diff --git a/tui_gateway/change_watcher.py b/tui_gateway/change_watcher.py
index 9fd4636fa3..2632709430 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/change_watcher.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/change_watcher.py
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ def resolve_skin() -> dict:
             "light_colors": skin.light_colors, "dark_colors": skin.dark_colors,
             "branding": skin.branding, "banner_logo": skin.banner_logo,
             "banner_hero": skin.banner_hero, "tool_prefix": skin.tool_prefix,
-            "help_header": (skin.branding or {}).get("help_header", "")}
+            "help_header": (skin.branding or {}).get("help_header", ""),
+            # Raw user CSS for the desktop GUI's <style> tag (32 KiB cap in the skin engine).
+            "customCSS": skin.custom_css}
     except Exception:
         return {}
 
diff --git a/tui_gateway/server.py b/tui_gateway/server.py
index e263518d57..26f133a60b 100644
--- a/tui_gateway/server.py
+++ b/tui_gateway/server.py
@@ -1428,105 +1428,6 @@ def _env_model_seed() -> str:
     return (os.environ.get("HERMES_MODEL", "") or os.environ.get("HERMES_INFERENCE_MODEL", "")).strip()
 
 
-
-def resolve_skin() -> dict:
-    try:
-        from hermes_cli.skin_engine import init_skin_from_config, get_active_skin
-
-        init_skin_from_config(_load_cfg())
-        skin = get_active_skin()
-        return {
-            "name": skin.name,
-            "colors": skin.colors,
-            # Paired palettes: the TUI detects the terminal's polarity and
-            # prefers the matching hand-tuned block over adapting `colors`.
-            "light_colors": skin.light_colors,
-            "dark_colors": skin.dark_colors,
-            "branding": skin.branding,
-            "banner_logo": skin.banner_logo,
-            "banner_hero": skin.banner_hero,
-            "tool_prefix": skin.tool_prefix,
-            "help_header": (skin.branding or {}).get("help_header", ""),
-            "customCSS": skin.custom_css,
-        }
-    except Exception:
-        return {}
-
-
-# Signature of the last skin broadcast: (name, active user-file mtime). Lets the
-# per-tool reconcile fire ``skin.changed`` on any real move — a name switch OR a
-# live color edit to the active skin — and nothing else.
-_last_skin_sig: tuple[str, float | None] | None = None
-
-
-def _skin_sig() -> tuple[str, float | None]:
-    """(active skin name, its user-file mtime). Built-ins have no file, so only
-    their name moves; a user skin's mtime lets an in-place color edit repaint too."""
-    name = str((_load_cfg().get("display") or {}).get("skin") or "default")
-    override = get_hermes_home_override()
-    home = override if isinstance(override, str) and override else _hermes_home
-    try:
-        mtime: float | None = (Path(home) / "skins" / f"{name}.yaml").stat().st_mtime
-    except OSError:
-        mtime = None
-    return name, mtime
-
-
-def _note_skin_broadcast() -> None:
-    """Sync the reconcile baseline after the /skin RPC emits, so the per-tool
-    check doesn't re-broadcast the skin /skin just applied."""
-    global _last_skin_sig
-    try:
-        _last_skin_sig = _skin_sig()
-    except Exception:
-        pass
-
-
-def _broadcast_skin_if_changed() -> None:
-    """Emit ``skin.changed`` when the active skin moved — the agent switched it
-    (``hermes config set display.skin``) OR edited the active skin's colors in
-    place ("I don't like that coral" → tweak the YAML).
-
-    Routes through the SAME live path as ``/skin`` so every surface (TUI + desktop)
-    repaints, no slash command. The signature check is a dict lookup + one stat,
-    so polling it is ~free.
-    """
-    global _last_skin_sig
-    try:
-        sig = _skin_sig()
-    except Exception:
-        return
-    if sig == _last_skin_sig:
-        return
-    _last_skin_sig = sig
-    try:
-        _broadcast_global_event("skin.changed", resolve_skin())
-    except Exception:
-        pass
-
-
-_skin_watcher_started = False
-
-
-def _ensure_skin_watcher() -> None:
-    """Poll the config for skin changes and broadcast ``skin.changed`` — so a skin
-    Hermes activates (``hermes config set display.skin``) or recolors goes live on
-    every surface within ~half a second, on its own, with no tool-hook or slash
-    command in the loop. Idempotent; started at gateway.ready."""
-    global _skin_watcher_started
-    if _skin_watcher_started:
-        return
-    _skin_watcher_started = True
-    _note_skin_broadcast()  # seed the baseline so only a real change repaints
-
-    def _loop() -> None:
-        while True:
-            time.sleep(0.5)
-            _broadcast_skin_if_changed()
-
-    threading.Thread(target=_loop, name="hermes-skin-watcher", daemon=True).start()
-
-
 def _resolve_model() -> str:
     if env := _env_model_seed():
         return env