diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index dc30db55..644b3657 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2797,7 +2797,7 @@ checksum = "04744f49eae99ab78e0d5c0b603ab218f515ea8cfe5a456d7629ad883a3b6e7d"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "orchestrator-cli"
-version = "0.6.18"
+version = "0.6.19"
 dependencies = [
  "animus-control-protocol",
  "animus-log-storage-protocol",
diff --git a/crates/orchestrator-cli/Cargo.toml b/crates/orchestrator-cli/Cargo.toml
index 188a1dc0..cdf86e07 100644
--- a/crates/orchestrator-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/orchestrator-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "orchestrator-cli"
-version = "0.6.18"
+version = "0.6.19"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "Elastic-2.0"
 default-run = "animus"
diff --git a/crates/orchestrator-config/src/workflow_config/yaml_scaffold.rs b/crates/orchestrator-config/src/workflow_config/yaml_scaffold.rs
index 83166863..4de05271 100644
--- a/crates/orchestrator-config/src/workflow_config/yaml_scaffold.rs
+++ b/crates/orchestrator-config/src/workflow_config/yaml_scaffold.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
 
 use animus_config_protocol::parse::yaml_workflows_dir;
+// Only the test-only `default_workflow_template_files` consumes these template
+// name constants; gate the import so non-test builds don't warn on unused imports.
+#[cfg(any(test, feature = "test-utils"))]
 use animus_config_protocol::yaml_types::{
     DEFAULT_WORKFLOW_TEMPLATE_FILE_NAME, HOTFIX_WORKFLOW_TEMPLATE_FILE_NAME, RESEARCH_WORKFLOW_TEMPLATE_FILE_NAME,
     STANDARD_WORKFLOW_TEMPLATE_FILE_NAME,
diff --git a/crates/orchestrator-core/src/workflow/phase_plan.rs b/crates/orchestrator-core/src/workflow/phase_plan.rs
index e6ea65c0..7724a3fc 100644
--- a/crates/orchestrator-core/src/workflow/phase_plan.rs
+++ b/crates/orchestrator-core/src/workflow/phase_plan.rs
@@ -79,10 +79,21 @@ pub fn resolve_phase_plan_for_workflow_ref(
         crate::resolve_pack_registry(root).map(|registry| registry.has_pack_overlays()).unwrap_or(false);
     let has_legacy_workflow_config =
         crate::legacy_workflow_config_paths(root).iter().any(|candidate| candidate.exists());
-    if !has_yaml_workflows && !has_pack_workflows && !workflow_config_path.exists() && !has_legacy_workflow_config {
+    // An installed `config_source` plugin (e.g. config-postgres reading team_*,
+    // or config-yaml reading author YAML) is an authoritative config source even
+    // when no `.animus/workflows/*.yaml`, pack, or compiled cache exists on disk.
+    // Mirror `load_workflow_config`'s own gate (loading.rs) so config_source-only
+    // projects (no on-disk YAML) can still resolve workflows.
+    let has_config_source = orchestrator_config::config_source_client::config_source_installed(root);
+    if !has_config_source
+        && !has_yaml_workflows
+        && !has_pack_workflows
+        && !workflow_config_path.exists()
+        && !has_legacy_workflow_config
+    {
         let requested = requested_workflow_ref.as_deref().or(normalized_workflow_ref.as_deref()).unwrap_or("<default>");
         return Err(anyhow!(
-            "workflow '{requested}' is not available until the project defines workflows in .animus/workflows.yaml or .animus/workflows/*.yaml, or installs a pack"
+            "workflow '{requested}' is not available until the project defines workflows in .animus/workflows.yaml or .animus/workflows/*.yaml, installs a pack, or installs a config_source plugin"
         ));
     }