diff --git a/.github/workflows/__build-mode-autobuild.yml b/.github/workflows/__build-mode-autobuild.yml
index 39ec213811..4347905ed3 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/__build-mode-autobuild.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/__build-mode-autobuild.yml
@@ -76,6 +76,13 @@ jobs:
         with:
           java-version: ${{ inputs.java-version || '17' }}
           distribution: temurin
+      - name: Install yq
+        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
+        env:
+          YQ_PATH: ${{ runner.temp }}/yq
+        run: |-
+          gh release download --repo mikefarah/yq --pattern "yq_windows_amd64.exe" v4.50.1 -O "$YQ_PATH/yq.exe"
+          echo "$YQ_PATH" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
       - name: Set up Java test repo configuration
         run: |
           mv * .github ../action/tests/multi-language-repo/
@@ -90,11 +97,6 @@ jobs:
           languages: java
           tools: ${{ steps.prepare-test.outputs.tools-url }}
 
-      - name: Install yq
-        if: runner.os == 'Windows'
-        run: |
-          choco install yq -y
-
       - name: Validate database build mode
         run: |
           metadata_path="$RUNNER_TEMP/customDbLocation/java/codeql-database.yml"
diff --git a/pr-checks/checks/build-mode-autobuild.yml b/pr-checks/checks/build-mode-autobuild.yml
index 26b8626f22..8a51926faa 100644
--- a/pr-checks/checks/build-mode-autobuild.yml
+++ b/pr-checks/checks/build-mode-autobuild.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ description: "An end-to-end integration test of a Java repository built using 'b
 operatingSystems: ["ubuntu", "windows"]
 versions: ["linked", "nightly-latest"]
 installJava: "true"
+installYq: "true"
 steps:
   - name: Set up Java test repo configuration
     run: |
@@ -18,11 +19,6 @@ steps:
       languages: java
       tools: ${{ steps.prepare-test.outputs.tools-url }}
 
-  - name: Install yq
-    if: runner.os == 'Windows'
-    run: |
-      choco install yq -y
-
   - name: Validate database build mode
     run: |
       metadata_path="$RUNNER_TEMP/customDbLocation/java/codeql-database.yml"
diff --git a/pr-checks/sync.py b/pr-checks/sync.py
index 9d1296a549..71f86ef521 100755
--- a/pr-checks/sync.py
+++ b/pr-checks/sync.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
 import ruamel.yaml
-from ruamel.yaml.scalarstring import SingleQuotedScalarString
+from ruamel.yaml.scalarstring import SingleQuotedScalarString, LiteralScalarString
 import pathlib
 import os
 
@@ -223,6 +223,21 @@ def writeHeader(checkStream):
             }
         })
 
+    installYq = is_truthy(checkSpecification.get('installYq', ''))
+
+    if installYq:
+        steps.append({
+            'name': 'Install yq',
+            'if': "runner.os == 'Windows'",
+            'env': {
+                'YQ_PATH': '${{ runner.temp }}/yq'
+            },
+            'run': LiteralScalarString(
+                'gh release download --repo mikefarah/yq --pattern "yq_windows_amd64.exe" v4.50.1 -O "$YQ_PATH/yq.exe"\n'
+                'echo "$YQ_PATH" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"'
+            ),
+        })
+
     # If container initialisation steps are present in the check specification,
     # make sure to execute them first.
     if 'container' in checkSpecification and 'container-init-steps' in checkSpecification: