diff --git a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/parse.rs b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/parse.rs
index 5839abefc..9b135f720 100644
--- a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/parse.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/parse.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ pub fn parse_command(args: &ParseArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
 }
 
 fn parse_command_to(args: &ParseArgs, mut out: impl Write) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let source = read_dot_file(&args.workflow)?;
+    let (dot_path, _cfg) = super::project_config::resolve_workflow(&args.workflow)?;
+    let source = read_dot_file(&dot_path)?;
     let ast = crate::parser::parse_ast(&source)?;
     serde_json::to_writer_pretty(&mut out, &ast)?;
     writeln!(out)?;
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn parse_command_outputs_json_ast() {
-        let mut tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        let mut tmp = tempfile::Builder::new().suffix(".dot").tempfile().unwrap();
         write!(
             tmp,
             r#"digraph Hello {{
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn parse_command_rejects_invalid_dot() {
-        let mut tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        let mut tmp = tempfile::Builder::new().suffix(".dot").tempfile().unwrap();
         write!(tmp, "not a valid dot file").unwrap();
 
         let args = ParseArgs {
@@ -63,6 +64,36 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(result.is_err(), "expected Err for invalid syntax");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn parse_toml_path() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let wf_dir = tmp.path().join("workflows").join("hello");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&wf_dir).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"),
+            "version = 1\ngraph = \"workflow.dot\"\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.dot"),
+            r#"digraph Hello {
+    start [shape=Mdiamond]
+    exit [shape=Msquare]
+    start -> exit
+}"#,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let args = ParseArgs {
+            workflow: wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"),
+        };
+        let mut buf = Vec::new();
+        parse_command_to(&args, &mut buf).unwrap();
+
+        let deserialized: DotGraph = serde_json::from_slice(&buf).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(deserialized.name, "Hello");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn parse_command_rejects_missing_file() {
         let args = ParseArgs {
diff --git a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/project_config.rs b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/project_config.rs
index e77a69ccc..9965bc1b7 100644
--- a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/project_config.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/project_config.rs
@@ -166,6 +166,31 @@ fn find_closest_match(input: &str, candidates: &[String]) -> Option<String> {
         .map(|(name, _)| name.clone())
 }
 
+/// Resolve a workflow argument to a DOT path and optional run config.
+///
+/// Calls `resolve_workflow_arg` first, then if the result is a `.toml` file,
+/// loads the run config and resolves the graph path within it.
+pub fn resolve_workflow(
+    arg: &Path,
+) -> anyhow::Result<(PathBuf, Option<super::run_config::WorkflowRunConfig>)> {
+    let start = std::env::current_dir().unwrap_or_else(|_| PathBuf::from("."));
+    resolve_workflow_from(arg, &start)
+}
+
+fn resolve_workflow_from(
+    arg: &Path,
+    start_dir: &Path,
+) -> anyhow::Result<(PathBuf, Option<super::run_config::WorkflowRunConfig>)> {
+    let path = resolve_workflow_arg_from(arg, start_dir)?;
+    if path.extension().is_some_and(|ext| ext == "toml") {
+        let cfg = super::run_config::load_run_config(&path)?;
+        let dot = super::run_config::resolve_graph_path(&path, &cfg.graph);
+        Ok((dot, Some(cfg)))
+    } else {
+        Ok((path, None))
+    }
+}
+
 /// Check whether retros are enabled in the project config.
 /// Returns `true` (the default) if no config is found or on error.
 pub fn is_retro_enabled() -> bool {
@@ -412,4 +437,53 @@ mod tests {
         let result = resolve_workflow_arg_from(Path::new("factory"), tmp.path()).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(result, wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"));
     }
+
+    /// Helper: create a temp dir with arc.toml + workflows/{name}/{workflow.toml, workflow.dot}
+    /// and chdir into it so `resolve_workflow` (which uses cwd) can find the config.
+    fn setup_workflow_project(name: &str) -> (TempDir, PathBuf) {
+        let tmp = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        fs::write(tmp.path().join("arc.toml"), "version = 1\n").unwrap();
+        let wf_dir = tmp.path().join("workflows").join(name);
+        fs::create_dir_all(&wf_dir).unwrap();
+        fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"),
+            "version = 1\ngraph = \"workflow.dot\"\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.dot"),
+            "digraph G { start [shape=Mdiamond]; exit [shape=Msquare]; start -> exit }",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let dot_path = wf_dir.join("workflow.dot");
+        (tmp, dot_path)
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_workflow_bare_name() {
+        let (tmp, expected_dot) = setup_workflow_project("hello");
+        let (dot_path, cfg) = resolve_workflow_from(Path::new("hello"), tmp.path()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            dot_path.canonicalize().unwrap(),
+            expected_dot.canonicalize().unwrap()
+        );
+        assert!(cfg.is_some(), "expected Some(RunConfig) for bare name");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_workflow_toml_path() {
+        let (tmp, expected_dot) = setup_workflow_project("hello");
+        let toml_path = tmp.path().join("workflows/hello/workflow.toml");
+        let (dot_path, cfg) = resolve_workflow_from(&toml_path, tmp.path()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(dot_path, expected_dot);
+        assert!(cfg.is_some(), "expected Some(RunConfig) for .toml path");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn resolve_workflow_dot_path() {
+        let (tmp, expected_dot) = setup_workflow_project("hello");
+        let (dot_path, cfg) = resolve_workflow_from(&expected_dot, tmp.path()).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(dot_path, expected_dot);
+        assert!(cfg.is_none(), "expected None for .dot path");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/run.rs b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/run.rs
index 8f9b21c8d..d5f86ce98 100644
--- a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/run.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/run.rs
@@ -276,7 +276,6 @@ pub async fn run_command(
         .workflow
         .as_ref()
         .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("--workflow is required unless --run-branch is provided"))?;
-    let workflow_path = &super::project_config::resolve_workflow_arg(workflow_path)?;
 
