diff --git a/payu_config/init_scripts/run_make_diag_table.sh b/payu_config/init_scripts/run_make_diag_table.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..67e454c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/payu_config/init_scripts/run_make_diag_table.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -e  # exit on error
+
+source /etc/profile.d/modules.sh
+module use /g/data/vk83/prerelease/modules && module load payu/dev
+
+# detect model
+if [ ! -f "config.yaml" ]; then
+    echo "Error: config.yaml not found!"
+    exit 1
+fi
+MODEL=$(grep '^model:' config.yaml | awk '{print $2}')
+echo "-- Detected model: $MODEL"
+
+case $MODEL in
+    access-om3)
+        DEST="diagnostic_profiles/source_yaml_files/make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    access-om2)
+        DEST="tools/make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    access | access-esm1.6)
+        DEST="ocean/diagnostic_profiles/source_yaml_files/make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Error: Unknown model '$MODEL' (expected access-om3 | access-om2 | access-esm1.6 | access)" >&2
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
+
+BASE=$(dirname $DEST)
+
+mkdir -p $BASE
+
+rm -rf $DEST
+git clone https://github.com/COSIMA/make_diag_table $DEST
+mv $DEST/make_diag_table.py $BASE/
+
+cd $BASE
+echo "-- Cloned make_diag_table repo to $DEST"
+
+if [ $MODEL = "access-om2" ]; then
+  python3 make_diag_table.py
+else
+  cp -f diag_table_standard_source.yaml diag_table_source.yaml
+  echo "-- Copied diag_table_standard_source.yaml to diag_table_source.yaml"
+  python3 make_diag_table.py
+  cp -f diag_table ../diag_table_standard
+fi
+
+rm -rf "$DEST" "$BASE/make_diag_table.py" || true
+
+echo "-- diag_table is ready for use! (model: $MODEL)"