[BUG] /cd command does not load project-scoped skills from the new directory

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

When using /cd to change the working directory within an active Claude Code session, project-scoped skills defined in the new directory's .claude/skills/ folder are not loaded - even after running /reload-skills. Skills only load correctly when Claude Code is launched directly from the target directory.

What Should Happen?

After /cd my-subdirectory, Claude Code should discover and load project-scoped skills from my-subdirectory/.claude/skills/, the same way it would if the session had been started directly inside my-subdirectory. /reload-skills should also trigger re-discovery of skills relative to the current working directory.

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

1. Open Claude Code in a parent directory (e.g., ~/projects/my-repo/).
2. Confirm the session has no project-scoped skills from a subdirectory.
3. Run /cd my-subdirectory where my-subdirectory/.claude/skills/ contains one or more skills.
4. Run /reload-skills and then /skills.
5. Observe: skills from my-subdirectory/.claude/skills/ are absent - only user-level skills are listed.

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

I don't know

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

2.1.217

Platform

AWS Bedrock

Operating System

macOS

Terminal/Shell

Warp

Additional Information

• Opening a fresh Claude Code session directly inside my-subdirectory correctly shows the project skills (confirmed with /skills).
• The issue appears to be that skill discovery is tied to the directory at session start, not the current working directory at the time of /cd or /reload-skills.
• Claude Code version: v2.1.217