diff --git a/.changeset/code-review-workflow-step.md b/.changeset/code-review-workflow-step.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d2bac71de6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/code-review-workflow-step.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+"@runfusion/fusion": minor
+---
+
+summary: Add an optional built-in "Code Review" pre-merge step to the coding workflows.
+category: feature
+dev: New `code-review` WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATE (toolMode readonly, gateMode advisory, phase pre-merge) plus a default-OFF `optional-group` node (group id `code-review`, inner `code-review-step`) wired into the built-in coding + stepwise coding workflows next to browser-verification. Opt-in via task `enabledWorkflowSteps`; reuses the shared prompt-gate verdict machinery (no engine verification code).
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-code-review-group.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-code-review-group.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..03ce69dc7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-code-review-group.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import {
+  CODE_REVIEW_GROUP_ID,
+  CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID,
+  codeReviewOptionalGroupNode,
+} from "../builtin-code-review-group.js";
+import { BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR } from "../builtin-coding-workflow-ir.js";
+import { BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR } from "../builtin-stepwise-coding-workflow-ir.js";
+import { WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES } from "../types.js";
+import { parseWorkflowIr, serializeWorkflowIr } from "../workflow-ir.js";
+import {
+  resolveDefaultOnOptionalGroupIds,
+  resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps,
+} from "../workflow-optional-steps.js";
+
+/*
+FNXC:CodeReviewStep 2026-06-25-12:00:
+Coverage for the built-in "Code Review" pre-merge workflow step: the catalog template
+fields, the default-OFF optional-group node built from it, and its wiring into the coding
++ stepwise built-ins. Mirrors the browser-verification group/IR suite — code review is a
+WORKFLOW prompt-gate (shared verdict machinery), not engine verification code.
+*/
+
+describe("code-review WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATE", () => {
+  const template = WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES.find((t) => t.id === "code-review");
+
+  it("exists with the expected catalog fields", () => {
+    expect(template).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(template!.name).toBe("Code Review");
+    expect(template!.toolMode).toBe("readonly");
+    // Advisory default → non-blocking until an operator promotes it to a gate (parity
+    // with browser-verification).
+    expect(template!.gateMode).toBe("advisory");
+    expect(template!.phase).toBe("pre-merge");
+    expect(template!.description.length).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it("ends with the shared trailing verdict convention and reads the diff", () => {
+    const prompt = template!.prompt;
+    expect(prompt).toMatch(/"verdict":"APPROVE\|APPROVE_WITH_NOTES\|REVISE"/);
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain('"verdict":"PASS"');
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain('"verdict":"FAIL"');
+    // Focused on the value tests miss + reads the diff against the base.
+    expect(prompt).toMatch(/git diff/);
+    expect(prompt).toMatch(/out of scope/i);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("codeReviewOptionalGroupNode", () => {
+  it("builds a default-OFF optional-group with the stable group id and distinct inner id", () => {
+    const node = codeReviewOptionalGroupNode("in-progress");
+    expect(node.id).toBe(CODE_REVIEW_GROUP_ID);
+    expect(CODE_REVIEW_GROUP_ID).toBe("code-review");
+    expect(CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID).toBe("code-review-step");
+    expect(node.id).not.toBe(CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID); // U1: inner id ≠ group id.
+    expect(node.kind).toBe("optional-group");
+    expect(node.column).toBe("in-progress");
+    expect(node.config?.name).toBe("Code Review");
+    expect(node.config?.defaultOn).toBe(false);
+
+    const template = node.config?.template as { nodes: { id: string; kind: string; config?: Record<string, unknown> }[] };
+    expect(template.nodes).toHaveLength(1);
+    const inner = template.nodes[0];
+    expect(inner.id).toBe(CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID);
+    expect(inner.kind).toBe("prompt");
+    expect(inner.config?.toolMode).toBe("readonly");
+    expect(inner.config?.gateMode).toBe("advisory");
+    expect(String(inner.config?.prompt)).toMatch(/"verdict":"APPROVE\|APPROVE_WITH_NOTES\|REVISE"/);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("built-in coding + stepwise workflows wire code-review default-OFF on the pre-merge path", () => {
+  it.each([
+    ["builtin coding", BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR],
+    ["builtin stepwise", BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR],
+  ])("%s includes the code-review optional-group and still parses/round-trips", (_name, ir) => {
+    const byId = new Map(ir.nodes.map((n) => [n.id, n]));
+    const group = byId.get("code-review");
+    expect(group?.kind).toBe("optional-group");
+    expect(group?.config?.name).toBe("Code Review");
+    expect(group?.config?.defaultOn).toBe(false);
+    expect(group?.column).toBe("in-progress");
+
+    // Pre-merge wiring: ... → browser-verification → code-review → review; failure → end.
