diff --git a/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py b/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
index dd0aae4686..8fdb09e715 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/skills_hub.py
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ def do_install(identifier: str, category: str = "", force: bool = False,
                          bundle.trust_level, "invalid_path", str(exc))
         return
     from tools.skills_hub import SKILLS_DIR
-    c.print(f"[bold green]Installed:[/] {install_dir.relative_to(SKILLS_DIR)}")
+    c.print(f"[bold green]Installed:[/] {install_dir.resolve().relative_to(Path(SKILLS_DIR).resolve()).as_posix()}")
     c.print(f"[dim]Files: {', '.join(bundle.files.keys())}[/]\n")
 
     # Blueprint detection: if the installed skill declares a
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_skill_bundle_provenance.py b/tests/tools/test_skill_bundle_provenance.py
index 4b2960318f..379a24b708 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_skill_bundle_provenance.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_skill_bundle_provenance.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import json
 import subprocess
+import sys
 import threading
 from functools import partial
 from http.server import SimpleHTTPRequestHandler, ThreadingHTTPServer
@@ -165,6 +166,69 @@ def test_real_temp_repo_and_home_install_e2e(served_repo, monkeypatch, tmp_path)
     assert "Scan provenance: fresh" in sink.getvalue()
 
 
+def _make_skills_redirect(link: Path, target: Path) -> bool:
+    """Make *link* a directory redirect (Windows junction or POSIX symlink)
+    pointing at *target*. Junctions need no admin rights, unlike symlinks."""
+    if sys.platform == "win32":
+        try:
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["cmd", "/c", "mklink", "/J", str(link), str(target)],
+                check=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+            )
+            return True
+        except (subprocess.CalledProcessError, OSError):
+            return False
+    try:
+        link.symlink_to(target, target_is_directory=True)
+        return True
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+
+
+def test_install_with_junctioned_skills_dir(served_repo, monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """#86971: install must not mix resolved and unresolved paths when the
+    skills directory is a junction/symlink redirect.
+
+    install_dir is resolved by _resolve_lock_install_path (following the
+    redirect), so relative_to() must receive the resolved skills root or it
+    raises ValueError after the files have already been moved, leaving a lock
+    entry without a content_hash (which then poisons 'hermes skills check').
+    """
+    from hermes_cli.skills_hub import do_install
+    import tools.skills_hub as hub
+
+    _repo, url = served_repo
+    home = tmp_path / "home"
+    home.mkdir()
+    real_skills = tmp_path / "real-skills"
+    real_skills.mkdir()
+    skills_link = home / "skills"
+    if not _make_skills_redirect(skills_link, real_skills):
+        pytest.skip("Cannot create a junction/symlink in this environment")
+
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_HOME", str(home))
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tools.skills_hub.is_safe_url", lambda _url: True)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tools.skills_hub.check_website_access", lambda _url: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(hub, "create_source_router", lambda auth=None: [UrlSource()])
+
+    sink = StringIO()
+    do_install(url, console=Console(file=sink, force_terminal=False), skip_confirm=True)
+
+    # Files landed in the real target, reached through the junction.
+    installed = real_skills / "demo-bundle"
+    assert (installed / "SKILL.md").is_file()
+    assert (installed / "references" / "guide.md").read_text() == "safe guide\n"
+    # Lock entry got a valid relative install_path AND the content hash — the
+    # record_install call the pre-fix ValueError used to skip.
+    entry = json.loads((home / "skills" / ".hub" / "lock.json").read_text())["installed"]["demo-bundle"]
+    assert entry["install_path"] == "demo-bundle"
+    assert entry["content_hash"].startswith("sha256:")
+    # The post-install "Installed:" line (relative_to on the display path)
+    # renders instead of raising.
+    assert "Installed:" in sink.getvalue()
+
+
 def test_bundled_optional_source_still_includes_support_files(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     from tools.skills_hub import OptionalSkillSource
 
diff --git a/tools/skills_hub.py b/tools/skills_hub.py
index 51340e6479..ebd00d7334 100644
--- a/tools/skills_hub.py
+++ b/tools/skills_hub.py
@@ -3394,7 +3394,7 @@ class OptionalSkillSource(SkillSource):
             name=name,
             files=files,
             source="official",
-            identifier=f"official/{skill_dir.relative_to(self._optional_dir)}",
+            identifier=f"official/{skill_dir.resolve().relative_to(self._optional_dir.resolve()).as_posix()}",
             trust_level="builtin",
         )
 
@@ -3999,7 +3999,7 @@ def install_from_quarantine(
         trust_level=bundle.trust_level,
         scan_verdict=scan_result.verdict,
         skill_hash=content_hash(install_dir),
-        install_path=str(install_dir.relative_to(_skills_dir())),
+        install_path=install_dir.resolve().relative_to(_skills_dir().resolve()).as_posix(),
         files=list(bundle.files.keys()),
         metadata=bundle.metadata,
         scan_provenance=scan_provenance or getattr(scan_result, "scan_provenance", None),