diff --git a/.changeset/29061-formula-skill-date-subtraction-refused.md b/.changeset/29061-formula-skill-date-subtraction-refused.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b4ac2d62863
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/29061-formula-skill-date-subtraction-refused.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+'@objectstack/skills': patch
+---
+
+docs(skills): objectstack-formula says the build refuses date subtraction (`end - start`), and the skills stop describing a stored formula that subtracts dates
+
+Clause-②: no
+Metadata-protocol: none
+
+- **Before.** The "No date arithmetic" note in `objectstack-formula` said `end - start` "does not fault — it yields a `duration` stored as `{}`", which read as a shape that builds. `objectstack-ui` `rules/dashboards.md` and an analytics eval described a leave-days formula written as `end - start`, and a formula eval explained `record.close_date - today()` as "a duration stored as `{}`".
+- **Now.** The note says the build refuses both `date + n` and `end - start`: a date or date-time mixed with a number, or minus another, reads `null`, and `today()` / `now()` minus a date field reads `{}`. It prescribes `daysBetween(a, b)` and keeps the Want / Write table. The leave-days formula is written `daysBetween(start, end)` in the dashboards rule and `daysBetween(record.start_date, record.end_date)` in the eval prompt, and the formula eval says the build refuses `record.close_date - today()`.
+- The formula gate change itself ships in `@objectstack/formula` (`formula-date-subtraction-refused`). `SKILL.md` and `rules/dashboards.md` stay under their token ceilings (no ceiling moves). No schema, key, command or behaviour changes.
diff --git a/skills/objectstack-formula/SKILL.md b/skills/objectstack-formula/SKILL.md
index 66e00eb73e7..0050e9403b4 100644
--- a/skills/objectstack-formula/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/objectstack-formula/SKILL.md
@@ -148,9 +148,9 @@ tests: every entry resolves at runtime, and this table documents them all.
 | `date(s)` / `datetime(s)` | timestamp | Parse an ISO date / date-time string to a timestamp |
 | `isoDate(t)` / `isoDatetime(t)` | string | Timestamp to UTC ISO text, `2026-10-08` / `2026-10-08T17:55:06.123Z`. Text in? `isoDate(date(s))` |
 
-> **No date arithmetic.** A date mixed with a number faults and the build
-> rejects it; `end - start` does not fault — it yields a `duration` stored as
-> `{}`.
+> **No date arithmetic.** The build refuses `date + n` and `end - start`: a
+> date or date-time mixed with a number, or minus another, reads `null`, and
+> `today()` / `now()` minus a date field reads `{}`. Use `daysBetween(a, b)`.
 
 | Want | Write — never `end - start`, `date + n`, `today() + 30` |
 |:---|:---|
diff --git a/skills/objectstack-formula/evals/cel-predicates-formulas.json b/skills/objectstack-formula/evals/cel-predicates-formulas.json
index 0b13a4a7b78..23b83138836 100644
--- a/skills/objectstack-formula/evals/cel-predicates-formulas.json
+++ b/skills/objectstack-formula/evals/cel-predicates-formulas.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     {
       "id": 4,
       "prompt": "Demo opportunities should close 45 days after the package is installed, and a formula should show how many days remain until close.",
-      "expected_output": "Seed value as a CEL envelope, `close_date: cel`daysFromNow(45)``, never a JS `Date` / `Date.now()` (two `os build` runs must be byte-identical). Days remaining is `daysBetween(today(), record.close_date)` — never `record.close_date - today()` (a duration stored as `{}`) and never date arithmetic on `today()` (it faults).",
+      "expected_output": "Seed value as a CEL envelope, `close_date: cel`daysFromNow(45)``, never a JS `Date` / `Date.now()` (two `os build` runs must be byte-identical). Days remaining is `daysBetween(today(), record.close_date)` — never `record.close_date - today()` (the build refuses it) and never date arithmetic on `today()` (it faults).",
       "files": [],
       "assertions": {
         "must_contain": ["cel`", "daysFromNow(", "daysBetween("],
diff --git a/skills/objectstack-ui/evals/analytics-inline-vs-dataset.json b/skills/objectstack-ui/evals/analytics-inline-vs-dataset.json
index 38be7f9b438..42ad503f3ce 100644
--- a/skills/objectstack-ui/evals/analytics-inline-vs-dataset.json
+++ b/skills/objectstack-ui/evals/analytics-inline-vs-dataset.json
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
     },
     {
       "id": 6,
-      "prompt": "leave_request shows days_requested, a formula (end_date - start_date, returnType 'number'), on its form; keep it. Add a KPI widget totalling days requested this quarter. Emit the metadata.",
+      "prompt": "leave_request shows days_requested, a formula (daysBetween(record.start_date, record.end_date), returnType 'number'), on its form; keep it. Add a KPI widget totalling days requested this quarter. Emit the metadata.",
       "expected_output": "Never sums the formula (virtual, whatever its returnType): adds a stored number a beforeInsert/beforeUpdate hook keeps in step and sums that, or titles the widget as the count it is.",
       "files": [],
       "assertions": {
diff --git a/skills/objectstack-ui/rules/dashboards.md b/skills/objectstack-ui/rules/dashboards.md
index ffbb79f6e2f..f90b7f6fef5 100644
--- a/skills/objectstack-ui/rules/dashboards.md
+++ b/skills/objectstack-ui/rules/dashboards.md
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ Standardized answers to the recurring ambiguous cases:
   or boolean field (`percent` not under `sum`; `min`/`max` also dates); a `formula`
   has no column: refused whatever its `returnType` says. Store the number
   (user-entered, a `summary` rollup, or hook-kept) or title the widget the `count`
-  it is. Leave days: `sum` over the `formula` `days_requested` (`end - start`) is
+  it is. Leave days: `sum` over the `formula` `days_requested` (`daysBetween(start, end)`) is
   refused (`date` fields: no `duration`) ⇒ a stored `number` `days_count` a
   `beforeInsert`/`beforeUpdate` hook writes, then `{ name: 'days_sum', aggregate: 'sum', field: 'days_count' }`.
 - **Breakdown by a multi-value field.** `multiselect`/`checkboxes`/`tags` and