diff --git a/src/split-brain-status.test.ts b/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
index ad3dc38..152a714 100644
--- a/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
+++ b/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 import {
   collectSplitBrainIssues,
   deriveSplitBrainReadiness,
+  buildSplitBrainFixHints,
   type SplitBrainStatus,
 } from './split-brain-status.js';
 
@@ -82,3 +83,29 @@ describe('collectSplitBrainIssues', () => {
     expect(issues).toEqual(['built-in knowledge artifact is incomplete']);
   });
 });
+
+describe('buildSplitBrainFixHints', () => {
+  it('returns no hints for a ready status', () => {
+    expect(buildSplitBrainFixHints(readyStatus())).toEqual([]);
+  });
+
+  it('returns skills-memory hint for missing artifact', () => {
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({ ...readyStatus(), skillsArtifact: 'missing' });
+    expect(hints).toContain('Import knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory');
+  });
+
+  it('returns skills-memory hint for outdated artifact', () => {
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({ ...readyStatus(), skillsArtifact: 'incomplete' });
+    expect(hints).toContain('Refresh knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory');
+  });
+
+  it('returns db hint for unavailable skills db', () => {
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({ ...readyStatus(), skillsDb: 'missing' });
+    expect(hints).toContain('Fix skills DB: check PostgreSQL, then run: just setup-db');
+  });
+
+  it('returns skills-init hint for missing runtime lookup', () => {
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({ ...readyStatus(), skillsRuntimeLookup: 'missing' });
+    expect(hints).toContain('Restore runtime lookup: just setup --step skills-init');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/split-brain-status.ts b/src/split-brain-status.ts
index dd77650..8d485fd 100644
--- a/src/split-brain-status.ts
+++ b/src/split-brain-status.ts
@@ -221,3 +221,30 @@ export function collectSplitBrainIssues(status: SplitBrainStatus): string[] {
 
   return issues;
 }
+
+// Returns operator-facing fix hints for each degraded component.
+// Kept separate from collectSplitBrainIssues so startup report stays concise
+// while /brain can show the full remediation path.
+export function buildSplitBrainFixHints(status: SplitBrainStatus): string[] {
+  const hints: string[] = [];
+
+  if (status.skillsDb !== 'available') {
+    hints.push('Fix skills DB: check PostgreSQL, then run: just setup-db');
+  }
+  if (status.memoryDb !== 'available') {
+    hints.push('Fix memory DB: check PostgreSQL, then run: just setup-db');
+  }
+  if (status.skillsArtifact !== 'ready') {
+    if (status.skillsArtifact === 'missing') {
+      hints.push('Import knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory');
+    } else {
+      // outdated or incomplete
+      hints.push('Refresh knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory');
+    }
+  }
+  if (status.skillsRuntimeLookup !== 'present') {
+    hints.push('Restore runtime lookup: just setup --step skills-init');
+  }
+
+  return hints;
+}
diff --git a/src/telegram-brain-command.test.ts b/src/telegram-brain-command.test.ts
index aa2aeec..312844a 100644
--- a/src/telegram-brain-command.test.ts
+++ b/src/telegram-brain-command.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ vi.mock('./split-brain-status.js', () => ({
   })),
   collectSplitBrainIssues: vi.fn(() => []),
   deriveSplitBrainReadiness: vi.fn(() => 'ready'),
+  buildSplitBrainFixHints: vi.fn(() => []),
 }));
 
 afterEach(() => {
@@ -74,4 +75,37 @@ describe('/brain command', () => {
     expect(replies[0]?.text).not.toContain('(vv0.7.0)');
     expect(replies[0]?.opts).toEqual({ parse_mode: 'HTML' });
   });
+
+  it('shows fix hints when degraded', async () => {
+    const { collectSplitBrainIssues, deriveSplitBrainReadiness, buildSplitBrainFixHints } =
+      await import('./split-brain-status.js');
+    vi.mocked(deriveSplitBrainReadiness).mockReturnValue('degraded');
+    vi.mocked(collectSplitBrainIssues).mockReturnValue([
+      'built-in knowledge artifact is outdated (loaded: v0.6.0, expected: v0.7.0)',
+    ]);
+    vi.mocked(buildSplitBrainFixHints).mockReturnValue([
+      'Refresh knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory',
+    ]);
+
+    process.env.TELEGRAM_ADMIN_IDS = '123';
+    process.env.TELEGRAM_OPS_CHAT_ID = 'tg:999';
+
+    const replies: Array<{ text: string; opts?: unknown }> = [];
+    const ctxArg = {
+      from: { id: 123 },
+      chat: { id: 999 },
+      reply: async (text: string, opts?: unknown) => {
+        replies.push({ text, opts });
+      },
+    };
+
+    const { handleBrainCommand } = await import('./telegram-commands.js');
+    await handleBrainCommand(ctxArg, 'tg:999');
+
+    expect(replies).toHaveLength(1);
+    const text = replies[0]?.text ?? '';
+    expect(text).toContain('⚠ Brain: <b>degraded</b>');
+    expect(text).toContain('⚠ built-in knowledge artifact is outdated');
+    expect(text).toContain('→ Refresh knowledge artifact: just setup --step skills-memory');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/telegram-commands.ts b/src/telegram-commands.ts
index 09c6171..9dc7946 100644
--- a/src/telegram-commands.ts
+++ b/src/telegram-commands.ts
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ import {
   collectSplitBrainStatus,
   collectSplitBrainIssues,
   deriveSplitBrainReadiness,
+  buildSplitBrainFixHints,
 } from './split-brain-status.js';
 import {
   buildTestReport,
@@ -783,6 +784,13 @@ export async function handleBrainCommand(
     for (const issue of issues) {
       lines.push(`⚠ ${issue}`);
     }
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints(status);
+    if (hints.length > 0) {
+      lines.push('');
+      for (const hint of hints) {
+        lines.push(`→ ${hint}`);
+      }
+    }
   }
 
   await ctxArg.reply(lines.join('\n'), { parse_mode: 'HTML' });