diff --git a/engine_module_bridge.go b/engine_module_bridge.go
index 947eca65..7bf2cab1 100644
--- a/engine_module_bridge.go
+++ b/engine_module_bridge.go
@@ -86,8 +86,13 @@ func (e *StdEngine) registerPluginSteps(typeName string, stepFactory func(name s
 // uses the canonical interface type.
 func (e *StdEngine) registerPluginTrigger(triggerType string, factory func() any) {
 	result := factory()
-	if trigger, ok := result.(interfaces.Trigger); ok {
-		e.triggerTypeMap[triggerType] = trigger.Name()
-		e.RegisterTrigger(trigger)
+	trigger, ok := result.(interfaces.Trigger)
+	if !ok {
+		// Fail fast with a clear warning when a plugin misconfigures its trigger factory.
+		// This avoids silent failures that later surface as "no handler found" errors.
+		e.logger.Error(fmt.Sprintf("workflow: plugin trigger factory for %q returned non-Trigger type %T; trigger not registered", triggerType, result))
+		return
 	}
+	e.triggerTypeMap[triggerType] = trigger.Name()
+	e.RegisterTrigger(trigger)
 }
diff --git a/engine_test.go b/engine_test.go
index 2faecbc3..c9d499ae 100644
--- a/engine_test.go
+++ b/engine_test.go
@@ -281,10 +281,15 @@ func (a *mockApplication) GetService(name string, out any) error {
 
 	// If out is provided, try to assign the service to it using reflection
 	if out != nil {
+		// Guard: nil service value would make reflect.ValueOf(svc).Type() panic.
+		if svc == nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("service %s has a nil value", name)
+		}
+
 		// Get reflect values
 		outVal := reflect.ValueOf(out)
-		if outVal.Kind() != reflect.Pointer {
-			return fmt.Errorf("out parameter must be a pointer")
+		if outVal.Kind() != reflect.Pointer || outVal.IsNil() {
+			return fmt.Errorf("out parameter must be a non-nil pointer")
 		}
 
 		// Dereference the pointer
@@ -1544,14 +1549,6 @@ func TestEngine_BuildFromConfig_RequiresPlugins_EmptyPluginsList(t *testing.T) {
 // TestEngine_BuildFromConfig_RequiresPlugins_ExactVersionMatch verifies
 // exact version matching (=1.2.3 constraint).
 func TestEngine_BuildFromConfig_RequiresPlugins_ExactVersionMatch(t *testing.T) {
-	app := newMockApplication()
-	engine := NewStdEngine(app, app.Logger())
-
-	p := newMinimalPlugin("exact-plugin", "1.2.3")
-	if err := engine.LoadPlugin(p); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("LoadPlugin failed: %v", err)
-	}
-
 	tests := []struct {
 		constraint string
 		wantOK     bool
@@ -1577,10 +1574,8 @@ func TestEngine_BuildFromConfig_RequiresPlugins_ExactVersionMatch(t *testing.T)
 				},
 			}
 
-			// Use a fresh engine for each sub-test to avoid state contamination.
-			// We re-use the same app since plugins are already registered in the
-			// PluginLoader (which we recreate by calling LoadPlugin again on a
-			// fresh engine but referencing the same plugin instance).
+			// Use a fresh app and engine (with a freshly loaded plugin) for each
+			// sub-test to avoid state contamination.
 			subApp := newMockApplication()
 			subEngine := NewStdEngine(subApp, subApp.Logger())
 			subP := newMinimalPlugin("exact-plugin", "1.2.3")