diff --git a/.github/workflows/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.yml b/.github/workflows/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.yml
index f59e5190..0a9c10aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.yml
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install GitHub Copilot CLI
         run: npm install -g @github/copilot
 
+      - name: Install @microsoft/vally
+        run: npm install @microsoft/vally
+
       - name: Run external plugin PR quality gates
         id: quality
         env:
@@ -205,7 +208,7 @@ jobs:
                   const sourceUrl = String(entry?.source_tree_url || '');
                   const locator = String(entry?.source?.sha || entry?.source?.ref || 'repository');
                   const sourceCell = sourceUrl ? `[${locator}](${sourceUrl})` : locator;
-                  return `| ${name} | ${quality.skill_validator_status || 'not_run'} | ${quality.smoke_status || 'not_run'} | ${quality.overall_status || 'not_run'} | ${sourceCell} |`;
+                  return `| ${name} | ${quality.vally_lint_status || 'not_run'} | ${quality.smoke_status || 'not_run'} | ${quality.overall_status || 'not_run'} | ${sourceCell} |`;
                 })
               : ['| _none_ | not_run | not_run | not_run | _n/a_ |'];
 
@@ -218,7 +221,7 @@ jobs:
               '',
               '### Per-plugin quality summary',
               '',
-              '| Plugin | skill-validator | install smoke test | overall | source tree |',
+              '| Plugin | vally lint | install smoke test | overall | source tree |',
               '|---|---|---|---|---|',
               ...rows,
               '',
diff --git a/.github/workflows/external-plugin-quality-gates.yml b/.github/workflows/external-plugin-quality-gates.yml
index 95e27dc4..b88a0279 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/external-plugin-quality-gates.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/external-plugin-quality-gates.yml
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install GitHub Copilot CLI
         run: npm install -g @github/copilot
 
+      - name: Install @microsoft/vally
+        run: npm install @microsoft/vally
+
       - name: Run external plugin quality gates
         id: quality
         env:
diff --git a/eng/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.mjs b/eng/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.mjs
index 44158322..e72928c5 100644
--- a/eng/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.mjs
+++ b/eng/external-plugin-pr-quality-gates.mjs
@@ -66,27 +66,27 @@ function aggregateResultStatus(pluginResults) {
   };
 }
 
-export function runExternalPluginPrQualityGates(plugins) {
+export async function runExternalPluginPrQualityGates(plugins) {
   if (!Array.isArray(plugins)) {
     throw new Error("plugins must be an array");
   }
 
-  const checkedPlugins = plugins.map((plugin) => {
-    const quality = runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin);
+  const checkedPlugins = await Promise.all(plugins.map(async (plugin) => {
+    const quality = await runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin);
     return {
       name: plugin?.name ?? "unknown",
       source: plugin?.source ?? {},
       source_tree_url: buildSourceTreeUrl(plugin),
       quality,
     };
-  });
+  }));
 
   const aggregate = aggregateResultStatus(checkedPlugins);
   const summary = checkedPlugins.length === 0
     ? "No changed external plugin entries were detected in plugins/external.json."
     : checkedPlugins
       .map((entry) =>
-        `- ${entry.name}: skill-validator=${entry.quality.skill_validator_status}, install-smoke=${entry.quality.smoke_status}, overall=${entry.quality.overall_status}`
+        `- ${entry.name}: vally-lint=${entry.quality.vally_lint_status}, install-smoke=${entry.quality.smoke_status}, overall=${entry.quality.overall_status}`
       )
       .join("\n");
 
@@ -120,6 +120,6 @@ if (import.meta.url === `file://${process.argv[1]}`) {
   }
 
   const plugins = JSON.parse(args["plugins-json"]);
-  const result = runExternalPluginPrQualityGates(plugins);
+  const result = await runExternalPluginPrQualityGates(plugins);
   process.stdout.write(`${JSON.stringify(result)}\n`);
 }
diff --git a/eng/external-plugin-quality-gates.mjs b/eng/external-plugin-quality-gates.mjs
index 5a9283e4..ce866331 100644
--- a/eng/external-plugin-quality-gates.mjs
+++ b/eng/external-plugin-quality-gates.mjs
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 import fs from "fs";
 import os from "os";
 import path from "path";
+import { Writable } from "stream";
 import { spawnSync } from "child_process";
+import { runLint, LintConsoleReporter } from "@microsoft/vally";
 
 const MAX_OUTPUT_LENGTH = 12000;
 
@@ -182,7 +184,7 @@ function buildVallyLintArgs(pluginRoot) {
   return [pluginRoot];
 }
 
-function runVallyLintGate(pluginRoot) {
+async function runVallyLintGate(pluginRoot) {
   try {
     const targets = buildVallyLintArgs(pluginRoot);
 
