diff --git a/config/main-sync-spawn-baseline.txt b/config/main-sync-spawn-baseline.txt
index e6b1135e6b7..43e9437cb77 100644
--- a/config/main-sync-spawn-baseline.txt
+++ b/config/main-sync-spawn-baseline.txt
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@
 1 src/main/pty/posix-pty-process-groups.ts
 1 src/main/pwsh.ts
 1 src/main/runtime/runtime-skill-install-authority.ts
-1 src/main/skills/skill-discovery-target.ts
 2 src/main/startup/cli-launch-redirect.ts
 1 src/main/startup/linux-secret-service-probe.ts
 1 src/main/worktree-runner-script.ts
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.test.ts
index 0613ca97de5..9ae8aeee3d3 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.test.ts
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
 })
 
 describe('getAllowedRoots', () => {
-  it('stops scanning repositories when a local candidate settles each folder scope', () => {
+  it('stops scanning repositories when a local candidate settles each folder scope', async () => {
     const fixture: StoreFixture = {
       repos: Array.from({ length: 1_000 }, (_, index) =>
         makeRepo({ id: `repo-${index}`, path: `/folders/root/repo-${index}` })
@@ -274,18 +274,18 @@ describe('getAllowedRoots', () => {
     }
     const { store } = makeCountingStore(fixture)
     vi.mocked(isPathInsideOrEqual).mockClear()
-    const actual = getAllowedRoots(store)
+    const actual = await getAllowedRoots(store)
     expect(isPathInsideOrEqual).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(100)
     vi.mocked(isPathInsideOrEqual).mockClear()
     expect(actual).toEqual(referenceAllowedRoots(store))
     expect(isPathInsideOrEqual).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(100_000)
   })
 
-  it('reads the store once and indexes project groups once per build', () => {
+  it('reads the store once and indexes project groups once per build', async () => {
     const fixture = makeMixedFixture()
     const { store, counts } = makeCountingStore(fixture)
 
-    getAllowedRoots(store)
+    await getAllowedRoots(store)
 
     expect.soft(counts.getRepos).toBe(1)
     expect.soft(counts.getProjectGroups).toBe(1)
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.ts b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.ts
index 65cc69e503d..ddbd6f18d58 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-allowed-roots.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { isAbsolute, resolve } from 'node:path'
 import type { RuntimeStore } from '../runtime/runtime-store-contract'
-import { computeWorkspaceRoot, getWorktreePathSettings } from './worktree-logic'
+import { computeWorkspaceRootWithin, getWorktreePathSettings } from './worktree-logic'
 import {
   getWorktreeMirrorDistroForRuntime,
   resolveLocalProjectRuntimesForRepos
@@ -116,7 +116,11 @@ export function resolveUnanchoredWorkspaceRoot(
   return hostPath.isAbsolute(workspaceDir) ? hostPath.resolve(workspaceDir) : null
 }
 
-export function getAllowedRoots(store: RuntimeStore): string[] {
+// A broken distro must not hold every file check; the probe keeps running past this and caches.
+const ALLOWED_ROOT_WSL_HOME_DEADLINE_MS = 5_000
+
+/** Async because a root mirrored into WSL needs the distro's home, and a synchronous probe blocks main. */
+export async function getAllowedRoots(store: RuntimeStore): Promise<string[]> {
   // Rehydrate repos only once per authorization snapshot.
   const repos = store.getRepos()
   const localRepos = filterLocalRepos(repos)
@@ -133,21 +137,21 @@ export function getAllowedRoots(store: RuntimeStore): string[] {
       }
     } else {
       const projectRuntimeByRepoId = resolveLocalProjectRuntimesForRepos(store, localRepos)
-      for (const repo of localRepos) {
-        roots.push(
-          resolve(
-            computeWorkspaceRoot(
-              repo.path,
-              // Match creation placement, including WSL, so newly created worktrees remain authorized.
-              getWorktreePathSettings(
-                repo,
-                settings,
-                getWorktreeMirrorDistroForRuntime(projectRuntimeByRepoId.get(repo.id))
-              )
-            )
+      const workspaceRoots = await Promise.all(
+        localRepos.map((repo) =>
+          computeWorkspaceRootWithin(
+            repo.path,
+            // Match creation placement, including WSL, so newly created worktrees remain authorized.
+            getWorktreePathSettings(
+              repo,
+              settings,
+              getWorktreeMirrorDistroForRuntime(projectRuntimeByRepoId.get(repo.id))
+            ),
+            ALLOWED_ROOT_WSL_HOME_DEADLINE_MS
           )
         )
-      }
+      )
+      roots.push(...workspaceRoots.map((root) => resolve(root)))
     }
   }
   return roots
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-auth.ts b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-auth.ts
index cd58d6ce20d..67d72f95aef 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-auth.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-auth.ts
@@ -12,23 +12,25 @@ import {
 
