diff --git a/.github/workflows/dart_skills_lint_workflow.yaml b/.github/workflows/dart_skills_lint_workflow.yaml
index 5cd74d0e..93c343cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/dart_skills_lint_workflow.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/dart_skills_lint_workflow.yaml
@@ -75,19 +75,6 @@ jobs:
           min_coverage: 73
           exclude: '**/*.g.dart'
 
-  validate_skills:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - uses: dart-lang/setup-dart@v1
-        with:
-          sdk: stable
-
-      - run: dart pub get
-
-      - name: Validate skills
-        run: dart run dart_skills_lint:cli
-
   formatting:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     steps:
diff --git a/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/check-downstream-consumers/resources/known_consumers.md b/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/check-downstream-consumers/resources/known_consumers.md
index 960ee266..c3fbb246 100644
--- a/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/check-downstream-consumers/resources/known_consumers.md
+++ b/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/check-downstream-consumers/resources/known_consumers.md
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ When evaluating the impact of pull requests on downstream repositories, check ag
 - **Primary Consumer Location**: Root skill sets or tooling harnesses.
 - **Tooling Engine**: `dart pub get` and `dart test`
 
-### 6. `kevmoo/dart-best-practices`
-- **Repository URL**: [kevmoo/dart-best-practices](https://github.com/kevmoo/dart-best-practices)
-- **Primary Consumer Location**: Root tooling verification tests.
+### 6. `kevmoo/dash_skills`
+- **Repository URL**: [kevmoo/dash_skills](https://github.com/kevmoo/dash_skills)
+- **Primary Consumer Location**: `tool/`
 - **Tooling Engine**: `dart pub get` and `dart test`
diff --git a/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/dart-skills-lint-integration/SKILL.md b/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/dart-skills-lint-integration/SKILL.md
index 4f8d6bc4..810a6218 100644
--- a/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/dart-skills-lint-integration/SKILL.md
+++ b/tool/dart_skills_lint/.agents/skills/dart-skills-lint-integration/SKILL.md
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ test('Validate Repository Skills', () async {
   final Configuration config = await ConfigParser.loadConfig(
     path: path.join(repoRoot.path, 'path', 'to', _configFileName),
   );
+  expect(
+    config.directoryConfigs,
+    isNotEmpty,
+    reason: 'Configuration directoryConfigs should not be empty.',
+  );
   final bool isValid = await validateSkills(
     skillDirPaths: [skillsDirectory], // Explicit absolute targeting
     config: config,
diff --git a/tool/dart_skills_lint/CONTRIBUTING.md b/tool/dart_skills_lint/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 15e88647..5e27ea3f 100644
--- a/tool/dart_skills_lint/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/tool/dart_skills_lint/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ void main() {
     // share configuration. Pass `customRules: [...]` to inject any
     // custom SkillRule implementations.
     final config = await ConfigParser.loadConfig();
+    expect(
+      config.directoryConfigs,
+      isNotEmpty,
+      reason: 'Configuration directoryConfigs should not be empty.',
+    );
     await validateSkills(config: config);
   });
 }
diff --git a/tool/dart_skills_lint/skills/dart-skills-lint-validation/SKILL.md b/tool/dart_skills_lint/skills/dart-skills-lint-validation/SKILL.md
index 55ddbd40..e7036495 100644
--- a/tool/dart_skills_lint/skills/dart-skills-lint-validation/SKILL.md
+++ b/tool/dart_skills_lint/skills/dart-skills-lint-validation/SKILL.md
@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ import 'package:test/test.dart';
 void main() {
   test('skills pass with deprecated-skill custom rule', () async {
     final config = await ConfigParser.loadConfig();
+    expect(
+      config.directoryConfigs,
+      isNotEmpty,
+      reason: 'Configuration directoryConfigs should not be empty.',
+    );
     await validateSkills(
       config: config,
       customRules: [DeprecatedSkillRule()],
diff --git a/tool/dart_skills_lint/test/dart_skills_lint_skills_test.dart b/tool/dart_skills_lint/test/dart_skills_lint_skills_test.dart
index fc323757..f7002298 100644
--- a/tool/dart_skills_lint/test/dart_skills_lint_skills_test.dart
+++ b/tool/dart_skills_lint/test/dart_skills_lint_skills_test.dart
@@ -20,6 +20,11 @@ void main() {
       // Load configuration from the default file (dart_skills_lint.yaml)
       // to mirror what is configured in the repository.
       final Configuration config = await ConfigParser.loadConfig();
+      expect(
+        config.directoryConfigs,
+        isNotEmpty,
+        reason: 'Configuration directoryConfigs should not be empty.',
+      );
 
       final bool isValid = await validateSkills(config: config);
       expect(isValid, isTrue, reason: 'Skills validation failed. See above for details.');
diff --git a/tool/generator/dart_skills_lint.yaml b/tool/generator/dart_skills_lint.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..32a0b91d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tool/generator/dart_skills_lint.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+dart_skills_lint:
+  rules:
+    check-relative-paths: error
+    check-absolute-paths: error
+  directories:
+    - path: "../../skills"
diff --git a/tool/generator/test/lint_skills_test.dart b/tool/generator/test/lint_skills_test.dart
index f6fd3b93..01bb34bc 100644
--- a/tool/generator/test/lint_skills_test.dart
+++ b/tool/generator/test/lint_skills_test.dart
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@
 // for details. All rights reserved. Use of this source code is governed by a
 // BSD-style license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
+import 'dart:io';
+
 import 'package:dart_skills_lint/dart_skills_lint.dart';
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
+import 'package:path/path.dart' as p;
 import 'package:test/test.dart';
 
 import 'custom_skill_rules/last_modified_rule.dart';
@@ -15,19 +18,33 @@ void main() {
       printOnFailure('${record.level.name}: ${record.message}');
     });
 
+    final originalDir = Directory.current;
+    final parts = p.split(originalDir.path);
+    final isRoot =
+        !(parts.length >= 2 &&
+            parts[parts.length - 2] == 'tool' &&
+            parts.last == 'generator');
+
+    if (isRoot) {
+      Directory.current = Directory(p.join('tool', 'generator'));
+    }
+
     try {
+      final config = await ConfigParser.loadConfig();
+      expect(
+        config.directoryConfigs,
+        isNotEmpty,
+        reason: 'Configuration directoryConfigs should not be empty.',
+      );
+
       expect(
-        await validateSkills(
-          skillDirPaths: ['../../skills'],
-          resolvedRules: {
-            'check-relative-paths': AnalysisSeverity.error,
-            'check-absolute-paths': AnalysisSeverity.error,
-          },
-          customRules: [LastModifiedRule()],
-        ),
+        await validateSkills(config: config, customRules: [LastModifiedRule()]),
         isTrue,
       );
     } finally {
+      if (isRoot) {
+        Directory.current = originalDir;
+      }
       await subscription.cancel();
     }
   });