diff --git a/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts b/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
index a2a1427..303da36 100644
--- a/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/test/reference.test.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import request from "supertest";
 import { createApp } from "../src/app.js";
 import { prisma } from "../src/db/prisma.js";
 import { syncRecipeSources } from "../src/db/recipe-source-sync.js";
-import { seedReferenceData } from "../src/db/reference-seed-data.js";
+import { seedReferenceData, TECH_STEPS } from "../src/db/reference-seed-data.js";
 import type { RecipeSourceAdapter } from "../src/lib/recipe-sources/recipe-source-adapter.js";
 import {
   clearRecipeSources,
@@ -137,7 +137,9 @@ describe("Reference data", () => {
       const res = await request(app).get("/reference/tech-steps");
 
       expect(res.status).to.equal(200);
-      expect(res.body).to.have.length(26);
+      // `TECH_STEPS.length` (reference-seed-data.ts), not a hardcoded
+      // number — this catalog has grown since (26 -> 74) and will again.
+      expect(res.body).to.have.length(TECH_STEPS.length);
       expect(res.body.map((t: { key: string }) => t.key)).to.include("simmer");
       expect(res.body[0]).to.have.keys(["id", "key"]);
     });
@@ -155,7 +157,7 @@ describe("Reference data", () => {
       await seedReferenceData(prisma);
 
       const res = await request(app).get("/reference/tech-steps");
-      expect(res.body).to.have.length(26);
+      expect(res.body).to.have.length(TECH_STEPS.length);
     });
   });