diff --git a/api/server/services/Skills/sync.js b/api/server/services/Skills/sync.js
index 2391e6784d..46d985e4c9 100644
--- a/api/server/services/Skills/sync.js
+++ b/api/server/services/Skills/sync.js
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ function createRunner() {
     listStatuses: db.listSkillSyncStatuses,
     upsertStatus: db.upsertSkillSyncStatus,
     tryAcquireLock: db.tryAcquireSkillSyncLock,
+    refreshLock: db.refreshSkillSyncLock,
     releaseLock: db.releaseSkillSyncLock,
     createSkill: db.createSkill,
     updateSkill: db.updateSkill,
diff --git a/packages/api/src/skills/__tests__/import.test.ts b/packages/api/src/skills/__tests__/import.test.ts
index d577ee1556..57e3441474 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/skills/__tests__/import.test.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/skills/__tests__/import.test.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,13 @@ describe('parseFrontmatter', () => {
     expect(result.invalidBooleans).toEqual(['always-apply']);
   });
 
+  it('flags legacy YAML boolean aliases as invalid', () => {
+    const raw = `---\nname: n\ndescription: d\nalways-apply: on\n---\n\nbody`;
+    const result = parseFrontmatter(raw);
+    expect(result.alwaysApply).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(result.invalidBooleans).toEqual(['always-apply']);
+  });
+
   it('does not flag always-apply when the key is absent', () => {
     const raw = `---\nname: n\ndescription: d\n---\n\nbody`;
     expect(parseFrontmatter(raw).invalidBooleans).toEqual([]);
diff --git a/packages/api/src/skills/parse.ts b/packages/api/src/skills/parse.ts
index 2332d518b1..c5b5f08b30 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/skills/parse.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/skills/parse.ts
@@ -30,6 +30,29 @@ function getCaseInsensitive(frontmatter: Record<string, unknown>, key: string):
   return entry?.[1];
 }
 
+function getRawFrontmatterValue(block: string, key: string): string | undefined {
+  const escapedKey = key.replace(/[.*+?^${}()|[\]\\]/g, '\\$&');
+  const pattern = new RegExp(`^\\s*${escapedKey}\\s*:\\s*(.*)$`, 'i');
+  const line = block.split('\n').find((candidate) => pattern.test(candidate));
+  const match = line?.match(pattern);
+  return match?.[1];
+}
+
+function stripInlineComment(value: string): string {
+  let quote: '"' | "'" | null = null;
+  for (let i = 0; i < value.length; i++) {
+    const char = value[i];
+    if ((char === '"' || char === "'") && (!quote || quote === char)) {
+      quote = quote ? null : char;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if (char === '#' && !quote) {
+      return value.slice(0, i).trim();
+    }
+  }
+  return value.trim();
+}
+
 function normalizeFrontmatterKeys(frontmatter: Record<string, unknown>): Record<string, unknown> {
   return Object.entries(frontmatter).reduce<Record<string, unknown>>((acc, [key, value]) => {
     acc[key.toLowerCase()] = value;
@@ -37,9 +60,10 @@ function normalizeFrontmatterKeys(frontmatter: Record<string, unknown>): Record<
   }, {});
 }
 
-function parseBoolean(value: unknown): boolean | undefined {
+function parseBoolean(value: unknown, rawValue?: string): boolean | undefined {
+  const raw = rawValue === undefined ? undefined : stripInlineComment(rawValue).toLowerCase();
   if (typeof value === 'boolean') {
-    return value;
+    return raw === 'true' || raw === 'false' ? value : undefined;
   }
   if (typeof value !== 'string') {
     return undefined;
@@ -75,6 +99,7 @@ export function parseSkillMarkdown(raw: string): ParsedSkillMarkdown {
   const descriptionValue = getCaseInsensitive(frontmatter, 'description');
   const whenToUseValue = getCaseInsensitive(frontmatter, 'when-to-use');
   const alwaysApplyValue = getCaseInsensitive(frontmatter, 'always-apply');
+  const rawAlwaysApplyValue = getRawFrontmatterValue(block, 'always-apply');
   const name = typeof nameValue === 'string' ? nameValue : '';
   let description = '';
   if (typeof descriptionValue === 'string') {
@@ -85,7 +110,7 @@ export function parseSkillMarkdown(raw: string): ParsedSkillMarkdown {