 export const PATH_ACCESS_DENIED_MESSAGE = `${PATH_OUTSIDE_ALLOWED_DIRECTORIES}. If this blocks a legitimate workflow, please file a GitHub issue.`
 /** Lazily share allowed roots across every check in one authorization. */
-type AllowedRootsSnapshot = { get: () => readonly string[] }
+type AllowedRootsSnapshot = { get: () => Promise<readonly string[]> }
 
 function createAllowedRootsSnapshot(
   store: RuntimeStore,
   extraRoots: readonly string[] = []
 ): AllowedRootsSnapshot {
-  let roots: readonly string[] | undefined
-  return { get: () => (roots ??= [...getAllowedRoots(store), ...extraRoots]) }
+  let roots: Promise<readonly string[]> | undefined
+  return {
+    get: () => (roots ??= getAllowedRoots(store).then((found) => [...found, ...extraRoots]))
+  }
 }
 
-export function isPathAllowed(
+export async function isPathAllowed(
   targetPath: string,
   store: RuntimeStore,
   allowedRoots?: AllowedRootsSnapshot
-): boolean {
+): Promise<boolean> {
   const resolvedTarget = resolve(targetPath)
-  return (allowedRoots?.get() ?? getAllowedRoots(store)).some((root) =>
+  return (await (allowedRoots?.get() ?? getAllowedRoots(store))).some((root) =>
     isDescendantOrEqual(resolvedTarget, root)
   )
 }
@@ -151,7 +153,7 @@ async function isPathAllowedIncludingRegisteredWorktrees(
   store: RuntimeStore,
   options: { canonicalSourcePath?: string; allowedRoots?: AllowedRootsSnapshot } = {}
 ): Promise<boolean> {
-  if (isPathAllowed(targetPath, store, options.allowedRoots)) {
+  if (await isPathAllowed(targetPath, store, options.allowedRoots)) {
     return true
   }
 
@@ -194,7 +196,7 @@ async function isPathAllowedByCanonicalAllowedRoot(
   if (!sourcePath) {
     return false
   }
-  for (const root of allowedRoots?.get() ?? getAllowedRoots(store)) {
+  for (const root of await (allowedRoots?.get() ?? getAllowedRoots(store))) {
     const resolvedRoot = resolve(root)
     if (!isDescendantOrEqual(sourcePath, resolvedRoot)) {
       continue
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-canonical-owner.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-canonical-owner.test.ts
index cb7a02a9cdb..0657abcc883 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/filesystem-canonical-owner.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/filesystem-canonical-owner.test.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
 vi.mock('node:fs/promises', () => ({ stat: mocks.stat, realpath: mocks.realpath }))
 vi.mock('../repo-worktrees', () => ({ listRepoWorktreeGraph: mocks.graph, isRepoRoot: vi.fn() }))
 vi.mock('./worktree-logic', () => ({
-  computeWorkspaceRoot: mocks.workspaceRoot,
+  computeWorkspaceRootWithin: async (...args: unknown[]) => mocks.workspaceRoot(...args),
   getWorktreePathSettings: mocks.pathSettings
 }))
 vi.mock('../project-runtime-git-options', () => ({
@@ -157,8 +157,8 @@ describe.each(deniedOwners)('$name fixture matrix', ({ owner }) => {
       'local-looking group and folder over a remote child repo',
       () => storeFor([repo(owner, { path: join(root, 'child') })], [group()], [folder()])
     ]
-  ])('denies the %s', (_case, build) => {
-    expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), build())).toBe(false)
+  ])('denies the %s', async (_case, build) => {
+    expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), build())).toBe(false)
   })
 })
 
