diff --git a/skills.json b/skills.json
index 8e613d0..c592e46 100644
--- a/skills.json
+++ b/skills.json
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@
       "homepage": "https://github.com/qualcomm-linux/qcom-linux-skills",
       "versions": [
         {
-          "version": "0.1",
+          "version": "0.2",
           "path": "skills/qcom-boot-validate",
           "docPath": "skills/qcom-boot-validate/SKILL.md",
           "files": ["skills/qcom-boot-validate/**"],
diff --git a/skills/qcom-boot-validate/SKILL.md b/skills/qcom-boot-validate/SKILL.md
index 062bfd8..6fa5fcd 100644
--- a/skills/qcom-boot-validate/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/qcom-boot-validate/SKILL.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ description: >-
   over ssh). Do NOT use for flashing (see qcom-flash-qdl) or for
   diagnosing a healthy-but-degraded system.
 metadata:
-  version: "0.1"
+  version: "0.2"
 ---
 
 # Validate a board boots over the serial console
@@ -59,7 +59,11 @@ ssh <host> "python3 - --port /dev/ttyUSB0 --password oelinux123" \
   after) resetting, e.g. right after a flash completes.
 - `--power-cycle-cmd` runs a host command once at startup for setups that
   can drive board power programmatically (lab automation, smart PDU). Keep
-  site-specific automation in that command, not in this skill.
+  site-specific automation in that command, not in this skill. The command
+  is split shell-style and run without a shell; wrap it in `sh -c '...'`
+  if it needs pipes, redirection, variable or `~` expansion, or is a script
+  without a `#!` line. If it cannot be started, the script warns and keeps
+  watching the console, so the board must then be reset by hand.
 - Exit code `0` on `BOOT-VALIDATION: PASS`, non-zero on failure. The full
   console capture is mirrored to the log file (default
   `/tmp/qcom-boot-validate-<timestamp>.log`) for evidence.
diff --git a/skills/qcom-boot-validate/scripts/boot-validate.py b/skills/qcom-boot-validate/scripts/boot-validate.py
index 4f91be7..a0bf8d0 100755
--- a/skills/qcom-boot-validate/scripts/boot-validate.py
+++ b/skills/qcom-boot-validate/scripts/boot-validate.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 By default the script only watches the console: start it, then power-cycle
 or reset the board (or start it right after flashing). Alternatively pass
 --power-cycle-cmd with a host command that power-cycles the board (e.g. a
-lab automation wrapper); it is run once at startup.
+lab automation wrapper); it is run once at startup, without a shell (wrap it
+in sh -c '...' for shell syntax).
 
 Prints "BOOT-VALIDATION: PASS ..." and exits 0 on success; prints
 "BOOT-VALIDATION: FAIL ..." and exits non-zero otherwise. The full console
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
 import argparse
 import os
 import re
+import shlex
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import time
@@ -77,7 +79,8 @@ def main():
     ap.add_argument("--timeout", type=float, default=300.0,
                     help="seconds to wait for the login prompt")
     ap.add_argument("--power-cycle-cmd", default=None,
-                    help="optional host command that power-cycles the board; run once at startup")
+                    help="optional host command that power-cycles the board; run once at "
+                         "startup, without a shell (use sh -c '...' for shell syntax)")
     ap.add_argument("--logfile", default=None,
                     help="console capture path (default: /tmp/qcom-boot-validate-<ts>.log)")
     args = ap.parse_args()
@@ -183,12 +186,22 @@ def wait_for_text(needle, timeout):
     # 1) trigger a clean boot -------------------------------------------------
     if args.power_cycle_cmd:
         log("power-cycling board via: %s" % args.power_cycle_cmd)
-        r = subprocess.run(args.power_cycle_cmd, shell=True,
-                           stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
-        log("power-cycle rc=%d: %s" % (r.returncode,
-                                       r.stdout.decode(errors="replace").strip()))
-        if r.returncode != 0:
-            log("WARNING: power-cycle command returned non-zero; continuing to watch console")
+        # No shell: the command is split into argv; wrap it in sh -c '...'
+        # explicitly if it needs shell syntax (pipes, redirection, $VAR, ~)
+        # or is a script without a #! line.
+        try:
+            argv = shlex.split(args.power_cycle_cmd)
+            if not argv:
+                raise ValueError("empty command")
+            r = subprocess.run(argv, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.STDOUT)
+        except (OSError, ValueError) as e:
+            log("WARNING: could not run power-cycle command (%s); "
+                "continuing to watch console" % e)
+        else:
+            log("power-cycle rc=%d: %s" % (r.returncode,
+                                           r.stdout.decode(errors="replace").strip()))
+            if r.returncode != 0:
+                log("WARNING: power-cycle command returned non-zero; continuing to watch console")
     else:
         log("no --power-cycle-cmd given: power-cycle or reset the board now "
             "if it is not already booting")