diff --git a/src/applications/harbormaster/controller/HarbormasterStepEditController.php b/src/applications/harbormaster/controller/HarbormasterStepEditController.php
--- a/src/applications/harbormaster/controller/HarbormasterStepEditController.php
+++ b/src/applications/harbormaster/controller/HarbormasterStepEditController.php
@@ -81,6 +81,13 @@
         // if we create plans elsewhere.
         $steps = $plan->loadOrderedBuildSteps();
         $step->setSequence(count($steps) + 1);
+
+        // When creating a new step, make sure we have a create transaction
+        // so we'll apply the transactions even if the step has no
+        // configurable options.
+        $create_xaction = id(new HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction())
+          ->setTransactionType(HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE);
+        array_unshift($xactions, $create_xaction);
       }
 
       try {
diff --git a/src/applications/harbormaster/editor/HarbormasterBuildStepEditor.php b/src/applications/harbormaster/editor/HarbormasterBuildStepEditor.php
--- a/src/applications/harbormaster/editor/HarbormasterBuildStepEditor.php
+++ b/src/applications/harbormaster/editor/HarbormasterBuildStepEditor.php
@@ -3,4 +3,60 @@
 final class HarbormasterBuildStepEditor
   extends PhabricatorApplicationTransactionEditor {
 
+  public function getTransactionTypes() {
+    $types = parent::getTransactionTypes();
+
+    $types[] = HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE;
+
+    return $types;
+  }
+
+  protected function getCustomTransactionOldValue(
+    PhabricatorLiskDAO $object,
+    PhabricatorApplicationTransaction $xaction) {
+
+    switch ($xaction->getTransactionType()) {
+      case HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    return parent::getCustomTransactionOldValue($object, $xaction);
+  }
+
+  protected function getCustomTransactionNewValue(
+    PhabricatorLiskDAO $object,
+    PhabricatorApplicationTransaction $xaction) {
+
+    switch ($xaction->getTransactionType()) {
+      case HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    return parent::getCustomTransactionNewValue($object, $xaction);
+  }
+
+  protected function applyCustomInternalTransaction(
+    PhabricatorLiskDAO $object,
+    PhabricatorApplicationTransaction $xaction) {
+
+    switch ($xaction->getTransactionType()) {
+      case HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return;
+    }
+
+    return parent::applyCustomInternalTransaction($object, $xaction);
+  }
+
+  protected function applyCustomExternalTransaction(
+    PhabricatorLiskDAO $object,
+    PhabricatorApplicationTransaction $xaction) {
+
+    switch ($xaction->getTransactionType()) {
+      case HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return;
+    }
+
+    return parent::applyCustomExternalTransaction($object, $xaction);
+  }
+
 }
diff --git a/src/applications/harbormaster/storage/configuration/HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction.php b/src/applications/harbormaster/storage/configuration/HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction.php
--- a/src/applications/harbormaster/storage/configuration/HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction.php
+++ b/src/applications/harbormaster/storage/configuration/HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction.php
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 final class HarbormasterBuildStepTransaction
   extends PhabricatorApplicationTransaction {
 
+  const TYPE_CREATE = 'harbormaster:step:create';
+
   public function getApplicationName() {
     return 'harbormaster';
   }
@@ -11,4 +13,48 @@
     return HarbormasterPHIDTypeBuildStep::TYPECONST;
   }
 
+  public function getTitle() {
+    $author_phid = $this->getAuthorPHID();
+
+    $old = $this->getOldValue();
+    $new = $this->getNewValue();
+
+    switch ($this->getTransactionType()) {
+      case self::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return pht(
+          '%s created this build step.',
+          $this->renderHandleLink($author_phid));
+    }
+
+    return parent::getTitle();
+  }
+
+  public function getIcon() {
+    $author_phid = $this->getAuthorPHID();
+
+    $old = $this->getOldValue();
+    $new = $this->getNewValue();
+
+    switch ($this->getTransactionType()) {
+      case self::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return 'create';
+    }
+
+    return parent::getIcon();
+  }
+
+  public function getColor() {
+    $author_phid = $this->getAuthorPHID();
+
+    $old = $this->getOldValue();
+    $new = $this->getNewValue();
+
+    switch ($this->getTransactionType()) {
+      case self::TYPE_CREATE:
+        return 'green';
+    }
+
+    return parent::getColor();
+  }
+
 }