diff --git a/pkg/workflow/step/dependency_test.go b/pkg/workflow/step/dependency_test.go
index 39688ed84..214dc76c8 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/step/dependency_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/step/dependency_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func TestLoadExternalPoliciesForWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
 	policies, err := LoadExternalPoliciesForWorkflow(context.Background(), cli, "demo", []v1beta1.WorkflowStep{{
 		Name:       "deploy",
 		Type:       DeployWorkflowStep,
-		Properties: &runtime.RawExtension{Raw: []byte(`{"policies":["ex","internal"]}`)},
+		Properties: &runtime.RawExtension{Raw: []byte(`{"auto":false,"policies":["ex","internal"]}`)},
 	}}, []v1beta1.AppPolicy{{
 		Name: "internal",
 		Type: "internal",
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/step/generator.go b/pkg/workflow/step/generator.go
index a07d7dcf4..c32dcf899 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/step/generator.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/step/generator.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/oam-dev/kubevela/apis/core.oam.dev/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/oam-dev/kubevela/apis/core.oam.dev/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/oam-dev/kubevela/pkg/oam/util"
+	"github.com/oam-dev/kubevela/pkg/utils"
 )
 
 // WorkflowStepGenerator generator generates workflow steps
@@ -165,11 +166,9 @@ func (g *DeployPreApproveWorkflowStepGenerator) Generate(app *v1beta1.Applicatio
 	lastSuspend := false
 	for _, step := range existingSteps {
 		if step.Type == "deploy" && !lastSuspend {
-			cfg := map[string]interface{}{}
-			_ = json.Unmarshal(step.Properties.Raw, &cfg)
-			_auto, found := cfg["auto"]
-			auto, isBool := _auto.(bool)
-			if found && isBool && !auto {
+			props := DeployWorkflowStepSpec{}
+			_ = utils.StrictUnmarshal(step.Properties.Raw, &props)
+			if props.Auto != nil && !*props.Auto {
 				steps = append(steps, v1beta1.WorkflowStep{
 					Name: "manual-approve-" + step.Name,
 					Type: "suspend",
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/step/types.go b/pkg/workflow/step/types.go
index a9ebb1d74..e59545ebb 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/step/types.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/step/types.go
@@ -23,5 +23,7 @@ const (
 
 // DeployWorkflowStepSpec the spec of `deploy` WorkflowStep
 type DeployWorkflowStepSpec struct {
+	// Auto nil/true mean auto deploy, false means additional pre-approve step will be injected before the deploy step
+	Auto     *bool    `json:"auto,omitempty"`
 	Policies []string `json:"policies,omitempty"`
 }