diff --git a/pkg/agent/context.go b/pkg/agent/context.go
index dcf59b02c..17d552e6d 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/context.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/context.go
@@ -46,8 +46,11 @@ func getGlobalConfigDir() string {
 func NewContextBuilder(workspace string) *ContextBuilder {
 	// builtin skills: skills directory in current project
 	// Use the skills/ directory under the current working directory
-	wd, _ := os.Getwd()
-	builtinSkillsDir := filepath.Join(wd, "skills")
+	builtinSkillsDir := strings.TrimSpace(os.Getenv("PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS"))
+	if builtinSkillsDir == "" {
+		wd, _ := os.Getwd()
+		builtinSkillsDir = filepath.Join(wd, "skills")
+	}
 	globalSkillsDir := filepath.Join(getGlobalConfigDir(), "skills")
 
 	return &ContextBuilder{
diff --git a/pkg/agent/context_cache_test.go b/pkg/agent/context_cache_test.go
index fc00fbc08..4044f34f5 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/context_cache_test.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/context_cache_test.go
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ description: global-v2
 }
 
 // TestBuiltinSkillFileContentChange verifies that modifying a builtin skill
-// ({cwd}/skills) invalidates the cached system prompt.
+// invalidates the cached system prompt.
 func TestBuiltinSkillFileContentChange(t *testing.T) {
 	tmpHome := t.TempDir()
 	t.Setenv("HOME", tmpHome)
@@ -448,18 +448,9 @@ func TestBuiltinSkillFileContentChange(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.RemoveAll(tmpDir)
 
 	builtinRoot := t.TempDir()
-	oldWD, err := os.Getwd()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	if err := os.Chdir(builtinRoot); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		_ = os.Chdir(oldWD)
-	})
+	t.Setenv("PICOCLAW_BUILTIN_SKILLS", builtinRoot)
 
-	builtinSkillPath := filepath.Join(builtinRoot, "skills", "builtin-skill", "SKILL.md")
+	builtinSkillPath := filepath.Join(builtinRoot, "builtin-skill", "SKILL.md")
 	if err := os.MkdirAll(filepath.Dir(builtinSkillPath), 0o755); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}