diff --git a/src/specify_cli/_assets.py b/src/specify_cli/_assets.py
index a1f6151acc..acb7edd26a 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/_assets.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/_assets.py
@@ -121,7 +121,14 @@ def get_speckit_version() -> str:
             if pyproject_path.exists():
                 with open(pyproject_path, "rb") as f:
                     data = tomllib.load(f)
-                    return data.get("project", {}).get("version", "unknown")
-        except (OSError, ValueError, KeyError):
+                project = data.get("project") if isinstance(data, dict) else None
+                # A present but non-mapping ``project`` table must not turn
+                # into an AttributeError from the narrowing of this branch.
+                if isinstance(project, dict):
+                    version = project.get("version")
+                    if isinstance(version, str) and version:
+                        return version
+                return "unknown"
+        except (OSError, KeyError, ValueError):
             pass
     return "unknown"
diff --git a/tests/test_utils_assets_imports.py b/tests/test_utils_assets_imports.py
index 388561bb3d..870d64a4b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils_assets_imports.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils_assets_imports.py
@@ -47,6 +47,24 @@ def _corrupt(name):
     assert isinstance(get_speckit_version(), str)
 
 
+def test_get_speckit_version_survives_non_mapping_project(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    """A present but non-mapping ``project`` value must not raise.
+
+    The narrowed pyproject branch previously called ``.get`` on whatever the
+    ``project`` key held, so ``project = 5`` turned the fallback into an
+    AttributeError.
+    """
+    (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text("project = 5\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_assets, "_repo_root", lambda: tmp_path)
+
+    def _not_found(name):
+        raise importlib.metadata.PackageNotFoundError(name)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(importlib.metadata, "version", _not_found)
+
+    assert get_speckit_version() == "unknown"
+
+
 def test_get_speckit_version_reads_pyproject_fallback(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
     """When the distribution is missing, a valid pyproject.toml is the source."""
     (tmp_path / "pyproject.toml").write_text(