+    expect(ir.edges).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        expect.objectContaining({ from: "browser-verification", to: "code-review", condition: "success" }),
+        expect.objectContaining({ from: "code-review", to: "review", condition: "success" }),
+        expect.objectContaining({ from: "code-review", to: "end", condition: "failure" }),
+      ]),
+    );
+
+    // The built-in still compiles/validates with the new node (parse round-trips).
+    const reparsed = parseWorkflowIr(serializeWorkflowIr(ir));
+    expect(reparsed).toEqual(parseWorkflowIr(ir));
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["builtin coding", BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR],
+    ["builtin stepwise", BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR],
+  ])("%s: code-review is advertised as an opt-in toggle but never default-seeded", (_name, ir) => {
+    // Enabling it (task.enabledWorkflowSteps includes `code-review`) surfaces it on the
+    // pre-merge path; the resolver advertises the toggle keyed by the group id.
+    const advertised = resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps(ir).find((s) => s.templateId === "code-review");
+    expect(advertised).toEqual({
+      templateId: "code-review",
+      name: "Code Review",
+      description: "",
+      phase: "pre-merge",
+      defaultOn: false,
+    });
+    // Default OFF → byte-inert pass-through: never auto-seeded into a new task.
+    expect(resolveDefaultOnOptionalGroupIds(ir)).not.toContain("code-review");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.test.ts
index 7d7f31bfdf..db3815a4d4 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.test.ts
@@ -53,11 +53,13 @@ describe("builtin coding workflow ir", () => {
     expect(group?.kind).toBe("optional-group");
     expect(group?.config?.name).toBe("Browser Verification");
     expect(group?.config?.defaultOn).toBe(false);
-    // execute → browser-verification → review on the success path; failure → end.
+    // execute → browser-verification → code-review → review on the success path; the
+    // pre-merge code-review optional-group sits next to browser-verification. failure → end.
     expect(BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR.edges).toEqual(
       expect.arrayContaining([
         expect.objectContaining({ from: "execute", to: "browser-verification", condition: "success" }),
-        expect.objectContaining({ from: "browser-verification", to: "review", condition: "success" }),
+        expect.objectContaining({ from: "browser-verification", to: "code-review", condition: "success" }),
+        expect.objectContaining({ from: "code-review", to: "review", condition: "success" }),
         expect.objectContaining({ from: "browser-verification", to: "end", condition: "failure" }),
       ]),
     );
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-optional-steps.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-optional-steps.test.ts
index 5f101815d0..c591cc2cd5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-optional-steps.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-optional-steps.test.ts
@@ -108,10 +108,11 @@ describe("resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps (optional-group nodes)", () => {
     ]);
   });
 
-  it("resolves the built-in coding/stepwise browser-verification optional-group (U6)", () => {
-    // U6 migrated both built-ins: `browser-verification` is now an optional-group
-    // node (default OFF), so the resolver advertises exactly one toggle entry per
-    // built-in, keyed by the group node id `browser-verification`.
+  it("resolves the built-in coding/stepwise browser-verification + code-review optional-groups", () => {
+    // U6 migrated both built-ins: `browser-verification` is an optional-group node
+    // (default OFF). The pre-merge `code-review` optional-group (also default OFF) sits
+    // next to it on the same success path, so the resolver advertises exactly these two
+    // toggle entries per built-in, in node order (browser-verification → code-review).
