diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.test.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.test.ts
index 25caf7bad0..b76356a586 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.test.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.test.ts
@@ -152,19 +152,41 @@ describe('NunjucksWorkflowRunner', () => {
       id: 'checkpoints-action',
       description: 'Mock action with checkpoints',
       handler: async ctx => {
-        const key1 = await ctx.checkpoint('key1', async () => {
-          return 'updated';
+        const key1 = await ctx.checkpoint({
+          key: 'key1',
+          fn: async () => {
+            return 'updated';
+          },
         });
-        const key2 = await ctx.checkpoint('key2', async () => {
-          return 'updated';
+        const key2 = await ctx.checkpoint({
+          key: 'key2',
+          fn: async () => {
+            return 'updated';
+          },
         });
-        const key3 = await ctx.checkpoint('key3', async () => {
-          return 'updated';
+        const key3 = await ctx.checkpoint({
+          key: 'key3',
+          fn: async () => {
+            return 'updated';
+          },
+        });
+
+        const key4 = await ctx.checkpoint({
+          fn: () => {},
+        });
+
+        const key5 = await ctx.checkpoint({
+          fn: async () => {},
         });
 
         ctx.output('key1', key1);
         ctx.output('key2', key2);
         ctx.output('key3', key3);
+
+        // @ts-expect-error - this is void return
+        ctx.output('key4', key4);
+        // @ts-expect-error - this is void return
+        ctx.output('key5', key5);
       },
     });
 
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.ts
index 6f7551568f..8a4cb8767f 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-backend/src/scaffolder/tasks/NunjucksWorkflowRunner.ts
@@ -364,6 +364,8 @@ export class NunjucksWorkflowRunner implements WorkflowRunner {
             )}`,
           );
         }
+        let checkpointCount = 0;
+
         await action.handler({
           input: iteration.input,
           secrets: task.secrets ?? {},
@@ -371,21 +373,26 @@ export class NunjucksWorkflowRunner implements WorkflowRunner {
           logger: loggerToWinstonLogger(taskLogger),
           logStream: streamLogger,
           workspacePath,
-          async checkpoint<U extends JsonValue>(
-            keySuffix: string,
-            fn: () => Promise<U>,
-          ) {
-            const key = `v1.task.checkpoint.${step.id}.${keySuffix}`;
+          async checkpoint<T extends JsonValue | void>(opts: {
+            key?: string;
+            fn: () => Promise<T> | T;
+          }) {
+            const { key: checkpointKey = checkpointCount++, fn } = opts;
+            // default the task checkpoint to stepId plus count if there's no explict key provided.
+            const key = `v1.task.checkpoint.${step.id}.${checkpointKey}`;
+
             try {
-              let prevValue: U | undefined;
+              let prevValue: T | undefined;
+
               if (prevTaskState) {
                 const prevState = (
                   prevTaskState.state?.checkpoints as {
                     [key: string]: CheckpointState;
                   }
                 )?.[key];
+
                 if (prevState && prevState.status === 'success') {
-                  prevValue = prevState.value as U;
+                  prevValue = prevState.value as T;
                 }
               }
 
@@ -395,7 +402,7 @@ export class NunjucksWorkflowRunner implements WorkflowRunner {
                 task.updateCheckpoint?.({
                   key,
                   status: 'success',
-                  value,
+                  value: value ?? {},
                 });
               }
               return value;
diff --git a/plugins/scaffolder-node/src/actions/types.ts b/plugins/scaffolder-node/src/actions/types.ts
index f0e4c12869..f24dc154e2 100644
--- a/plugins/scaffolder-node/src/actions/types.ts
+++ b/plugins/scaffolder-node/src/actions/types.ts
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ export type ActionContext<
   secrets?: TaskSecrets;
   workspacePath: string;
   input: TActionInput;
-  checkpoint<U extends JsonValue>(
-    key: string,
-    fn: () => Promise<U>,
-  ): Promise<U>;
+  checkpoint<U extends JsonValue | void>(opts: {
+    key?: string;
+    fn: () => Promise<U> | U;
+  }): Promise<U>;
   output(
     name: keyof TActionOutput,
     value: TActionOutput[keyof TActionOutput],