diff --git a/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/references.py b/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/references.py
index 3dd0f3d010..ca31e1e352 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/references.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/bundler/services/references.py
@@ -40,8 +40,17 @@ def _resolved_locally(root: Path, component: ComponentRef) -> bool:
                 return True
             return WorkflowRegistry(root).is_installed(component.id)
         if kind == "steps":
+            from ...workflows import STEP_REGISTRY
             from ...workflows.catalog import StepRegistry
 
+            # Step types ship with Spec Kit as built-ins (shell, gate, if, ...)
+            # rather than as an on-disk asset directory, so there is no
+            # ``_locate_bundled_step`` to mirror the three lookups above.
+            # ``STEP_REGISTRY`` is the bundled-with-Spec-Kit check for this kind
+            # -- it is what ``specify workflow step info`` reports as
+            # "built-in". Without it every built-in step type looked unresolved.
+            if component.id in STEP_REGISTRY:
+                return True
             return StepRegistry(root).is_installed(component.id)
     except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 - resolution is best-effort
         return False
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_bundler_references.py b/tests/unit/test_bundler_references.py
index 1291ba08bd..111779e9ad 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_bundler_references.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_bundler_references.py
@@ -24,6 +24,38 @@ def test_bundled_extension_resolves(tmp_path: Path):
     assert warnings == []
 
 
+def test_builtin_step_type_resolves(tmp_path: Path):
+    """A built-in step type must resolve, like a bundled extension.
+
+    Spec Kit ships 11 step types as built-ins registered in ``STEP_REGISTRY``
+    rather than as on-disk asset directories, so there is no
+    ``_locate_bundled_step``. The ``steps`` branch of ``_resolved_locally`` only
+    asked ``StepRegistry(root).is_installed()``, which tracks *community* step
+    types installed under ``.specify/workflows/steps/`` — so every built-in step
+    type was reported as an unresolved reference.
+    """
+    from specify_cli.workflows import STEP_REGISTRY
+
+    root = make_project(tmp_path)
+    warnings: list[str] = []
+    check = make_reference_checker(root, allow_network=True, warnings=warnings)
+
+    for step_id in ("shell", "gate", "command", "if"):
+        assert step_id in STEP_REGISTRY, step_id
+        assert check(_ref("steps", step_id)) is None, step_id
+    assert warnings == []
+
+
+def test_unknown_step_type_still_errors_online(tmp_path: Path):
+    """The guard must not make every step id resolve."""
+    root = make_project(tmp_path)
+    warnings: list[str] = []
+    check = make_reference_checker(root, allow_network=True, warnings=warnings)
+    problem = check(_ref("steps", "no-such-step-type"))
+    assert problem is not None
+    assert "no-such-step-type" in problem
+
+
 def test_unknown_reference_errors_online(tmp_path: Path):
     root = make_project(tmp_path)
     warnings: list[str] = []