diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3a22821f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/workflow-step-templates-verdict.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES } from "../types";
+
+const TARGET_IDS = [
+  "documentation-review",
+  "qa-check",
+  "security-audit",
+  "performance-review",
+  "accessibility-check",
+  "browser-verification",
+  "frontend-ux-design",
+] as const;
+
+describe("workflow step template verdict contracts", () => {
+  it.each(TARGET_IDS)("%s uses canonical structured verdict output", (id) => {
+    const template = WORKFLOW_STEP_TEMPLATES.find((entry) => entry.id === id);
+    expect(template).toBeTruthy();
+
+    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"');
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain("task_done(");
+    expect(prompt).not.toContain("task_log(");
+    expect(prompt).toMatch(/Diff Scope|out of scope/i);
+  });
+});