     const expected = [
       {
         templateId: "browser-verification",
@@ -120,6 +121,13 @@ describe("resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps (optional-group nodes)", () => {
         phase: "pre-merge" as const,
         defaultOn: false,
       },
+      {
+        templateId: "code-review",
+        name: "Code Review",
+        description: "",
+        phase: "pre-merge" as const,
+        defaultOn: false,
+      },
     ];
     expect(resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps(BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR)).toEqual(expected);
     expect(resolveWorkflowOptionalSteps(BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR)).toEqual(expected);
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts
index 3a22821f22..152831a23e 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ const TARGET_IDS = [
   "performance-review",
   "accessibility-check",
   "browser-verification",
+  "code-review",
   "frontend-ux-design",
 ] as const;
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/builtin-code-review-group.ts b/packages/core/src/builtin-code-review-group.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a9f47252c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/builtin-code-review-group.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+import type { WorkflowIrNode } from "./workflow-ir-types.js";
+import { WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES } from "./types.js";
+
+/*
+FNXC:CodeReviewStep 2026-06-25-12:00:
+The built-in coding and stepwise-coding workflows express the optional `code-review`
+step as an `optional-group` container node on the pre-merge path (default OFF),
+mirroring `builtin-browser-verification-group.ts` exactly. Enabled (the task's
+`enabledWorkflowSteps` includes the group id) → the diff-review step runs ONCE
+pre-merge between implementation and review. Disabled → the group passes through
+(byte-inert), so the step is purely opt-in.
+
+The group node id `code-review` is the STABLE per-task enable key (KTD-2). The inner
+template node carries a DISTINCT id (`code-review-step`) because a template node id may
+not collide with the group/top-level node id (U1 validation).
+
+The inner node mirrors the dashboard's `stepTemplateToNode` projection of the canonical
+`code-review` WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATE: a `prompt` node carrying the template's prompt,
+`toolMode` (readonly — review reads the diff, never mutates), and `gateMode` (advisory
+default — non-blocking until an operator promotes it). Sourcing prompt/toolMode/gateMode
+from the catalog keeps the built-in byte-identical to the template a human would insert
+from the palette (KTD-5).
+*/
+
+function resolveCodeReviewTemplate() {
+  const tpl = WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES.find((t) => t.id === "code-review");
+  if (!tpl) {
+    throw new Error("code-review WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATE is missing");
+  }
+  return tpl;
+}
+
+const CODE_REVIEW_TEMPLATE = resolveCodeReviewTemplate();
+
+/** Stable per-task enable key + group node id. */
+export const CODE_REVIEW_GROUP_ID = "code-review";
+
+/** Inner template node id — distinct from the group id (template-node-id collision rule, U1). */
+export const CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID = "code-review-step";
+
+/**
+ * Build the `code-review` optional-group node placed on a workflow's pre-merge path.
+ * `column` matches where the browser-verification group sits (in-progress) so the editor
+ * renders the group in the implementation column.
+ *
+ * Mirrors `stepTemplateToNode(code-review)`: a single `prompt` node whose config carries
+ * the catalog prompt + `toolMode: "readonly"` + `gateMode: "advisory"`.
+ */
+export function codeReviewOptionalGroupNode(column: string): WorkflowIrNode {
+  const tpl = CODE_REVIEW_TEMPLATE;
+  return {
+    id: CODE_REVIEW_GROUP_ID,
+    kind: "optional-group",
+    column,
+    config: {
+      name: tpl.name,
+      defaultOn: false,
+      template: {
+        nodes: [
+          {
+            id: CODE_REVIEW_STEP_NODE_ID,
+            kind: "prompt",
+            config: {
+              name: tpl.name,
+              description: tpl.description,
+              prompt: tpl.prompt ?? "",
+              toolMode: tpl.toolMode === "coding" ? "coding" : "readonly",
+              gateMode: tpl.gateMode ?? "advisory",
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        edges: [],
+      },
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.ts b/packages/core/src/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.ts
index b506ffec31..3ed5d173ba 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/builtin-coding-workflow-ir.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { parseWorkflowIr } from "./workflow-ir.js";
 import { BUILTIN_WORKFLOW_SETTINGS } from "./builtin-workflow-settings.js";
 import { builtinPromptConfig } from "./builtin-workflow-prompts.js";
 import { browserVerificationOptionalGroupNode } from "./builtin-browser-verification-group.js";
+import { codeReviewOptionalGroupNode } from "./builtin-code-review-group.js";
 
 /**
  * The built-in default workflow as a v2 IR. Its six columns have ids that are
@@ -75,6 +76,12 @@ const RAW_BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR: WorkflowIr = {
     },
     // Pre-merge optional browser-verification (optional-group, default OFF).
     browserVerificationOptionalGroupNode("in-progress"),
+    // FNXC:CodeReviewStep 2026-06-25-12:00:
+    // Pre-merge optional Code Review (optional-group, default OFF), placed next to the
+    // browser-verification group on the same success path (execute → browser-verification
+    // → code-review → review). Disabled → passes through inert; enabled → diff-reviews the
+    // change once pre-merge.
