diff --git a/claude_bottle/backend/docker/backend.py b/claude_bottle/backend/docker/backend.py
index d699ae9..ca7719e 100644
--- a/claude_bottle/backend/docker/backend.py
+++ b/claude_bottle/backend/docker/backend.py
@@ -292,12 +292,48 @@ class DockerBottleBackend(BottleBackend):
     def provision_skills(self, plan: BottlePlan, target: str) -> None:
         """Copy each of the agent's named skills from the host's
         ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ into the container's equivalent path.
-        No-op when the agent has no skills."""
+        For each skill: ensure parent dir, wipe any prior copy, then
+        `docker cp <host>/. <container>:<dst>/` so the contents are
+        copied into a freshly-created destination dir. No-op when the
+        agent has no skills."""
         assert isinstance(plan, DockerBottlePlan)
         agent = plan.spec.manifest.agents[plan.spec.agent_name]
         if not agent.skills:
             return
-        skills_mod.skills_copy_into(target, list(agent.skills))
+
+        container = target
+        container_home = os.environ.get("CLAUDE_BOTTLE_CONTAINER_HOME", "/home/node")
+        skills_dir = os.environ.get(
+            "CLAUDE_BOTTLE_CONTAINER_SKILLS_DIR", f"{container_home}/.claude/skills"
+        )
+
+        subprocess.run(
+            ["docker", "exec", container, "mkdir", "-p", skills_dir],
+            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            check=True,
+        )
+
+        for n in agent.skills:
+            src = skills_mod.host_skill_dir(n)
+            if not os.path.isdir(src):
+                die(f"skill '{n}' disappeared from host between validation and copy at {src}.")
+            dst = f"{skills_dir}/{n}"
+            info(f"copying skill {n} into {container}:{dst}")
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["docker", "exec", container, "rm", "-rf", dst],
+                stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                check=True,
+            )
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["docker", "exec", container, "mkdir", "-p", dst],
+                stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                check=True,
+            )
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["docker", "cp", f"{src}/.", f"{container}:{dst}/"],
+                stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+                check=True,
+            )
 
     def provision_ssh(self, plan: BottlePlan, target: str) -> None:
         """If the bottle has SSH entries, set up the in-container
diff --git a/claude_bottle/skills.py b/claude_bottle/skills.py
index 4efee86..a879ec8 100644
--- a/claude_bottle/skills.py
+++ b/claude_bottle/skills.py
@@ -1,17 +1,11 @@
-"""Skill copier: host's ~/.claude/skills/<name>/ -> container's
-~/.claude/skills/<name>/, preserving directory structure."""
+"""Skill discovery and host-side validation. The copy step itself
+lives on the backend (e.g. DockerBottleBackend.provision_skills)."""
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import os
-import subprocess
 
-from .log import die, info
-
-CONTAINER_HOME = os.environ.get("CLAUDE_BOTTLE_CONTAINER_HOME", "/home/node")
-CONTAINER_SKILLS_DIR = os.environ.get(
-    "CLAUDE_BOTTLE_CONTAINER_SKILLS_DIR", f"{CONTAINER_HOME}/.claude/skills"
-)
+from .log import die
 
 
 def host_skill_dir(name: str) -> str:
@@ -38,39 +32,3 @@ def skills_validate_all(names: list[str]) -> None:
     that's already known to fail."""
     for n in names:
         require_host_skill(n)
-
-
-def skills_copy_into(container: str, names: list[str]) -> None:
-    """For each named skill, ensure the parent dir exists, wipe any
-    prior copy, then `docker cp <host>/. <container>:<dst>/` so the
-    contents are copied into a freshly-created destination dir."""
-    if not names:
-        return
-
-    subprocess.run(
-        ["docker", "exec", container, "mkdir", "-p", CONTAINER_SKILLS_DIR],
-        stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-        check=True,
-    )
-
-    for n in names:
-        src = host_skill_dir(n)
-        if not os.path.isdir(src):
-            die(f"skill '{n}' disappeared from host between validation and copy at {src}.")
-        dst = f"{CONTAINER_SKILLS_DIR}/{n}"
-        info(f"copying skill {n} into {container}:{dst}")
-        subprocess.run(
-            ["docker", "exec", container, "rm", "-rf", dst],
-            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-            check=True,
-        )
-        subprocess.run(
-            ["docker", "exec", container, "mkdir", "-p", dst],
-            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-            check=True,
-        )
-        subprocess.run(
-            ["docker", "cp", f"{src}/.", f"{container}:{dst}/"],
-            stdout=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-            check=True,
-        )