diff --git a/content/docs/cli/skills/index.mdx b/content/docs/cli/skills/index.mdx
index 7f209eb..c956b3e 100644
--- a/content/docs/cli/skills/index.mdx
+++ b/content/docs/cli/skills/index.mdx
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ The canonical skill files live in the docs repo at `skills/<name>/SKILL.md` and
 
 ```bash
 # Global
-cp -R skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
+mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -R skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
 
 # Or per-project
 mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -R skills/* .claude/skills/
diff --git a/content/docs/cli/skills/using-mogplex-cli.mdx b/content/docs/cli/skills/using-mogplex-cli.mdx
index b800f19..59f6706 100644
--- a/content/docs/cli/skills/using-mogplex-cli.mdx
+++ b/content/docs/cli/skills/using-mogplex-cli.mdx
@@ -27,12 +27,14 @@ Mogplex exposes its workspace, slash-command registry, agent roster, skills, and
 
 ### Preflight — always run first
 
+The install check must gate the auth check — do not continue if `mogplex` is not on `PATH`:
+
 ```bash
-command -v mogplex >/dev/null || echo "mogplex CLI not installed"
+command -v mogplex >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "mogplex CLI not installed — ask the user to install it first"; exit 1; }
 mogplex login status
 ```
 
-If `login status` shows no stored credential and no provider env var is set, stop and follow [`mogplex-auth`](/cli/skills/mogplex-auth) before continuing. Do not attempt to edit `~/.mogplex/auth.json` directly.
+If the first line fails, stop and direct the user to [Installation](/cli/installation) before running anything else. If `login status` runs but shows no stored credential and no provider env var is set, follow [`mogplex-auth`](/cli/skills/mogplex-auth). Do not attempt to edit `~/.mogplex/auth.json` directly.
 
 ### Core command map
 
diff --git a/skills/README.md b/skills/README.md
index 3615d66..488a9b4 100644
--- a/skills/README.md
+++ b/skills/README.md
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Each subdirectory is a single skill with a `SKILL.md` using standard YAML frontm
 
 ```bash
 # Global install
-cp -R skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
+mkdir -p ~/.claude/skills && cp -R skills/* ~/.claude/skills/
 
 # Or per-project
 mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -R skills/* .claude/skills/
diff --git a/skills/using-mogplex-cli/SKILL.md b/skills/using-mogplex-cli/SKILL.md
index 0d1ca79..8095c8a 100644
--- a/skills/using-mogplex-cli/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/using-mogplex-cli/SKILL.md
@@ -16,14 +16,14 @@ Mogplex exposes its workspace, slash-command registry, agent roster, skills, and
 
 ## Preflight — always run first
 
-Before any command that talks to Mogplex, verify the CLI is installed and authenticated:
+Before any command that talks to Mogplex, verify the CLI is installed and authenticated. The install check must gate the auth check — do not continue if `mogplex` is not on `PATH`:
 
 ```bash
-command -v mogplex >/dev/null || echo "mogplex CLI not installed"
+command -v mogplex >/dev/null 2>&1 || { echo "mogplex CLI not installed — ask the user to install it first"; exit 1; }
 mogplex login status
 ```
 
-If `login status` shows no stored credential and no provider env var is set, stop and follow [`mogplex-auth`](../mogplex-auth/SKILL.md) before continuing. Do not attempt to edit `~/.mogplex/auth.json` directly.
+If the first line fails, stop and tell the user to install the CLI (point them at [Installation](https://mogplex.dev/cli/installation)) before running anything else. If `login status` runs but shows no stored credential and no provider env var is set, follow [`mogplex-auth`](../mogplex-auth/SKILL.md). Do not attempt to edit `~/.mogplex/auth.json` directly.
 
 ## Core command map