diff --git a/apps/web/components/automations/automation-editor.tsx b/apps/web/components/automations/automation-editor.tsx
index 605b632bd3..24564d06e8 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/automations/automation-editor.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/automations/automation-editor.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import { PromptSection } from "./prompt-section";
 import { ConfigSection } from "./config-section";
 import { RunsSection } from "./runs-section";
 import { WebhookCreatedDialog } from "./webhook-created-dialog";
+import { RequiredFieldLabel } from "./required-field-label";
 import {
   type CreatedWebhookDetails,
   type FormState,
@@ -353,14 +354,21 @@ export function AutomationEditor({ workspaceId, automationId }: AutomationEditor
   return (
     <div className="max-w-3xl space-y-6" data-testid="automation-editor">
       <div className="space-y-2">
-        <Label htmlFor="automation-name">Name</Label>
+        <RequiredFieldLabel htmlFor="automation-name">Name</RequiredFieldLabel>
         <Input
           id="automation-name"
           data-testid="automation-name-input"
           value={form.name}
           onChange={(e) => updateField("name", e.target.value)}
           placeholder="Automation name"
+          aria-describedby={!form.name.trim() ? "automation-name-help" : undefined}
+          aria-invalid={!form.name.trim() ? true : undefined}
         />
+        {!form.name.trim() && (
+          <p id="automation-name-help" className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            Enter an automation name to enable saving.
+          </p>
+        )}
       </div>
       <Separator />
       <WhenSection
diff --git a/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.test.tsx b/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93c51a0ec3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import { cleanup, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import type { ComponentProps } from "react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+const mockState = {
+  workflows: {
+    items: [{ id: "workflow-1", name: "Build" }],
+  },
+  agentProfiles: {
+    items: [],
+  },
+  executors: {
+    items: [],
+  },
+};
+
+vi.mock("@/components/state-provider", () => ({
+  useAppStore: (selector: (state: typeof mockState) => unknown) => selector(mockState),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/hooks/domains/settings/use-settings-data", () => ({
+  useSettingsData: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/hooks/use-workflows", () => ({
+  useWorkflows: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/hooks/domains/workspace/use-repositories", () => ({
+  useRepositories: () => ({ repositories: [] }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/app/actions/workspaces", () => ({
+  discoverRepositoriesAction: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ repositories: [] }),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/api/domains/workflow-api", () => ({
+  listWorkflowSteps: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ steps: [] }),
+}));
+
+import { ConfigSection } from "./config-section";
+
+function renderConfigSection(overrides: Partial<ComponentProps<typeof ConfigSection>> = {}) {
+  return render(
+    <ConfigSection
+      workspaceId="workspace-1"
+      workflowId=""
+      workflowStepId=""
+      agentProfileId=""
+      executorProfileId=""
+      repositorySelection={{ kind: "none" }}
+      executionMode="task"
+      conditionType={null}
+      onWorkflowChange={() => {}}
+      onStepChange={() => {}}
+      onAgentProfileChange={() => {}}
+      onExecutorProfileChange={() => {}}
+      onRepositoryChange={() => {}}
+      onExecutionModeChange={() => {}}
+      {...overrides}
+    />,
+  );
+}
+
+describe("ConfigSection", () => {
+  afterEach(cleanup);
+
+  it("marks task workflow fields as required and explains missing selections", () => {
+    renderConfigSection();
+
+    screen.getByText("Workflow");
+    screen.getByText("Workflow Step");
+    expect(screen.getAllByText("required")).toHaveLength(2);
+    screen.getByText("Select a workflow to enable saving.");
+    screen.getByText("Select a workflow before choosing a step.");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("workflow-selector").getAttribute("aria-describedby")).toBe(
+      "workflow-selector-help",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("changes step help text once a workflow is selected", () => {
+    renderConfigSection({ workflowId: "workflow-1" });
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Select a workflow to enable saving.")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Select a workflow before choosing a step.")).toBeNull();
+    screen.getByText("Select a workflow step to enable saving.");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("workflow-step-selector").getAttribute("aria-describedby")).toBe(
+      "workflow-step-selector-help",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("hides workflow required markers in run mode", () => {
+    renderConfigSection({ executionMode: "run" });
+
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Workflow")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Workflow Step")).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.queryAllByText("required")).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.tsx b/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.tsx
index 2f8000431e..f317b8a956 100644
--- a/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/components/automations/config-section.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { discoverRepositoriesAction } from "@/app/actions/workspaces";
 import { listWorkflowSteps } from "@/lib/api/domains/workflow-api";
 import type { LocalRepository, Repository } from "@/lib/types/http";
 import type { ExecutionMode, TriggerType } from "@/lib/types/automation";
+import { RequiredFieldLabel } from "./required-field-label";
 
