diff --git a/docs/packages/cli.mdx b/docs/packages/cli.mdx
index c242d059f8..d454219b52 100644
--- a/docs/packages/cli.mdx
+++ b/docs/packages/cli.mdx
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ did, in one command and one browser session.
 
 ```bash
 npx hyperframes check [dir]
-npx hyperframes check [dir] --json         # {ok, lint, runtime, layout, motion, contrast, snapshots}
+npx hyperframes check [dir] --json         # {ok, browserSkipped, lint, runtime, layout, motion, contrast, hdr, snapshots}
 npx hyperframes check [dir] --snapshots
 npx hyperframes check [dir] --at 1.5,4,7.25
 npx hyperframes check [dir] --strict       # warnings fail too
@@ -674,6 +674,10 @@ running every audit at every sample: runtime console errors and failed requests,
 layout defects (overflow, clipping, held overlaps, occlusion, coordinate-frame
 drift), `*.motion.json` assertions, and WCAG AA contrast.
 
+When the browser never ran (lint errors, a linter crash, or a browser launch
+failure), `browserSkipped` is `true` and the `layout`, `motion` and `contrast`
+sections are empty, not clean.
+
 | Flag                                         | Description                                                                                                                 |
 | -------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
 | `--json`                                     | One aggregated envelope. Every finding carries a selector, `data-*` identity, source file, bbox, and sample time.           |
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/check.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/check.test.ts
index 914c05af9e..0038703006 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/check.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/check.test.ts
@@ -949,6 +949,7 @@ function reportWithFindings(overrides: Partial<CheckReport> = {}): CheckReport {
   return {
     ok: true,
     strict: false,
+    browserSkipped: false,
     lint: { ...emptySection(), filesScanned: 0 },
     runtime: emptySection(),
     layout: {
@@ -1047,6 +1048,7 @@ describe("check pipeline", () => {
     const envelope = JSON.parse(output);
     expect(envelope).toMatchObject({
       ok: true,
+      browserSkipped: false,
       lint: { ok: true },
       runtime: { ok: true },
       layout: { ok: true },
@@ -1057,7 +1059,7 @@ describe("check pipeline", () => {
     });
   });
 
-  it("short-circuits on lint errors without launching a browser", async () => {
+  it("short-circuits on lint errors without launching a browser, and flags the skipped sections", async () => {
     const lint = lintWith(
       "error",
       "root_missing_composition_id",
@@ -1069,6 +1071,42 @@ describe("check pipeline", () => {
     expect(checkExitCode(report)).toBe(1);
     expect(report.lint.findings).toHaveLength(1);
     expect(browser).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // The browser sections look clean either way; only browserSkipped tells them apart.
+    expect(report.browserSkipped).toBe(true);
+    expect(report.runtime).toMatchObject({ ok: true, errorCount: 0, findings: [] });
+    expect(report.layout).toMatchObject({ ok: true, errorCount: 0, findings: [], duration: 0 });
+    expect(report.motion).toMatchObject({ ok: true, errorCount: 0, findings: [] });
+    expect(report.contrast).toMatchObject({ ok: true, errorCount: 0, findings: [] });
+  });
+
+  it("marks browserSkipped true when the linter itself crashes", async () => {
+    const { deps } = dependencies(fakeDriver());
+    deps.lintProject = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error("unreadable index.html");
+    });
+    const report = await runCheckPipeline(PROJECT, DEFAULT_CHECK_OPTIONS, deps);
+
+    expect(report.ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(report.browserSkipped).toBe(true);
+    expect(report.runtime.findings[0]?.code).toBe("check_lint_failure");
+  });
+
+  it("marks browserSkipped false once a browser session actually runs", async () => {
+    const { report } = await runScenario(fakeDriver());
+    expect(report.browserSkipped).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("marks browserSkipped true when the browser session throws before producing results", async () => {
+    const { deps } = dependencies(fakeDriver());
+    deps.runBrowserCheck = vi.fn(async () => {
+      throw new Error("Chrome launch failed");
+    });
+    const report = await runCheckPipeline(PROJECT, DEFAULT_CHECK_OPTIONS, deps);
+
+    expect(report.ok).toBe(false);
+    expect(report.browserSkipped).toBe(true);
+    expect(report.runtime.findings).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(report.layout).toMatchObject({ ok: true, errorCount: 0, findings: [] });
   });
 
   it("gates AA contrast failures and --no-contrast skips the pass", async () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/check.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/check.ts
index f90b494398..787b221c5d 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/check.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/check.ts
@@ -405,6 +405,12 @@ function nonNegativeNumber(value: unknown, fallback: number): number {
 
