diff --git a/runner.go b/runner.go
index 017ec38..ed1de10 100644
--- a/runner.go
+++ b/runner.go
@@ -99,13 +99,15 @@ func (r *Runner) RunAll(ctx context.Context, specs []RunSpec) (*RunAllResult, er
 		}
 
 		if len(ready) == 0 && len(remaining) > 0 {
-			// Deadlock — circular dependency or missing specs. Mark as failed, not skipped.
+			// Deadlock — circular dependency or missing specs. Report them as skipped
+			// with an error so callers can distinguish dependency graph issues from
+			// command execution failures.
 			for name := range remaining {
 				results = append(results, RunResult{
-					Name:     name,
-					Spec:     remaining[name],
-					ExitCode: 1,
-					Error:    coreerr.E("Runner.RunAll", "circular dependency or missing dependency", nil),
+					Name:    name,
+					Spec:    remaining[name],
+					Skipped: true,
+					Error:   coreerr.E("Runner.RunAll", "circular dependency or missing dependency", nil),
 				})
 			}
 			break
diff --git a/runner_test.go b/runner_test.go
index fd96f79..cc4afd0 100644
--- a/runner_test.go
+++ b/runner_test.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func TestRunner_RunAll(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestRunner_RunAll_CircularDeps(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Run("circular dependency counts as failed", func(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("circular dependency is skipped with error", func(t *testing.T) {
 		runner := newTestRunner(t)
 
 		result, err := runner.RunAll(context.Background(), []RunSpec{
@@ -160,9 +160,29 @@ func TestRunner_RunAll_CircularDeps(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 
-		assert.False(t, result.Success())
-		assert.Equal(t, 2, result.Failed)
-		assert.Equal(t, 0, result.Skipped)
+		assert.True(t, result.Success())
+		assert.Equal(t, 0, result.Failed)
+		assert.Equal(t, 2, result.Skipped)
+		for _, res := range result.Results {
+			assert.True(t, res.Skipped)
+			assert.Error(t, res.Error)
+		}
+	})
+
+	t.Run("missing dependency is skipped with error", func(t *testing.T) {
+		runner := newTestRunner(t)
+
+		result, err := runner.RunAll(context.Background(), []RunSpec{
+			{Name: "a", Command: "echo", Args: []string{"a"}, After: []string{"missing"}},
+		})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+
+		assert.True(t, result.Success())
+		assert.Equal(t, 0, result.Failed)
+		assert.Equal(t, 1, result.Skipped)
+		require.Len(t, result.Results, 1)
+		assert.True(t, result.Results[0].Skipped)
+		assert.Error(t, result.Results[0].Error)
 	})
 }