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ describe.each(deniedOwners)('$name filesystem ownership', ({ owner }) => {
   it('does not grant a repository root or register linked roots', async () => {
     const store = storeFor([repo(owner)])
     expect(getLocalRepos(store)).toEqual([])
-    expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+    expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
     registerWorktreeRootsForRepo(store, 'repo', [linked])
     registerCreatedWorktreeRoot(store, 'repo', linked)
     expect(isRegisteredWorktreePath(linked, store)).toBe(false)
@@ -178,37 +178,37 @@ describe.each(deniedOwners)('$name filesystem ownership', ({ owner }) => {
 
   it.each(['group', 'folder', 'inherited group'] as const)(
     'does not grant an empty %s scope',
-    (kind) => {
+    async (kind) => {
       const store = storeFor(
         [],
         kind !== 'folder' ? [group(owner)] : [],
         kind === 'folder' ? [folder(owner)] : kind === 'inherited group' ? [folder()] : []
       )
-      expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
-      expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+      expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
+      expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
     }
   )
 
-  it('does not infer a local group or folder from a remote child repo', () => {
+  it('does not infer a local group or folder from a remote child repo', async () => {
     const store = storeFor(
       [repo(owner, { path: join(root, 'child'), projectGroupId: 'nested' })],
       [group(), group({}, { id: 'nested', parentGroupId: 'group', parentPath: null })],
       [folder()]
     )
-    expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
-    expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+    expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
+    expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
   })
 })
 
 describe.each(allowedOwners)('$name filesystem ownership', ({ owner }) => {
-  it('preserves repo, group, folder and recovered worktree roots', () => {
+  it('preserves repo, group, folder and recovered worktree roots', async () => {
     for (const store of [
       storeFor([repo(owner)]),
       storeFor([], [group(owner)]),
       storeFor([], [], [folder(owner)])
     ]) {
-      expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([root])
-      expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(true)
+      expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([root])
+      expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(true)
     }
     const store = storeFor([repo(owner)])
     registerWorktreeRootsForRepo(store, 'repo', [root])
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ describe.each(allowedOwners)('$name filesystem ownership', ({ owner }) => {
   })
 })
 
-it('preserves an unpinned mixed local and SSH folder scope', () => {
+it('preserves an unpinned mixed local and SSH folder scope', async () => {
   const store = storeFor(
     [
       repo({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' }, { path: join(root, 'remote') }),
@@ -229,22 +229,22 @@ it('preserves an unpinned mixed local and SSH folder scope', () => {
     [group()],
     [folder()]
   )
-  expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([join(root, 'local'), root, root])
+  expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([join(root, 'local'), root, root])
 })
 
-it('keeps an explicit SSH folder scope remote even with a local candidate', () => {
+it('keeps an explicit SSH folder scope remote even with a local candidate', async () => {
   const store = storeFor(
     [repo({}, { path: join(root, 'local') })],
     [group({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' })],
     [folder()]
   )
-  expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([join(root, 'local')])
-  expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+  expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([join(root, 'local')])
+  expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
 })
 