   let alwaysApply: boolean | undefined;
   const invalidBooleans: string[] = [];
   if (alwaysApplyValue !== undefined) {
-    alwaysApply = parseBoolean(alwaysApplyValue);
+    alwaysApply = parseBoolean(alwaysApplyValue, rawAlwaysApplyValue);
     if (alwaysApply === undefined && alwaysApplyValue !== null && alwaysApplyValue !== '') {
       invalidBooleans.push('always-apply');
     }
diff --git a/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.spec.ts b/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.spec.ts
index a583310194..e3c20fa892 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.spec.ts
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ function createDeps(
       return status;
     }),
     tryAcquireLock: jest.fn(async () => true),
+    refreshLock: jest.fn(async () => true),
     releaseLock: jest.fn(async () => undefined),
     createSkill: jest.fn(async (input: CreateSkillInput): Promise<CreateSkillResult> => {
       return { skill: makeSkill(input), warnings: [] };
diff --git a/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.ts b/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.ts
index 6f3f468dd3..77a1a7e102 100644
--- a/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.ts
+++ b/packages/api/src/skills/sync/github.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,11 @@ export type GitHubSkillSyncDeps = {
     lockOwner: string;
     leaseMs: number;
   }) => Promise<boolean>;
+  refreshLock: (params: {
+    provider: SkillSyncProvider;
+    lockOwner: string;
+    leaseMs: number;
+  }) => Promise<boolean>;
   releaseLock: (params: { provider: SkillSyncProvider; lockOwner: string }) => Promise<void>;
   createSkill: (data: CreateSkillInput) => Promise<CreateSkillResult>;
   updateSkill: (params: {
@@ -879,6 +884,22 @@ export function createGitHubSkillSyncRunner(deps: GitHubSkillSyncDeps) {
         sources: statuses,
       };
     }
+    const refreshTimer = setInterval(
+      () => {
+        deps
+          .refreshLock({ provider: PROVIDER, lockOwner, leaseMs: LOCK_LEASE_MS })
+          .then((refreshed) => {
+            if (!refreshed) {
+              logger.warn('[GitHubSkillSync] Failed to refresh active sync lock');
+            }
+          })
+          .catch((error) => {
+            logger.error('[GitHubSkillSync] Failed to refresh active sync lock:', error);
+          });
+      },
+      Math.max(60_000, Math.floor(LOCK_LEASE_MS / 3)),
+    );
+    refreshTimer.unref?.();
     try {
       const sources: ISkillSyncStatus[] = [];
       for (const source of github.sources) {
@@ -890,6 +911,7 @@ export function createGitHubSkillSyncRunner(deps: GitHubSkillSyncDeps) {
         sources,
       };
     } finally {
+      clearInterval(refreshTimer);
       await deps.releaseLock({ provider: PROVIDER, lockOwner });
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.spec.ts b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.spec.ts
index 8f10be3a0d..0ceac31d42 100644
--- a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.spec.ts
@@ -79,6 +79,13 @@ describe('createSkillSyncMethods', () => {
         leaseMs: 60_000,
       }),
     ).resolves.toBe(true);
+    await expect(
+      methods.tryAcquireSkillSyncLock({
+        provider: 'github',
+        lockOwner: 'worker-a',
+        leaseMs: 60_000,
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe(false);
     await expect(
       methods.tryAcquireSkillSyncLock({
         provider: 'github',
@@ -86,6 +93,13 @@ describe('createSkillSyncMethods', () => {
         leaseMs: 60_000,
       }),
     ).resolves.toBe(false);
+    await expect(
+      methods.refreshSkillSyncLock({
+        provider: 'github',
+        lockOwner: 'worker-a',
+        leaseMs: 60_000,
+      }),
+    ).resolves.toBe(true);
     await methods.releaseSkillSyncLock({ provider: 'github', lockOwner: 'worker-a' });
     await expect(
       methods.tryAcquireSkillSyncLock({
@@ -95,4 +109,26 @@ describe('createSkillSyncMethods', () => {
       }),
     ).resolves.toBe(true);
   });
+
+  it('clears stale source errors after a successful sync status update', async () => {
