diff --git a/features/actor_add_combined_config_format.feature b/features/actor_add_combined_config_format.feature
index 77e70d5fe..519a4879f 100644
--- a/features/actor_add_combined_config_format.feature
+++ b/features/actor_add_combined_config_format.feature
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ Feature: Actor add CLI supports config-actor combined format (issue #11189)
 
   Scenario: Reject when no name is available anywhere in combined format
     Given a YAML config file with nested config but no name anywhere
-    When I run the actor add command
+    When I run the actor add command without a name argument
     Then v3actor the command should fail
     And v3actor the error message should contain "Actor name is required"
 
diff --git a/features/steps/actor_add_combined_config_format_steps.py b/features/steps/actor_add_combined_config_format_steps.py
index 77b93daf5..e7a1927a7 100644
--- a/features/steps/actor_add_combined_config_format_steps.py
+++ b/features/steps/actor_add_combined_config_format_steps.py
@@ -15,15 +15,14 @@ from behave import given, then, when
 from behave.runner import Context
 from typer.testing import CliRunner
 
-from cleveragents.actor.config import ActorConfiguration
 from cleveragents.actor.schema import (
     ActorConfigSchema,
     _detect_nested_config_actor,
     _flatten_config_actor,
-    is_v3_yaml,
 )
 from cleveragents.cli.commands.actor import app as actor_app
 from cleveragents.core.exceptions import NotFoundError
+from cleveragents.domain.models.core.actor import Actor
 
 # ──── Given / When / Then steps ------------------------------------------------
 
@@ -38,10 +37,6 @@ def step_llm_combined_string(context: Context, actor_string: str, name: str) ->
     The YAML places all actor metadata inside ``config → actor`` as a compact
     ``"<provider>/<model>"`` string (issue #11189).
     """
-    parts = actor_string.split("/", 1)
-    provider = parts[0] if len(parts) == 2 else "custom"
-    model = parts[1] if len(parts) == 2 else parts[0]
-
     yaml_content = f"""\
 name: {name}
 type: llm
@@ -49,7 +44,9 @@ config:
   actor: "{actor_string}"
 description: Combined-format LLM actor
 """
-    context.config_file = _write_yaml_file(context, name.replace("/", "_"), yaml_content)
+    context.config_file = _write_yaml_file(
+        context, name.replace("/", "_"), yaml_content
+    )
 
 
 @given(
@@ -76,10 +73,15 @@ config:
     model: {model}
 description: Nested-dict config-actor LLM
 """
-    context.config_file = _write_yaml_file(context, name.replace("/", "_"), yaml_content)
+    context.config_file = _write_yaml_file(
+        context, name.replace("/", "_"), yaml_content
+    )
 
