diff --git a/.importlinter b/.importlinter
index d63a189d..d61c0880 100644
--- a/.importlinter
+++ b/.importlinter
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ source_modules =
     aai_cli.auth
     aai_cli.client
     aai_cli.code_gen
+    aai_cli.coding_agent
     aai_cli.config
     aai_cli.config_builder
     aai_cli.context
diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index bcaaffc9..0ad77ad4 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ Each file in `aai_cli/commands/` is a Typer sub-app (`transcribe`, `stream`, `ag
 - **`auth/`** — browser-assisted `assembly login` via AMS + **Stytch B2B OAuth discovery** (`discovery.py`, `flow.py`, `loopback.py`, `ams.py`). Not Stytch Connected Apps.
 - **`init/`** — scaffolds a self-contained FastAPI + HTML starter (`audio-transcription`/`live-captions`/`voice-agent` templates), optionally installs deps and opens the browser; writes the key to a git-ignored `.env`.
 - **`telemetry.py`** — anonymous, opt-out usage telemetry (Supabase-CLI model): `context.run_command` wraps each command body in `telemetry.track(ctx.command_path)`, which dispatches one allow-listed event (command path, outcome/exit code, duration, version/OS — never args, paths, or account data) to the Datadog logs intake via a **detached flusher subprocess** (the hidden `assembly telemetry flush`), so commands never wait on telemetry. `SHIPPED_CLIENT_TOKEN` is a committed write-only Datadog *client* token (`pub…`, embeddable by design — never an API key; `AAI_TELEMETRY_CLIENT_TOKEN` overrides). The test suite blanks it via an autouse conftest fixture so no test ever spawns a real flusher. Opt-out: `AAI_TELEMETRY_DISABLED=1` / `DO_NOT_TRACK=1` / `assembly telemetry disable` (persisted as `telemetry_enabled` in config.toml, alongside the random `device_id`). Send-side failures are swallowed (`OSError`/`CLIError`) — telemetry must never break a command.
-- **`commands/setup.py`** — `assembly setup install/status/remove` wires a coding agent up to AssemblyAI by installing three artifacts: the `assemblyai-docs` docs MCP (via `claude mcp add`), the AssemblyAI skill (via `npx skills add`), and the bundled `aai-cli` skill (copied out of the wheel, no network). Missing `claude`/`npx` is reported and skipped, not an error.
+- **`commands/setup.py`** — `assembly setup install/status/remove` wires a coding agent up to AssemblyAI by installing three artifacts: the `assemblyai-docs` docs MCP (via `claude mcp add`), the AssemblyAI skill (via `npx skills add`), and the bundled `aai-cli` skill (copied out of the wheel, no network). Missing `claude`/`npx` is reported and skipped, not an error. The presence probes (docs MCP registered, skills on disk) live in `aai_cli/coding_agent.py` so `assembly doctor`'s coding-agent check can share them — command modules are import-linter-independent, so neither command may import the other.
 
 ## Conventions
 
diff --git a/aai_cli/coding_agent.py b/aai_cli/coding_agent.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f6dd886
--- /dev/null
+++ b/aai_cli/coding_agent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+"""Coding-agent integration probes (docs MCP + skills).
+
+`assembly setup` installs these artifacts and `assembly doctor` reports whether
+they are present. Command modules are independent of each other (import-linter
+contract), so the constants and presence checks they share live here.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import os
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+
+MCP_NAME = "assemblyai-docs"
+SKILL_NAME = "assemblyai"
+CLI_SKILL_NAME = "aai-cli"
+
+
+def run(cmd: list[str], *, timeout: float = 120) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
+    # stdin=DEVNULL so a child that would otherwise prompt (npx's "Ok to proceed?",
+    # a `claude` confirmation) gets EOF and fails fast instead of hanging forever on
+    # input the user can't see (its stdout is captured). timeout is a final backstop.
+    try:
+        return subprocess.run(
+            cmd,
+            capture_output=True,
+            check=False,
+            text=True,
+            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
+            timeout=timeout,
+        )
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(
+            args=cmd,
+            returncode=124,
+            stdout="",
+            stderr=f"timed out after {timeout:.0f}s: {' '.join(cmd)}",
+        )
+
+
+def skills_root() -> Path:
+    # Honor CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR so install/status/remove agree with the agent's actual
+    # config root rather than assuming ~/.claude.
+    config_dir = os.environ.get("CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR")
+    root = Path(config_dir) if config_dir else Path.home() / ".claude"
+    return root / "skills"
+
+
+def mcp_present() -> bool:
+    """Whether the docs MCP is registered. Callers must check `claude` is on PATH."""
+    return run(["claude", "mcp", "get", MCP_NAME]).returncode == 0
+
+
+def skill_dir() -> Path:
+    return skills_root() / SKILL_NAME
+
+
+def skill_installed() -> bool:
+    return (skill_dir() / "SKILL.md").exists()
+
+
+def cli_skill_dir() -> Path:
+    return skills_root() / CLI_SKILL_NAME
+
+
+def cli_skill_installed() -> bool:
+    return (cli_skill_dir() / "SKILL.md").exists()
+
+
+def missing_components() -> list[str]:
+    """Names of the `assembly setup install` artifacts that are not yet installed.
+
+    Probes the docs MCP via the `claude` CLI, so callers must check `claude` is on
+    PATH first.
+    """
+    missing: list[str] = []
+    if not mcp_present():
+        missing.append("docs MCP")
+    if not skill_installed():
+        missing.append("assemblyai skill")
+    if not cli_skill_installed():
+        missing.append("aai-cli skill")
+    return missing
diff --git a/aai_cli/commands/doctor.py b/aai_cli/commands/doctor.py
index bca3ea17..3ae82a1e 100644
--- a/aai_cli/commands/doctor.py
+++ b/aai_cli/commands/doctor.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 import typer
 from rich.markup import escape
 
