diff --git a/src/zenml/pipelines/pipeline_definition.py b/src/zenml/pipelines/pipeline_definition.py
index 74b706e91f9..e72a4b78668 100644
--- a/src/zenml/pipelines/pipeline_definition.py
+++ b/src/zenml/pipelines/pipeline_definition.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@
     from zenml.config.source import Source
     from zenml.model.lazy_load import ModelVersionDataLazyLoader
     from zenml.model.model import Model
+    from zenml.models import ArtifactVersionResponse
     from zenml.types import HookSpecification
 
     StepConfigurationUpdateOrDict = Union[
@@ -1080,7 +1081,9 @@ def add_step_invocation(
         self,
         step: "BaseStep",
         input_artifacts: Dict[str, StepArtifact],
-        external_artifacts: Dict[str, "ExternalArtifact"],
+        external_artifacts: Dict[
+            str, Union["ExternalArtifact", "ArtifactVersionResponse"]
+        ],
         model_artifacts_or_metadata: Dict[str, "ModelVersionDataLazyLoader"],
         client_lazy_loaders: Dict[str, "ClientLazyLoader"],
         parameters: Dict[str, Any],
diff --git a/src/zenml/steps/base_step.py b/src/zenml/steps/base_step.py
index 2a3d324608c..982b16e2529 100644
--- a/src/zenml/steps/base_step.py
+++ b/src/zenml/steps/base_step.py
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@
     )
     from zenml.model.lazy_load import ModelVersionDataLazyLoader
     from zenml.model.model import Model
+    from zenml.models import ArtifactVersionResponse
     from zenml.types import HookSpecification
 
     MaterializerClassOrSource = Union[str, Source, Type["BaseMaterializer"]]
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ def _parse_call_args(
         self, *args: Any, **kwargs: Any
     ) -> Tuple[
         Dict[str, "StepArtifact"],
-        Dict[str, "ExternalArtifact"],
+        Dict[str, Union["ExternalArtifact", "ArtifactVersionResponse"]],
         Dict[str, "ModelVersionDataLazyLoader"],
         Dict[str, "ClientLazyLoader"],
         Dict[str, Any],
@@ -328,6 +329,7 @@ def _parse_call_args(
         from zenml.artifacts.external_artifact import ExternalArtifact
         from zenml.model.lazy_load import ModelVersionDataLazyLoader
         from zenml.models.v2.core.artifact_version import (
+            ArtifactVersionResponse,
             LazyArtifactVersionResponse,
         )
         from zenml.models.v2.core.run_metadata import LazyRunMetadataResponse
@@ -342,7 +344,9 @@ def _parse_call_args(
             ) from e
 
         artifacts = {}
-        external_artifacts = {}
+        external_artifacts: Dict[
+            str, Union["ExternalArtifact", "ArtifactVersionResponse"]
+        ] = {}
         model_artifacts_or_metadata = {}
         client_lazy_loaders = {}
         parameters = {}
@@ -378,6 +382,8 @@ def _parse_call_args(
                     artifact_version=value.lazy_load_version,
                     metadata_name=None,
                 )
+            elif isinstance(value, ArtifactVersionResponse):
+                external_artifacts[key] = value
             elif isinstance(value, LazyRunMetadataResponse):
                 model_artifacts_or_metadata[key] = ModelVersionDataLazyLoader(
                     model_name=value.lazy_load_model_name,
diff --git a/src/zenml/steps/step_invocation.py b/src/zenml/steps/step_invocation.py
index 4124caa1a9c..17341d40845 100644
--- a/src/zenml/steps/step_invocation.py
+++ b/src/zenml/steps/step_invocation.py
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 #  permissions and limitations under the License.
 """Step invocation class definition."""
 
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, Set
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, Dict, Set, Union
+
+from zenml.models import ArtifactVersionResponse
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from zenml.artifacts.external_artifact import ExternalArtifact
@@ -33,7 +35,9 @@ def __init__(
         id: str,
         step: "BaseStep",
         input_artifacts: Dict[str, "StepArtifact"],
-        external_artifacts: Dict[str, "ExternalArtifact"],
+        external_artifacts: Dict[
+            str, Union["ExternalArtifact", "ArtifactVersionResponse"]
+        ],
         model_artifacts_or_metadata: Dict[str, "ModelVersionDataLazyLoader"],
         client_lazy_loaders: Dict[str, "ClientLazyLoader"],
         parameters: Dict[str, Any],
@@ -101,9 +105,14 @@ def finalize(self, parameters_to_ignore: Set[str]) -> "StepConfiguration":
 
         external_artifacts: Dict[str, ExternalArtifactConfiguration] = {}
         for key, artifact in self.external_artifacts.items():
-            if artifact.value is not None:
-                artifact.upload_by_value()
-            external_artifacts[key] = artifact.config
+            if isinstance(artifact, ArtifactVersionResponse):
+                external_artifacts[key] = ExternalArtifactConfiguration(
+                    id=artifact.id
+                )
+            else:
+                if artifact.value is not None:
+                    artifact.upload_by_value()
+                external_artifacts[key] = artifact.config
 
         return self.step._finalize_configuration(
             input_artifacts=self.input_artifacts,
diff --git a/tests/unit/steps/test_base_step.py b/tests/unit/steps/test_base_step.py
index 4998eee4dbb..5a5d9fcf9c3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/steps/test_base_step.py
+++ b/tests/unit/steps/test_base_step.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #  permissions and limitations under the License.
 import sys
 from contextlib import ExitStack as does_not_raise
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Tuple, Union
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, Tuple, Union
 
 import pytest
 from pydantic import BaseModel
@@ -790,7 +790,12 @@ def test_configure_pipeline_with_hooks(one_step_pipeline):
 
 
 @step
-def step_with_int_input(input_: int) -> int:
+def step_with_int_input(
+    input_: int, expected_value: Optional[int] = None
+) -> int:
+    if expected_value is not None:
+        assert input_ == expected_value
+
     return input_
 
 
@@ -1038,3 +1043,18 @@ def test_pipeline():
 
     with does_not_raise():
         test_pipeline()
+
+
+def test_artifact_version_as_step_input(clean_client):
+    """Test passing an artifact version as step input."""
+    from zenml import save_artifact
+
+    artifact_value = 3
+    artifact = save_artifact(artifact_value, name="test")
+
+    @pipeline
+    def test_pipeline():
+        step_with_int_input(input_=artifact, expected_value=artifact_value)
+
+    with does_not_raise():
+        test_pipeline()