-it('preserves explicit local folder overrides and the legacy empty connection override', () => {
+it('preserves explicit local folder overrides and the legacy empty connection override', async () => {
   expect(
-    getAllowedRoots(
+    await getAllowedRoots(
       storeFor(
         [],
         [group({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' })],
@@ -253,18 +253,18 @@ it('preserves explicit local folder overrides and the legacy empty connection ov
     )
   ).toEqual([root])
   expect(
-    getAllowedRoots(
+    await getAllowedRoots(
       storeFor([], [group({ connectionId: 'host-a' })], [folder({ connectionId: '' })])
     )
   ).toEqual([root])
 })
 
-it('denies a workspace pinned local under a group carrying only a legacy connection', () => {
+it('denies a workspace pinned local under a group carrying only a legacy connection', async () => {
   const pinnedFolder = folder({ executionHostId: 'local' })
   const legacyGroup = group({ connectionId: 'host-a' })
   const store = storeFor([], [legacyGroup], [pinnedFolder])
-  expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
-  expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+  expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
+  expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
   // Dispatch accepts the local pin, but authorization preserves the stricter legacy ownership check.
   expect(
     resolveFolderWorkspaceHost(
@@ -277,39 +277,39 @@ it('denies a workspace pinned local under a group carrying only a legacy connect
     [group({ executionHostId: 'local' }, { parentPath: null })],
     [folder({ connectionId: 'host-a' })]
   )
-  expect(getAllowedRoots(mirrored)).toEqual([])
-  expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), mirrored)).toBe(false)
+  expect(await getAllowedRoots(mirrored)).toEqual([])
+  expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), mirrored)).toBe(false)
 })
 
-it('still grants a local directory that happens to share an SSH repo path', () => {
+it('still grants a local directory that happens to share an SSH repo path', async () => {
   const store = storeFor([
     repo({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' }),
     repo({}, { id: 'mine', path: root })
   ])
-  expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([root])
-  expect(isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(true)
+  expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([root])
+  expect(await isPathAllowed(join(root, 'file'), store)).toBe(true)
 })
 
 describe('workspace-directory fallback', () => {
   const workspaceDir = resolve('/ws-fixture')
 
-  it('does not widen past the roots a local repo of its own would grant', () => {
-    const local = getAllowedRoots(storeFor([repo()], [], [], { workspaceDir }))
-    const sshOnly = getAllowedRoots(
+  it('does not widen past the roots a local repo of its own would grant', async () => {
+    const local = await getAllowedRoots(storeFor([repo()], [], [], { workspaceDir }))
+    const sshOnly = await getAllowedRoots(
       storeFor([repo({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' })], [], [], { workspaceDir })
     )
     expect(local).toEqual([root, workspaceDir])
     expect(sshOnly).toEqual([workspaceDir])
     expect(
-      isPathAllowed(
+      await isPathAllowed(
         join(root, 'file'),
         storeFor([repo({ connectionId: 'host-a' })], [], [], { workspaceDir })
       )
     ).toBe(false)
   })
 