+    codeReviewOptionalGroupNode("in-progress"),
     { id: "review", kind: "prompt", column: "in-review", config: builtinPromptConfig("review", "Review") },
     { id: "merge-gate", kind: "merge-gate", column: "in-review", config: { gate: "auto-merge" } },
     { id: "merge-retry", kind: "retry-backoff", column: "in-review", config: { policy: "merge", maxAttempts: 3 } },
@@ -101,7 +108,10 @@ const RAW_BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR: WorkflowIr = {
     // execute → browser-verification (optional-group) → review. When the group is
     // disabled it passes through with outcome=success and routes straight to review.
     { from: "execute", to: "browser-verification", condition: "success" },
-    { from: "browser-verification", to: "review", condition: "success" },
+    // browser-verification → code-review → review. Each optional-group passes through with
+    // outcome=success when disabled, so a task with both off routes straight to review.
+    { from: "browser-verification", to: "code-review", condition: "success" },
+    { from: "code-review", to: "review", condition: "success" },
     { from: "review", to: "merge-gate", condition: "success" },
     { from: "merge-gate", to: "branch-group-member-integration", condition: "outcome:auto-on" },
     { from: "merge-gate", to: "merge-manual-hold", condition: "outcome:auto-off" },
@@ -118,6 +128,7 @@ const RAW_BUILTIN_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR: WorkflowIr = {
     { from: "planning", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "execute", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "browser-verification", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
+    { from: "code-review", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "review", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "merge-attempt", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
   ],
diff --git a/packages/core/src/builtin-stepwise-coding-workflow-ir.ts b/packages/core/src/builtin-stepwise-coding-workflow-ir.ts
index 39f14f740e..4d6115df40 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/builtin-stepwise-coding-workflow-ir.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/builtin-stepwise-coding-workflow-ir.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { parseWorkflowIr } from "./workflow-ir.js";
 import { BUILTIN_WORKFLOW_SETTINGS } from "./builtin-workflow-settings.js";
 import { builtinPromptConfig } from "./builtin-workflow-prompts.js";
 import { browserVerificationOptionalGroupNode } from "./builtin-browser-verification-group.js";
+import { codeReviewOptionalGroupNode } from "./builtin-code-review-group.js";
 
 /**
  * The built-in **stepwise** coding workflow (KTD-9) — the demonstration of step
@@ -134,6 +135,14 @@ const RAW_BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR: WorkflowIr = {
     // disabled the group passes through inert. Both the normal foreach-success path
     // and the rework-exhausted manual-release path flow through this node.
     browserVerificationOptionalGroupNode("in-progress"),
+    // FNXC:CodeReviewStep 2026-06-25-12:00:
+    // Pre-merge optional Code Review (optional-group, default OFF), placed next to the
+    // browser-verification group on the post-foreach success path (steps → browser-
+    // verification → code-review → review). Same R-3 run-once guarantee: it sits after the
+    // foreach so an enabled task runs it EXACTLY ONCE pre-merge, never per step-instance;
+    // disabled → inert pass-through. Both the foreach-success and rework-exhausted manual-
+    // release paths flow through it.
+    codeReviewOptionalGroupNode("in-progress"),
     { id: "review", kind: "prompt", column: "in-review", config: builtinPromptConfig("review", "Review") },
     { id: "merge-gate", kind: "merge-gate", column: "in-review", config: { gate: "auto-merge" } },
     { id: "merge-retry", kind: "retry-backoff", column: "in-review", config: { policy: "merge", maxAttempts: 3 } },
@@ -172,8 +181,12 @@ const RAW_BUILTIN_STEPWISE_CODING_WORKFLOW_IR: WorkflowIr = {
     // KTD-5: bounded rework exhaustion → manual hold; release re-enters the group.
