diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
index cba6cea89..179957510 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/package.go
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ func parseStepUsageStatement(use, comment string) (string, string) {
 
 	// if version looks like a commit hash and we have a comment, try to extract version from comment
 	if version != "" && regexp.MustCompile(`^[0-9a-f]{7,}$`).MatchString(version) && comment != "" {
-		versionRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`v?\d+\.\d+\.\d+`)
 		matches := versionRegex.FindStringSubmatch(comment)
 
 		if len(matches) >= 1 {
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action.go
index 96378815e..09949aa03 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action.go
@@ -24,12 +24,19 @@ type compositeActionRunsDef struct {
 }
 
 func parseCompositeActionForActionUsage(_ context.Context, _ file.Resolver, _ *generic.Environment, reader file.LocationReadCloser) ([]pkg.Package, []artifact.Relationship, error) {
-	var ca compositeActionDef
 	var errs error
-	if errs = yaml.NewDecoder(reader).Decode(&ca); errs != nil {
+	var node yaml.Node
+	if errs = yaml.NewDecoder(reader).Decode(&node); errs != nil {
+		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse yaml workflow file: %w", errs)
+	}
+
+	var ca compositeActionDef
+	if errs = node.Decode(&ca); errs != nil {
 		return nil, nil, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse yaml composite action file: %w", errs)
 	}
 
+	attachCompositeActionUsageComments(&node, ca.Runs.Steps)
+
 	// we use a collection to help with deduplication before raising to higher level processing
 	pkgs := pkg.NewCollection()
 
@@ -49,3 +56,62 @@ func parseCompositeActionForActionUsage(_ context.Context, _ file.Resolver, _ *g
 
 	return pkgs.Sorted(), nil, errs
 }
+
+func attachCompositeActionUsageComments(node *yaml.Node, steps []stepDef) {
+	root := node
+	if root.Kind == yaml.DocumentNode && len(root.Content) > 0 {
+		root = root.Content[0]
+	}
+	if root.Kind != yaml.MappingNode {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// find the "runs" key
+	for i := 0; i < len(root.Content); i += 2 {
+		key := root.Content[i]
+		value := root.Content[i+1]
+		if key.Value != "runs" || value.Kind != yaml.MappingNode {
+			continue
+		}
+		// find the "steps" key within runs
+		for j := 0; j < len(value.Content); j += 2 {
+			stepsKey := value.Content[j]
+			stepsValue := value.Content[j+1]
+			if stepsKey.Value != "steps" || stepsValue.Kind != yaml.SequenceNode {
+				continue
+			}
+			readSteps(stepsValue, steps)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func readSteps(stepsValue *yaml.Node, steps []stepDef) {
+	// iterate over each step
+	for stepIdx, stepNode := range stepsValue.Content {
+		if stepNode.Kind != yaml.MappingNode {
+			continue
+		}
+		// find the "uses" key within the step
+		for k := 0; k < len(stepNode.Content); k += 2 {
+			usesKey := stepNode.Content[k]
+			usesValue := stepNode.Content[k+1]
+			if usesKey.Value != "uses" || usesValue.Kind != yaml.ScalarNode {
+				continue
+			}
+			comment := usesValue.LineComment
+			if comment == "" {
+				comment = usesValue.HeadComment
+			}
+			if comment == "" {
+				comment = usesValue.FootComment
+			}
+			if comment == "" {
+				continue
+			}
+			versionMatch := versionRegex.FindString(comment)
+			if versionMatch != "" && stepIdx < len(steps) {
+				steps[stepIdx].UsesComment = versionMatch
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action_test.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action_test.go
index 2ed607fe3..b089f939f 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action_test.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_composite_action_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,28 @@ func Test_parseCompositeActionForActionUsage(t *testing.T) {
 	fixtureLocationSet := file.NewLocationSet(file.NewLocation(fixture).WithAnnotation(pkg.EvidenceAnnotationKey, pkg.PrimaryEvidenceAnnotation))
 
 	expected := []pkg.Package{
+		{
+			Name:      "actions/checkout",
+			Version:   "11",
+			Type:      pkg.GithubActionPkg,
+			Locations: fixtureLocationSet,
+			PURL:      "pkg:github/actions/checkout@11",
+			Metadata: pkg.GitHubActionsUseStatement{
+				Value:   "actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683",
+				Comment: "11",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			Name:      "actions/setup-go",
+			Version:   "v5.1.0",
+			Type:      pkg.GithubActionPkg,
+			Locations: fixtureLocationSet,
+			PURL:      "pkg:github/actions/setup-go@v5.1.0",
+			Metadata: pkg.GitHubActionsUseStatement{
+				Value:   "actions/setup-go@41dfa10bad2bb2ae585af6ee5bb4d7d973ad74ed",
+				Comment: "v5.1.0",
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			Name:      "actions/setup-go",
 			Version:   "v4",
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_workflow.go b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_workflow.go
index f784bce63..1957ac2f5 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_workflow.go
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/parse_workflow.go
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ var (
 	_ generic.Parser = parseWorkflowForWorkflowUsage
 )
 
+var versionRegex = regexp.MustCompile(`v?\d+(\.\d+)*`)
+
 type workflowDef struct {
 	Jobs map[string]workflowJobDef `yaml:"jobs"`
 }
@@ -185,7 +187,6 @@ func processUsesNode(node *yaml.Node, wf *workflowDef, currentJob *string, curre
 	}
 
 	if comment != "" {
-		versionRegex := regexp.MustCompile(`v?\d+(\.\d+)*`)
 		versionMatch := versionRegex.FindString(comment)
 
 		if versionMatch != "" {
diff --git a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/composite-action.yaml b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/composite-action.yaml
index b294c90ae..8e8038b12 100644
--- a/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/composite-action.yaml
+++ b/syft/pkg/cataloger/githubactions/testdata/composite-action.yaml
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@ runs:
         path: ${{ github.workspace }}/.tmp
         key: ${{ inputs.cache-key-prefix }}-${{ runner.os }}-tool-${{ hashFiles('Makefile') }}
 
+    - uses: actions/checkout@11bd71901bbe5b1630ceea73d27597364c9af683 # v 11
+
+    - name: Setup Go
+      uses: actions/setup-go@41dfa10bad2bb2ae585af6ee5bb4d7d973ad74ed #v5.1.0
+      with:
+        go-version: ${{ inputs.go-version }}
+
     # note: we need to keep restoring the go mod cache before bootstrapping tools since `go install` is used in
     # some installations of project tools.
     - name: Restore go module cache