diff --git a/justfile b/justfile
index 414374b..f502113 100644
--- a/justfile
+++ b/justfile
@@ -32,10 +32,9 @@ uv_version := "0.12.1"
 zizmor_version := "1.29.0"
 
 # Internal helpers: ensure external tooling is installed
-_ensure-actionlint:
+_ensure-actionlint: _ensure-uv
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     set -euo pipefail
-    command -v uv >/dev/null || { echo "❌ 'uv' not found. Install with the official installer: https://docs.astral.sh/uv/getting-started/installation/"; exit 1; }
     uv run --locked actionlint -version >/dev/null
 
 _ensure-cargo-llvm-cov:
@@ -121,16 +120,14 @@ _ensure-rumdl:
         exit 1
     fi
 
-_ensure-shellcheck:
+_ensure-shellcheck: _ensure-uv
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     set -euo pipefail
-    command -v uv >/dev/null || { echo "❌ 'uv' not found. See 'just setup' or https://docs.astral.sh/uv/"; exit 1; }
     uv run --locked shellcheck --version >/dev/null
 
-_ensure-shfmt:
+_ensure-shfmt: _ensure-uv
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     set -euo pipefail
-    command -v uv >/dev/null || { echo "❌ 'uv' not found. See 'just setup' or https://docs.astral.sh/uv/"; exit 1; }
     uv run --locked shfmt --version >/dev/null
 
 _ensure-taplo:
@@ -163,12 +160,17 @@ _ensure-typos:
 _ensure-uv:
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     set -euo pipefail
-    command -v uv >/dev/null || { echo "❌ 'uv' not found. See 'just setup' or https://github.com/astral-sh/uv"; exit 1; }
+    resolved="$(command -v uv 2>/dev/null || true)"
+    actual="$(uv --version 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1 || true)"
+    if [[ "$actual" != "{{ uv_version }}" ]]; then
+        echo "❌ 'uv' resolves to '${resolved:-missing}' at version '${actual:-missing}', expected '{{ uv_version }}'." >&2
+        echo "   Install uv {{ uv_version }} and re-run: just setup-tools" >&2
+        exit 1
+    fi
 
-_ensure-yamllint:
+_ensure-yamllint: _ensure-uv
     #!/usr/bin/env bash
     set -euo pipefail
-    command -v uv >/dev/null || { echo "❌ 'uv' not found. See 'just setup' or https://docs.astral.sh/uv/"; exit 1; }
     uv run --locked yamllint --version >/dev/null
 
 _ensure-zizmor:
diff --git a/scripts/tests/test_justfile_discoverability.py b/scripts/tests/test_justfile_discoverability.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5036d8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/tests/test_justfile_discoverability.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Regression tests for the Just recipe surface."""
+
+import json
+import os
+import shutil
+import stat
+import subprocess
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any
+
+REPO_ROOT = Path(__file__).resolve().parents[2]
+
+
+def run_just(
+    *args: str,
+    check: bool = True,
+    env: dict[str, str] | None = None,
+) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess[str]:
+    """Run the repository's installed Just executable without a shell."""
+    executable = shutil.which("just")
+    assert executable is not None
+    return subprocess.run(  # noqa: S603 - executable is resolved; arguments are fixed by tests.
+        [executable, *args],
+        cwd=REPO_ROOT,
+        check=check,
+        capture_output=True,
+        encoding="utf-8",
+        env=env,
+    )
+
+
+def just_recipes() -> dict[str, dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Return parsed recipe metadata from the pinned Just executable."""
+    result = run_just("--dump", "--dump-format", "json")
+    recipes = json.loads(result.stdout)["recipes"]
+    assert isinstance(recipes, dict)
+    return recipes
+
+
+def test_uv_backed_helpers_reuse_pinned_guard() -> None:
+    """Local uv consumers should share one exact-version implementation."""
+    recipes = just_recipes()
+    ensure_uv_body = json.dumps(recipes["_ensure-uv"]["body"])
+    setup_tools_body = json.dumps(recipes["setup-tools"]["body"])
+
+    assert "uv --version" in ensure_uv_body
+    assert "uv_version" in ensure_uv_body
+    assert "verify_tool_version uv" in setup_tools_body
+    for name in ("_ensure-actionlint", "_ensure-shellcheck", "_ensure-shfmt", "_ensure-yamllint"):
+        dependencies = {dependency["recipe"] for dependency in recipes[name]["dependencies"]}
+        assert "_ensure-uv" in dependencies, name
+
+
+def test_uv_guard_reports_expected_and_actual_versions(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """A mismatched uv executable should fail with actionable version details."""
+    fake_bin = tmp_path / "bin"
+    fake_bin.mkdir()
+    fake_uv = fake_bin / "uv"
+    fake_uv.write_text("#!/bin/sh\nprintf '%s\\n' 'uv 9.9.9'\n", encoding="utf-8")
+    fake_uv.chmod(fake_uv.stat().st_mode | stat.S_IXUSR | stat.S_IXGRP | stat.S_IXOTH)
+
+    environment = os.environ.copy()
+    environment["CARGO_HOME"] = str(tmp_path / "cargo")
+    environment["PATH"] = f"{fake_bin}{os.pathsep}{environment['PATH']}"
+
+    expected = run_just("--evaluate", "uv_version").stdout.strip()
+    result = run_just("_ensure-uv", check=False, env=environment)
+
+    assert result.returncode != 0
+    assert f"version '9.9.9', expected '{expected}'" in result.stderr