diff --git a/src/specify_cli/presets.py b/src/specify_cli/presets.py
index fd9d4745f1..c6e75ae790 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/presets.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/presets.py
@@ -1903,12 +1903,24 @@ def _load_catalog_config(self, config_path: Path) -> Optional[List[PresetCatalog
             if not url:
                 continue
             self._validate_catalog_url(url)
+            raw_priority = item.get("priority", idx + 1)
+            # Reject bools explicitly: ``bool`` is a subclass of ``int`` so
+            # ``int(True)`` silently returns 1, which would let a YAML
+            # ``priority: true`` slip through as a valid priority of 1. The
+            # sibling integration-catalog reader in ``catalogs.py`` already
+            # guards this; mirror the check here so the three catalog
+            # validators stay consistent.
+            if isinstance(raw_priority, bool):
+                raise PresetValidationError(
+                    f"Invalid priority for catalog '{item.get('name', idx + 1)}': "
+                    f"expected integer, got {raw_priority!r}"
+                )
             try:
-                priority = int(item.get("priority", idx + 1))
+                priority = int(raw_priority)
             except (TypeError, ValueError):
                 raise PresetValidationError(
                     f"Invalid priority for catalog '{item.get('name', idx + 1)}': "
-                    f"expected integer, got {item.get('priority')!r}"
+                    f"expected integer, got {raw_priority!r}"
                 )
             raw_install = item.get("install_allowed", False)
             if isinstance(raw_install, str):
diff --git a/tests/test_presets.py b/tests/test_presets.py
index 8fa700fa77..f1c0e95f4e 100644
--- a/tests/test_presets.py
+++ b/tests/test_presets.py
@@ -1830,6 +1830,31 @@ def test_load_catalog_config_invalid_priority(self, project_dir):
         with pytest.raises(PresetValidationError, match="Invalid priority"):
             catalog._load_catalog_config(config_path)
 
+    def test_load_catalog_config_rejects_boolean_priority(self, project_dir):
+        """A YAML ``priority: true`` is a typo, not a request for priority 1.
+
+        ``bool`` is a subclass of ``int`` in Python, so ``int(True)`` silently
+        returns ``1``. Without an explicit guard a malformed config like
+        ``priority: yes`` would be accepted as a valid priority of 1 and
+        silently change catalog ordering. The sibling integration-catalog
+        reader rejects this case (see ``catalogs.py``); the preset catalog
+        reader must stay consistent.
+        """
+        config_path = project_dir / ".specify" / "preset-catalogs.yml"
+        config_path.write_text(yaml.dump({
+            "catalogs": [
+                {
+                    "name": "bool-priority",
+                    "url": "https://example.com/catalog.json",
+                    "priority": True,
+                }
+            ]
+        }))
+
+        catalog = PresetCatalog(project_dir)
+        with pytest.raises(PresetValidationError, match="Invalid priority|expected integer"):
+            catalog._load_catalog_config(config_path)
+
     def test_load_catalog_config_install_allowed_string(self, project_dir):
         """Test that install_allowed accepts string values."""
         config_path = project_dir / ".specify" / "preset-catalogs.yml"