High-strength, fine-grained structural steels are increasingly used in modern steel construction to meet economic and environmental demands through lightweight design and reduced material usage. Additive manufacturing (AM), in particularly direct energy deposition with gas metal arc welding (DED-Arc), offers significant advantages in flexibility, production speed, and cost efficiency. In hybrid AM, conventionally manufactured parts are extended or modified using AM processes. Welding-induced residual stresses, especially in the transition area, pose challenges to structural integrity. This study investigates the influence of substrate design and thermal pretreatment on the residual stress state of hybrid AM components made from base material steel S690QL and a welding filler, a modified solid wire G79. Two substrate geometries (I- and T-substrate) are analysed, which are additively and conventionally manufactured, respectively. Results show that substrate geometry significantly affects local residual stresses, microstructure and hardness, particularly in the transition are. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the evolution of welding stresses in hybrid AM components to achieve reliable, crack-resistant and economic high-strength steel structures.