diff --git a/libs/deepagents/deepagents/middleware/skills.py b/libs/deepagents/deepagents/middleware/skills.py
index c05f4a07f5..81f6ac8398 100644
--- a/libs/deepagents/deepagents/middleware/skills.py
+++ b/libs/deepagents/deepagents/middleware/skills.py
@@ -351,12 +351,18 @@ def _validate_skill_name(name: str, directory_name: str) -> tuple[bool, str]:
 
 
 def _parse_allowed_tools(raw_tools: object, skill_path: str) -> list[str]:
-    """Parse the `allowed-tools` frontmatter value into a list of tool names."""
+    """Parse the `allowed-tools` frontmatter value into a list of tool names.
+
+    Accepts either a space- or comma-separated string or a YAML list of strings.
+    Non-string list items and empty entries are skipped.
+    """
     if isinstance(raw_tools, str):
-        return [t.strip(",").strip() for t in raw_tools.split() if t.strip(",").strip()]
+        return [tool for tool in re.split(r"[\s,]+", raw_tools) if tool]
+    if isinstance(raw_tools, list):
+        return [t.strip() for t in raw_tools if isinstance(t, str) and t.strip()]
     if raw_tools is not None:
         logger.warning(
-            "Ignoring non-string 'allowed-tools' in %s (got %s)",
+            "Ignoring 'allowed-tools' in %s: expected a string or list, got %s",
             skill_path,
             type(raw_tools).__name__,
         )
diff --git a/libs/deepagents/tests/unit_tests/middleware/test_skills_middleware.py b/libs/deepagents/tests/unit_tests/middleware/test_skills_middleware.py
index 8d3c62a373..a985de4c92 100644
--- a/libs/deepagents/tests/unit_tests/middleware/test_skills_middleware.py
+++ b/libs/deepagents/tests/unit_tests/middleware/test_skills_middleware.py
@@ -480,7 +480,8 @@ def test_validate_metadata_valid_dict_passthrough() -> None:
     assert result == {"author": "acme"}
 
 
-def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_ignored() -> None:
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata accepts a YAML list of tool names."""
     content = """---
 name: test-skill
 description: A test skill
@@ -495,10 +496,11 @@ def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_ignored() -> None:
 
     result = _parse_skill_metadata(content, "/skills/test-skill/SKILL.md", "test-skill")
     assert result is not None
-    assert result["allowed_tools"] == []
+    assert result["allowed_tools"] == ["Bash", "Read", "Write"]
 
 
-def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_non_strings_ignored() -> None:
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_non_strings_skipped() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata skips non-string and blank YAML list items."""
     content = """---
 name: test-skill
 description: A test skill
@@ -511,6 +513,72 @@ def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_non_strings_ignored() -> N
   - Write
 ---
 
+Content
+"""
+
+    result = _parse_skill_metadata(content, "/skills/test-skill/SKILL.md", "test-skill")
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result["allowed_tools"] == ["Read", "Write"]
+
+
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_yaml_list_trims_items() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata strips surrounding whitespace from kept items."""
+    content = """---
+name: test-skill
+description: A test skill
+allowed-tools:
+  - "  Read  "
+  - "Write"
+---
+
+Content
+"""
+
+    result = _parse_skill_metadata(content, "/skills/test-skill/SKILL.md", "test-skill")
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result["allowed_tools"] == ["Read", "Write"]
+
+
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_empty_list() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata handles an empty YAML list."""
+    content = """---
+name: test-skill
+description: A test skill
+allowed-tools: []
+---
+
+Content
+"""
+
+    result = _parse_skill_metadata(content, "/skills/test-skill/SKILL.md", "test-skill")
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result["allowed_tools"] == []
+
+
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_comma_separated_string() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata splits a comma-separated string of tool names."""
+    content = """---
+name: test-skill
+description: A test skill
+allowed-tools: Bash,Read,Write
+---
+
+Content
+"""
+
+    result = _parse_skill_metadata(content, "/skills/test-skill/SKILL.md", "test-skill")
+    assert result is not None
+    assert result["allowed_tools"] == ["Bash", "Read", "Write"]
+
+
+def test_parse_skill_metadata_allowed_tools_scalar_ignored() -> None:
+    """Test _parse_skill_metadata ignores a non-string, non-list scalar value."""
+    content = """---
+name: test-skill
+description: A test skill
+allowed-tools: 42
+---
+
 Content
 """