 
-@given("a YAML config file with nested config format and combined string " "without explicit type")
+@given(
+    "a YAML config file with nested config format and combined string "
+    "without explicit type"
+)
 def step_nested_combined_no_type(context: Context) -> None:
     """Create a YAML where ``config.actor`` is a compact string but there's no v3 ``type`` at top level."""
     yaml_content = """\
@@ -167,52 +169,75 @@ def step_run_actor_add_generic(context: Context) -> None:
         assert result.exception is None, f"Unexpected exception: {result.exception}"
         context.command_error = None
         context.actor_registered = True
+        # Capture metadata sent to upsert_actor so the shared assertion
+        # step ("the actor should be registered with type ...") defined in
+        # actor_add_v3_schema_validation_steps.py can read it.
+        if mock_registry.upsert_actor.called:
+            call_kwargs = mock_registry.upsert_actor.call_args
+            blob = call_kwargs.kwargs.get("config_blob") if call_kwargs.kwargs else None
+            if isinstance(blob, dict):
+                context.registered_actor_type = blob.get("type")
+                context.registered_actor_provider = blob.get("provider")
+                context.registered_actor_model = blob.get("model")
+            else:
+                context.registered_actor_type = None
+                context.registered_actor_provider = None
+                context.registered_actor_model = None
+        else:
+            context.registered_actor_type = None
+            context.registered_actor_provider = None
+            context.registered_actor_model = None
     else:
         assert isinstance(result.exception, SystemExit), (
             f"Expected SystemExit, got: {result.exception}"
         )
         context.command_error = result.output
         context.actor_registered = False
+        context.registered_actor_type = None
+        context.registered_actor_provider = None
+        context.registered_actor_model = None
+
+
+@when("I run the actor add command without a name argument")
+def step_run_actor_add_no_name_arg(context: Context) -> None:
+    """Run the actor add CLI WITHOUT a name positional argument.
+
+    Exercises the CLI's "Actor name is required" validation path —
+    distinct from the v3-schema step which always supplies a name.
+    """
+    if context.config_file is None:
+        raise ValueError("No config file set")
+
+    runner = getattr(context, "runner", CliRunner())
+    mock_registry = MagicMock()
+    mock_registry.get_actor.side_effect = NotFoundError("not found")
+    mock_service = MagicMock()
+
+    with patch("cleveragents.cli.commands.actor._get_services") as mock_get_services:
+        mock_get_services.return_value = (mock_service, mock_registry)
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            actor_app,
+            ["add", "--config", str(context.config_file)],
+            catch_exceptions=True,
+        )
+
+    context.cli_result = result
+    success = result.exit_code == 0
+    context.command_result = {
+        "success": success,
+        "exit_code": result.exit_code,
+        "output": result.output,
+    }
+    context.command_error = None if success else result.output
+    context.actor_registered = success
 
 
 # ──── Then steps ---------------------------------------------------------------
-
-@then("v3actor the command should succeed")
-def step_command_success(context: Context) -> None:
-    """Assert that the command succeeded."""
-    assert context.command_result is not None, "No command result"
-    assert context.command_result.get("success", False), (
-        f"Command failed (exit {context.command_result.get('exit_code')}): "
-        f"{context.command_result.get('output', '')}"
-    )
-
-
-@then("v3actor the command should fail")
-def step_command_fail(context: Context) -> None:
-    """Assert that the command failed."""
-    assert context.command_result is not None, "No command result"
-    assert not context.command_result.get("success", True), (
-        f"Command should have failed but succeeded with output: "
-        f"{context.command_result.get('output', '')}"
-    )
-
-
-@then('v3actor the error message should contain "{text}"')
-def step_error_contains(context: Context, text: str) -> None:
-    """Assert that the error output contains specific text."""
-    output = context.command_result.get("output", "") if context.command_result else ""
-    assert text.lower() in output.lower(), (
-        f"Output does not contain '{text}':\n{output}"
-    )
-
-
-@then('the actor should be registered with type "{actor_type}"')
-def step_actor_registered_with_type(context: Context, actor_type: str) -> None:
-    """Assert that the actor was registered with the correct type."""
-    assert context.actor_registered, (
-        "Actor was not registered. Output: "
-        f"{context.command_result.get('output', '') if context.command_result else ''}"
-    )
+# Note: ``v3actor the command should succeed/fail`` and ``v3actor the error
+# message should contain`` are defined in actor_add_v3_schema_validation_steps.py
+# and shared across the v3-actor feature suite. Don't redefine them here —
+# behave's step registry is global and duplicate registrations raise
+# AmbiguousStep at suite-load time.
 
 
 @then("the name should be available at top-level after flattening")
@@ -220,9 +245,7 @@ def step_name_available_flat(context: Context) -> None:
     """Assert that _flatten_config_actor produced a flat dict with a 'name' field."""
     raw_blob = {"config": {"actor": {"name": "local/flat-actor"}}}
     flat = _flatten_config_actor(raw_blob)
-    assert "name" in flat, (
-        f"Name should be top-level after flattening; blob: {flat}"
-    )
+    assert "name" in flat, f"Name should be top-level after flattening; blob: {flat}"
     assert flat["name"] == "local/flat-actor", f"Unexpected name: {flat['name']}"
 