-from aai_cli import client, config, environments, help_panels, options, output, theme
+from aai_cli import client, coding_agent, config, environments, help_panels, options, output, theme
 from aai_cli.context import AppState, resolve_profile, run_command
 from aai_cli.errors import CLIError, NotAuthenticated
 from aai_cli.help_text import examples_epilog
@@ -193,10 +193,18 @@ def check_audio() -> Check:
 def _check_coding_agent() -> Check:
     missing = [tool for tool in ("claude", "npx") if shutil.which(tool) is None]
     if not missing:
+        # Tools are present, so report what `assembly setup install` actually
+        # installed rather than always suggesting it.
+        not_installed = coding_agent.missing_components()
+        if not not_installed:
+            return _check(
+                "coding-agent", "ok", "claude and npx found; docs MCP + skills installed."
+            )
         return _check(
             "coding-agent",
             "ok",
-            "claude and npx found; run 'assembly setup install' to wire up the docs MCP + skills.",
+            "claude and npx found; run 'assembly setup install' to add: "
+            f"{', '.join(not_installed)}.",
         )
     return _check(
         "coding-agent",
diff --git a/aai_cli/commands/setup.py b/aai_cli/commands/setup.py
index b255a41f..986f3f75 100644
--- a/aai_cli/commands/setup.py
+++ b/aai_cli/commands/setup.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
-import os
 import shutil
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -8,7 +7,7 @@
 
 import typer
 
-from aai_cli import choices, options, output
+from aai_cli import choices, coding_agent, options, output
 from aai_cli.context import AppState, run_command
 from aai_cli.help_text import examples_epilog
 from aai_cli.steps import Step, render_steps
@@ -23,32 +22,20 @@
     no_args_is_help=True,
 )
 
-MCP_NAME = "assemblyai-docs"
 MCP_URL = "https://mcp.assemblyai.com/docs"
 SKILL_REPO = "AssemblyAI/assemblyai-skill"
 _STEPS_HEADING = "AssemblyAI coding-agent setup:"
 
-
-def _run(cmd: list[str], *, timeout: float = 120) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
-    # stdin=DEVNULL so a child that would otherwise prompt (npx's "Ok to proceed?",
-    # a `claude` confirmation) gets EOF and fails fast instead of hanging forever on
-    # input the user can't see (its stdout is captured). timeout is a final backstop.
-    try:
-        return subprocess.run(
-            cmd,
-            capture_output=True,
-            check=False,
-            text=True,
-            stdin=subprocess.DEVNULL,
-            timeout=timeout,
-        )
-    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
-        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(
-            args=cmd,
-            returncode=124,
-            stdout="",
-            stderr=f"timed out after {timeout:.0f}s: {' '.join(cmd)}",
-        )
+# The subprocess wrapper, artifact names, and presence probes are shared with
+# `assembly doctor` (command modules are independent), so they live in
+# aai_cli.coding_agent; the names below keep this module's call sites stable.
+MCP_NAME = coding_agent.MCP_NAME
+_run = coding_agent.run
+_mcp_present = coding_agent.mcp_present
+_skill_dir = coding_agent.skill_dir
+_skill_installed = coding_agent.skill_installed
+_cli_skill_dir = coding_agent.cli_skill_dir
+_cli_skill_installed = coding_agent.cli_skill_installed
 
 
 def _proc_detail(proc: subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]) -> str:
@@ -56,21 +43,9 @@ def _proc_detail(proc: subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]) -> str:
     return (proc.stderr or proc.stdout).strip()
 