@@ -190,12 +192,20 @@ function runVallyLintGate(pluginRoot) {
     let anyFailure = false;
 
     for (const target of targets) {
-      const check = runCommand(
-        "npx",
-        ["--yes", "@microsoft/vally-cli", "lint", target, "--verbose"],
-      );
-      combinedOutput += check.output + "\n";
-      if (check.exitCode !== 0) {
+      const chunks = [];
+      const captureStream = new Writable({
+        write(chunk, _encoding, callback) {
+          chunks.push(chunk.toString());
+          callback();
+        },
+      });
+
+      const result = await runLint({ rootPath: target });
+      const reporter = new LintConsoleReporter({ verbose: true, stream: captureStream });
+      await reporter.report(result);
+
+      combinedOutput += chunks.join("") + "\n";
+      if (!result.passed) {
         anyFailure = true;
       }
     }
@@ -318,7 +328,7 @@ function toFailureClass(overallStatus) {
   return "none";
 }
 
-export function runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin) {
+export async function runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin) {
   const workDir = fs.mkdtempSync(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "external-plugin-quality-"));
   const result = {
     overall_status: "not_run",
@@ -344,7 +354,7 @@ export function runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin) {
       return result;
     }
 
-    const vallyResult = runVallyLintGate(pluginRoot);
+    const vallyResult = await runVallyLintGate(pluginRoot);
     result.vally_lint_status = vallyResult.status;
     result.vally_lint_output = vallyResult.output;
 