     // Apply project-level config overrides (arc.toml) on top of CLI defaults.
     // Workflow-level config (workflow.toml) still wins via apply_defaults below.
@@ -292,14 +291,16 @@ pub async fn run_command(
         }
     }
 
-    // 0. Load run config if TOML, resolve DOT path, apply defaults
-    let (dot_path, run_cfg) = if workflow_path.extension().is_some_and(|ext| ext == "toml") {
-        let mut cfg = run_config::load_run_config(workflow_path)?;
-        cfg.apply_defaults(&run_defaults);
-        let dot = run_config::resolve_graph_path(workflow_path, &cfg.graph);
-        (dot, Some(cfg))
-    } else {
-        (workflow_path.clone(), None)
+    // 0. Resolve workflow arg, load run config if TOML, resolve DOT path, apply defaults
+    let (dot_path, run_cfg) = {
+        let (dot, cfg) = super::project_config::resolve_workflow(workflow_path)?;
+        match cfg {
+            Some(mut cfg) => {
+                cfg.apply_defaults(&run_defaults);
+                (dot, Some(cfg))
+            }
+            None => (dot, None),
+        }
     };
 
     let directory = run_cfg
diff --git a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/validate.rs b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/validate.rs
index aeff20421..06b1548e0 100644
--- a/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/validate.rs
+++ b/lib/crates/arc-workflows/src/cli/validate.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 use anyhow::bail;
 use arc_util::terminal::Styles;
 
-use crate::cli::run_config;
 use crate::validation::Severity;
 use crate::workflow::prepare_from_file;
 
@@ -13,12 +12,7 @@ use super::{print_diagnostics, ValidateArgs};
 ///
 /// Returns an error if the file cannot be read, parsed, or has validation errors.
 pub fn validate_command(args: &ValidateArgs, styles: &Styles) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let dot_path = if args.workflow.extension().is_some_and(|ext| ext == "toml") {
-        let cfg = run_config::load_run_config(&args.workflow)?;
-        run_config::resolve_graph_path(&args.workflow, &cfg.graph)
-    } else {
-        args.workflow.clone()
-    };
+    let (dot_path, _cfg) = super::project_config::resolve_workflow(&args.workflow)?;
 
     let (graph, diagnostics) = prepare_from_file(&dot_path)?;
 
@@ -47,7 +41,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn validate_valid_workflow() {
-        let mut tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        let mut tmp = tempfile::Builder::new().suffix(".dot").tempfile().unwrap();
         write!(
             tmp,
             r#"digraph Simple {{
@@ -75,7 +69,7 @@ mod tests {
 
     #[test]
     fn validate_invalid_syntax() {
-        let mut tmp = tempfile::NamedTempFile::new().unwrap();
+        let mut tmp = tempfile::Builder::new().suffix(".dot").tempfile().unwrap();
         write!(tmp, "not a valid dot file").unwrap();
 
         let args = ValidateArgs {
@@ -122,6 +116,36 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(result.is_ok(), "expected Ok but got: {result:?}");
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn validate_toml_path() {
+        let tmp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let wf_dir = tmp.path().join("workflows").join("hello");
+        std::fs::create_dir_all(&wf_dir).unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"),
+            "version = 1\ngraph = \"workflow.dot\"\n",
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        std::fs::write(
+            wf_dir.join("workflow.dot"),
+            r#"digraph Hello {
+    graph [goal="Test"]
+    start [shape=Mdiamond]
+    exit [shape=Msquare]
+    run [label="Run", prompt="Do it"]
+    start -> run -> exit
+}"#,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        let args = ValidateArgs {
+            workflow: wf_dir.join("workflow.toml"),
+        };
+        let styles = Styles::new(false);
+        let result = validate_command(&args, &styles);
+        assert!(result.is_ok(), "expected Ok but got: {result:?}");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn validate_missing_file() {
         let args = ValidateArgs {