diff --git a/tools/skills_hub.py b/tools/skills_hub.py
index d8408173183..db169b37d6d 100644
--- a/tools/skills_hub.py
+++ b/tools/skills_hub.py
@@ -909,12 +909,13 @@ class GitHubSource(SkillSource):
     def _download_directory_recursive(self, repo: str, path: str) -> Dict[str, str]:
         """Recursively download via Contents API (fallback)."""
         url = f"https://api.github.com/repos/{repo}/contents/{path.rstrip('/')}"
-        try:
-            resp = httpx.get(url, headers=self.auth.get_headers(), timeout=15, follow_redirects=True)
-            if resp.status_code != 200:
-                logger.debug("Contents API returned %d for %s/%s", resp.status_code, repo, path)
-                return {}
-        except httpx.HTTPError:
+        # Route through _github_get so directory listing gets the same
+        # 429/403-rate-limit retry + backoff as file fetches (#3033).
+        resp = self._github_get(url)
+        if resp is None:
+            return {}
+        if resp.status_code != 200:
+            logger.debug("Contents API returned %d for %s/%s", resp.status_code, repo, path)
             return {}
 
         entries = resp.json()