diff --git a/core/src/shared/workflow.js b/core/src/shared/workflow.js
index 6bc1d6a8d..2d081debc 100644
--- a/core/src/shared/workflow.js
+++ b/core/src/shared/workflow.js
@@ -617,6 +617,13 @@ export function validateWorkflow(raw, options = {}) {
   }
 
   const nodeIds = def.nodes.map((node) => node.id)
+  // An edge names one fact at each end, and a node may spell that fact with a space (#1298): the
+  // alignment check reads both sides the way every other rule in this file does, or a definition
+  // that validation otherwise accepts is refused as misaligned over its spelling.
+  const specsOf = new Map(def.nodes.map((node) => [node.id, {
+    outputs: new Set(node.outputs.map(canonicalSpec).filter(Boolean)),
+    inputs: new Set(node.inputs.map(canonicalSpec).filter(Boolean)),
+  }]))
   for (const edge of def.edges) {
     if (!edge.from || !edge.to) {
       problems.push(message('edge/without-both-ends', 'an edge names only one end', { edge }))
@@ -632,9 +639,9 @@ export function validateWorkflow(raw, options = {}) {
       )
       continue
     }
-    const fromNode = nodeById(def, from.node)
-    const toNode = nodeById(def, to.node)
-    if (!fromNode.outputs.includes(from.artifact) || !toNode.inputs.includes(to.artifact)) {
+    const fromSpecs = specsOf.get(from.node)
+    const toSpecs = specsOf.get(to.node)
+    if (!fromSpecs?.outputs.has(from.artifact) || !toSpecs?.inputs.has(to.artifact)) {
       problems.push(
         message(
           'edge/misaligned',
diff --git a/core/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js b/core/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc6fca52c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// An edge names one fact at each end, and a definition may spell that fact with a space (#1272,
+// #1298). Everything that decides whether a definition can run keys on the parsed spec
+// (`canonicalSpec`), so `text: draft` and `text:draft` are one fact on an edge too: a definition
+// that mixes the two spellings between a node and its edge is runnable and must not be refused as
+// misaligned. A genuinely crossed edge is still refused.
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import { test } from 'node:test'
+import { validateWorkflow } from '../src/shared/workflow.js'
+
+const definition = (edge) => ({
+  id: 'draft-publish',
+  name: 'Draft and publish',
+  version: 1,
+  inputs: [],
+  deliverables: ['link:published'],
+  nodes: [
+    // The producer spells the fact with a space; the consumer spells it without one.
+    { id: 'draft', name: 'Draft', role: 'Writer', outputs: ['text: draft'] },
+    { id: 'publish', name: 'Publish', role: 'Publisher', inputs: ['text:draft'], outputs: ['link:published'] },
+  ],
+  edges: [edge],
+  loops: [],
+})
+
+test('an edge lines up when its two ends spell one fact differently', () => {
+  // The edge uses the consumer's spelling against the producer's spaced one.
+  const spacedNode = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text:draft', to: 'publish.text:draft' }))
+  assert.equal(spacedNode.ok, true, JSON.stringify(spacedNode.problems))
+  // The edge uses the producer's spaced spelling against the consumer's canonical one.
+  const spacedEdge = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text: draft', to: 'publish.text:draft' }))
+  assert.equal(spacedEdge.ok, true, JSON.stringify(spacedEdge.problems))
+})
+
+test('an edge that really does not line up is still refused', () => {
+  const crossed = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text:draft', to: 'publish.link:published' }))
+  assert.equal(crossed.ok, false)
+  assert.ok(
+    crossed.problems.some((problem) => problem.code === 'edge/misaligned' || problem.code === 'edge/unknown-end'),
+    JSON.stringify(crossed.problems),
+  )
+})
diff --git a/patches/ds-bot/files/src/shared/workflow.js b/patches/ds-bot/files/src/shared/workflow.js
index 6bc1d6a8d..2d081debc 100644
--- a/patches/ds-bot/files/src/shared/workflow.js
+++ b/patches/ds-bot/files/src/shared/workflow.js
@@ -617,6 +617,13 @@ export function validateWorkflow(raw, options = {}) {
   }
 
   const nodeIds = def.nodes.map((node) => node.id)
+  // An edge names one fact at each end, and a node may spell that fact with a space (#1298): the
+  // alignment check reads both sides the way every other rule in this file does, or a definition
+  // that validation otherwise accepts is refused as misaligned over its spelling.
+  const specsOf = new Map(def.nodes.map((node) => [node.id, {
+    outputs: new Set(node.outputs.map(canonicalSpec).filter(Boolean)),
+    inputs: new Set(node.inputs.map(canonicalSpec).filter(Boolean)),
+  }]))
   for (const edge of def.edges) {
     if (!edge.from || !edge.to) {
       problems.push(message('edge/without-both-ends', 'an edge names only one end', { edge }))
@@ -632,9 +639,9 @@ export function validateWorkflow(raw, options = {}) {
       )
       continue
     }
-    const fromNode = nodeById(def, from.node)
-    const toNode = nodeById(def, to.node)
-    if (!fromNode.outputs.includes(from.artifact) || !toNode.inputs.includes(to.artifact)) {
+    const fromSpecs = specsOf.get(from.node)
+    const toSpecs = specsOf.get(to.node)
+    if (!fromSpecs?.outputs.has(from.artifact) || !toSpecs?.inputs.has(to.artifact)) {
       problems.push(
         message(
           'edge/misaligned',
diff --git a/patches/ds-bot/files/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js b/patches/ds-bot/files/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc6fca52c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/patches/ds-bot/files/test/workflow-edge-spec.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+// An edge names one fact at each end, and a definition may spell that fact with a space (#1272,
+// #1298). Everything that decides whether a definition can run keys on the parsed spec
+// (`canonicalSpec`), so `text: draft` and `text:draft` are one fact on an edge too: a definition
+// that mixes the two spellings between a node and its edge is runnable and must not be refused as
+// misaligned. A genuinely crossed edge is still refused.
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
+import { test } from 'node:test'
+import { validateWorkflow } from '../src/shared/workflow.js'
+
+const definition = (edge) => ({
+  id: 'draft-publish',
+  name: 'Draft and publish',
+  version: 1,
+  inputs: [],
+  deliverables: ['link:published'],
+  nodes: [
+    // The producer spells the fact with a space; the consumer spells it without one.
+    { id: 'draft', name: 'Draft', role: 'Writer', outputs: ['text: draft'] },
+    { id: 'publish', name: 'Publish', role: 'Publisher', inputs: ['text:draft'], outputs: ['link:published'] },
+  ],
+  edges: [edge],
+  loops: [],
+})
+
+test('an edge lines up when its two ends spell one fact differently', () => {
+  // The edge uses the consumer's spelling against the producer's spaced one.
+  const spacedNode = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text:draft', to: 'publish.text:draft' }))
+  assert.equal(spacedNode.ok, true, JSON.stringify(spacedNode.problems))
+  // The edge uses the producer's spaced spelling against the consumer's canonical one.
+  const spacedEdge = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text: draft', to: 'publish.text:draft' }))
+  assert.equal(spacedEdge.ok, true, JSON.stringify(spacedEdge.problems))
+})
+
+test('an edge that really does not line up is still refused', () => {
+  const crossed = validateWorkflow(definition({ from: 'draft.text:draft', to: 'publish.link:published' }))
+  assert.equal(crossed.ok, false)
+  assert.ok(
+    crossed.problems.some((problem) => problem.code === 'edge/misaligned' || problem.code === 'edge/unknown-end'),
+    JSON.stringify(crossed.problems),
+  )
+})