diff --git a/CRM/Core/CodeGen/Specification.php b/CRM/Core/CodeGen/Specification.php
index f2300887972b..dfc382694346 100644
--- a/CRM/Core/CodeGen/Specification.php
+++ b/CRM/Core/CodeGen/Specification.php
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ public function getTable($tableXML, &$database, &$tables) {
       'comment' => $this->value('comment', $tableXML),
       'description' => $this->value('description', $tableXML),
       'localizable' => $localizable,
+      'primary_key' => (array) $tableXML->primaryKey->name,
       'log' => $this->value('log', $tableXML, 'false'),
       'archive' => $this->value('archive', $tableXML, 'false'),
     ];
diff --git a/CRM/Core/DAO.php b/CRM/Core/DAO.php
index 253c58d580d5..5bd931c91c2f 100644
--- a/CRM/Core/DAO.php
+++ b/CRM/Core/DAO.php
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@
  */
 class CRM_Core_DAO extends DB_DataObject {
 
+  /**
+   * Primary key field(s).
+   *
+   * @var string[]
+   */
+  public static $_primaryKey = ['id'];
+
   /**
    * How many times has this instance been cloned.
    *
diff --git a/Civi/Api4/Generic/AbstractEntity.php b/Civi/Api4/Generic/AbstractEntity.php
index b218cec75e4a..266c6307a491 100644
--- a/Civi/Api4/Generic/AbstractEntity.php
+++ b/Civi/Api4/Generic/AbstractEntity.php
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ public static function getInfo() {
       $dao = \CRM_Core_DAO_AllCoreTables::getFullName($info['name']);
       if ($dao) {
         $info['paths'] = $dao::getEntityPaths();
+        $info['primary_key'] = $dao::$_primaryKey;
         $info['icon'] = $dao::$_icon;
         $info['label_field'] = $dao::$_labelField;
         $info['dao'] = $dao;
diff --git a/xml/templates/dao.tpl b/xml/templates/dao.tpl
index 7aacd67d3aa8..b56b347f011b 100644
--- a/xml/templates/dao.tpl
+++ b/xml/templates/dao.tpl
@@ -18,12 +18,22 @@ class {$table.className} extends CRM_Core_DAO {ldelim}
      {if !empty($table.component)}const COMPONENT = '{$table.component}';{/if}
 
      /**
-      * Static instance to hold the table name.
+      * Name of SQL table for the {$table.entity} entity.
       *
       * @var string
       */
       public static $_tableName = '{$table.name}';
 
+   {* Only print this variable if it's different than the default in CRM_Core_DAO *}
+   {if count($table.primary_key) > 1 || $table.primary_key.0 !== 'id'}
+     /**
+      * Primary key field(s).
+      *
+      * @var string[]
+      */
+      public static $_primaryKey = ['{"', '"|implode:$table.primary_key}'];
+   {/if}
+
    {if $table.icon}
      /**
       * Icon associated with this entity.