 
@@ -231,13 +254,12 @@ def step_config_removed_flat(context: Context) -> None:
     """Assert that _flatten_config_actor removes the top-level ``config`` key."""
     raw_blob = {"config": {"actor": "aws/mistral"}, "name": "local/test"}
     flat = _flatten_config_actor(raw_blob)
-    assert "config" not in flat, (
-        f"'config' should be removed; flat: {flat}"
-    )
+    assert "config" not in flat, f"'config' should be removed; flat: {flat}"
 
 
 # ──── is_v3_yaml / detection unit steps ----------------------------------------
 
+
 @given('a config blob with combined-format string "{actor_string}"')
 def step_config_blob_combined_string(context: Context, actor_string: str) -> None:
     """Store a config blob with combined-format ``config.actor`` string."""
@@ -250,18 +272,14 @@ def step_config_blob_combined_string(context: Context, actor_string: str) -> Non
 @when("I detect nested config-actor on the config blob")
 def step_detect_nested_actor(context: Context) -> None:
     """Call _detect_nested_config_actor()."""
-    context.detect_result = _detect_nested_config_actor(
-        context.config_blob_under_test
-    )
+    context.detect_result = _detect_nested_config_actor(context.config_blob_under_test)
 
 
-@then('is_v3_yaml should return True for combined-format string')
+@then("is_v3_yaml should return True for combined-format string")
 def step_is_v3_combined_true(context: Context) -> None:
     """Assert is_v3_yaml() returned True for a combined-format blob."""
     # Use the helper directly.
-    assert _detect_nested_config_actor(
-        context.config_blob_under_test
-    ) is True
+    assert _detect_nested_config_actor(context.config_blob_under_test) is True
 
 
 @given('a config blob with nested-dict actor "{actor_type}"')
@@ -277,12 +295,12 @@ def step_config_blob_nested_dict(context: Context, actor_type: str) -> None:
 @then("is_v3_yaml should return True for nested-dict config.actor")
 def step_is_v3_nested_true(context: Context) -> None:
     """Assert is_v3_yaml() returns True for a nested-dict config-actor blob."""
-    assert _detect_nested_config_actor(
-        context.config_blob_under_test
-    ) is True, "Should detect nested config-actor structure"
+    assert _detect_nested_config_actor(context.config_blob_under_test) is True, (
+        "Should detect nested config-actor structure"
+    )
 
 
-@given('a config blob without any combined-format actor')
+@given("a config blob without any combined-format actor")
 def step_config_blob_no_combined(context: Context) -> None:
     """Store a plain flat config blob (no ``config.actor``)."""
     context.config_blob_under_test = {
@@ -293,16 +311,17 @@ def step_config_blob_no_combined(context: Context) -> None:
     }
 
 
-@then('is_v3_yaml should return False when there is no combined-format actor to detect')
+@then("is_v3_yaml should return False when there is no combined-format actor to detect")
 def step_detect_nested_false(context: Context) -> None:
     """Assert _detect_nested_config_actor() returns False for a plain blob."""
-    assert not _detect_nested_config_actor(
-        context.config_blob_under_test
-    ), "Should NOT detect config-actor in a flat blob"
+    assert not _detect_nested_config_actor(context.config_blob_under_test), (
+        "Should NOT detect config-actor in a flat blob"
+    )
 
 
 # ──── Helpers ------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+
 def _write_yaml_file(context: Context, name: str, content: str) -> Path:
     """Write a YAML file to the temporary directory."""
     if not hasattr(context, "temp_dir") or context.temp_dir is None:
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/actor/config.py b/src/cleveragents/actor/config.py
index 472a2493d..2d2418ab3 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/actor/config.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/actor/config.py
@@ -218,8 +218,7 @@ class ActorConfiguration(BaseModel):
                 for key, value in actor_inner.items():
                     # Top-level keys already present take precedence.
                     data.setdefault(key, value)
-            if "config" in data:
-                del data["config"]
+            data.pop("config", None)
 
         v3_provider, v3_model, v3_graph, v3_unsafe = cls._extract_v3_actor(data)
 
