diff --git a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
index 658fc93..fe45404 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/codeql-analysis.yml
@@ -26,5 +26,9 @@ jobs:
       - uses: github/codeql-action/init@v3
         with:
           languages: ${{ matrix.language }}
-      - run: dotnet build WorkflowFramework.slnx -c Release
+      - name: Restore
+        run: dotnet restore src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowFramework.csproj --use-lock-file
+      - name: Build
+        timeout-minutes: 10
+        run: dotnet build src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowFramework.csproj -c Release --no-restore /p:ContinuousIntegrationBuild=true
       - uses: github/codeql-action/analyze@v3
diff --git a/docs/patternkit-adoption.md b/docs/patternkit-adoption.md
index 9465cad..e36c55d 100644
--- a/docs/patternkit-adoption.md
+++ b/docs/patternkit-adoption.md
@@ -32,6 +32,18 @@ This document lists every point in the WorkflowFramework codebase where a Patter
 | **Test coverage** | `tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/WorkflowStatusMachineScenarios.cs` |
 | **Limitation note** | The `Running→Compensated` transition is driven by compensation event from `WorkflowEngine` rather than a built-in PatternKit saga hook — PatternKit's state machine builder does not expose a compensation lifecycle hook, so the event is fired manually by the engine. |
 
+### 2a. `WorkflowEngine` middleware pipeline — Chain of responsibility pattern
+
+| Item | Detail |
+|------|--------|
+| **File** | `src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowEngine.cs` |
+| **PatternKit namespace** | `PatternKit.Behavioral.Chain` |
+| **Primitive** | `AsyncActionChain<MiddlewareInvocationState>` |
+| **Purpose** | Composes registered `IWorkflowMiddleware` instances in registration order around each step execution. The public `IWorkflowMiddleware` and `StepDelegate` contracts are unchanged; PatternKit owns the runtime chain execution and short-circuit behavior. |
+| **Phase introduced** | PatternKit dogfood pass / issue #28 |
+| **Test coverage** | `tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/Engine/WorkflowEngineScenarios.cs` — middleware order, short-circuit, and context mutation scenarios. |
+| **Public API change** | None — swap is internal-only. |
+
 ### 3. `ContentBasedRouterStep` — Strategy pattern
 
 | Item | Detail |
diff --git a/src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowEngine.cs b/src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowEngine.cs
index f3f61a1..fea7da3 100644
--- a/src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowEngine.cs
+++ b/src/WorkflowFramework/WorkflowEngine.cs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+using PatternKit.Behavioral.Chain;
 using WorkflowFramework.Internal;
 using WfEvent = WorkflowFramework.Internal.WorkflowStatusMachine.WorkflowEvent;
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ public sealed class WorkflowEngine : IWorkflow
 {
     private readonly IStep[] _steps;
     private readonly IWorkflowMiddleware[] _middleware;
+    private readonly AsyncActionChain<MiddlewareInvocationState> _middlewareChain;
     private readonly IWorkflowEvents[] _events;
     private readonly bool _enableCompensation;
 
@@ -31,6 +33,7 @@ public WorkflowEngine(
         Name = name ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(name));
         _steps = steps ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(steps));
         _middleware = middleware ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(middleware));
+        _middlewareChain = BuildMiddlewareChain(_middleware);
         _events = events ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(events));
         _enableCompensation = enableCompensation;
     }
@@ -123,23 +126,49 @@ private static void FireTransition(ref WorkflowStatus status, WfEvent @event)
 
     private async Task ExecuteWithMiddlewareAsync(IWorkflowContext context, IStep step)
     {
-        if (_middleware.Length == 0)
+        var state = new MiddlewareInvocationState(context, step);
+        await _middlewareChain.ExecuteAsync(state, context.CancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
+    }
+
+    private static AsyncActionChain<MiddlewareInvocationState> BuildMiddlewareChain(
+        IReadOnlyList<IWorkflowMiddleware> middleware)
+    {
+        var builder = AsyncActionChain<MiddlewareInvocationState>.Create();
+
+        foreach (var item in middleware)
         {
-            await step.ExecuteAsync(context).ConfigureAwait(false);
-            return;
+            builder.Use(async (state, ct, next) =>
+            {
+                await item.InvokeAsync(
+                    state.Context,
+                    state.Step,
+                    InvokeNextAsync).ConfigureAwait(false);
+
+                async Task InvokeNextAsync(IWorkflowContext ctx)
+                {
+                    await next(new MiddlewareInvocationState(ctx, state.Step), ct).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+            });
         }
 
-        // Build middleware chain
-        StepDelegate current = ctx => step.ExecuteAsync(ctx);
+        builder.Finally(async (state, _) =>
+        {
+            await state.Step.ExecuteAsync(state.Context).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        });
+
+        return builder.Build();
+    }
 
-        for (var i = _middleware.Length - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+    private sealed class MiddlewareInvocationState
+    {
+        public MiddlewareInvocationState(IWorkflowContext context, IStep step)
         {
-            var middleware = _middleware[i];
-            var next = current;
-            current = ctx => middleware.InvokeAsync(ctx, step, next);
+            Context = context;
+            Step = step;
         }
 
-        await current(context).ConfigureAwait(false);
+        public IWorkflowContext Context { get; }
+        public IStep Step { get; }
     }
 
     private static async Task CompensateAsync(IWorkflowContext context, List<IStep> completedSteps)
diff --git a/tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/Engine/WorkflowEngineScenarios.cs b/tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/Engine/WorkflowEngineScenarios.cs
index 35b9567..a693ffd 100644
--- a/tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/Engine/WorkflowEngineScenarios.cs
+++ b/tests/WorkflowFramework.Tests.TinyBDD/Core/Engine/WorkflowEngineScenarios.cs
@@ -393,6 +393,32 @@ await Given("middleware that does not call next()", () => (result, stepRan))
             .AssertPassed();
     }
 
+    [Scenario("Middleware chain preserves context mutations around step execution"), Fact]
+    public async Task MiddlewareChainPreservesContextMutationsAroundStepExecution()
+    {
+        var wf = Workflow.Create("mw-context")
+            .Use(new ContextMutationMiddleware())
+            .Step("step", ctx =>
+            {
+                ctx.Properties["step-saw-before"] = ctx.Properties["before"];
+                return Task.CompletedTask;
+            })
+            .Build();
+        var context = new WorkflowContext();
+
+        var result = await wf.ExecuteAsync(context);
+
+        await Given("a workflow middleware mutates context before and after next", () => (result, context.Properties))
+            .Then("the step sees the before mutation and after mutation is retained", t =>
+            {
+                t.result.IsSuccess.Should().BeTrue();
+                t.Properties["step-saw-before"].Should().Be(true);
+                t.Properties["after"].Should().Be(true);
+                return true;
+            })
+            .AssertPassed();
+    }
+
     [Scenario("Workflow name is exposed on the IWorkflow interface"), Fact]
     public async Task WorkflowNameIsExposed()
     {
@@ -494,4 +520,14 @@ private sealed class ShortCircuitMiddleware : IWorkflowMiddleware
     {
         public Task InvokeAsync(IWorkflowContext ctx, IStep step, StepDelegate next) => Task.CompletedTask;
     }
+
+    private sealed class ContextMutationMiddleware : IWorkflowMiddleware
+    {
+        public async Task InvokeAsync(IWorkflowContext ctx, IStep step, StepDelegate next)
+        {
+            ctx.Properties["before"] = true;
+            await next(ctx);
+            ctx.Properties["after"] = true;
+        }
+    }
 }