diff --git a/packages/steps/src/LionStep.js b/packages/steps/src/LionStep.js
index d3c5fd356..af7c407f1 100644
--- a/packages/steps/src/LionStep.js
+++ b/packages/steps/src/LionStep.js
@@ -97,9 +97,8 @@ export class LionStep extends LionLitElement {
     `;
   }
 
-  connectedCallback() {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line wc/guard-super-call
-    super.connectedCallback();
+  firstUpdated() {
+    super.firstUpdated();
     this.controller = this.parentNode;
     if (this.initialStep === true) {
       this.enter(true);
@@ -107,9 +106,9 @@ export class LionStep extends LionLitElement {
   }
 
   getControllerIndex() {
-    const controllerChildren = this.controller.children;
-    for (let i = 0; i < controllerChildren.length; i += 1) {
-      if (controllerChildren[i] === this) {
+    const { steps } = this.controller;
+    for (let i = 0; i < steps.length; i += 1) {
+      if (steps[i] === this) {
         return i;
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/steps/src/LionSteps.js b/packages/steps/src/LionSteps.js
index 81b46843c..c44c7cd78 100644
--- a/packages/steps/src/LionSteps.js
+++ b/packages/steps/src/LionSteps.js
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ export class LionSteps extends ObserverMixin(LionLitElement) {
 
   firstUpdated() {
     super.firstUpdated();
-    this._max = this.children.length - 1;
+    this._max = this.steps.length - 1;
   }
 
   next() {
@@ -74,12 +74,17 @@ export class LionSteps extends ObserverMixin(LionLitElement) {
     this._goTo(this.current - 1, this.current);
   }
 
+  get steps() {
+    const defaultSlot = this.shadowRoot.querySelector('slot:not([name])');
+    return defaultSlot.assignedNodes().filter(node => node.nodeType === Node.ELEMENT_NODE);
+  }
+
   _goTo(newCurrent, oldCurrent) {
     if (newCurrent < 0 || newCurrent > this._max) {
       throw new Error(`There is no step at index ${newCurrent}.`);
     }
 
-    const nextStep = this.children[newCurrent];
+    const nextStep = this.steps[newCurrent];
     const back = newCurrent < oldCurrent;
 
     if (nextStep.passesCondition(this.data)) {
@@ -99,8 +104,8 @@ export class LionSteps extends ObserverMixin(LionLitElement) {
   }
 
   _changeStep(newCurrent, oldCurrent) {
-    const oldStepElement = this.children[oldCurrent];
-    const newStepElement = this.children[newCurrent];
+    const oldStepElement = this.steps[oldCurrent];
+    const newStepElement = this.steps[newCurrent];
     const fromStep = { number: oldCurrent, element: oldStepElement };
     const toStep = { number: newCurrent, element: newStepElement };
 
diff --git a/packages/steps/test/lion-step.test.js b/packages/steps/test/lion-step.test.js
index 593df8047..67668cb20 100644
--- a/packages/steps/test/lion-step.test.js
+++ b/packages/steps/test/lion-step.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { expect, fixture, html, oneEvent } from '@open-wc/testing';
+import { expect, fixture, fixtureSync, html, oneEvent } from '@open-wc/testing';
 
 import '../lion-step.js';
 
@@ -36,20 +36,24 @@ describe('lion-step', () => {
   });
 
   it('allows to define it as the initial-step', async () => {
-    const el = await fixture(html`
+    const el = fixtureSync(html`
       <fake-lion-steps>
         <lion-step initial-step>Step 1</lion-step>
       </fake-lion-steps>
     `);
+    el.steps = [el.children[0]];
+    await el.updateComplete;
     expect(el.current).to.equal(0);
     expect(el.children[0].status).to.equal('entered');
 
-    const el2 = await fixture(html`
+    const el2 = fixtureSync(html`
       <fake-lion-steps>
         <lion-step>Step 1</lion-step>
         <lion-step initial-step>Step 2</lion-step>
       </fake-lion-steps>
     `);
+    el2.steps = [el2.children[0], el2.children[1]];
+    await el2.updateComplete;
     expect(el2.current).to.equal(1);
     expect(el2.children[0].status).to.equal('untouched');
     expect(el2.children[1].status).to.equal('entered');
diff --git a/packages/steps/test/lion-steps.test.js b/packages/steps/test/lion-steps.test.js
index f6a798c91..06b1e6d5d 100644
--- a/packages/steps/test/lion-steps.test.js
+++ b/packages/steps/test/lion-steps.test.js
@@ -27,6 +27,21 @@ async function checkWorkflow(steps, expected) {
 }
 
 describe('lion-steps', () => {
+  it('has "steps" getter that returns default slot elements', async () => {
+    const el = await fixture(html`
+      <lion-steps>
+        <lion-step>Step 1</lion-step>
+        <lion-step initial-step>Step 2</lion-step>
+        <other-step-element>Step 3</other-step-element>
+        <steps-extension-element slot="new-slot">e.g. steps indicator</steps-extension-element>
+      </lion-steps>
+    `);
+    expect(el.steps.length).to.equal(3);
+    expect(el.steps[0].tagName).to.equal('LION-STEP');
+    expect(el.steps[1].tagName).to.equal('LION-STEP');
+    expect(el.steps[2].tagName).to.equal('OTHER-STEP-ELEMENT');
+  });
+
   describe('initialization', () => {
     it('activates step with an "initial-step" attribute', async () => {
       const el = await fixture(html`