diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/skills/describe.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/skills/describe.py
index fe8c1c8b9..4417dbf0e 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/skills/describe.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/skills/describe.py
@@ -133,7 +133,13 @@ def _render_skill_metadata(skills: list, container_base_path: str) -> str:
     blocks: list[str] = []
     for s in skills:
         mutability = "[custom, editable]" if s.category == SkillCategory.CUSTOM else "[built-in]"
-        tools_line = ", ".join(s.allowed_tools) if s.allowed_tools else "(all)"
+        # `()` is an explicit empty allowlist — the policy middleware strips every
+        # business tool for it — so only an omitted field (`None`) means unrestricted.
+        # `(all)` describes this skill's own frontmatter, not the enforced union: once
+        # any loaded skill declares allowed-tools,
+        # ``allowed_tool_names_for_skills`` (tool_policy.py) gives a `None` skill no
+        # tools, so a mixed set can render `(all)` while the middleware restricts it.
+        tools_line = "(all)" if s.allowed_tools is None else (", ".join(s.allowed_tools) or "(none)")
         location = s.get_container_file_path(container_base_path)
         # name/description/allowed-tools come from untrusted ``.skill`` frontmatter;
         # escape so a value cannot forge a framework tag in the describe_skill output.
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_skill_describe.py b/backend/tests/test_skill_describe.py
index b7bd8176b..f68edbd16 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_skill_describe.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_skill_describe.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from deerflow.skills.describe import (
     build_skill_search_setup,
     get_skill_index_prompt_section,
 )
+from deerflow.skills.tool_policy import allowed_tool_names_for_skills
 from deerflow.skills.types import Skill, SkillCategory
 
 # ── Helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -281,3 +282,24 @@ def test_describe_tool_select_uncapped():
     content = result.update["messages"][0].content
     for s in many_skills:
         assert s.name in content, f"select: truncated — {s.name} missing from result"
+
+
+# ── Explicitly empty allowed-tools ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+def test_render_explicit_empty_allowed_tools_does_not_claim_all():
+    restricted = _make_skill("locked-down", allowed_tools=())
+    rendered = _render_skill_metadata([restricted], "/mnt/skills")
+    assert "Allowed tools: (all)" not in rendered
+    assert "Allowed tools: (none)" in rendered
+
+
+def test_rendered_allowed_tools_agree_with_skill_tool_policy():
+    """`(all)` must mean unrestricted, which is the one state that renders it."""
+    omitted = _make_skill("legacy")
+    assert allowed_tool_names_for_skills([omitted]) is None
+    assert "Allowed tools: (all)" in _render_skill_metadata([omitted], "/mnt/skills")
+
+    restricted = _make_skill("locked-down", allowed_tools=())
+    assert allowed_tool_names_for_skills([restricted]) == set()
+    assert "Allowed tools: (all)" not in _render_skill_metadata([restricted], "/mnt/skills")