diff --git a/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/do_while/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/do_while/__init__.py
index 47a4d34437..f69a682140 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/do_while/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/do_while/__init__.py
@@ -48,7 +48,10 @@ def validate(self, config: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
             )
         max_iter = config.get("max_iterations")
         if max_iter is not None:
-            if not isinstance(max_iter, int) or max_iter < 1:
+            # bool is a subclass of int, so isinstance(True, int) is True and
+            # True < 1 is False; reject bools explicitly so `max_iterations: true`
+            # is a type error rather than a silent single iteration.
+            if isinstance(max_iter, bool) or not isinstance(max_iter, int) or max_iter < 1:
                 errors.append(
                     f"Do-while step {config.get('id', '?')!r}: "
                     f"'max_iterations' must be an integer >= 1."
diff --git a/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/while_loop/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/while_loop/__init__.py
index 18c2f46050..ea272543b6 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/while_loop/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/workflows/steps/while_loop/__init__.py
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ def validate(self, config: dict[str, Any]) -> list[str]:
             )
         max_iter = config.get("max_iterations")
         if max_iter is not None:
-            if not isinstance(max_iter, int) or max_iter < 1:
+            # bool is a subclass of int, so isinstance(True, int) is True and
+            # True < 1 is False; reject bools explicitly so `max_iterations: true`
+            # is a type error rather than a silent single iteration.
+            if isinstance(max_iter, bool) or not isinstance(max_iter, int) or max_iter < 1:
                 errors.append(
                     f"While step {config.get('id', '?')!r}: "
                     f"'max_iterations' must be an integer >= 1."
diff --git a/tests/test_workflows.py b/tests/test_workflows.py
index e1b4a5ec23..c2ec4acb4e 100644
--- a/tests/test_workflows.py
+++ b/tests/test_workflows.py
@@ -1822,6 +1822,12 @@ def test_validate_invalid_max_iterations(self):
         step = WhileStep()
         errors = step.validate({"id": "test", "condition": "{{ true }}", "max_iterations": 0, "steps": []})
         assert any("must be an integer >= 1" in e for e in errors)
+        # bool is an int subclass; `max_iterations: true` must be rejected, not
+        # silently treated as a single iteration.
+        bool_errors = step.validate(
+            {"id": "test", "condition": "{{ true }}", "max_iterations": True, "steps": []}
+        )
+        assert any("must be an integer >= 1" in e for e in bool_errors)
 
 
 class TestDoWhileStep:
@@ -1861,6 +1867,21 @@ def test_execute_with_true_condition(self):
         assert len(result.next_steps) == 1
         assert result.output["max_iterations"] == 5
 
+    def test_validate_rejects_bool_max_iterations(self):
+        from specify_cli.workflows.steps.do_while import DoWhileStep
+
+        step = DoWhileStep()
+        # bool is an int subclass; `max_iterations: true` must be rejected.
+        errors = step.validate(
+            {"id": "test", "condition": "{{ true }}", "max_iterations": True, "steps": []}
+        )
+        assert any("must be an integer >= 1" in e for e in errors)
+        # a real positive integer is fully valid (no errors at all).
+        ok = step.validate(
+            {"id": "test", "condition": "{{ true }}", "max_iterations": 3, "steps": []}
+        )
+        assert ok == [], ok
+
     def test_execute_empty_steps(self):
         from specify_cli.workflows.steps.do_while import DoWhileStep
         from specify_cli.workflows.base import StepContext