 
-def _skills_root() -> Path:
-    # Honor CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR so install/status/remove agree with the agent's actual
-    # config root rather than assuming ~/.claude.
-    config_dir = os.environ.get("CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR")
-    root = Path(config_dir) if config_dir else Path.home() / ".claude"
-    return root / "skills"
-
-
 # --- docs MCP (registered via the `claude` CLI) ------------------------------
 
 
-def _mcp_present() -> bool:
-    return _run(["claude", "mcp", "get", MCP_NAME]).returncode == 0
-
-
 def install_mcp(scope: str, force: bool) -> Step:
     if shutil.which("claude") is None:
         return {
@@ -132,14 +107,6 @@ def _remove_mcp(scope: str | None) -> Step:
 _SKILL_ADD_HINT = f"npx skills add {SKILL_REPO} --global"
 
 
-def _skill_dir() -> Path:
-    return _skills_root() / "assemblyai"
-
-
-def _skill_installed() -> bool:
-    return (_skill_dir() / "SKILL.md").exists()
-
-
 def install_skill(force: bool) -> Step:
     if shutil.which("npx") is None:
         return {
@@ -204,23 +171,13 @@ def _remove_skill() -> Step:
 
 # --- aai-cli skill (bundled in this package, copied into the agent) -----------
 
-_CLI_SKILL_NAME = "aai-cli"
-
-
-def _cli_skill_dir() -> Path:
-    return _skills_root() / _CLI_SKILL_NAME
-
-
-def _cli_skill_installed() -> bool:
-    return (_cli_skill_dir() / "SKILL.md").exists()
-
 
 def _bundled_cli_skill() -> Traversable:
     # Ships inside the wheel (force-included via [tool.hatch.build.targets.wheel]
     # artifacts). skills/ has no __init__.py, so navigate from the aai_cli package.
     from importlib import resources
 
-    return resources.files("aai_cli") / "skills" / _CLI_SKILL_NAME
+    return resources.files("aai_cli") / "skills" / coding_agent.CLI_SKILL_NAME
 
