diff --git a/src/components/stepper/step.ts b/src/components/stepper/step.ts
index 67811ddab..113c14b95 100644
--- a/src/components/stepper/step.ts
+++ b/src/components/stepper/step.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import { consume } from '@lit/context';
 import { html, LitElement, nothing, type PropertyValues } from 'lit';
 import { property } from 'lit/decorators.js';
 import { cache } from 'lit/directives/cache.js';
@@ -6,6 +5,7 @@ import { createRef, ref } from 'lit/directives/ref.js';
 import { EaseInOut } from '../../animations/easings.js';
 import { addAnimationController } from '../../animations/player.js';
 import { addThemingController } from '../../theming/theming-controller.js';
+import { createAsyncContext } from '../common/controllers/async-consumer.js';
 import { addSlotController, setSlots } from '../common/controllers/slot.js';
 import { registerComponent } from '../common/definitions/register.js';
 import { partMap } from '../common/part-map.js';
@@ -113,8 +113,7 @@ export default class IgcStepComponent extends LitElement {
     slots: setSlots('indicator', 'title', 'subtitle'),
   });
 
-  @consume({ context: STEPPER_CONTEXT, subscribe: true })
-  private readonly _stepperContext?: StepperContext;
+  private _stepperContext?: StepperContext;
 
   private get _stepper(): IgcStepperComponent | undefined {
     return this._stepperContext?.stepper;
@@ -245,7 +244,11 @@ export default class IgcStepComponent extends LitElement {
 
   constructor() {
     super();
+
     addThemingController(this, all);
+    createAsyncContext(this, STEPPER_CONTEXT, (context) => {
+      this._stepperContext = context;
+    });
   }
 
   protected override willUpdate(changed: PropertyValues<this>): void {
diff --git a/src/components/stepper/stepper.spec.ts b/src/components/stepper/stepper.spec.ts
index 8316af6b2..6cbfd7483 100644
--- a/src/components/stepper/stepper.spec.ts
+++ b/src/components/stepper/stepper.spec.ts
@@ -958,6 +958,50 @@ describe('Stepper', () => {
       expect(step1Header).to.equal(stepper.steps[1].shadowRoot!.activeElement);
     });
   });
+
+  describe('Context binding', () => {
+    it('should correctly bind context when a step is connected before its stepper parent', async () => {
+      // Connect the step in isolation — the AsyncContextConsumer defers ContextConsumer
+      // creation until after updateComplete, but no provider exists at that point so
+      // the context remains unresolved.
+      const step = document.createElement(
+        IgcStepComponent.tagName
+      ) as IgcStepComponent;
+
+      document.body.appendChild(step);
+      await elementUpdated(step);
+
+      // No stepper context yet — step is not active and not part of any stepper.
+      expect(step.active).to.be.false;
+
+      // Create the stepper, adopt the step, and connect it to the document.
+      // The step first disconnects from body, then reconnects as a child of the
+      // stepper. On reconnect, the ContextConsumer (subscribe: true) re-dispatches
+      // a context-request event that the stepper's ContextProvider answers,
+      // completing the binding via createAsyncContext.
+      const stepperEl = document.createElement(
+        IgcStepperComponent.tagName
+      ) as IgcStepperComponent;
+
+      stepperEl.appendChild(step);
+      document.body.appendChild(stepperEl);
+      await elementUpdated(stepperEl);
+
+      // Context is now bound — the stepper recognizes the step.
+      expect(stepperEl.steps).to.include(step);
+      expect(stepperEl.steps).to.have.lengthOf(1);
+
+      // The sole step is activated by default.
+      expect(stepperEl.steps[0].active).to.be.true;
+
+      // Indicator reflects the correct step index (1-based).
+      expect(
+        getStepDOM(step).parts.indicator.querySelector('span')!.textContent
+      ).to.equal('1');
+
+      stepperEl.remove();
+    });
+  });
 });
 
 function isStepAccessible(step: IgcStepComponent): boolean {