diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/aliased_ssa/Instruction.qll b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/aliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
index 3244afeb1447..6d5e697150e5 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/aliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/aliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ module InstructionSanity {
     )
   }
 
+  query predicate sideEffectWithoutPrimary(
+    SideEffectInstruction instr, string message, IRFunction func, string funcText
+  ) {
+    not exists(instr.getPrimaryInstruction()) and
+    message = "Side effect instruction missing primary instruction in function $@" and
+    func = instr.getEnclosingIRFunction() and
+    funcText = Language::getIdentityString(func.getFunction())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if an instruction, other than `ExitFunction`, has no successors.
    */
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
index 3244afeb1447..6d5e697150e5 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ module InstructionSanity {
     )
   }
 
+  query predicate sideEffectWithoutPrimary(
+    SideEffectInstruction instr, string message, IRFunction func, string funcText
+  ) {
+    not exists(instr.getPrimaryInstruction()) and
+    message = "Side effect instruction missing primary instruction in function $@" and
+    func = instr.getEnclosingIRFunction() and
+    funcText = Language::getIdentityString(func.getFunction())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if an instruction, other than `ExitFunction`, has no successors.
    */
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/internal/TranslatedCall.qll b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/internal/TranslatedCall.qll
index 4a7aa607f574..fd8f15a6eb3d 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/internal/TranslatedCall.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/raw/internal/TranslatedCall.qll
@@ -520,6 +520,11 @@ class TranslatedSideEffect extends TranslatedElement, TTranslatedArgumentSideEff
     op instanceof Opcode::IndirectReadSideEffect
   }
 
+  override Instruction getPrimaryInstructionForSideEffect(InstructionTag tag) {
+    tag = OnlyInstructionTag() and
+    result = getTranslatedExpr(call).getInstruction(CallTag())
+  }
+
   final override int getInstructionIndex(InstructionTag tag) {
     tag = OnlyInstructionTag() and
     result = index
diff --git a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
index 3244afeb1447..6d5e697150e5 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/src/semmle/code/cpp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ module InstructionSanity {
     )
   }
 
+  query predicate sideEffectWithoutPrimary(
+    SideEffectInstruction instr, string message, IRFunction func, string funcText
+  ) {
+    not exists(instr.getPrimaryInstruction()) and
+    message = "Side effect instruction missing primary instruction in function $@" and
+    func = instr.getEnclosingIRFunction() and
+    funcText = Language::getIdentityString(func.getFunction())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if an instruction, other than `ExitFunction`, has no successors.
    */
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ssa/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index 5fb356f5701f..9e8588507ff6 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/aliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 | cpp11.cpp:141:7:141:7 | Phi: g | cpp11.cpp:161:16:161:16 | NoOp: label ...: |
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 | VacuousDestructorCall.cpp:2:29:2:29 | InitializeParameter: y |
 | assume0.cpp:7:2:7:2 | Chi: call to f |
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/raw_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/raw_sanity.expected
index 426424a5fd46..feda4271b0f0 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/raw_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/raw_sanity.expected
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 | VacuousDestructorCall.cpp:2:29:2:29 | InitializeParameter: y |
 | VacuousDestructorCall.cpp:3:3:3:3 | VariableAddress: x |
diff --git a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index 22a395b3f89f..d064a1264ecb 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/cpp/ql/test/library-tests/syntax-zoo/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ missingPhiOperand
 | range_analysis.c:389:3:389:32 | Phi: return ... | range_analysis.c:387:38:387:38 | Constant: 5 |
 | range_analysis.c:389:3:389:32 | Phi: return ... | range_analysis.c:387:38:387:38 | Constant: 5 |
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 | VacuousDestructorCall.cpp:2:29:2:29 | InitializeParameter: y |
 | assume0.cpp:7:2:7:2 | CallSideEffect: call to f |
diff --git a/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll b/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
index 3244afeb1447..6d5e697150e5 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
+++ b/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/raw/Instruction.qll
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ module InstructionSanity {
     )
   }
 
+  query predicate sideEffectWithoutPrimary(
+    SideEffectInstruction instr, string message, IRFunction func, string funcText
+  ) {
+    not exists(instr.getPrimaryInstruction()) and
+    message = "Side effect instruction missing primary instruction in function $@" and
+    func = instr.getEnclosingIRFunction() and
+    funcText = Language::getIdentityString(func.getFunction())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if an instruction, other than `ExitFunction`, has no successors.
    */
diff --git a/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll b/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
index 3244afeb1447..6d5e697150e5 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
+++ b/csharp/ql/src/semmle/code/csharp/ir/implementation/unaliased_ssa/Instruction.qll
@@ -120,6 +120,15 @@ module InstructionSanity {
     )
   }
 
+  query predicate sideEffectWithoutPrimary(
+    SideEffectInstruction instr, string message, IRFunction func, string funcText
+  ) {
+    not exists(instr.getPrimaryInstruction()) and
+    message = "Side effect instruction missing primary instruction in function $@" and
+    func = instr.getEnclosingIRFunction() and
+    funcText = Language::getIdentityString(func.getFunction())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Holds if an instruction, other than `ExitFunction`, has no successors.
    */
diff --git a/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_ir_sanity.expected b/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_ir_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_ir_sanity.expected
+++ b/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/raw_ir_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop
diff --git a/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected b/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
index ae680785ce64..012ff53039b9 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
+++ b/csharp/ql/test/library-tests/ir/ir/unaliased_ssa_sanity.expected
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ unexpectedOperand
 duplicateOperand
 missingPhiOperand
 missingOperandType
+sideEffectWithoutPrimary
 instructionWithoutSuccessor
 ambiguousSuccessors
 unexplainedLoop