diff --git a/static/js/skills.js b/static/js/skills.js
index 81dcebc2c..b29869a7d 100644
--- a/static/js/skills.js
+++ b/static/js/skills.js
@@ -1260,6 +1260,9 @@ async function _expandSkillCard(card, name) {
       card._md = md || '';
     } else {
       pre.textContent = 'Loading…';
+      const editBtn = [...card.querySelectorAll('.skill-card-preview button')]
+        .find(button => button.textContent.trim() === 'Edit');
+      if (editBtn) editBtn.disabled = true;
       try {
         const md = await _fetchSkillMarkdown(name);
         pre.textContent = md || '(empty)';
@@ -1267,6 +1270,8 @@ async function _expandSkillCard(card, name) {
         card._md = md;
       } catch (e) {
         pre.textContent = `Failed to load SKILL.md: ${e.message || 'Unknown error'}`;
+      } finally {
+        if (editBtn) editBtn.disabled = !card._mdLoaded;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -1275,6 +1280,9 @@ async function _expandSkillCard(card, name) {
 // Swap the read-only <pre> for an editable <textarea> (and back). The
 // Edit button toggles; a Save button commits via the markdown endpoint.
 function _toggleSkillEdit(card, name) {
+  // A loading/error preview is not source text. Menu entry points must obey
+  // the same readiness gate as the disabled footer control.
+  if (!card._mdLoaded) return;
   const preview = card.querySelector('.skill-card-preview');
   if (!preview) return;
   const existing = preview.querySelector('.skill-md-editor');
diff --git a/tests/test_skill_editor_loading_browser.py b/tests/test_skill_editor_loading_browser.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce877f760
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_skill_editor_loading_browser.py
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+"""An unloaded or failed SKILL.md must never become editable placeholder text."""
+import json
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+
+from bs4 import BeautifulSoup
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("width", [1440, 390])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("mode", ["delayed", "error", "menu-error", "empty", "collapse"])
+def test_skill_editor_waits_for_source(tmp_path, width, mode):
+    if not shutil.which("node"):
+        pytest.skip("node not installed")
+    repo = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[1]
+    index = BeautifulSoup((repo / "static/index.html").read_text(), "html.parser")
+    modal = index.select_one("#memory-modal")
+    modal["class"] = [value for value in modal.get("class", []) if value != "hidden"]
+    for panel in modal.select("[data-memory-panel]"):
+        classes = set(panel.get("class", []))
+        if panel["data-memory-panel"] == "skills":
+            classes.discard("hidden")
+        else:
+            classes.add("hidden")
+        panel["class"] = sorted(classes)
+    styles = "".join(str(node) for node in index.select('link[rel="stylesheet"]'))
+    document = tmp_path / "skills.html"
+    document.write_text(styles + str(modal) + str(index.select_one("#toast")), encoding="utf-8")
+    script = r"""
+const fs=require('node:fs'),assert=require('node:assert/strict');
+let chromium;try{({chromium}=require('playwright'));}catch(e){if(e.code==='MODULE_NOT_FOUND')process.exit(77);throw e;}
+(async()=>{
+ const browser=await chromium.launch({headless:true});
+ try{
+  const origin=process.env.ODYSSEUS_TEST_STATIC_ORIGIN,mode=process.argv[3];
+  const page=await browser.newPage({viewport:{width:Number(process.argv[2]),height:900}});page.setDefaultTimeout(5000);
+  const original=mode==='empty'?'':'---\nname: fixture-loading\n---\n\n## Procedure\nOriginal source';
+  let source=original,posts=0,gets=0,release;const gate=new Promise(r=>release=r),errors=[];
+  page.on('pageerror',e=>errors.push(e.message));
+  await page.route(origin+'/api/**',async route=>{
