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..2bd7359
--- /dev/null
+++ b/payu_config/init_scripts/run_make_diag_table.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+#!/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 $MODEL in
+    access-om3)
+        DEST="make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    access-om2)
+        DEST="tools/make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    access | access-esm1.6)
+        DEST="ocean/diagnostic_profiles/source_yaml_files/make_diag_table"
+        ;;
+    *)
+        echo "Error: Unknown model '$MODEL' (expected access-om3 | access-om2 | access-esm1.6 | access)" >&2
+        exit 1
+        ;;
+esac
+
+BASE=$(dirname $DEST)
+
+mkdir -p $BASE
+
+if [ -d "$DEST" ]; then
+    echo "Directory $DEST already exists!" >&2
+
+else
+    git clone https://github.com/COSIMA/make_diag_table $DEST
+    scp $DEST/make_diag_table.py $BASE/
+
+    cd $BASE
+    echo "-- Cloned make_diag_table repo to $DEST"
+
+    if [[ $MODEL == "access-om2" || $MODEL == "access-om3" ]]; 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
+
+    echo "-- diag_table is ready for use! (model: $MODEL)"
+fi