diff --git a/src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.embedded-mode.test.ts b/src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.embedded-mode.test.ts
index 0db7f8c30d62..58450c9fd194 100644
--- a/src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.embedded-mode.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/agent-tools.before-tool-call.embedded-mode.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * plugin hook decisions.
  */
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot, setRuntimeConfigSnapshot } from "../config/config.js";
 import { setEmbeddedMode } from "../infra/embedded-mode.js";
 import {
   EmbeddedPluginApprovalBroker,
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ describe("runBeforeToolCallHook — embedded mode approvals", () => {
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
+    clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
     setEmbeddedPluginApprovalBroker(null);
     setEmbeddedMode(false);
     setActivePluginRegistry(createEmptyPluginRegistry());
@@ -670,6 +672,30 @@ describe("runBeforeToolCallHook — embedded mode approvals", () => {
     expect(runBeforeToolCallMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it("uses runtime config for skill_workshop auto mode when hook context config is absent", async () => {
+    (hookRunner.hasHooks as ReturnType<typeof vi.fn>).mockReturnValue(false);
+    setRuntimeConfigSnapshot({
+      skills: {
+        workshop: {
+          approvalPolicy: "auto",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await runBeforeToolCallHook({
+      toolName: "skill_workshop",
+      params: { action: "apply", proposal_id: "weather-20260530-a1b2c3d4e5" },
+      ctx: { agentId: "main", sessionKey: "main" },
+    });
+
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      blocked: false,
+      params: { action: "apply", proposal_id: "weather-20260530-a1b2c3d4e5" },
+    });
+    expect(mockCallGatewayTool).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(runBeforeToolCallMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("preserves trusted policy params when before_tool_call hooks leave params unchanged", async () => {
     const registry = createEmptyPluginRegistry();
     registry.trustedToolPolicies = [
diff --git a/src/skills/workshop/policy.test.ts b/src/skills/workshop/policy.test.ts
index 15323f6139c1..88fd5e4e3942 100644
--- a/src/skills/workshop/policy.test.ts
+++ b/src/skills/workshop/policy.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import {
+  clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+  getRuntimeConfig,
+  setRuntimeConfigSnapshot,
+} from "../../config/config.js";
 import { PLUGIN_APPROVAL_DESCRIPTION_MAX_LENGTH } from "../../infra/plugin-approvals.js";
 import {
   createOpenClawTestState,
@@ -19,6 +24,7 @@ beforeEach(async () => {
 });
 
 afterEach(async () => {
+  clearRuntimeConfigSnapshot();
   await testState.cleanup();
   await tempDirs.cleanup();
 });
@@ -102,9 +108,7 @@ describe("resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval", () => {
     });
     const approvalDescription = result?.requireApproval?.description ?? "";
 
-    expect(approvalDescription.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(
-      PLUGIN_APPROVAL_DESCRIPTION_MAX_LENGTH,
-    );
+    expect(approvalDescription.length).toBeLessThanOrEqual(PLUGIN_APPROVAL_DESCRIPTION_MAX_LENGTH);
     expect(approvalDescription).toContain(`Proposal ID: ${proposal.record.id}`);
     expect(approvalDescription).toContain(`Description: ${description}`);
     expect(approvalDescription).toContain("Support files: 0");
@@ -169,4 +173,70 @@ describe("resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval", () => {
       "Apply a pending workspace skill proposal into live workspace skills.",
     );
   });
+
+  it("uses runtime config when lifecycle hook config is absent", async () => {
+    setRuntimeConfigSnapshot({
+      skills: {
+        workshop: {
+          approvalPolicy: "auto",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    await expect(
+      resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval({
+        toolName: "skill_workshop",
+        toolParams: { action: "apply", proposal_id: "weather-20260530-a1b2c3d4e5" },
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps approval pending when runtime config loading throws", async () => {
+    const sharedAgentDir = testState.agentDir("shared");
+    await testState.writeConfig({
+      agents: {
+        list: [
+          { id: "alpha", agentDir: sharedAgentDir },
+          { id: "beta", agentDir: sharedAgentDir },
+        ],
+      },
+    });
+    const consoleError = vi.spyOn(console, "error").mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    try {
+      expect(() => getRuntimeConfig()).toThrow(/duplicate agentDir/i);
+      const result = await resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval({
+        toolName: "skill_workshop",
+        toolParams: { action: "quarantine", proposal_id: "weather-20260530-a1b2c3d4e5" },
+      });
+
+      expect(result?.requireApproval?.title).toBe("Quarantine workspace skill proposal");
+    } finally {
+      consoleError.mockRestore();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("keeps explicit lifecycle hook config ahead of runtime config", async () => {
+    setRuntimeConfigSnapshot({
+      skills: {
+        workshop: {
+          approvalPolicy: "auto",
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    const result = await resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval({
+      toolName: "skill_workshop",
+      toolParams: { action: "reject", proposal_id: "weather-20260530-a1b2c3d4e5" },
+      config: {
+        skills: {
+          workshop: {
+            approvalPolicy: "pending",
+          },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(result?.requireApproval?.title).toBe("Reject workspace skill proposal");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/skills/workshop/policy.ts b/src/skills/workshop/policy.ts
index 7a52695d86a5..2d61187d29a9 100644
--- a/src/skills/workshop/policy.ts
+++ b/src/skills/workshop/policy.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // Workshop policy helpers validate generated skill drafts against workspace policy.
 import { asNullableRecord } from "@openclaw/normalization-core/record-coerce";
 import { truncateUtf16Safe } from "@openclaw/normalization-core/utf16-slice";
+import { getRuntimeConfig } from "../../config/config.js";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../../config/types.openclaw.js";
 import { PLUGIN_APPROVAL_DESCRIPTION_MAX_LENGTH } from "../../infra/plugin-approvals.js";
 import type { PluginHookBeforeToolCallResult } from "../../plugins/hook-before-tool-call-result.js";
@@ -141,6 +142,19 @@ function lifecycleApprovalTimeoutReason(proposalId?: string): string {
   ].join(" ");
 }
 
+function resolveApprovalConfig(config?: OpenClawConfig): OpenClawConfig | undefined {
+  if (config) {
+    return config;
+  }
+  // Explicit hook config wins. Missing hook config may happen on agent paths;
+  // unreadable runtime config keeps the default pending approval gate.
+  try {
+    return getRuntimeConfig();
+  } catch {
+    return undefined;
+  }
+}
+
 /** Returns approval policy for skill workshop lifecycle tool calls. */
 export async function resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval(params: {
   toolName: string;
@@ -155,7 +169,7 @@ export async function resolveSkillWorkshopToolApproval(params: {
   if (!action) {
     return undefined;
   }
-  const config = resolveSkillWorkshopConfig(params.config);
+  const config = resolveSkillWorkshopConfig(resolveApprovalConfig(params.config));
   if (config.approvalPolicy === "auto") {
     return undefined;
   }