diff --git a/src/overlay-database-utils.test.ts b/src/overlay-database-utils.test.ts
index 8a5ab96e8..ab92ce869 100644
--- a/src/overlay-database-utils.test.ts
+++ b/src/overlay-database-utils.test.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   getCacheRestoreKeyPrefix,
   getCacheSaveKey,
   getCacheWorkflowKeyPrefix,
+  getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase,
   OverlayDatabaseMode,
   writeBaseDatabaseOidsFile,
   writeOverlayChangesFile,
@@ -315,3 +316,146 @@ test("overlay-base database cache keys remain stable", async (t) => {
     `Expected restore key prefix "${restoreKeyPrefix}" to start with workflow key prefix "${workflowKeyPrefix}"`,
   );
 });
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to generate a cache save key for testing.
+ * Sets up the necessary sinon stubs and returns the generated cache key.
+ */
+async function generateTestCacheKey(codeQlVersion: string): Promise<string> {
+  const config = createTestConfig({ languages: ["python", "javascript"] });
+  const commitOid = "abc123def456";
+
+  sinon.stub(apiClient, "getAutomationID").resolves("test-automation-id/");
+  sinon.stub(gitUtils, "getCommitOid").resolves(commitOid);
+
+  return await getCacheSaveKey(config, codeQlVersion, "checkout-path");
+}
+
+/**
+ * Helper function to stub getMostRecentActionsCacheEntry with a given key and creation date.
+ * Returns the stubbed function for cleanup if needed.
+ */
+function stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(key?: string, createdAt?: Date) {
+  const cacheItem =
+    key !== undefined || createdAt !== undefined
+      ? {
+          key,
+          created_at: createdAt?.toISOString(),
+        }
+      : undefined;
+
+  return sinon
+    .stub(apiClient, "getMostRecentActionsCacheEntry")
+    .resolves(cacheItem);
+}
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns version when cache entry is valid", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+  const cacheKey = await generateTestCacheKey("2.23.0");
+
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(cacheKey, new Date());
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(result, "2.23.0", "Should return the extracted CodeQL version");
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when no cache entries found", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+
+  sinon.stub(apiClient, "getAutomationID").resolves("test-automation-id/");
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry();
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when no cache entries found",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when cache entry is too old", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+  const cacheKey = await generateTestCacheKey("2.23.0");
+
+  const oldDate = new Date();
+  oldDate.setDate(oldDate.getDate() - 15); // 15 days ago (older than 14 day limit)
+
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(cacheKey, oldDate);
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when cache entry is too old",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when cache key format is invalid", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+
+  sinon.stub(apiClient, "getAutomationID").resolves("test-automation-id/");
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry("invalid-key-format", new Date());
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when cache key format is invalid",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when CodeQL version is invalid semver", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+  const invalidCacheKey = await generateTestCacheKey("invalid.version");
+
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(invalidCacheKey, new Date());
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when CodeQL version is invalid semver",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when CodeQL version is too old", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+  const cacheKey = await generateTestCacheKey("2.20.0"); // Older than minimum required version (2.22.4)
+
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(cacheKey, new Date());
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when CodeQL version is older than minimum required version",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when cache entry has no key", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+
+  sinon.stub(apiClient, "getAutomationID").resolves("test-automation-id/");
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(undefined, new Date());
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when cache entry has no key",
+  );
+});
+
+test("getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase returns undefined when cache entry has no created_at", async (t) => {
+  const logger = getRunnerLogger(true);
+  const cacheKey = await generateTestCacheKey("2.23.0");
+
+  stubMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(cacheKey, undefined);
+
+  const result = await getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(logger);
+  t.is(
+    result,
+    undefined,
+    "Should return undefined when cache entry has no created_at",
+  );
+});
diff --git a/src/overlay-database-utils.ts b/src/overlay-database-utils.ts
index b4904e976..992caee16 100644
--- a/src/overlay-database-utils.ts
+++ b/src/overlay-database-utils.ts
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@ import * as fs from "fs";
 import * as path from "path";
 
 import * as actionsCache from "@actions/cache";
+import * as semver from "semver";
 
 import { getRequiredInput, getTemporaryDirectory } from "./actions-util";
-import { getAutomationID } from "./api-client";
+import { getAutomationID, getMostRecentActionsCacheEntry } from "./api-client";
 import { type CodeQL } from "./codeql";
 import { type Config } from "./config-utils";
 import { getCommitOid, getFileOidsUnderPath } from "./git-utils";
@@ -441,6 +442,64 @@ export async function downloadOverlayBaseDatabaseFromCache(
   };
 }
 
+const IGNORE_DATABASES_OLDER_THAN_N_DAYS = 14;
+
+export async function getCodeQLVersionFromOverlayBaseDatabase(
+  logger: Logger,
+): Promise<string | undefined> {
+  const keyPrefix = await getCacheWorkflowKeyPrefix();
+  const cacheItem = await getMostRecentActionsCacheEntry(keyPrefix);
+
+  if (cacheItem?.created_at === undefined || cacheItem.key === undefined) {
+    logger.info("No overlay-base database cache entries found");
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const cutoffTime = new Date();
+  cutoffTime.setDate(cutoffTime.getDate() - IGNORE_DATABASES_OLDER_THAN_N_DAYS);
+
+  const cacheCreationTime = new Date(cacheItem.created_at);
+  if (cacheCreationTime < cutoffTime) {
+    logger.info(
+      `Not considering overlay-base database cache entry ${cacheItem.key} ` +
+        `because it is too old (created at ${cacheItem.created_at})`,
+    );
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  const keyParts = cacheItem.key.split("-");
+  if (keyParts.length < 9) {
+    logger.info(
+      `Overlay-base database cache entry ${cacheItem.key} has invalid key format`,
+    );
+    return undefined;
+  }
+  const codeQlVersion = keyParts[keyParts.length - 2];
+
+  if (!semver.valid(codeQlVersion)) {
+    logger.info(
+      `Overlay-base database cache entry ${cacheItem.key} has invalid ` +
+        `CodeQL version ${codeQlVersion}`,
+    );
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  if (semver.lt(codeQlVersion, CODEQL_OVERLAY_MINIMUM_VERSION)) {
+    logger.info(
+      `Overlay-base database cache entry ${cacheItem.key} has ` +
+        `CodeQL version ${codeQlVersion}, which is older than the ` +
+        `minimum required version ${CODEQL_OVERLAY_MINIMUM_VERSION}`,
+    );
+    return undefined;
+  }
+
+  logger.info(
+    `Found overlay-base database cache entry ${cacheItem.key} ` +
+      `created at ${cacheItem.created_at} with CodeQL version ${codeQlVersion}`,
+  );
+  return codeQlVersion;
+}
+
 /**
  * Computes the cache key for saving the overlay-base database to the GitHub
  * Actions cache.