 // RepositorySelection mirrors the task-create dialog's two-tier model: a
 // registered workspace repository (keyed by id) OR a filesystem-discovered
@@ -121,6 +122,12 @@ function useDiscoveredRepositories(workspaceId: string) {
 
 type StepOption = { id: string; name: string };
 
+function getWorkflowStepHelpText(workflowId: string, workflowStepId: string): string | undefined {
+  if (!workflowId) return "Select a workflow before choosing a step.";
+  if (!workflowStepId) return "Select a workflow step to enable saving.";
+  return undefined;
+}
+
 function useWorkflowSteps(workflowId: string) {
   const [steps, setSteps] = useState<StepOption[]>([]);
 
@@ -190,7 +197,7 @@ export function ConfigSection({
       <Label className="text-xs uppercase tracking-wider text-muted-foreground">
         Configuration
       </Label>
-      <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-4">
+      <div className="grid grid-cols-1 gap-4 sm:grid-cols-2">
         <SelectField
           testId="execution-mode-selector"
           label="Execution Mode"
@@ -269,20 +276,23 @@ function WorkflowFields({
       <SelectField
         testId="workflow-selector"
         label="Workflow"
+        required
         value={workflowId}
         onChange={onWorkflowChange}
         placeholder="Select workflow"
         items={workflows.map((w) => ({ id: w.id, label: w.name }))}
+        helpText={!hasWorkflow ? "Select a workflow to enable saving." : undefined}
       />
       <SelectField
         testId="workflow-step-selector"
         label="Workflow Step"
+        required
         value={workflowStepId}
         onChange={onStepChange}
         placeholder={hasWorkflow ? "Select step" : "Pick a workflow first"}
         items={steps.map((s) => ({ id: s.id, label: s.name }))}
         disabled={!hasWorkflow}
-        helpText={hasWorkflow ? undefined : "Pick a workflow above to load its steps."}
+        helpText={getWorkflowStepHelpText(workflowId, workflowStepId)}
       />
     </>
   );
@@ -297,6 +307,7 @@ function SelectField({
   items,
   disabled,
   helpText,
+  required,
 }: {
   testId?: string;
   label: string;
@@ -306,12 +317,24 @@ function SelectField({
   items: Array<{ id: string; label: string }>;
   disabled?: boolean;
   helpText?: string;
+  required?: boolean;
 }) {
+  const invalid = required && !value;
+  const helpId = testId && helpText ? `${testId}-help` : undefined;
   return (
     <div className="space-y-1.5">
-      <Label className="text-xs">{label}</Label>
+      {required ? (
+        <RequiredFieldLabel className="text-xs">{label}</RequiredFieldLabel>
+      ) : (
+        <Label className="text-xs">{label}</Label>
+      )}
       <Select value={value || undefined} onValueChange={onChange} disabled={disabled}>
-        <SelectTrigger data-testid={testId} className="cursor-pointer">
+        <SelectTrigger
+          data-testid={testId}
+          className="cursor-pointer"
+          aria-describedby={invalid ? helpId : undefined}
+          aria-invalid={invalid ? true : undefined}
+        >
           <SelectValue placeholder={placeholder} />
         </SelectTrigger>
         <SelectContent>
@@ -322,7 +345,11 @@ function SelectField({
           ))}
         </SelectContent>
       </Select>
-      {helpText && <p className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">{helpText}</p>}
+      {helpText && (
+        <p id={helpId} className="text-[10px] text-muted-foreground">
+          {helpText}
+        </p>
+      )}
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/apps/web/components/automations/required-field-label.tsx b/apps/web/components/automations/required-field-label.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ccca3fc717
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/components/automations/required-field-label.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import type { ComponentProps } from "react";
+import { Label } from "@kandev/ui/label";
+import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+
+export function RequiredFieldLabel({
+  children,
+  className,
+  ...props
+}: ComponentProps<typeof Label>) {
+  return (
+    <Label className={cn("gap-1.5", className)} {...props}>
+      <span>{children}</span>
+      <span aria-hidden className="text-destructive">
+        *
+      </span>
+      <span className="sr-only">required</span>
+    </Label>
+  );
+}