diff --git a/pkg/workflow/checkout_optimization_test.go b/pkg/workflow/checkout_optimization_test.go
index 809de7cdfd3..4b149357537 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/checkout_optimization_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/checkout_optimization_test.go
@@ -146,31 +146,27 @@ strict: false
 				}
 			} else {
 				// For other test cases, check if checkout step is present in the agent job
-				// Extract the agent job section
-				agentJobStart := strings.Index(lockContentStr, "agent:")
-				if agentJobStart == -1 {
+				// Extract the agent job section using exact YAML job marker
+				agentJobMarker := "\n  agent:\n"
+				markerIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr, agentJobMarker)
+				if markerIdx == -1 {
 					t.Fatalf("Agent job not found in compiled workflow")
 				}
+				agentJobStart := markerIdx + len("\n  ") // point to "agent:\n"
 
 				// Find the next job or end of file to bound the agent job section
 				agentJobEnd := len(lockContentStr)
-				nextJobIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[agentJobStart+6:], "\n  ")
-				if nextJobIdx != -1 {
-					// Look for the start of the next job (a line starting with two spaces followed by a word and colon)
-					searchStart := agentJobStart + 6 + nextJobIdx
-					for idx := searchStart; idx < len(lockContentStr); idx++ {
-						if lockContentStr[idx] == '\n' {
-							// Check if the next line starts a new job (at same indentation level as "agent:")
-							lineStart := idx + 1
-							if lineStart < len(lockContentStr) && lineStart+2 < len(lockContentStr) {
-								if lockContentStr[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContentStr[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
-									// Found a line that starts with exactly 2 spaces (not more)
-									// and has a non-space character after, indicating a new job
-									colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[lineStart:], ":")
-									if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 { // Job names are typically short
-										agentJobEnd = idx
-										break
-									}
+				// Search for next top-level job (line starting with exactly 2 spaces + non-space)
+				searchStart := markerIdx + len(agentJobMarker)
+				for idx := searchStart; idx < len(lockContentStr); idx++ {
+					if lockContentStr[idx] == '\n' {
+						lineStart := idx + 1
+						if lineStart+2 < len(lockContentStr) {
+							if lockContentStr[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContentStr[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
+								colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[lineStart:], ":")
+								if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 {
+									agentJobEnd = idx
+									break
 								}
 							}
 						}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/environment_test.go b/pkg/workflow/environment_test.go
index 1337d8559c3..56c8fb9c2dd 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/environment_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/environment_test.go
@@ -137,12 +137,13 @@ This is a test.`,
 				inMainJob := false
 				foundEnvironment := false
 
+				agentJobLine := "  " + string(constants.AgentJobName) + ":"
 				for i, line := range lines {
-					if strings.Contains(line, string(constants.AgentJobName)+":") {
+					if line == agentJobLine {
 						inMainJob = true
 						continue
 					}
-					if inMainJob && strings.HasPrefix(line, "  ") && !strings.HasPrefix(line, "    ") && line != "  "+string(constants.AgentJobName)+":" {
+					if inMainJob && strings.HasPrefix(line, "  ") && !strings.HasPrefix(line, "    ") && line != agentJobLine {
 						// Found next job, stop looking
 						break
 					}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/local_action_permissions_test.go b/pkg/workflow/local_action_permissions_test.go
index adeef98bfa8..a9028d5449f 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/local_action_permissions_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/local_action_permissions_test.go
@@ -86,34 +86,29 @@ strict: false
 
 			lockContentStr := string(lockContent)
 
-			// Verify the job exists
-			jobMarker := tt.jobName + ":"
-			if !strings.Contains(lockContentStr, jobMarker) {
+			// Verify the job exists and extract using exact YAML job marker
+			jobMarker := "\n  " + tt.jobName + ":\n"
+			markerIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr, jobMarker)
+			if markerIdx == -1 {
 				t.Errorf("Expected %s job to be present", tt.jobName)
 				return
 			}
 
 			// Extract the job section
-			jobStart := strings.Index(lockContentStr, jobMarker)
-			if jobStart == -1 {
-				t.Fatalf("%s job not found in compiled workflow", tt.jobName)
-			}
+			jobStart := markerIdx + len("\n  ") // point to "jobName:\n"
 
 			// Find the next job or end of file
 			jobEnd := len(lockContentStr)
-			nextJobIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[jobStart+len(jobMarker):], "\n  ")
-			if nextJobIdx != -1 {
-				searchStart := jobStart + len(jobMarker) + nextJobIdx
-				for idx := searchStart; idx < len(lockContentStr); idx++ {
-					if lockContentStr[idx] == '\n' {
-						lineStart := idx + 1
-						if lineStart < len(lockContentStr) && lineStart+2 < len(lockContentStr) {
-							if lockContentStr[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContentStr[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
-								colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[lineStart:], ":")
-								if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 {
-									jobEnd = idx
-									break
-								}
+			searchStart := markerIdx + len(jobMarker)
+			for idx := searchStart; idx < len(lockContentStr); idx++ {
+				if lockContentStr[idx] == '\n' {
+					lineStart := idx + 1
+					if lineStart+2 < len(lockContentStr) {
+						if lockContentStr[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContentStr[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
+							colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContentStr[lineStart:], ":")
+							if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 {
+								jobEnd = idx
+								break
 							}
 						}
 					}
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/trial_mode_test.go b/pkg/workflow/trial_mode_test.go
index 6ddc4a7bf2a..36273147ea1 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/trial_mode_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/trial_mode_test.go
@@ -134,28 +134,28 @@ This is a test workflow for trial mode compilation.
 		}
 
 		// Checkout in agent job should include token in trial mode
-		// Extract the agent job section first
-		agentJobStart := strings.Index(lockContent, "agent:")
-		if agentJobStart == -1 {
+		// Extract the agent job section using exact YAML job marker
+		agentJobMarker := "\n  agent:\n"
+		markerIdx := strings.Index(lockContent, agentJobMarker)
+		if markerIdx == -1 {
 			t.Error("Expected agent job in trial mode")
 			return
 		}
 
+		agentJobStart := markerIdx + len("\n  ") // point to "agent:\n"
+
 		// Find the end of the agent job (next job or end of file)
 		agentJobEnd := len(lockContent)
-		nextJobStart := strings.Index(lockContent[agentJobStart+6:], "\n  ")
-		if nextJobStart != -1 {
-			searchPos := agentJobStart + 6 + nextJobStart
-			for idx := searchPos; idx < len(lockContent); idx++ {
-				if lockContent[idx] == '\n' {
-					lineStart := idx + 1
-					if lineStart < len(lockContent) && lineStart+2 < len(lockContent) {
-						if lockContent[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContent[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
-							colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContent[lineStart:], ":")
-							if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 {
-								agentJobEnd = idx
-								break
-							}
+		searchPos := markerIdx + len(agentJobMarker)
+		for idx := searchPos; idx < len(lockContent); idx++ {
+			if lockContent[idx] == '\n' {
+				lineStart := idx + 1
+				if lineStart+2 < len(lockContent) {
+					if lockContent[lineStart:lineStart+2] == "  " && lockContent[lineStart+2] != ' ' {
+						colonIdx := strings.Index(lockContent[lineStart:], ":")
+						if colonIdx > 0 && colonIdx < 50 {
+							agentJobEnd = idx
+							break
 						}
 					}
 				}