diff --git a/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py b/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
index 9e0286d85f..6cb135aa78 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
@@ -341,13 +341,7 @@ def do_search(query: str, source: str = "all", limit: int = 10, console: Optiona
     c.print(table)
     c.print("[dim]Use: hermes skills inspect <identifier> to preview, "
             "hermes skills install <identifier> to install "
-            "(--json for scripting)[/]")
-    if any(r.source in ("skills.sh", "skills-sh") for r in results):
-        c.print("[dim yellow]Note:[/] [dim]skills.sh results may include entries whose "
-                "upstream files were removed or renamed; a 'stale index entry' error "
-                "at install means the skill no longer exists there.[/]\n")
-    else:
-        c.print()
+            "(--json for scripting)[/]\n")
 
 
 def _rank_and_page(all_results, page: int, page_size: int):
@@ -592,18 +586,20 @@ def _pinned_sources(c: Console, sources, source_id: Optional[str], identifier: s
 
 
 def _print_fetch_failure(c: Console, sources, identifier: str, meta=None, source=None) -> None:
-    # Index hit but files gone (GitHub 404): a stale index entry, not a user
-    # typo — name it so users stop re-trying spellings (#3259).
-    if meta is not None:
+    rate_limited = any(getattr(src, "is_rate_limited", False)
+                       or getattr(getattr(src, "github", None), "is_rate_limited", False)
+                       for src in sources)
+    # Index hit but files gone: a stale index entry, not a user typo — name it so users stop
+    # re-trying spellings (#3259). Only when no adapter was rate limited: a throttled fetch
+    # also yields meta-without-bundle, and calling that "stale" would send users away from a
+    # skill that exists.
+    if meta is not None and not rate_limited:
         src_id = getattr(source, "source_id", lambda: "the registry")()
         c.print(f"[bold red]Error:[/] '{identifier}' is listed in the {src_id} index, "
                 f"but its files no longer exist upstream.")
         c.print("[dim]Stale index entry: the skill was likely renamed or removed by "
                 "its author. Try `hermes skills search` for an alternative.[/]\n")
         return
-    rate_limited = any(getattr(src, "is_rate_limited", False)
-                       or getattr(getattr(src, "github", None), "is_rate_limited", False)
-                       for src in sources)
     c.print(f"[bold red]Error:[/] Could not fetch '{identifier}' from any source.")
     if rate_limited:
         c.print("[yellow]Hint:[/] GitHub API rate limit exhausted "
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_skills_hub.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_skills_hub.py
index 444dd38e98..f607ff9430 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_skills_hub.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_skills_hub.py
@@ -536,41 +536,32 @@ def test_do_install_stale_index_names_the_problem(monkeypatch):
     assert "Could not fetch" not in out
 
 
-def test_do_install_unknown_identifier_stays_generic(monkeypatch):
-    """No index hit at all keeps the original generic message."""
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("meta_hit", [False, True])
+def test_do_install_generic_when_no_index_hit_or_rate_limited(monkeypatch, meta_hit):
+    """No index hit — or a throttled fetch that only *looks* like a stale entry — keeps the
+    generic message (plus the rate-limit hint), never the stale-entry verdict."""
     import hermes_cli.skills_hub as cli_hub
     import tools.skills_hub as hub
     from hermes_cli.skills_hub import do_install
 
+    class ThrottledSource:
+        is_rate_limited = meta_hit
+
+        def source_id(self):
+            return "skills-sh"
+
+    meta = type("Meta", (), {"identifier": "skills-sh/org/gone-skill"})() if meta_hit else None
+    src = ThrottledSource()
     monkeypatch.setattr(hub, "ensure_hub_dirs", lambda: None)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(cli_hub, "_sources", lambda: [object()])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(cli_hub, "_sources", lambda: [src])
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         cli_hub, "_resolve_source_meta_and_bundle",
-        lambda identifier, sources: (None, None, None))
+        lambda identifier, sources: (meta, None, src if meta_hit else None))
     sink = StringIO()
     console = Console(file=sink, force_terminal=False, color_system=None)
-    do_install("nobody/nowhere/nothing", console=console, skip_confirm=True)
+    do_install("skills-sh/org/gone-skill", console=console, skip_confirm=True)
 
     out = sink.getvalue()
     assert "Could not fetch" in out
     assert "Stale index entry" not in out
-
-
-def test_do_search_warns_about_skills_sh_staleness(monkeypatch):
-    """Search results from skills.sh carry the stale-index caveat."""
-    import tools.skills_hub_search as hub_search
-    from hermes_cli.skills_hub import do_search
-    import hermes_cli.skills_hub as cli_hub
-
-    row = type("Row", (), {
-        "name": "gone-skill", "description": "d", "source": "skills-sh",
-        "trust_level": "community",
-        "identifier": "skills-sh/org/gone-skill"})()
-    monkeypatch.setattr(cli_hub, "_sources", lambda: [])
-    monkeypatch.setattr(hub_search, "unified_search",
-                        lambda query, sources, source_filter, limit: [row])
-    sink = StringIO()
-    console = Console(file=sink, force_terminal=False, color_system=None)
-    do_search("gone", console=console)
-
-    assert "stale index entry" in sink.getvalue()
+    assert ("rate limit" in out) is meta_hit