diff --git a/src/specify_cli/workflows/_commands.py b/src/specify_cli/workflows/_commands.py
index 716b6c8a19..a82af12a70 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/workflows/_commands.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/workflows/_commands.py
@@ -1733,9 +1733,11 @@ def workflow_add(
     from_url: str | None = typer.Option(None, "--from", help="Install from a custom URL"),
 ):
     """Install a workflow from catalog, URL, or local path."""
+    from . import load_custom_steps
     from .engine import WorkflowDefinition
 
     project_root = _require_specify_project()
+    load_custom_steps(project_root)
     _open_workflow_registry(project_root)
     workflows_dir = project_root / ".specify" / "workflows"
     # With --from, source names the expected workflow ID: validate it up
diff --git a/tests/test_workflows.py b/tests/test_workflows.py
index 9b1c17881e..b0c20776c3 100644
--- a/tests/test_workflows.py
+++ b/tests/test_workflows.py
@@ -10079,6 +10079,68 @@ def test_lowercase_extension_still_installs(self, temp_dir, monkeypatch, sample_
         assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
         assert "installed" in result.output
 
+    def test_add_installs_workflow_with_custom_step(self, temp_dir, monkeypatch):
+        from typer.testing import CliRunner
+        from specify_cli import app
+
+        (temp_dir / ".specify" / "workflows").mkdir(parents=True)
+        step_dir = temp_dir / ".specify" / "workflows" / "steps" / "test-add-step"
+        step_dir.mkdir(parents=True)
+        step_manifest = {
+            "schema_version": "1.0",
+            "step": {
+                "type_key": "test-add-step",
+                "name": "Test Add Step",
+                "version": "1.0.0",
+            },
+        }
+        (step_dir / "step.yml").write_text(
+            yaml.safe_dump(step_manifest, sort_keys=False),
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+        (step_dir / "__init__.py").write_text(
+            """
+from specify_cli.workflows.base import StepBase, StepResult
+
+
+class TestAddStep(StepBase):
+    type_key = "test-add-step"
+
+    def execute(self, config, context):
+        return StepResult()
+""",
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+
+        src = temp_dir / "sample.yml"
+        workflow_definition = {
+            "schema_version": "1.0",
+            "workflow": {
+                "id": "test-workflow-with-custom-step",
+                "name": "Test Workflow With Custom Step",
+                "version": "1.0.0",
+            },
+            "steps": [
+                {"id": "custom-step", "type": "test-add-step"},
+            ],
+        }
+        src.write_text(
+            yaml.safe_dump(workflow_definition, sort_keys=False),
+            encoding="utf-8",
+        )
+        monkeypatch.chdir(temp_dir)
+        result = CliRunner().invoke(app, ["workflow", "add", str(src)])
+
+        assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+        installed_workflow = (
+            temp_dir
+            / ".specify"
+            / "workflows"
+            / "test-workflow-with-custom-step"
+            / "workflow.yml"
+        )
+        assert installed_workflow.is_file()
+
 
 class TestWorkflowInfoStepGraph:
     """`workflow info` must render each step as `→ <id> [<type>]` with LITERAL