
 def _cmd_init(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
     path = kb.init_db()
     print(f"Kanban DB initialized at {path}")
+
+    # Seed bundled skills (e.g. kanban-worker) into the active profile so
+    # the kanban dispatcher can use them without a separate `hermes profile
+    # create` step.  This is best-effort — a missing or broken profile is
+    # not fatal to `kanban init`.
+    try:
+        profile_name = get_active_profile_name() or "default"
+        profile_dir = get_profile_dir(profile_name)
+        result = seed_profile_skills(profile_dir, quiet=True)
+        if result:
+            copied = result.get("copied", [])
+            if copied:
+                print(f"Seeded skill(s) into profile {profile_name}: {', '.join(copied)}")
+    except Exception:
+        pass  # best-effort
+
     print()
     # Enumerate profiles on disk so the user knows what assignees are
     # already addressable. Multica does this auto-detection on its