diff --git a/.github/workflows/__diagnostics-without-db.yml b/.github/workflows/__diagnostics-without-db.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9c5b64d22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/__diagnostics-without-db.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+# Warning: This file is generated automatically, and should not be modified.
+# Instead, please modify the template in the pr-checks directory and run:
+#     pr-checks/sync.sh
+# to regenerate this file.
+
+name: PR Check - Diagnostic export without database
+env:
+  GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+  GO111MODULE: auto
+on:
+  push:
+    branches:
+      - main
+      - releases/v*
+  pull_request: {}
+  merge_group:
+    types:
+      - checks_requested
+  schedule:
+    - cron: '0 5 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+    inputs: {}
+  workflow_call:
+    inputs: {}
+defaults:
+  run:
+    shell: bash
+concurrency:
+  cancel-in-progress: ${{ github.event_name == 'pull_request' || false }}
+  group: diagnostics-without-db-${{github.ref}}
+jobs:
+  diagnostics-without-db:
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - os: ubuntu-latest
+            version: linked
+    name: Diagnostic export without database
+    if: github.triggering_actor != 'dependabot[bot]'
+    permissions:
+      contents: read
+      security-events: read
+    timeout-minutes: 45
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    steps:
+      # We deliberately need to make this step fail before the database is initialised, but after
+      # some diagnostic has been produced. The simplest way to do that right now is to force the
+      # use of a nightly release and then fail because we are attempting to analyse Swift on
+      # a non-macOS runner.
+      - name: Check out repository
+        uses: actions/checkout@3d3c42e5aac5ba805825da76410c181273ba90b1 # v7.0.1
+      - name: Install Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@820762786026740c76f36085b0efc47a31fe5020 # v7.0.0
+        with:
+          node-version: 20.x
+          cache: npm
+      - name: Install newer npm
+        run: npm install -g npm@11.19.1
+      - name: Install dependencies
+        run: npm ci
+      - name: Prepare test
+        id: prepare-test
+        uses: ./.github/actions/prepare-test
+        with:
+          version: ${{ matrix.version }}
+          use-all-platform-bundle: 'false'
+          setup-kotlin: 'true'
+      - name: Initialise failing analysis
+        id: init
+        uses: ./../action/init
+        continue-on-error: true
+        env:
+          CODEQL_ACTION_FORCE_NIGHTLY: true
+        with:
+          languages: swift
+          tools: ${{ steps.prepare-test.outputs.tools-url }}
+
+      - name: Check diagnostics appear on disk
+        env:
+          SARIF_PATH: '${{ runner.temp }}/codeql-action-temp-diagnostics/'
+        run: |
+          cd ../action
+          npx tsx ./pr-checks/diagnostics-without-db.ts
+    env:
+      CODEQL_ACTION_TEST_MODE: true
diff --git a/pr-checks/checks/diagnostics-without-db.yml b/pr-checks/checks/diagnostics-without-db.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..603fdd04c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pr-checks/checks/diagnostics-without-db.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+name: "Diagnostic export without database"
+description: "Tests that temporary diagnostics are correctly included in the failed SARIF."
+versions:
+  # Overriden by the FF below.
+  - linked
+installNode: true
+steps:
+  # We deliberately need to make this step fail before the database is initialised, but after
+  # some diagnostic has been produced. The simplest way to do that right now is to force the
+  # use of a nightly release and then fail because we are attempting to analyse Swift on
+  # a non-macOS runner.
+  - name: Initialise failing analysis
+    id: init
+    uses: ./../action/init
+    continue-on-error: true
+    env:
+      CODEQL_ACTION_FORCE_NIGHTLY: true
+    with:
+      languages: swift
+      tools: ${{ steps.prepare-test.outputs.tools-url }}
+
+  - name: Check diagnostics appear on disk
+    env:
+      SARIF_PATH: "${{ runner.temp }}/codeql-action-temp-diagnostics/"
+    run: |
+      cd ../action
+      npx tsx ./pr-checks/diagnostics-without-db.ts
diff --git a/pr-checks/diagnostics-without-db.ts b/pr-checks/diagnostics-without-db.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b742c10d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pr-checks/diagnostics-without-db.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import * as fs from "fs";
+import * as path from "path";
+
+import * as core from "@actions/core";
+
+import type * as diagnostics from "../src/diagnostics";
+
+const DIAGNOSTIC_ID = "codeql-action/forced-nightly-cli";
+const sarifDirectory = process.env["SARIF_PATH"];
+
+if (sarifDirectory === undefined) {
+  throw new Error("SARIF_PATH is undefined.");
+}
+
+const paths = fs
+  .readdirSync(sarifDirectory, {
+    recursive: true,
+    encoding: "utf-8",
+  })
+  .filter((p) => p.endsWith(".json"));
+
+core.info(`Found ${paths.length} paths in '${sarifDirectory}'.`);
+core.info(`Searching for a diagnostic with id '${DIAGNOSTIC_ID}'...`);
+
+let found = false;
+for (const diagnosticPath of paths) {
+  if (path.extname(diagnosticPath) !== ".json") {
+    core.info(`Skipping ${diagnosticPath}.`);
+    continue;
+  }
+  core.info(`Found ${diagnosticPath}.`);
+
+  const contents = JSON.parse(
+    fs.readFileSync(path.resolve(sarifDirectory, diagnosticPath), "utf-8"),
+  ) as diagnostics.DiagnosticMessage;
+
+  if (contents.source.id === DIAGNOSTIC_ID) {
+    core.info(
+      `Found '${DIAGNOSTIC_ID}' in '${diagnosticPath}'. Skipping remaining files.`,
+    );
+    found = true;
+    break;
+  }
+}
+
+if (!found) {
+  throw new Error(`Didn't find '${DIAGNOSTIC_ID}' diagnostic.`);
+}