diff --git a/src/specify_cli/presets/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/presets/__init__.py
index b30c6f3c1..66f1bbc5e 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/presets/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/presets/__init__.py
@@ -2707,7 +2707,7 @@ class PresetResolver:
         # (source-checkout / editable install).  This is the canonical home for
         # speckit's built-in command/template files and must always be checked
         # so that strategy:wrap presets can locate {CORE_TEMPLATE}.
-        from specify_cli import _locate_core_pack  # local import to avoid cycles
+        from specify_cli import _locate_core_pack, _repo_root  # local import to avoid cycles
         _core_pack = _locate_core_pack()
         if _core_pack is not None:
             # Wheel install path
@@ -2727,7 +2727,7 @@ class PresetResolver:
                 return candidate
         else:
             # Source-checkout / editable install: templates live at repo root
-            repo_root = Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent
+            repo_root = _repo_root()
             if template_type == "template":
                 candidate = repo_root / "templates" / f"{template_name}.md"
             elif template_type == "command":
@@ -3079,7 +3079,7 @@ class PresetResolver:
         ``.specify/templates/`` doesn't contain the core file.
         """
         try:
-            from specify_cli import _locate_core_pack
+            from specify_cli import _locate_core_pack, _repo_root
         except ImportError:
             return None
 
@@ -3102,7 +3102,7 @@ class PresetResolver:
                 if c.exists():
                     return c
         else:
-            repo_root = Path(__file__).parent.parent.parent
+            repo_root = _repo_root()
             for name in names:
                 if template_type == "template":
                     c = repo_root / "templates" / f"{name}.md"
diff --git a/tests/test_presets.py b/tests/test_presets.py
index a64e28bb3..58574bbc9 100644
--- a/tests/test_presets.py
+++ b/tests/test_presets.py
@@ -1033,6 +1033,32 @@ class TestPresetResolver:
         result = resolver.resolve("hidden-template")
         assert result is None
 
+    def test_collect_all_layers_finds_bundled_core_without_specify_commands(
+        self, project_dir
+    ):
+        """Tier-5 fallback locates the bundled core command when
+        .specify/templates/commands/ has no matching file.
+
+        Regression test for #3086: a stale ``.parent`` chain made the
+        source-checkout fallback resolve to ``src/templates/...`` (which does
+        not exist), so ``wrap`` presets found no base layer. The fallback must
+        resolve against the real repo-root ``templates/commands`` tree.
+        """
+        # project_dir's commands dir is empty, so tier-4 cannot satisfy this.
+        resolver = PresetResolver(project_dir)
+        layers = resolver.collect_all_layers("speckit.implement", "command")
+        assert layers, "expected a bundled core base layer to be found"
+        assert layers[-1]["source"] == "core (bundled)"
+        assert layers[-1]["path"].parts[-2:] == ("commands", "implement.md")
+
+    def test_resolve_command_falls_back_to_bundled_core(self, project_dir):
+        """resolve() tier-5 returns the bundled core command when
+        .specify/templates/commands/ lacks it (regression for #3086)."""
+        resolver = PresetResolver(project_dir)
+        result = resolver.resolve("speckit.implement", "command")
+        assert result is not None
+        assert result.parts[-2:] == ("commands", "implement.md")
+
 
 class TestResolveCore:
     """Test PresetResolver.resolve_core() skips the installed-presets tier."""