diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/browser/onboarding.spec.ts b/packages/app/e2e/browser/onboarding.spec.ts
index df5ad71c05..ebe088b7f7 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/browser/onboarding.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/browser/onboarding.spec.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   skipSetup,
   startSetupHost,
 } from "../support/helpers/onboarding";
+import { installDaemonWebSocketGate } from "../support/helpers/daemon-websocket-gate";
 import { enableRelayAndExpectOffer } from "../support/helpers/pair-device";
 import { seedWorkspace } from "../support/helpers/seed-client";
 import { openSettingsHostSection } from "../support/helpers/settings";
@@ -238,6 +239,7 @@ test("setup choices carry over to Settings and the phone step pairs over relay",
 test("in the compact layout, Finish on Orchestration applies its switches", async ({ page }) => {
   await page.setViewportSize({ width: 390, height: 844 });
   const host = await startSetupHost("compact");
+  const gate = await installDaemonWebSocketGate(page, { port: host.port });
   // The compact sheet is the only surface on screen, and Orchestration is its last step.
   const step = (title: string) =>
     expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: title, exact: true })).toBeVisible({
@@ -258,8 +260,19 @@ test("in the compact layout, Finish on Orchestration applies its switches", asyn
     expect(await hostGivesAgentsPaseoTools(host)).toBe(false);
     await step("Let agents use Paseo");
     await expect(paseoToolsSwitch(page)).toBeChecked();
+    // Skills are not installed, so leaving them off has nothing to apply.
+    const skillsSwitch = page.getByRole("switch", { name: "Orchestration skills", exact: true });
+    await skillsSwitch.click();
+    await expect(skillsSwitch).not.toBeChecked();
+    gate.holdNextClientRequest("set_daemon_config_request");
     await primary("Finish").click();
 
+    // While the choices apply, none of them can change.
+    await gate.waitForHeldClientRequest();
+    await expect(paseoToolsSwitch(page)).toBeDisabled();
+    await expect(skillsSwitch).toBeDisabled();
+    gate.releaseHeldClientRequest();
+
     await expect.poll(() => hostGivesAgentsPaseoTools(host), { timeout: 30_000 }).toBe(true);
     await expect(page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Let agents use Paseo" })).toHaveCount(0);
   } finally {
diff --git a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/daemon-websocket-gate.ts b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/daemon-websocket-gate.ts
index bff52fc3f7..c33976879f 100644
--- a/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/daemon-websocket-gate.ts
+++ b/packages/app/e2e/support/helpers/daemon-websocket-gate.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import type { Page, WebSocketRoute } from "@playwright/test";
-import { daemonWsRoutePattern } from "./daemon-port";
+import { daemonWsRoutePattern, wsRoutePatternForPort } from "./daemon-port";
 
 export interface DirectoryBootstrapCounts {
   agents: number;
@@ -294,7 +294,8 @@ function recordClientRequest(
   directoryStarts.total[directory] += 1;
 }
 
-export async function installDaemonWebSocketGate(page: Page) {
+/** Gates the shared E2E daemon, or the daemon on `port` for a spec that runs its own. */
+export async function installDaemonWebSocketGate(page: Page, options: { port?: number } = {}) {
   let acceptingConnections = true;
   let reconnectWithFreshClient = false;
   let suppressAgentStream = false;
@@ -445,7 +446,11 @@ export async function installDaemonWebSocketGate(page: Page) {
     return true;
   };
 
-  await page.routeWebSocket(daemonWsRoutePattern(), (ws) => {
+  const routePattern =
+    options.port === undefined
+      ? daemonWsRoutePattern()
+      : wsRoutePatternForPort(String(options.port));
+  await page.routeWebSocket(routePattern, (ws) => {
     if (!acceptingConnections) {
       blockedConnectionCount += 1;
       for (const resolve of blockedConnectionWaiters) resolve();
diff --git a/packages/app/src/agent-skills/index.tsx b/packages/app/src/agent-skills/index.tsx
index 6cc27f55cf..dfc98649b6 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/agent-skills/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/agent-skills/index.tsx
@@ -107,10 +107,12 @@ export function AgentSkillsRow({
   skills,
   value,
   onValueChange,
+  disabled = false,
 }: {
   skills: AgentSkillsController;
   value: boolean;
   onValueChange: (next: boolean) => void;
+  disabled?: boolean;
 }) {
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const { status, isWorking, reconcile, saveSelection } = skills;
@@ -150,7 +152,7 @@ export function AgentSkillsRow({
       >
         <View style={styles.controls}>
           {needsUpdate ? (
-            <Button variant="outline" onPress={handleUpdate} disabled={isWorking}>
+            <Button variant="outline" onPress={handleUpdate} disabled={disabled || isWorking}>
               {isWorking
                 ? t("settings.host.skills.actions.working")
                 : t("settings.host.skills.actions.update")}
@@ -160,14 +162,16 @@ export function AgentSkillsRow({
             variant="ghost"
             leftIcon={chooseIcon}
             onPress={handleOpen}
-            disabled={status === null || isWorking}
+            disabled={disabled || status === null || isWorking}
             accessibilityLabel={t("settings.host.skills.choose")}
           />
           <Switch
             value={value}
             onValueChange={onValueChange}
             // Nothing picked means nothing to install; the gear is the way forward.
-            disabled={status === null || isWorking || (!value && !hasSelectedSkills(status))}
+            disabled={
+              disabled || status === null || isWorking || (!value && !hasSelectedSkills(status))
+            }
             accessibilityLabel={t("settings.host.skills.title")}
           />
         </View>
diff --git a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/steps/orchestration-step.tsx b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/steps/orchestration-step.tsx
index da2249b0cd..da41f591b9 100644
--- a/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/steps/orchestration-step.tsx
+++ b/packages/app/src/onboarding/internal/steps/orchestration-step.tsx
@@ -15,7 +15,12 @@ export function OrchestrationStep({ setup }: { setup: OrchestrationSetupControll
     <SettingsCard>
       <PaseoToolsRow value={choices.tools} onValueChange={setTools} disabled={isApplying} />
       {offered.skills ? (
-        <AgentSkillsRow skills={setup.skills} value={choices.skills} onValueChange={setSkills} />
+        <AgentSkillsRow
+          skills={setup.skills}
+          value={choices.skills}
+          onValueChange={setSkills}
+          disabled={isApplying}
+        />
       ) : null}
       {offered.cli ? (
         <CommandLineRow value={choices.cli} onValueChange={setCli} disabled={isApplying} />