-  it('grants a workspace directory this host reads as absolute, with no local repo', () => {
-    expect(getAllowedRoots(storeFor([], [], [], { workspaceDir: '/ws-fixture' }))).toEqual([
+  it('grants a workspace directory this host reads as absolute, with no local repo', async () => {
+    expect(await getAllowedRoots(storeFor([], [], [], { workspaceDir: '/ws-fixture' }))).toEqual([
       resolve('/ws-fixture')
     ])
   })
@@ -318,11 +318,11 @@ describe('workspace-directory fallback', () => {
     ['bare name', 'orca-ws'],
     ['parent traversal', '..'],
     ['relative traversal', '../orca-ws']
-  ])('grants nothing for a repo-relative %s with no repo to anchor it', (_case, dir) => {
+  ])('grants nothing for a repo-relative %s with no repo to anchor it', async (_case, dir) => {
     // `resolve` would anchor these to the main-process cwd, granting an unrelated tree.
-    expect(getAllowedRoots(storeFor([], [], [], { workspaceDir: dir }))).toEqual([])
+    expect(await getAllowedRoots(storeFor([], [], [], { workspaceDir: dir }))).toEqual([])
     expect(
-      getAllowedRoots(
+      await getAllowedRoots(
         storeFor([repo({ executionHostId: 'ssh:host-a' })], [], [], {
           workspaceDir: dir
         })
@@ -333,10 +333,10 @@ describe('workspace-directory fallback', () => {
   // Use the real host module here; the injected flavor matrix below covers both platforms.
   it.skipIf(process.platform === 'win32')(
     'does not anchor a Windows-style workspace directory under the POSIX main-process cwd',
-    () => {
+    async () => {
       const store = storeFor([], [], [], { workspaceDir: 'C:\\workspaces' })
-      expect(getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
-      expect(isPathAllowed(join(resolve('C:\\workspaces'), 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
+      expect(await getAllowedRoots(store)).toEqual([])
+      expect(await isPathAllowed(join(resolve('C:\\workspaces'), 'file'), store)).toBe(false)
     }
   )
 
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/skill-delete/handlers.ts b/src/main/ipc/skill-delete/handlers.ts
index 949b52d074d..91cb6642548 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/skill-delete/handlers.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/skill-delete/handlers.ts
@@ -27,10 +27,10 @@ export function registerSkillDeleteIpcHandlers(store: Store, runtime?: OrcaRunti
       : {}),
     userDataPath: app.getPath('userData')
   }
-  const resolve = (value: unknown) => {
+  const resolve = async (value: unknown) => {
     const request = SkillDeleteRequestSchema.parse(value)
     // Preserve discovery's nested stripping schema inside the strict deletion request.
-    const target = resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(
+    const target = await resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(
       request.target ? SkillDiscoveryTargetSchema.parse(request.target) : undefined
     )
     return { request, target }
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export function registerSkillDeleteIpcHandlers(store: Store, runtime?: OrcaRunti
   handleMainWindowSkillIpc(
     'skills:previewDelete',
     async (_event, value: unknown): Promise<SkillDeletePlan> => {
-      const { request, target } = resolve(value)
+      const { request, target } = await resolve(value)
       return previewSkillDeleteRequest(request, target, dependencies)
     }
   )
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export function registerSkillDeleteIpcHandlers(store: Store, runtime?: OrcaRunti
   handleMainWindowSkillIpc(
     'skills:delete',
     async (_event, value: unknown): Promise<SkillDeleteResult> => {
-      const { request, target } = resolve(value)
+      const { request, target } = await resolve(value)
       return runSkillDeleteRequest(request, target, dependencies)
     }
   )
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/skills.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/skills.test.ts
index 78b10bb7c4d..7d6d56b4c02 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/skills.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/skills.test.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ vi.mock('./skill-cloud-ipc-handlers', () => ({
 vi.mock('../wsl', () => ({
   getDefaultWslDistro: getDefaultWslDistroMock,
   getWslHome: getWslHomeMock,
+  getWslHomeAsync: async (distro: string) => getWslHomeMock(distro),
   parseWslPath: parseWslPathMock,
   toLinuxPath: (pathValue: string) => {
     if (pathValue === '\\\\wsl.localhost\\Ubuntu\\home\\alice') {
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/skills.ts b/src/main/ipc/skills.ts
index dce8fe675eb..34539eb9dfe 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/skills.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/skills.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import { handleMainWindowSkillIpc } from './skill-ipc-main-window'
 export function registerSkillsHandlers(store: Store, runtime?: OrcaRuntimeService): void {
   const discover = async (target?: SkillDiscoveryTarget): Promise<SkillDiscoveryResult> => {
     const parsedTarget = target ? SkillDiscoveryTargetSchema.parse(target) : undefined
-    const resolvedTarget = resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(parsedTarget)
+    const resolvedTarget = await resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(parsedTarget)
     return discoverSkillsOnTarget(resolvedTarget, store.getRepos(), {
       providerRootOverrides: await runtime?.resolveSkillDiscoveryProviderRoots(resolvedTarget),
       refresh: parsedTarget?.refresh === true
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic-wsl.test.ts b/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic-wsl.test.ts
index 2aa46a42ee8..a4c583db426 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic-wsl.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic-wsl.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import {
   computeWorktreePath,
   computeWorktreePathAsync,
   computeWorkspaceRootAsync,
+  computeWorkspaceRootWithin,
   getWorktreePathSettings
 } from './worktree-logic'
 import {
@@ -53,6 +54,28 @@ describe('computeWorktreePath WSL layout', () => {
     expect(getWslHomeMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('stops waiting for a WSL home at the deadline and falls back, leaving the probe running', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    try {
+      parseWslPathMock.mockReturnValue({ distro: 'Ubuntu', linuxPath: '/home/jin/repo' })
+      const repoPath = String.raw`\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\jin\repo`
+      const settings = { workspaceDir: 'C:\\workspaces', nestWorkspaces: true }
+      getWslHomeAsyncMock.mockReturnValue(new Promise<string>(() => {}))
+      const pending = computeWorkspaceRootWithin(repoPath, settings, 5_000)
+      await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(5_000)
+      const fallback = await pending
+      expect(fallback).not.toContain('orca')
+      expect(getWslHomeMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+      getWslHomeAsyncMock.mockResolvedValue(String.raw`\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\jin`)
+      expect(await computeWorkspaceRootWithin(repoPath, settings, 5_000)).toBe(
+        win32.join(String.raw`\\wsl.localhost\Ubuntu\home\jin`, 'orca', 'workspaces')
+      )
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers()
+    }
+  })
+
   it('places WSL repo worktrees under the distro home workspace root', () => {
     parseWslPathMock.mockReturnValue({
       distro: 'Ubuntu',
diff --git a/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic.ts b/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic.ts
index fb25a162b49..820c3a8ba40 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/worktree-logic.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,31 @@ export async function computeWorkspaceRootAsync(
   )
 }
 