+    await methods.upsertSkillSyncStatus({
+      provider: 'github',
+      sourceId: 'librechat-skills',
+      status: 'failed',
+      errorCode: 'SKILL_PARSE_FAILED',
+      errorMessage: 'bad frontmatter',
+    });
+
+    const success = await methods.upsertSkillSyncStatus({
+      provider: 'github',
+      sourceId: 'librechat-skills',
+      status: 'succeeded',
+      syncedSkillCount: 1,
+      syncedFileCount: 2,
+    });
+
+    expect(success.status).toBe('succeeded');
+    expect(success.errorCode).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(success.errorMessage).toBeUndefined();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.ts b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.ts
index 53e2304459..bcd97694ea 100644
--- a/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.ts
+++ b/packages/data-schemas/src/methods/skillSync.ts
@@ -175,8 +175,6 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
       paths: input.paths,
       startedAt: input.startedAt,
       finishedAt: input.finishedAt,
-      errorCode: input.errorCode,
-      errorMessage: input.errorMessage,
       syncedSkillCount: input.syncedSkillCount ?? 0,
       syncedFileCount: input.syncedFileCount ?? 0,
       deletedSkillCount: input.deletedSkillCount ?? 0,
@@ -184,10 +182,16 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
       ...(success ? { lastSuccessAt: input.finishedAt ?? now } : {}),
       ...(failure ? { lastFailureAt: input.finishedAt ?? now } : {}),
     };
+    if (failure) {
+      setPayload.errorCode = input.errorCode;
+      setPayload.errorMessage = input.errorMessage;
+    }
+    const unsetPayload = failure ? {} : { errorCode: '', errorMessage: '' };
     const row = await Status.findOneAndUpdate(
       { provider: input.provider, sourceId: input.sourceId },
       {
         $set: setPayload,
+        ...(failure ? {} : { $unset: unsetPayload }),
         $setOnInsert: {
           provider: input.provider,
           sourceId: input.sourceId,
@@ -210,12 +214,7 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
       provider: params.provider,
       sourceId: LOCK_SOURCE_ID,
     }).lean<ISkillSyncStatus | null>();
-    if (
-      existing?.lockOwner &&
-      existing.lockOwner !== params.lockOwner &&
-      existing.lockExpiresAt &&
-      existing.lockExpiresAt > now
-    ) {
+    if (existing?.lockOwner && existing.lockExpiresAt && existing.lockExpiresAt > now) {
       return false;
     }
     if (!existing) {
@@ -241,11 +240,7 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
         {
           provider: params.provider,
           sourceId: LOCK_SOURCE_ID,
-          $or: [
-            { lockExpiresAt: { $exists: false } },
-            { lockExpiresAt: { $lte: now } },
-            { lockOwner: params.lockOwner },
-          ],
+          $or: [{ lockExpiresAt: { $exists: false } }, { lockExpiresAt: { $lte: now } }],
         },
         {
           $set: {
@@ -270,6 +265,31 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
     }
   }
 
+  async function refreshSkillSyncLock(params: {
+    provider: SkillSyncProvider;
+    lockOwner: string;
+    leaseMs: number;
+  }): Promise<boolean> {
+    const Status = mongoose.models.SkillSyncStatus as Model<ISkillSyncStatusDocument>;
+    const now = new Date();
+    const row = await Status.findOneAndUpdate(
+      {
+        provider: params.provider,
+        sourceId: LOCK_SOURCE_ID,
+        lockOwner: params.lockOwner,
+        lockExpiresAt: { $gt: now },
+      },
+      {
+        $set: {
+          status: 'running',
+          lockExpiresAt: new Date(now.getTime() + params.leaseMs),
+        },
+      },
+      { new: true },
+    ).lean<ISkillSyncStatus | null>();
+    return Boolean(row);
+  }
+
   async function releaseSkillSyncLock(params: {
     provider: SkillSyncProvider;
     lockOwner: string;
@@ -300,6 +320,7 @@ export function createSkillSyncMethods(mongoose: typeof import('mongoose')) {
     getSkillSyncStatus,
     upsertSkillSyncStatus,
     tryAcquireSkillSyncLock,
+    refreshSkillSyncLock,
     releaseSkillSyncLock,
   };
 }