diff --git a/src/main/java/com/apiflows/model/Step.java b/src/main/java/com/apiflows/model/Step.java
index 7081e82..0c6fa71 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/apiflows/model/Step.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/apiflows/model/Step.java
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ public void setParameters(List<Parameter> parameters) {
         this.parameters = parameters;
     }
 
+    public void addParameter(Parameter parameter) {
+        this.parameters.add(parameter);
+    }
+
     @JsonProperty("successCriteria")
     public List<Criterion> getSuccessCriteria() {
         return successCriteria;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidator.java b/src/main/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidator.java
index cc9cc7e..a97bfab 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidator.java
@@ -165,6 +165,13 @@ List<String> validateStep(Step step, String workflowId ) {
         if(step.getParameters() != null) {
             for(Parameter parameter : step.getParameters()) {
                 errors.addAll(validateParameter(parameter, workflowId));
+
+                if(step.getWorkflowId() != null) {
+                    // when the step in context specifies a workflowId the parameter IN must be defined
+                    if(parameter.getIn() == null) {
+                        errors.add("'Workflow[" + workflowId + "]' parameter IN must be defined");
+                    }
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -209,13 +216,6 @@ List<String> validateParameter(Parameter parameter, String workflowId ) {
             if(name == null) {
                 errors.add("'Workflow[" + workflowId + "]' parameter has no name");
             }
-            if(parameter.getIn() == null) {
-                if(name != null) {
-                    errors.add("Parameter '" + name + "' has no type");
-                } else {
-                    errors.add("'Workflow[" + workflowId + "]' parameter has no type");
-                }
-            }
             if(parameter.getIn() != null) {
                 if(!SUPPORTED_VALUES.contains(parameter.getIn())) {
                     if(name != null) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidatorTest.java b/src/test/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidatorTest.java
index b3c4b15..fbab84d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidatorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/apiflows/parser/OpenAPIWorkflowValidatorTest.java
@@ -184,6 +184,22 @@ void validateStepDependsOnSelf() {
         assertEquals(1, validator.validateStep(step, WORKFLOW_ID).size());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void validateStepWithoutInAttribute() {
+        Step step = new Step()
+                .stepId("step-one")
+                .description("First step in the workflow")
+                .workflowId("workflow-id-2");
+        step.addParameter(new Parameter()
+                .name("param")
+                .value("value"));
+
+        String worklowId = "q1";
+
+        assertEquals(1, validator.validateStep(step, worklowId).size());
+    }
+
+
     @Test
     void validateParameter() {
         Parameter parameter = new Parameter()