+/**
+ * For authorization: never waits more than `deadlineMs` for a WSL home. Past it the root falls back
+ * as if the home were unknown, while the probe keeps running and fills the cache for later checks.
+ */
+export async function computeWorkspaceRootWithin(
+  repoPath: string,
+  settings: { workspaceDir: string; wslMirrorDistro?: string },
+  deadlineMs: number
+): Promise<string> {
+  const distro = mirrorDistroForWorkspaceRoot(repoPath, settings)
+  if (!distro) {
+    return workspaceRootForMirrorHome(repoPath, settings.workspaceDir, null)
+  }
+  let timer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | undefined
+  const deadline = new Promise<null>((resolve) => {
+    timer = setTimeout(() => resolve(null), deadlineMs)
+  })
+  try {
+    const home = await Promise.race([getWslHomeAsync(distro), deadline])
+    return workspaceRootForMirrorHome(repoPath, settings.workspaceDir, home)
+  } finally {
+    clearTimeout(timer)
+  }
+}
+
 export function computeWorkspaceRoot(
   repoPath: string,
   settings: { workspaceDir: string; wslMirrorDistro?: string }
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.test.ts
index 097a948febf..dbd056b8011 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.test.ts
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ describe('skills.share RPC', () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.mocked(discoverSkillsOnTarget).mockClear()
-    vi.mocked(resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget).mockImplementation((target) => ({
+    vi.mocked(resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget).mockImplementation(async (target) => ({
       kind: 'native-host',
       cwd: target?.cwd ?? undefined
     }))
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ describe('skills.share RPC', () => {
   })
 
