diff --git a/webui/src/components/thread/ThreadComposer.tsx b/webui/src/components/thread/ThreadComposer.tsx
index 1cbcb1e30..4541ef0bf 100644
--- a/webui/src/components/thread/ThreadComposer.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/components/thread/ThreadComposer.tsx
@@ -309,6 +309,16 @@ interface SlashPaletteCommand {
   recent: boolean;
 }
 
+function skillMatchRank(skill: SkillSummary, query: string): number | null {
+  if (!query) return 0;
+  const name = skill.name.toLowerCase();
+  if (name === query) return 0;
+  if (name.startsWith(query)) return 1;
+  if (name.includes(query)) return 2;
+  if (skill.description.toLowerCase().includes(query)) return 3;
+  return null;
+}
+
 function slashCommandI18nKey(command: string): string {
   return command.replace(/^\//, "").replace(/-/g, "_");
 }
@@ -1029,15 +1039,28 @@ export function ThreadComposer({
       const query = skillQuery.text;
       return skills
         .filter((skill) => skill.available)
-        .filter((skill) => {
-          const haystack = [
-            skill.name,
-            skill.description,
-          ].join(" ").toLowerCase();
-          return haystack.includes(query);
+        .flatMap((skill) => {
+          const matchRank = skillMatchRank(skill, query);
+          return matchRank === null
+            ? []
+            : [{
+                command: `$${skill.name}`,
+                matchRank,
+                skill,
+              }];
         })
-        .map((skill) => {
-          const command = `$${skill.name}`;
+        .sort((a, b) => {
+          if (a.matchRank !== b.matchRank) return a.matchRank - b.matchRank;
+          if (query !== "") return 0;
+          const aRecent = recentSlashCommands.indexOf(a.command);
+          const bRecent = recentSlashCommands.indexOf(b.command);
+          if (aRecent === -1 && bRecent === -1) return 0;
+          if (aRecent === -1) return 1;
+          if (bRecent === -1) return -1;
+          return aRecent - bRecent;
+        })
+        .slice(0, 8)
+        .map(({ command, skill }) => {
           const description = skill.description || skill.name;
           return {
             command,
@@ -1048,8 +1071,7 @@ export function ThreadComposer({
             kind: "skill" as const,
             recent: recentSlashCommands.includes(command),
           };
-        })
-        .slice(0, 8);
+        });
     }
     if (slashQuery === null) return [];
     const withDetails = visibleSlashCommands
diff --git a/webui/src/tests/thread-composer.test.tsx b/webui/src/tests/thread-composer.test.tsx
index b50f802ae..b821ee4e2 100644
--- a/webui/src/tests/thread-composer.test.tsx
+++ b/webui/src/tests/thread-composer.test.tsx
@@ -1506,6 +1506,80 @@ describe("ThreadComposer", () => {
     expect(input).toHaveValue(`please use $${skillName} `);
   });
 
+  it("ranks skill name matches ahead of earlier description matches", () => {
+    render(
+      <ThreadComposer
+        onSend={vi.fn()}
+        placeholder="Type your message..."
+        skills={[
+          {
+            name: "skill-creator",
+            description: "Create or update AgentSkills",
+            source: "builtin",
+            available: true,
+          },
+          {
+            name: "setup-update",
+            description: "Configure upgrades",
+            source: "builtin",
+            available: true,
+          },
+          {
+            name: "update-setup",
+            description: "One-time setup wizard",
+            source: "builtin",
+            available: true,
+          },
+          {
+            name: "up",
+            description: "Exact match",
+            source: "workspace",
+            available: true,
+          },
+        ]}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByLabelText("Message input");
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "$up", selectionStart: 3 } });
+
+    const options = within(screen.getByRole("listbox", { name: "Slash commands" }))
+      .getAllByRole("option");
+    expect(options.map((option) => option.textContent)).toEqual([
+      "upExact match",
+      "update-setupOne-time setup wizard",
+      "setup-updateConfigure upgrades",
+      "skill-creatorCreate or update AgentSkills",
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a recently selected skill visible at the top of the blank skill menu", () => {
+    const skills = Array.from({ length: 9 }, (_, index) => ({
+      name: `skill-${index}`,
+      description: `Skill ${index}`,
+      source: "builtin",
+      available: true,
+    }));
+    render(
+      <ThreadComposer
+        onSend={vi.fn()}
+        placeholder="Type your message..."
+        skills={skills}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    const input = screen.getByLabelText("Message input");
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "$skill-8", selectionStart: 8 } });
+    fireEvent.keyDown(input, { key: "Tab" });
+    fireEvent.change(input, { target: { value: "$", selectionStart: 1 } });
+
+    const options = within(screen.getByRole("listbox", { name: "Slash commands" }))
+      .getAllByRole("option");
+    expect(options).toHaveLength(8);
+    expect(options[0]).toHaveTextContent("skill-8");
+    expect(options[0]).toHaveTextContent("Recent");
+  });
+
   it("shows right-side source badges so users can distinguish CLI apps from MCP servers", () => {
     render(
       <ThreadComposer