diff --git a/tests/docs/kiro-steering-inclusion.test.js b/tests/docs/kiro-steering-inclusion.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..beb3c6b91
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/docs/kiro-steering-inclusion.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+/**
+ * Regression coverage for Kiro steering file inclusion modes.
+ *
+ * Kiro only loads a steering file in every conversation with `inclusion: always`;
+ * `auto` loads it only when the request matches its description.
+ */
+
+const assert = require('assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+const KIRO_DIR = path.join(__dirname, '..', '..', '.kiro');
+const STEERING_DIR = path.join(KIRO_DIR, 'steering');
+const README = path.join(KIRO_DIR, 'README.md');
+
+const ALWAYS_ON = [
+  'coding-style.md',
+  'security.md',
+  'testing.md',
+  'development-workflow.md',
+  'git-workflow.md',
+  'patterns.md',
+  'performance.md',
+  'lessons-learned.md',
+];
+
+function test(name, fn) {
+  try {
+    fn();
+    console.log(`  ✓ ${name}`);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.log(`  ✗ ${name}`);
+    console.log(`    Error: ${error.message}`);
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+function readFrontmatter(file) {
+  const content = fs.readFileSync(path.join(STEERING_DIR, file), 'utf8');
+  const match = content.match(/^---\r?\n([\s\S]*?)\r?\n---/);
+  assert.ok(match, `${file} should start with YAML frontmatter`);
+  const fields = {};
+  for (const line of match[1].split(/\r?\n/)) {
+    const field = line.match(/^(\w+):\s*(.*)$/);
+    if (field) fields[field[1]] = field[2].trim();
+  }
+  return fields;
+}
+
+function readReadmeInclusions() {
+  const readme = fs.readFileSync(README, 'utf8');
+  const inclusions = {};
+  for (const row of readme.matchAll(/^\| `([\w-]+\.md)` \| (always|auto|manual|fileMatch)\b/gm)) {
+    inclusions[row[1]] = row[2];
+  }
+  return inclusions;
+}
+
+function runTests() {
+  console.log('\n=== Testing Kiro steering inclusion modes ===\n');
+
+  let passed = 0;
+  let failed = 0;
+
+  const steeringFiles = fs.readdirSync(STEERING_DIR).filter(file => file.endsWith('.md'));
+
+  if (test('core steering files use always inclusion', () => {
+    for (const file of ALWAYS_ON) {
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        readFrontmatter(file).inclusion,
+        'always',
+        `${file} should use inclusion: always so it loads in every conversation`
+      );
+    }
+  })) passed++; else failed++;
+
+  if (test('README steering table matches each file frontmatter', () => {
+    const documented = readReadmeInclusions();
+    for (const file of steeringFiles) {
+      assert.ok(documented[file], `${file} should be listed in the .kiro/README.md steering table`);
+      assert.strictEqual(
+        readFrontmatter(file).inclusion,
+        documented[file],
+        `${file} frontmatter inclusion should match the README table`
+      );
+    }
+  })) passed++; else failed++;
+
+  if (test('steering files declare the fields their inclusion mode requires', () => {
+    for (const file of steeringFiles) {
+      const fields = readFrontmatter(file);
+      if (fields.inclusion === 'auto') {
+        assert.ok(fields.name && fields.description, `${file} uses auto inclusion and needs name and description`);
+      }
+      if (fields.inclusion === 'fileMatch') {
+        assert.ok(fields.fileMatchPattern, `${file} uses fileMatch inclusion and needs fileMatchPattern`);
+      }
+    }
+  })) passed++; else failed++;
+
+  console.log(`\nResults: Passed: ${passed}, Failed: ${failed}`);
+  process.exit(failed > 0 ? 1 : 0);
+}
+
+runTests();