   it('rejects WSL before attempting to read Linux paths with native fs', async () => {
-    vi.mocked(resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget).mockReturnValueOnce({
+    vi.mocked(resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget).mockResolvedValueOnce({
       kind: 'wsl',
       distro: 'Ubuntu',
       homeDir: '/home/alice',
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.ts
index b245cd84113..601e064ef7e 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/skills.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ export const SKILL_METHODS = [
       // Why: the executing runtime owns WSL project preferences. Remote callers
       // send worktree identity only; trusting their projectRuntime absence
       // would scan this host's native filesystem for a WSL-configured project.
-      const resolvedTarget = resolveDiscoveryTarget(params, runtime)
+      const resolvedTarget = await resolveDiscoveryTarget(params, runtime)
       return discoverSkillsOnTarget(resolvedTarget, runtime.listRepos(), {
         providerRootOverrides: await runtime.resolveSkillDiscoveryProviderRoots(resolvedTarget),
         refresh: params.refresh === true
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ export const SKILL_METHODS = [
     handler: async (params, { runtime }) =>
       previewSkillDeleteRequest(
         params,
-        resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime),
+        await resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime),
         skillDeleteDependencies(runtime)
       )
   }),
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ export const SKILL_METHODS = [
     handler: async (params, { runtime }) =>
       runSkillDeleteRequest(
         params,
-        resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime),
+        await resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime),
         skillDeleteDependencies(runtime)
       )
   }),
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export const SKILL_METHODS = [
           'Publishing skills through a paired client is not supported. Run the command from Orca on the machine that stores the skills.'
         )
       }
-      const resolvedTarget = resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime)
+      const resolvedTarget = await resolveDiscoveryTarget(params.target ?? {}, runtime)
       if (resolvedTarget.kind !== 'native-host') {
         throw new AgentSkillSharingError(
           AGENT_SKILL_SHARING_UNSUPPORTED_ENVIRONMENT_CODE,
diff --git a/src/main/skills/skill-discovery-target.ts b/src/main/skills/skill-discovery-target.ts
index 55c83cd94e5..7026ddf810c 100644
--- a/src/main/skills/skill-discovery-target.ts
+++ b/src/main/skills/skill-discovery-target.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import {
 } from './skill-discovery-wsl-observation'
 import type { Repo } from '../../shared/repo-types'
 import type { SkillDiscoveryResult, SkillDiscoveryTarget } from '../../shared/skills'
-import { getDefaultWslDistro, getWslHome, parseWslPath, toLinuxPath } from '../wsl'
+import { getDefaultWslDistro, getWslHomeAsync, parseWslPath, toLinuxPath } from '../wsl'
 import { clearSkillRootScanCache, discoverSkills } from './discovery'
 import { discoverSkillObservationInWsl } from './skill-discovery-wsl'
 import type { SkillProviderRootOverrides } from './skill-provider-destinations'
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ export type ResolvedSkillDiscoveryTarget =
       sourceKinds?: SkillDiscoveryTarget['sourceKinds']
     }
 
-export function resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(
+export async function resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(
   target: SkillDiscoveryTarget | undefined
-): ResolvedSkillDiscoveryTarget {
+): Promise<ResolvedSkillDiscoveryTarget> {
   const projectRuntime = target?.projectRuntime
   if (projectRuntime?.status === 'repair-required') {
     throw new Error(
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ export function resolveSkillDiscoveryTarget(
   if (process.platform !== 'win32') {
     throw new Error('WSL skill discovery is only available on Windows.')
   }
-  const homeDir = getWslHome(wslDistro)
+  // Why async: a synchronous probe blocks main and, on a booting distro, kills its first boot.
+  const homeDir = await getWslHomeAsync(wslDistro)
   if (!homeDir) {
     throw new Error(`Could not resolve the WSL home directory for ${wslDistro}.`)
   }
diff --git a/src/main/wsl.test.ts b/src/main/wsl.test.ts
index 803be2a6692..3cc8fd723f0 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ import {
   getCachedWslAvailability,
   getCachedWslDistros,
   getWslHome,
+  getWslHomeAsync,
   hasCachedWslAvailability,
   hasCachedWslDistros,
   isWslAvailableAsync,
@@ -309,6 +310,34 @@ describe('WSL home cache', () => {
   })
 })
 