 
 def _copy_tree(node: Traversable, dest: Path) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/test_coding_agent.py b/tests/test_coding_agent.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dc2f0674
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_coding_agent.py
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+"""Unit tests for aai_cli.coding_agent — the setup/doctor shared presence probes."""
+
+import subprocess
+
+import pytest
+
+from aai_cli import coding_agent
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _isolate_home(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """Keep skill reads inside a temp HOME so tests never touch ~/.claude."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HOME", str(tmp_path))
+    monkeypatch.delenv("CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR", raising=False)
+
+
+# --- run() ---------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_run_passes_safe_subprocess_defaults(monkeypatch):
+    seen = {}
+
+    def record(cmd, **kwargs):
+        seen.update(kwargs)
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args=cmd, returncode=0, stdout="", stderr="")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent.subprocess, "run", record)
+    proc = coding_agent.run(["claude", "--version"])
+    assert proc.returncode == 0
+    # stdin detached so a prompting child fails fast instead of hanging; output
+    # captured and decoded; returncode inspected rather than raised; 120s backstop.
+    assert seen["stdin"] is subprocess.DEVNULL
+    assert seen["capture_output"] is True
+    assert seen["text"] is True
+    assert seen["check"] is False
+    assert seen["timeout"] == 120
+
+
+def test_run_timeout_becomes_clean_failure(monkeypatch):
+    def hang(cmd, **kwargs):
+        raise subprocess.TimeoutExpired(cmd, kwargs.get("timeout", 0))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent.subprocess, "run", hang)
+    proc = coding_agent.run(["claude", "mcp", "get"], timeout=5)
+    assert proc.returncode == 124
+    assert proc.stdout == ""
+    assert proc.stderr == "timed out after 5s: claude mcp get"
+
+
+# --- skill locations -------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_skills_root_honors_claude_config_dir(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    monkeypatch.setenv("CLAUDE_CONFIG_DIR", str(tmp_path / "agent-config"))
+    assert coding_agent.skills_root() == tmp_path / "agent-config" / "skills"
+
+
+def test_skills_root_defaults_to_home_dot_claude(tmp_path):
+    assert coding_agent.skills_root() == tmp_path / ".claude" / "skills"
+
+
+def test_skill_presence_requires_skill_md(tmp_path):
+    root = tmp_path / ".claude" / "skills"
+    assert coding_agent.skill_dir() == root / "assemblyai"
+    assert coding_agent.cli_skill_dir() == root / "aai-cli"
+    assert not coding_agent.skill_installed()
+    assert not coding_agent.cli_skill_installed()
+    for name in ("assemblyai", "aai-cli"):
+        d = root / name
+        d.mkdir(parents=True)
+        (d / "SKILL.md").write_text("# x")
+    assert coding_agent.skill_installed()
+    assert coding_agent.cli_skill_installed()
+
+
+# --- mcp_present -----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_mcp_present_when_claude_mcp_get_succeeds(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+
+    def fake_run(cmd, **kwargs):
+        calls.append(list(cmd))
+        return subprocess.CompletedProcess(args=cmd, returncode=0, stdout="", stderr="")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent, "run", fake_run)
+    assert coding_agent.mcp_present() is True
+    assert calls == [["claude", "mcp", "get", "assemblyai-docs"]]
+
+
+def test_mcp_absent_when_claude_mcp_get_fails(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        coding_agent,
+        "run",
+        lambda cmd, **kw: subprocess.CompletedProcess(args=cmd, returncode=1, stdout="", stderr=""),
+    )
+    assert coding_agent.mcp_present() is False
+
+
+# --- missing_components -----------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def _presence(monkeypatch, *, mcp, skill, cli_skill):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent, "mcp_present", lambda: mcp)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent, "skill_installed", lambda: skill)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(coding_agent, "cli_skill_installed", lambda: cli_skill)
+
+
+def test_missing_components_lists_every_absent_artifact(monkeypatch):
+    _presence(monkeypatch, mcp=False, skill=False, cli_skill=False)
+    assert coding_agent.missing_components() == [
+        "docs MCP",
+        "assemblyai skill",
+        "aai-cli skill",
+    ]
+
+
+def test_missing_components_empty_when_fully_installed(monkeypatch):
+    _presence(monkeypatch, mcp=True, skill=True, cli_skill=True)
+    assert coding_agent.missing_components() == []
+
+
+def test_missing_components_reports_only_the_absent_ones(monkeypatch):
+    _presence(monkeypatch, mcp=True, skill=False, cli_skill=True)
+    assert coding_agent.missing_components() == ["assemblyai skill"]
+    _presence(monkeypatch, mcp=False, skill=True, cli_skill=False)
+    assert coding_agent.missing_components() == ["docs MCP", "aai-cli skill"]
diff --git a/tests/test_doctor.py b/tests/test_doctor.py
index b1a4e967..4d8e2a63 100644
--- a/tests/test_doctor.py
+++ b/tests/test_doctor.py
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ def healthy(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.doctor.client.validate_key", lambda _key: True)
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.doctor.shutil.which", lambda tool: f"/usr/bin/{tool}")
     monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.doctor._probe_input_devices", lambda: 2)
+    # The MCP probe shells out to `claude mcp get`; keep the suite hermetic and
+    # report the full setup (docs MCP + both skills) as installed.
+    monkeypatch.setattr("aai_cli.commands.doctor.coding_agent.missing_components", list)
 
 
 def _checks(result):
@@ -113,6 +116,29 @@ def test_doctor_no_microphone_warns(healthy, monkeypatch):
     assert _checks(result)["audio"]["status"] == "warn"
 
 
+def test_doctor_coding_agent_fully_set_up_does_not_suggest_install(healthy):
+    # Regression: with the docs MCP + skills already installed, doctor must say so
+    # instead of telling the user to run a setup that's already done.
+    result = runner.invoke(app, ["doctor", "--json"])
+    agent_check = _checks(result)["coding-agent"]
+    assert agent_check["status"] == "ok"
+    assert agent_check["detail"] == "claude and npx found; docs MCP + skills installed."
+
+
+def test_doctor_coding_agent_not_set_up_names_whats_missing(healthy, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "aai_cli.commands.doctor.coding_agent.missing_components",
+        lambda: ["docs MCP", "aai-cli skill"],
+    )
+    result = runner.invoke(app, ["doctor", "--json"])
+    assert result.exit_code == 0  # an un-run setup never blocks
+    agent_check = _checks(result)["coding-agent"]
+    assert agent_check["status"] == "ok"
+    assert agent_check["detail"] == (
+        "claude and npx found; run 'assembly setup install' to add: docs MCP, aai-cli skill."
+    )
+
+
 def test_doctor_coding_agent_missing_warns(healthy, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         "aai_cli.commands.doctor.shutil.which",