     { from: "steps", to: "rework-hold", condition: "outcome:rework-exhausted" },
     { from: "rework-hold", to: "browser-verification", condition: "success" },
-    { from: "browser-verification", to: "review", condition: "success" },
+    // browser-verification → code-review → review; each optional-group passes through
+    // (outcome=success) when disabled, so a task with both off routes straight to review.
+    { from: "browser-verification", to: "code-review", condition: "success" },
+    { from: "code-review", to: "review", condition: "success" },
     { from: "browser-verification", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
+    { from: "code-review", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "steps", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
     { from: "review", to: "merge-gate", condition: "success" },
     { from: "review", to: "end", condition: "failure" },
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types.ts b/packages/core/src/types.ts
index 2d27f1d78b..40af737a30 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types.ts
@@ -1102,6 +1102,51 @@ Use these agent-browser commands for verification:
 {"verdict":"APPROVE|APPROVE_WITH_NOTES|REVISE","notes":"..."}
 
 Note: Refs (@e1, @e2) are invalidated after page navigation. Re-snapshot after clicking links or form submissions.`,
+  },
+  {
+    /*
+    FNXC:CodeReviewStep 2026-06-25-12:00:
+    Built-in "Code Review" catalog template: a configurable pre-merge prompt-gate that
+    diff-reviews the task's changes for the correctness value automated tests miss
+    (logic bugs, broken edge cases, intent-vs-implementation drift, regressions in
+    touched paths, error handling, contract/signature breaks). This is the WORKFLOW-layer
+    code review — it reuses the shared prompt-gate verdict machinery, NOT engine
+    verification code. gateMode defaults to "advisory" (non-blocking) exactly like
+    browser-verification, so it is opt-in/non-blocking until an operator promotes it to a
+    blocking gate. phase "pre-merge" places it before merge. toolMode "readonly": review
+    reads the diff/files, it does not mutate the worktree.
+    */
+    id: "code-review",
+    name: "Code Review",
+    description: "Diff-review the task's changes for correctness bugs, regressions, and intent mismatches that tests miss",
+    category: "Quality",
+    icon: "git-pull-request",
+    toolMode: "readonly",
+    gateMode: "advisory",
+    phase: "pre-merge",
+    prompt: `You are a senior code reviewer. Review the task's diff for the correctness value automated tests do NOT catch.
+
+## Step 1: Read the change
+1. Read the full diff against the base branch: \`git diff <base>...HEAD\` (or \`git diff <base>\`). Determine the base from the task context / merge target.
+2. Read the changed files in full where the diff is non-trivial, so you see the surrounding code paths the change touches — not just the hunks.
+
+## Step 2: Review focus (the value tests miss)
+1. **Correctness / logic bugs** — wrong conditions, inverted boolean/comparison logic, off-by-one, incorrect operator precedence, mishandled return values.
+2. **Broken edge cases** — empty/undefined/null inputs, zero/duplicate/boundary values, concurrency and ordering assumptions.
+3. **Intent vs implementation** — does the code actually do what the task/PROMPT.md describes? Flag silent scope drift or partial implementations.
+4. **Regressions in touched code paths** — does the change break or weaken an existing behavior in the files it edits or their callers?
+5. **Error handling** — swallowed errors, unhandled rejections/exceptions, missing validation at trust boundaries, misleading error messages.
+6. **Contract / signature changes** — changed function/exported-type signatures, API request/response shapes, or serialization that breaks existing callers.
+
+Be specific: cite \`file:line\` for every finding and explain the concrete failure it causes.
+
+## Output Requirements
+- Fast-bail: if the diff is trivial, generated, or out-of-scope for code review (e.g. pure docs/config/formatting with no logic), output {"verdict":"APPROVE","notes":"out of scope: code review"} immediately and stop.
+- APPROVE: no correctness concerns; use empty or brief notes.
+- APPROVE_WITH_NOTES: shippable, but include non-blocking advisories (with file:line) in notes.
+- REVISE: a correctness bug, regression, or contract break requires changes; include file:line and the concrete failure plus remediation in notes.
+- Final output: output exactly one trailing JSON object on the final line (no markdown fences, no surrounding prose):
+{"verdict":"APPROVE|APPROVE_WITH_NOTES|REVISE","notes":"..."}`,
   },
   {
     id: "frontend-ux-design",