diff --git a/plugin/convert/diagnostics.go b/plugin/convert/diagnostics.go
index de874cc39f..50f7e2ec04 100644
--- a/plugin/convert/diagnostics.go
+++ b/plugin/convert/diagnostics.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func ProtoToDiagnostics(ds []*proto.Diagnostic) tfdiags.Diagnostics {
 			path := AttributePathToPath(d.Attribute)
 			newDiag = tfdiags.AttributeValue(severity, d.Summary, d.Detail, path)
 		} else {
-			newDiag = tfdiags.Sourceless(severity, d.Summary, d.Detail)
+			newDiag = tfdiags.WholeContainingBody(severity, d.Summary, d.Detail)
 		}
 
 		diags = diags.Append(newDiag)
diff --git a/tfdiags/contextual.go b/tfdiags/contextual.go
index f53a4d1e2c..517c7a27c9 100644
--- a/tfdiags/contextual.go
+++ b/tfdiags/contextual.go
@@ -274,3 +274,46 @@ func (d *attributeDiagnostic) Source() Source {
 		Subject: d.subject,
 	}
 }
+
+// WholeContainingBody returns a diagnostic about the body that is an implied
+// current configuration context. This should be returned only from
+// functions whose interface specifies a clear configuration context that this
+// will be resolved in.
+//
+// The returned attribute will not have source location information until
+// context is applied to the containing diagnostics using diags.InConfigBody.
+// After context is applied, the source location is currently the missing item
+// range of the body. In future, this may change to some other suitable
+// part of the containing body.
+func WholeContainingBody(severity Severity, summary, detail string) Diagnostic {
+	return &wholeBodyDiagnostic{
+		diagnosticBase: diagnosticBase{
+			severity: severity,
+			summary:  summary,
+			detail:   detail,
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+type wholeBodyDiagnostic struct {
+	diagnosticBase
+	subject  *SourceRange // populated only after ElaborateFromConfigBody
+}
+
+func (d *wholeBodyDiagnostic) ElaborateFromConfigBody(body hcl.Body) Diagnostic {
+	if d.subject != nil {
+		// Don't modify an already-elaborated diagnostic.
+		return d
+	}
+
+	ret := *d
+	rng := SourceRangeFromHCL(body.MissingItemRange())
+	ret.subject = &rng
+	return &ret
+}
+
+func (d *wholeBodyDiagnostic) Source() Source {
+	return Source{
+		Subject: d.subject,
+	}
+}