+describe('WSL home probe on a booting distro', () => {
+  afterEach(() => {
+    runProcessMock.mockReset()
+    runProcessSyncMock.mockReset()
+    _resetWslCachesForTests()
+  })
+
+  // Real host (win-lowspec): a 5 s kill mid-boot left the distro failing every wsl.exe call.
+  it('gives the async home probe time for a cold boot instead of killing it at 5 s', async () => {
+    runProcessMock.mockResolvedValueOnce(exited('/home/alice\n'))
+    await withPlatformAsync('win32', () => getWslHomeAsync('Ubuntu'))
+    expect(runProcessMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]).toMatchObject({ program: 'wsl.exe' })
+    expect(runProcessMock.mock.calls[0]?.[0]?.timeoutMs).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(30_000)
+  })
+
+  it('never starts a 5 s synchronous probe while the async one waits out a boot', async () => {
+    let finish!: (result: ProcessResult) => void
+    runProcessMock.mockReturnValueOnce(new Promise<ProcessResult>((resolve) => (finish = resolve)))
+    await withPlatformAsync('win32', async () => {
+      const pending = getWslHomeAsync('Ubuntu')
+      expect(getWslHome('Ubuntu')).toBeNull()
+      expect(runProcessSyncMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      finish(exited('/home/alice\n'))
+      expect(await pending).toContain('alice')
+    })
+  })
+})
+
 describe('WSL availability cache', () => {
   afterEach(() => {
     runProcessMock.mockReset()
diff --git a/src/main/wsl.ts b/src/main/wsl.ts
index a8c357d46eb..87efad75e09 100644
--- a/src/main/wsl.ts
+++ b/src/main/wsl.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ export type WslPathInfo = {
 }
 
 const WSL_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS = 5000
+// Measured on a slow PC: a cold systemd distro takes 4-11 s to answer its first exec, and killing
+// wsl.exe mid-boot leaves the distro failing every call with Wsl/Service/E_UNEXPECTED for 14+ s.
+// An async probe blocks nothing, so it waits out the boot.
+const WSL_HOME_PROBE_ASYNC_TIMEOUT_MS = 60_000
 
 function wslHomeProbeArgs(distro: string): string[] {
   return buildWslExecArgs(distro, ['bash', '-c', 'echo $HOME'])
@@ -214,6 +218,10 @@ export function getWslHome(distro: string): string | null {
   if (cachedHome !== undefined) {
     return cachedHome
   }
+  // A second, 5 s-bounded probe would kill a boot the in-flight one is waiting out.
+  if (wslHomeProbeCache.has(distro)) {
+    return null
+  }
 
   try {
     const home = wslExeStdout(
@@ -242,7 +250,7 @@ export async function getWslHomeAsync(distro: string): Promise<string | null> {
     return inflight
   }
 
-  const probe = runWslExe(wslHomeProbeArgs(distro))
+  const probe = runWslExe(wslHomeProbeArgs(distro), undefined, WSL_HOME_PROBE_ASYNC_TIMEOUT_MS)
     .then((output) => {
       const home = output.trim()
       if (!home || !home.startsWith('/')) {
@@ -301,6 +309,10 @@ export function _setWslCachesForTests(args: {
   }
 }
 
-async function runWslExe(args: string[], env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv): Promise<string> {
-  return wslExeStdout(await runProcess(wslExeProcessSpec(args, WSL_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS, env)))
+async function runWslExe(
+  args: string[],
+  env?: NodeJS.ProcessEnv,
+  timeoutMs = WSL_PROBE_TIMEOUT_MS
+): Promise<string> {
+  return wslExeStdout(await runProcess(wslExeProcessSpec(args, timeoutMs, env)))
 }