diff --git a/src/openrouter-status.test.ts b/src/openrouter-status.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cbdd690
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/openrouter-status.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+
+import { formatOpenRouterStatusLine } from './openrouter-status.js';
+
+describe('formatOpenRouterStatusLine', () => {
+  it('reports missing when key is absent', () => {
+    expect(formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'missing' })).toBe('OpenRouter: missing key');
+  });
+
+  it('reports unknown when status is unknown', () => {
+    expect(formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'unknown' })).toBe('OpenRouter: unknown');
+  });
+
+  it('reports error message when status is error', () => {
+    expect(formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'error', error: 'http_401' })).toBe(
+      'OpenRouter: http_401',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('reports ok with no details when ok but all fields absent', () => {
+    expect(formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'ok' })).toBe('OpenRouter: ok');
+  });
+
+  it('includes remaining balance when present', () => {
+    const line = formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'ok', remainingUsd: 4.5 });
+    expect(line).toContain('$4.50 remaining');
+  });
+
+  it('includes limit when present', () => {
+    const line = formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'ok', limitUsd: 10.0 });
+    expect(line).toContain('$10.00 limit');
+  });
+
+  it('includes free-tier label when isFreeTier is true', () => {
+    const line = formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'ok', isFreeTier: true });
+    expect(line).toContain('free-tier');
+  });
+
+  it('combines all fields with dots', () => {
+    const line = formatOpenRouterStatusLine({
+      status: 'ok',
+      remainingUsd: 3.25,
+      limitUsd: 10.0,
+      isFreeTier: false,
+    });
+    expect(line).toBe('OpenRouter: $3.25 remaining · $10.00 limit');
+  });
+
+  it('omits undefined numeric fields from output', () => {
+    const line = formatOpenRouterStatusLine({ status: 'ok', remainingUsd: 2.0 });
+    expect(line).not.toContain('limit');
+    expect(line).not.toContain('free-tier');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/split-brain-status.test.ts b/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
index 4720361..cbd7f5b 100644
--- a/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
+++ b/src/split-brain-status.test.ts
@@ -129,4 +129,14 @@ describe('buildSplitBrainFixHints', () => {
     const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({ ...readyStatus(), skillsRuntimeLookup: 'missing' });
     expect(hints).toContain('Restore runtime lookup: just setup -- --step skills-init');
   });
+
+  it('does not emit an artifact hint when skills db is down (unavailable is implied by the db hint)', () => {
+    const hints = buildSplitBrainFixHints({
+      ...readyStatus(),
+      skillsDb: 'missing',
+      skillsArtifact: 'unavailable',
+    });
+    expect(hints).toContain('Fix skills DB: check PostgreSQL, then run: just setup-db');
+    expect(hints).not.toContain('Refresh knowledge artifact: just setup -- --step skills-memory');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/split-brain-status.ts b/src/split-brain-status.ts
index dcef5f9..6a9cae2 100644
--- a/src/split-brain-status.ts
+++ b/src/split-brain-status.ts
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ export function buildSplitBrainFixHints(status: SplitBrainStatus): string[] {
   if (status.memoryDb !== 'available') {
     hints.push('Fix memory DB: check PostgreSQL, then run: just setup-db');
   }
-  if (status.skillsArtifact !== 'ready') {
+  if (status.skillsArtifact !== 'ready' && status.skillsArtifact !== 'unavailable') {
     if (
       status.skillsArtifactSql !== 'present' ||
       status.skillsArtifactMetadata !== 'present'