diff --git a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index 115989e3dea7..b380748fb3c0 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ class CastNode extends Node {
   CastNode() { none() } // stub implementation
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 class DataFlowCallable = Function;
 
 class DataFlowExpr = Expr;
diff --git a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index 33ff6f747752..ef006bbff0a2 100644
--- a/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/cpp/ql/lib/semmle/code/cpp/ir/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -783,6 +783,12 @@ class CastNode extends Node {
   CastNode() { none() } // stub implementation
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 /**
  * A function that may contain code or a variable that may contain itself. When
  * flow crosses from one _enclosing callable_ to another, the interprocedural
diff --git a/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index a3aed9f9097a..c8287255f4f7 100644
--- a/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/csharp/ql/lib/semmle/code/csharp/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -2147,6 +2147,12 @@ class CastNode extends Node {
   }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 class DataFlowExpr = DotNet::Expr;
 
 /** Holds if `e` is an expression that always has the same Boolean value `val`. */
diff --git a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index ee146fc2abad..277c92703e7b 100644
--- a/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/go/ql/lib/semmle/go/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -228,6 +228,12 @@ class CastNode extends ExprNode {
   override ConversionExpr expr;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 class DataFlowExpr = Expr;
 
 private newtype TDataFlowType =
diff --git a/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index ea393dad0bf4..216523023d91 100644
--- a/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/java/ql/lib/semmle/code/java/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -242,6 +242,12 @@ class CastNode extends ExprNode {
   CastNode() { this.getExpr() instanceof CastingExpr }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 private newtype TDataFlowCallable =
   TSrcCallable(Callable c) or
   TSummarizedCallable(SummarizedCallable c) or
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index 7f907ca84e88..29504b6aa388 100644
--- a/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/python/ql/lib/semmle/python/dataflow/new/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -486,6 +486,14 @@ class DataFlowType extends TDataFlowType {
 
 /** A node that performs a type cast. */
 class CastNode extends Node {
+  CastNode() { none() }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) {
   // We include read- and store steps here to force them to be
   // shown in path explanations.
   // This hack is necessary, because we have included some of these
@@ -494,7 +502,7 @@ class CastNode extends Node {
   // We should revert this once, we can remove this steps from the
   // default taint steps; this should be possible once we have
   // implemented flow summaries and recursive content.
-  CastNode() { readStep(_, _, this) or storeStep(_, _, this) }
+  readStep(_, _, n) or storeStep(_, _, n)
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index 0fb0bac04621..f8469e99a23a 100644
--- a/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/ruby/ql/lib/codeql/ruby/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -1290,10 +1290,16 @@ private import PostUpdateNodes
 
 /** A node that performs a type cast. */
 class CastNode extends Node {
-  CastNode() {
-    // ensure that all variable assignments are included in the path graph
-    this.(SsaDefinitionExtNode).getDefinitionExt() instanceof Ssa::WriteDefinition
-  }
+  CastNode() { none() }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) {
+  // ensure that all variable assignments are included in the path graph
+  n.(SsaDefinitionExtNode).getDefinitionExt() instanceof Ssa::WriteDefinition
 }
 
 class DataFlowExpr = CfgNodes::ExprCfgNode;
diff --git a/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll b/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
index 984c5ae2018a..284fff191ae5 100644
--- a/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
+++ b/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowImpl.qll
@@ -2021,7 +2021,8 @@ module Impl<FullStateConfigSig Config> {
       FlowCheckNode() {
         castNode(this.asNode()) or
         clearsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
-        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _)
+        expectsContentCached(this.asNode(), _) or
+        neverSkipInPathGraph(this.asNode())
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll b/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
index 02ae10b83afd..c0f01a67df3c 100644
--- a/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
+++ b/swift/ql/lib/codeql/swift/dataflow/internal/DataFlowPrivate.qll
@@ -849,6 +849,12 @@ class CastNode extends Node {
   CastNode() { none() }
 }
 
+/**
+ * Holds if `n` should never be skipped over in the `PathGraph` and in path
+ * explanations.
+ */
+predicate neverSkipInPathGraph(Node n) { none() }
+
 class DataFlowExpr = Expr;
 
 class DataFlowParameter = ParamDecl;