diff --git a/graphify/__main__.py b/graphify/__main__.py
index ba3ceb6..5d91cec 100644
--- a/graphify/__main__.py
+++ b/graphify/__main__.py
@@ -901,12 +901,11 @@ def _kiro_install(project_dir: Path) -> None:
     """Write graphify skill + steering file for Kiro IDE/CLI."""
     project_dir = project_dir or Path(".")
 
-    # Skill file → .kiro/skills/graphify/SKILL.md
-    skill_src = Path(__file__).parent / "skill-kiro.md"
-    skill_dst = project_dir / ".kiro" / "skills" / "graphify" / "SKILL.md"
-    skill_dst.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
-    skill_dst.write_text(skill_src.read_text(encoding="utf-8"), encoding="utf-8")
-    print(f"  {skill_dst.relative_to(project_dir)}  ->  /graphify skill")
+    # Skill file + references/ sidecar + .graphify_version stamp via the shared
+    # progressive-disclosure helper.  Previously this used a bare write_text that
+    # bypassed _copy_skill_file, so the references/ dir and version stamp were
+    # never written even though kiro declares skill_refs: "kiro" (#1142).
+    _copy_skill_file("kiro", project=True, project_dir=project_dir)
 
     # Steering file → .kiro/steering/graphify.md (always-on)
     steering_dir = project_dir / ".kiro" / "steering"
@@ -931,15 +930,10 @@ def _kiro_uninstall(project_dir: Path) -> None:
     project_dir = project_dir or Path(".")
     removed = []
 
-    skill_dst = project_dir / ".kiro" / "skills" / "graphify" / "SKILL.md"
-    if skill_dst.exists():
-        skill_dst.unlink()
+    # Skill + .graphify_version + references/ sidecar + empty-dir walk.
+    skill_dst = _platform_skill_destination("kiro", project=True, project_dir=project_dir)
+    if _remove_skill_file("kiro", project=True, project_dir=project_dir):
         removed.append(str(skill_dst.relative_to(project_dir)))
-        # Remove parent dir if empty
-        try:
-            skill_dst.parent.rmdir()
-        except OSError:
-            pass
 
     steering_dst = project_dir / ".kiro" / "steering" / "graphify.md"
     if steering_dst.exists():
diff --git a/tests/test_install_upgrade.py b/tests/test_install_upgrade.py
index 09ee3d8..13e7c55 100644
--- a/tests/test_install_upgrade.py
+++ b/tests/test_install_upgrade.py
@@ -231,3 +231,42 @@ def test_kiro_install_upgrades_stale_steering(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert "read it before answering architecture questions" not in after
     _assert_query_first(after, ".kiro/steering/graphify.md")
     assert "inclusion: always" in after  # frontmatter preserved
+
+
+def test_kiro_install_ships_references_sidecar_and_version_stamp(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """_kiro_install routes through _copy_skill_file so the references/ sidecar
+    and .graphify_version stamp are written alongside SKILL.md (#1142).
+    Previously it used a bare write_text that bypassed the shared helper."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr(mainmod, "_check_skill_version", lambda _: None)
+
+    refs_dir = Path(mainmod.__file__).parent / "skills" / "kiro" / "references"
+    if not refs_dir.exists():
+        pytest.skip("kiro references bundle not present in this checkout")
+
+    mainmod._kiro_install(tmp_path)
+
+    skill_dir = tmp_path / ".kiro" / "skills" / "graphify"
+
+    # SKILL.md present
+    assert (skill_dir / "SKILL.md").exists()
+
+    # references/ sidecar installed with at least one fragment
+    refs_dst = skill_dir / "references"
+    assert refs_dst.is_dir(), "references/ sidecar must be installed (#1142)"
+    assert any(refs_dst.iterdir()), "references/ must not be empty"
+
+    # .graphify_version stamp written
+    version_file = skill_dir / ".graphify_version"
+    assert version_file.exists(), ".graphify_version stamp must be written (#1142)"
+    assert version_file.read_text(encoding="utf-8") == mainmod.__version__
+
+    # no references.tmp leftover
+    assert not (skill_dir / "references.tmp").exists()
+
+    # steering file still written
+    assert (tmp_path / ".kiro" / "steering" / "graphify.md").exists()
+
+    # uninstall removes skill dir, version stamp, references/, and steering file
+    mainmod._kiro_uninstall(tmp_path)
+    assert not skill_dir.exists(), "uninstall must remove skill dir including references/ (#1142)"
+    assert not (tmp_path / ".kiro" / "steering" / "graphify.md").exists()