 function printHumanReport(report: CheckReport): void {
   printSection("Lint", report.lint);
+  if (report.browserSkipped) {
+    console.log();
+    console.log(
+      `  ${c.warn("⚠")} Browser session never ran — layout, motion, and contrast below are empty placeholders, not a clean pass.`,
+    );
+  }
   printSection("Runtime", report.runtime);
   printLayoutSection("Layout", report.layout);
   printSection("Motion", report.motion);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/checkPipeline.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/checkPipeline.ts
index 1dc0dd40bd..8e6d866869 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/checkPipeline.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/checkPipeline.ts
@@ -1130,6 +1130,7 @@ export async function runAuditGrid(
     contrastPassed: contrast.passed,
     screenshots: collected.screenshots,
     timings: { launchSettleMs: 0, seekLoopMs, contrastMs: collected.contrastMs },
+    skipped: false,
   };
 }
 
@@ -1412,6 +1413,7 @@ function buildReport(
   const report: CheckReport = {
     ok: errorCount === 0 && (!options.strict || warningCount === 0),
     strict: options.strict,
+    browserSkipped: browser.skipped,
     lint,
     runtime,
     layout,
@@ -1537,6 +1539,7 @@ function emptyBrowserResult(): CheckBrowserResult {
     contrastPassed: 0,
     screenshots: [],
     timings: { launchSettleMs: 0, seekLoopMs: 0, contrastMs: 0 },
+    skipped: true,
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/checkTypes.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/checkTypes.ts
index 0b3607b83e..bc61a61912 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/checkTypes.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/checkTypes.ts
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ export interface CheckBrowserResult {
   contrastPassed: number;
   screenshots: CheckScreenshot[];
   timings: CheckTimings;
+  skipped: boolean;
 }
 
 /** The seek-grid audit loop, injected into checkBrowser so it never imports checkPipeline back. */
@@ -264,6 +265,7 @@ export interface CheckSection<T extends CheckFinding = CheckFinding> {
 export interface CheckReport {
   ok: boolean;
   strict: boolean;
+  browserSkipped: boolean;
   lint: CheckSection & { filesScanned: number };
   runtime: CheckSection;
   layout: CheckSection<AnchoredLayoutIssue> & {
diff --git a/skills-manifest.json b/skills-manifest.json
index fb7d80b3cc..4dccc6c296 100644
--- a/skills-manifest.json
+++ b/skills-manifest.json
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
       "files": 7
     },
     "hyperframes-cli": {
-      "hash": "c1b0b3d02ad38edc",
+      "hash": "0103a548049ffd4e",
       "files": 11
     },
     "hyperframes-core": {
diff --git a/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/lint-validate-inspect.md b/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/lint-validate-inspect.md
index fb814d67f0..f866ae5c30 100644
--- a/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/lint-validate-inspect.md
+++ b/skills/hyperframes-cli/references/lint-validate-inspect.md
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ Lints `index.html` and all files in `compositions/`. Reports errors (must fix),
 ```bash
 npx hyperframes check                    # current directory: the full browser gate
 npx hyperframes check ./my-project       # specific project
-npx hyperframes check --json             # agent-readable envelope {ok, lint, runtime, layout, motion, contrast, hdr, snapshots}
+npx hyperframes check --json             # agent-readable envelope {ok, browserSkipped, lint, runtime, layout, motion, contrast, hdr, snapshots}
 npx hyperframes check --snapshots        # also write overview frames (annotated) + per-finding crops
 npx hyperframes check --samples 15       # denser timeline sweep (default 9)
 npx hyperframes check --at 1.5,4,7.25    # explicit hero-frame timestamps
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ npx hyperframes check --no-contrast      # skip the WCAG audit while iterating
 npx hyperframes check --strict           # exit non-zero on warnings too (default: only errors)
 ```
 
-One command, one Chrome boot. `check` runs the linter first and skips the browser entirely when lint reports errors. Then it loads the bundled composition once, wires runtime listeners before navigation, and sweeps one seek grid running every audit per sample:
+One command, one Chrome boot. `check` runs the linter first and skips the browser entirely when lint reports errors. When the browser never ran (lint errors, a linter crash, or a browser launch failure), `browserSkipped` is `true` and the `layout`, `motion` and `contrast` sections are empty, not clean. Otherwise it loads the bundled composition once, wires runtime listeners before navigation, and sweeps one seek grid running every audit per sample:
 
 - **Runtime**: JavaScript console errors, unhandled exceptions, failed network requests (media-file `ERR_ABORTED` filtered out), HTTP 4xx/5xx.
 - **Layout**: text extending outside its container or the canvas, text clipped by its own box, held text overlaps and occlusion (with an approximate covered fraction), children escaping clipping containers.