+   const request=route.request(),path=new URL(request.url()).pathname;let data={};
+   if(path==='/api/skills')data={skills:[{name:'fixture-loading',description:'Lazy loading fixture',status:'draft',source:'user',confidence:0.9}]};
+   else if(path.endsWith('/markdown')){
+    if(request.method()==='POST'){posts++;source=request.postDataJSON().markdown;data={ok:true};}
+    else{
+     gets++;if(gets===1)await gate;
+     if((mode==='error'&&gets===1)||(mode==='menu-error'&&gets<=2)){
+      await route.fulfill({status:500,contentType:'application/json',body:JSON.stringify({detail:'Fixture read failed'})});return;
+     }
+     data={markdown:source};
+    }
+   }else if(path.endsWith('/audit-all/status'))data={status:'none'};
+   await route.fulfill({contentType:'application/json',body:JSON.stringify(data)});
+  });
+  await page.goto(origin+'/static/js/storage.js');await page.setContent(fs.readFileSync(process.argv[1],'utf8'));
+  await page.evaluate(async()=>{const skills=await import('/static/js/skills.js');await skills.loadSkills();});
+  const card=page.locator('.skill-card[data-skill-name="fixture-loading"]');await card.locator('.skill-card-name').click();
+  await card.getByText('Loading…',{exact:true}).waitFor();
+  const edit=card.getByRole('button',{name:'Edit',exact:true});assert(await edit.isDisabled(),'Edit must stay disabled while source is pending');
+  assert.equal(await card.locator('.skill-md-editor').count(),0);assert.equal(posts,0);
+  if(mode==='collapse')await card.locator('.skill-chevron-up').click();
+  release();
+  if(mode==='error'||mode==='menu-error'){
+   await card.getByText('Failed to load SKILL.md: Fixture read failed',{exact:true}).waitFor();
+   assert(await edit.isDisabled(),'Failed source must not be editable');
+   assert.equal(await card.locator('.skill-md-editor').count(),0);assert.equal(posts,0);
+   await card.locator('.skill-chevron-up').click();
+   if(mode==='menu-error'){
+    await card.locator('.skill-kebab-btn').click();
+    await page.locator('.skill-kebab-menu:visible').getByRole('button',{name:'Edit',exact:true}).click();
+    await card.getByText('Failed to load SKILL.md: Fixture read failed',{exact:true}).waitFor();
+    assert.equal(await card.locator('.skill-md-editor').count(),0);
+    assert(await edit.isDisabled());assert.equal(posts,0);
+    await card.locator('.skill-chevron-up').click();
+   }
+   await card.locator('.skill-card-name').click();
+  }else if(mode==='collapse'){
+   await page.waitForFunction(()=>document.querySelector('.skill-card')?._mdLoaded);
+   assert.equal(await card.locator('.skill-md-editor').count(),0);
+   assert(!(await card.getAttribute('class')).includes('doclib-card-expanded'));
+   await card.locator('.skill-card-name').click();
+  }
+  await page.waitForFunction(()=>document.querySelector('.skill-card')?._mdLoaded);
+  assert(await edit.isEnabled());await edit.click();const editor=card.locator('.skill-md-editor');await editor.waitFor({state:'visible'});assert.equal(await editor.inputValue(),original);
+  await editor.fill(original+'\nSaved real source');await card.getByRole('button',{name:'Save',exact:true}).click();await page.waitForFunction(()=>!document.querySelector('.skill-md-editor'));
+  assert.equal(posts,1);assert.equal(source,original+'\nSaved real source');assert.deepEqual(errors,[]);
+  console.log(JSON.stringify({mode,width:process.argv[2],gets,posts}));
+ }finally{await browser.close();}
+})().catch(e=>{console.error(e);process.exitCode=1;});
+"""
+    result = subprocess.run(["node", "-e", script, str(document), str(width), mode],
+                            cwd=repo, env=os.environ.copy(), capture_output=True,
+                            text=True, timeout=45)
+    if result.returncode == 77:
+        pytest.skip("playwright not installed")
+    assert result.returncode == 0, result.stdout + result.stderr
+    assert json.loads(result.stdout)["posts"] == 1