@@ -351,9 +350,12 @@ class ActorConfiguration(BaseModel):
             elif config_block.get("type"):
                 # No explicit "actor" sub-key; look at top-level of config.
                 ct_raw = config_block.get("type")
-                if isinstance(ct_raw, str) and ct_raw.lower() in _V3_ACTOR_TYPES:
-                    if not isinstance(actor_type, str):
-                        actor_type = ct_raw
+                if (
+                    isinstance(ct_raw, str)
+                    and ct_raw.lower() in _V3_ACTOR_TYPES
+                    and not isinstance(actor_type, str)
+                ):
+                    actor_type = ct_raw
 
             # If model is still None try deriving provider from it (or vice-versa)
             if not provider_value:
@@ -443,7 +445,7 @@ class ActorConfiguration(BaseModel):
                     provider_value = combined_provider
 
             if not model_value:
-                if actor_type.lower() != "tool":
+                if not isinstance(actor_type, str) or actor_type.lower() != "tool":
                     return None, None, None, False
                 model_value = ""
 
@@ -454,7 +456,7 @@ class ActorConfiguration(BaseModel):
 
         # Build graph descriptor for GRAPH actors.
         graph_descriptor: dict[str, Any] | None = None
-        if actor_type.lower() == "graph":
+        if isinstance(actor_type, str) and actor_type.lower() == "graph":
             route_raw = data.get("route")
             if isinstance(route_raw, dict):
                 graph_descriptor = {
diff --git a/src/cleveragents/actor/schema.py b/src/cleveragents/actor/schema.py
index 0c3985443..13495ae5d 100644
--- a/src/cleveragents/actor/schema.py
+++ b/src/cleveragents/actor/schema.py
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from enum import StrEnum
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, cast
 
 import yaml
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field, field_validator, model_validator
@@ -1009,14 +1009,14 @@ def _detect_nested_config_actor(config_blob: dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
 
     Both forms of the combined ``config-actor`` format are recognised (issue #11189):
 
-    1. Nested‑object form::
+    1. Nested-object form::
 
          config:
            actor: { type: llm, provider: gcp, model: gemini }
 
        A non-null ``type`` field inside the nested dict signals v3.
 
-    2. Compact‑string form::
+    2. Compact-string form::
 
          config:
            actor: "<provider>/<model>"   # e.g. "aws/gpt-4"
@@ -1053,10 +1053,7 @@ def _detect_nested_config_actor(config_blob: dict[str, Any]) -> bool:
     # metadata without a concrete type field.
     config = config_blob["config"]
     ver = config.get("version")
-    if isinstance(ver, str) and (ver == "3" or ver.startswith("3.")):
-        return True
-
-    return False
+    return isinstance(ver, str) and (ver == "3" or ver.startswith("3."))
 
 
 def _extract_config_actor(
@@ -1084,7 +1081,9 @@ def _extract_config_actor(
 
     # A v3 signal must exist inside the nested structure (type or version 3.x).
     nested_type = actor_candidate.get("type")
-    is_nested_v3 = isinstance(nested_type, str) and nested_type.lower() in _V3_ACTOR_TYPES
+    is_nested_v3 = (
+        isinstance(nested_type, str) and nested_type.lower() in _V3_ACTOR_TYPES
+    )
 
     if not is_nested_v3:
         # Fall back to version detection inside config.
diff --git a/tests/actor/test_config_actor_combined_format.py b/tests/actor/test_config_actor_combined_format.py
index a17371290..2693759f7 100644
--- a/tests/actor/test_config_actor_combined_format.py
+++ b/tests/actor/test_config_actor_combined_format.py
@@ -31,9 +31,7 @@ class TestDetectNestedConfigActor:
     def test_nested_dict_with_type(self):
         blob = {
             "name": "local/test",
-            "config": {
-                "actor": {"type": "llm", "provider": "gcp", "model": "gemini"}
-            },
+            "config": {"actor": {"type": "llm", "provider": "gcp", "model": "gemini"}},
         }
         assert _detect_nested_config_actor(blob) is True
 
@@ -175,4 +173,3 @@ class TestActorConfigurationFromBlobCombined:
         config = ActorConfiguration.from_blob(blob=blob, name="local/claude-assist")
         assert config.provider == "anthropic"
         assert config.model == "claude-haiku"
-