@@ -394,6 +404,6 @@ if (import.meta.url === `file://${process.argv[1]}`) {
   }
 
   const plugin = JSON.parse(args["plugin-json"]);
-  const result = runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin);
+  const result = await runExternalPluginQualityGates(plugin);
   process.stdout.write(`${JSON.stringify(result)}\n`);
 }
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index bcd194d1..b4cb2c98 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
         "vfile-matter": "^5.0.1"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
+        "@microsoft/vally": "^0.6.0",
         "all-contributors-cli": "^6.26.1"
       }
     },
@@ -27,6 +28,193 @@
         "node": ">=6.9.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot/-/copilot-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Q9nBMYEHX1bJLXzzJocQx2nZvORJ0E9gvK6ly/FCtmtA7ad96BWZvf4EHzkCNDsn56aI3zNaUSfKHUKcmIAzSg==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "detect-libc": "^2.1.2"
+      },
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot": "npm-loader.js"
+      },
+      "optionalDependencies": {
+        "@github/copilot-darwin-arm64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-darwin-x64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-linux-arm64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-linux-x64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-linuxmusl-arm64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-linuxmusl-x64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-win32-arm64": "1.0.64-3",
+        "@github/copilot-win32-x64": "1.0.64-3"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-darwin-arm64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-darwin-arm64/-/copilot-darwin-arm64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-wlV6mRoAd/wG2V08TG+BOJ0nyOjroya24FSyA5A49z7PnUUuQXYRpa/GljvI5j3PM8aUl0DyBkXuB/DcFU818g==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "arm64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "darwin"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-darwin-arm64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-darwin-x64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-darwin-x64/-/copilot-darwin-x64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-mk48PIESL2keeemX7tLRmWRDxKwl0q3cFI1ORD2QcrieNK7pSqI3eVbfoB7MqoUUI27yzIkl67xqgl8Qq28IUQ==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "x64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "darwin"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-darwin-x64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-linux-arm64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-linux-arm64/-/copilot-linux-arm64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-rCgtK3/rofQW5StSbeU0TwDUlOl2bvS2HGKyapVxow1Nvz3Q/TDB+eFRQc5ocBdv5tNSor+Caw2JGkRx5v508w==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "arm64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "linux"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-linux-arm64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-linux-x64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-linux-x64/-/copilot-linux-x64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-FAiBMw1h07mURSBLi3ztj5yzbP+uTbo9mhxOym1Xysut5LDpO2kYUzTYk2DlIyLGZhmH/HDOZE+b6U7lOUQy0g==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "x64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "linux"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-linux-x64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-linuxmusl-arm64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-linuxmusl-arm64/-/copilot-linuxmusl-arm64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-vn8P6grPf0y2mNskkdVbAz0i46b1sP9uSXv7z6kgycjprl0CdIYPDf3WEkG60vpyopfQna+iCqCLMWRnNyCk3g==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "arm64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "linux"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-linuxmusl-arm64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-linuxmusl-x64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-linuxmusl-x64/-/copilot-linuxmusl-x64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-atdHimNd6nzRRwHybXUY6/84bYzXeKbDOeYN/N/DsX23+AQOPSu5BD8MD8166I/5kNHui0XOmeTSydVNBUwcJw==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "x64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "linux"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-linuxmusl-x64": "copilot"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-sdk": {
+      "version": "1.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-sdk/-/copilot-sdk-1.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ujnH2QVw3+xvjgo9cbpY0wik4fNxAmdMDSFnxGScDSvRuK2vUCL2xWW4V2ANc9pWwRHPBpEpMuNJMtmydmLCIQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@github/copilot": "^1.0.64-1",
+        "vscode-jsonrpc": "^8.2.1",
+        "zod": "^4.3.6"
+      },
+      "engines": {
+        "node": "^20.19.0 || >=22.12.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-win32-arm64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-win32-arm64/-/copilot-win32-arm64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-jUTS9meoHEXQR8nMDOjwC0baqV273lYtLxY46W7TiOFszhsqhbhWxQMkNQBfT3GEfPp+40igzMPq3reaUTuvag==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "arm64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "win32"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-win32-arm64": "copilot.exe"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@github/copilot-win32-x64": {
+      "version": "1.0.64-3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@github/copilot-win32-x64/-/copilot-win32-x64-1.0.64-3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-gHUhS500Q91hjtH9fqKDblaIs0mO09G4ifpZ1woDPXbkdKe/W29uwB7g2fn0+KczNRyPxFSWlqjnOon4Fe8svA==",
+      "cpu": [
+        "x64"
+      ],
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "SEE LICENSE IN LICENSE.md",
+      "optional": true,
+      "os": [
+        "win32"
+      ],
+      "bin": {
+        "copilot-win32-x64": "copilot.exe"
+      }
+    },
+    "node_modules/@microsoft/vally": {
+      "version": "0.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@microsoft/vally/-/vally-0.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-b283YRDFZXUkKNKY3+1EfMBVbHrBLIs5jfUi7lIQ8N0Y10lVsNnNGkRbtTbd7tLYZajr6AhtnpIroc4RFzo1cQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "dependencies": {
+        "@github/copilot-sdk": "^1.0.0",
+        "js-tiktoken": "^1.0.21",
+        "picomatch": "^4.0.4",
+        "yaml": "^2.9.0",
+        "zod": "^4.4.3"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/unist": {
       "version": "3.0.3",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@types/unist/-/unist-3.0.3.tgz",
@@ -116,6 +304,27 @@
       "dev": true,
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/base64-js": {
+      "version": "1.5.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/base64-js/-/base64-js-1.5.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-AKpaYlHn8t4SVbOHCy+b5+KKgvR4vrsD8vbvrbiQJps7fKDTkjkDry6ji0rUJjC0kzbNePLwzxq8iypo41qeWA==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "funding": [
+        {
+          "type": "github",
+          "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/feross"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "patreon",
+          "url": "https://www.patreon.com/feross"
+        },
+        {
+          "type": "consulting",
+          "url": "https://feross.org/support"
+        }
+      ],
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/camelcase": {
       "version": "5.3.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/camelcase/-/camelcase-5.3.1.tgz",
@@ -215,6 +424,16 @@
         "node": ">=0.10.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/detect-libc": {
+      "version": "2.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/detect-libc/-/detect-libc-2.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Btj2BOOO83o3WyH59e8MgXsxEQVcarkUOpEYrubB0urwnN10yQ364rsiByU11nZlqWYZm05i/of7io4mzihBtQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "Apache-2.0",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=8"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/didyoumean": {
       "version": "1.2.2",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/didyoumean/-/didyoumean-1.2.2.tgz",
@@ -352,6 +571,16 @@
         "node": ">=8"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/js-tiktoken": {
+      "version": "1.0.21",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/js-tiktoken/-/js-tiktoken-1.0.21.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-biOj/6M5qdgx5TKjDnFT1ymSpM5tbd3ylwDtrQvFQSu0Z7bBYko2dF+W/aUkXUPuk6IVpRxk/3Q2sHOzGlS36g==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "dependencies": {
+        "base64-js": "^1.5.1"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/js-yaml": {
       "version": "4.2.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/js-yaml/-/js-yaml-4.2.0.tgz",
@@ -535,6 +764,19 @@
         "node": ">=0.10"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/picomatch": {
+      "version": "4.0.4",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/picomatch/-/picomatch-4.0.4.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-QP88BAKvMam/3NxH6vj2o21R6MjxZUAd6nlwAS/pnGvN9IVLocLHxGYIzFhg6fUQ+5th6P4dv4eW9jX3DSIj7A==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=12"
+      },
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/jonschlinkert"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/pify": {
       "version": "5.0.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/pify/-/pify-5.0.0.tgz",
@@ -783,6 +1025,16 @@
         "url": "https://opencollective.com/unified"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/vscode-jsonrpc": {
+      "version": "8.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/vscode-jsonrpc/-/vscode-jsonrpc-8.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-kdjOSJ2lLIn7r1rtrMbbNCHjyMPfRnowdKjBQ+mGq6NAW5QY2bEZC/khaC5OR8svbbjvLEaIXkOq45e2X9BIbQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=14.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/webidl-conversions": {
       "version": "3.0.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/webidl-conversions/-/webidl-conversions-3.0.1.tgz",
@@ -881,6 +1133,16 @@
       "engines": {
         "node": ">=6"
       }
+    },
+    "node_modules/zod": {
+      "version": "4.4.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/zod/-/zod-4.4.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ytENFjIJFl2UwYglde2jchW2Hwm4GJFLDiSXWdTrJQBIN9Fcyp7n4DhxJEiWNAJMV1/BqWfW/kkg71UDcHJyTQ==",
+      "dev": true,
+      "license": "MIT",
+      "funding": {
+        "url": "https://github.com/sponsors/colinhacks"
+      }
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index b7faf9d4..ec46fbbd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
   "author": "GitHub",
   "license": "MIT",
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@microsoft/vally": "^0.6.0",
     "all-contributors-cli": "^6.26.1"
   },
   "dependencies": {