diff --git a/packages/visual-editor/src/editor/yextEntityFieldUtils.test.ts b/packages/visual-editor/src/editor/yextEntityFieldUtils.test.ts
index 5699749e05..18d0e5d7be 100644
--- a/packages/visual-editor/src/editor/yextEntityFieldUtils.test.ts
+++ b/packages/visual-editor/src/editor/yextEntityFieldUtils.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { productCardsSource } from "../components/pageSections/ProductSection/ProductCardsWrapper.tsx";
+import { type EntityFieldSelectorField } from "../fields/EntityFieldSelectorField.tsx";
 import {
   getEntityFieldDisplayName,
   getFieldsForSelector,
@@ -140,6 +142,79 @@ describe("getFieldsForSelector", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("treats c_productReference as a valid source for product cards requirements, despite missing CTA", () => {
+    const fields = getFieldsForSelector(
+      {
+        fields: [
+          {
+            name: "c_productReference",
+            definition: {
+              name: "c_productReference",
+              typeRegistryId: "type.entity_reference",
+              isList: true,
+              type: {
+                documentType: "DOCUMENT_TYPE_ENTITY",
+              },
+            },
+            children: {
+              fields: [
+                {
+                  name: "brand",
+                  definition: {
+                    name: "brand",
+                    typeName: "type.string",
+                    type: {},
+                  },
+                },
+                {
+                  name: "name",
+                  definition: {
+                    name: "name",
+                    typeName: "type.string",
+                    type: {},
+                  },
+                },
+                {
+                  name: "price",
+                  definition: {
+                    name: "price",
+                    typeName: "type.price",
+                    type: {},
+                  },
+                },
+                {
+                  name: "primaryPhoto",
+                  definition: {
+                    name: "primaryPhoto",
+                    typeName: "type.image",
+                    type: {},
+                  },
+                },
+              ],
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+        displayNames: {
+          c_productReference: "Product Reference",
+          "c_productReference.brand": "Product Reference > Brand",
+          "c_productReference.name": "Product Reference > Name",
+          "c_productReference.price": "Product Reference > Price",
+          "c_productReference.primaryPhoto":
+            "Product Reference > Primary Photo",
+        },
+      },
+      (productCardsSource.field as EntityFieldSelectorField).filter
+    );
+
+    expect(fields).toEqual(
+      expect.arrayContaining([
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          name: "c_productReference",
+        }),
+      ])
+    );
+  });
+
   it("merges duplicate scoped fields when one has a display name and another has nested children", () => {
     const fields = getFieldsForSelector(
       {
diff --git a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createItemSource.test.ts b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createItemSource.test.ts
index 86ae55cc91..2e2145158f 100644
--- a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createItemSource.test.ts
+++ b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createItemSource.test.ts
@@ -75,6 +75,25 @@ describe("createItemSource", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("treats text and rich text as compatible CTA source requirements", () => {
+    const ctaSource = createItemSource({
+      label: "Articles",
+      mappingFields: {
+        cta: {
+          type: "entityField",
+          label: "CTA",
+          filter: { types: ["type.cta"] },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(ctaSource.field).toMatchObject({
+      filter: {
+        itemSourceTypes: [["type.cta", "type.string"]],
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("uses the first default value as the add-item template and seeds manual items", () => {
     const customizedSource = createItemSource<ArticleItemProps>({
       label: "Articles",
diff --git a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createSlottedItemSource.test.ts b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createSlottedItemSource.test.ts
index b4e32f8cc9..35f63c9782 100644
--- a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createSlottedItemSource.test.ts
+++ b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/createSlottedItemSource.test.ts
@@ -72,6 +72,26 @@ describe("createSlottedItemSource", () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it("treats text and rich text as compatible CTA source requirements", () => {
+    const ctaSource = createSlottedItemSource({
+      label: "Featured Items",
+      itemLabel: "Featured Item",
+      mappingFields: {
+        cta: {
+          type: "entityField",
+          label: "CTA",
+          filter: { types: ["type.cta"] },
+        },
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(ctaSource.field).toMatchObject({
+      filter: {
+        itemSourceTypes: [["type.cta", "type.string"]],
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it("resolves linked slot mappings against the current mapped item", () => {
     const resolved = featuredItemsSource.resolveItems(
       {
diff --git a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/itemSourceFieldTransforms.ts b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/itemSourceFieldTransforms.ts
index a5f4ba3ad9..99c80871f5 100644
--- a/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/itemSourceFieldTransforms.ts
+++ b/packages/visual-editor/src/utils/itemSource/itemSourceFieldTransforms.ts
@@ -128,6 +128,11 @@ const MAPPING_CONSTANT_VALUE_TYPES: EntityFieldTypes[] = [
 ];
 
 const MAPPING_CONSTANT_VALUE_LIST_TYPES: EntityFieldTypes[] = ["type.string"];
+const ITEM_SOURCE_TYPE_COMPATIBILITY: Partial<
+  Record<EntityFieldTypes, EntityFieldTypes[]>
+> = {
+  "type.cta": ["type.string"],
+};
 
 function shouldEnableMappingConstantValue(
   field: EntityFieldSelectorField<any>
@@ -197,7 +202,14 @@ function getNestedItemSourceTypes(
   field: YextFieldDefinition<any>
 ): EntityFieldTypes[][] {
   if (isEntityFieldDefinition(field)) {
-    return field.filter.types?.length ? [field.filter.types] : [];
+    return field.filter.types?.length
+      ? [
+          field.filter.types.flatMap((entityFieldType) => [
+            entityFieldType,
+            ...(ITEM_SOURCE_TYPE_COMPATIBILITY[entityFieldType] ?? []),
+          ]),
+        ]
+      : [];
   }
 
   if (field.type === "object" && "objectFields" in field) {