diff --git a/packages/node/src/client.ts b/packages/node/src/client.ts
index fd0e94de595b..af39f786ac3c 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/client.ts
@@ -153,25 +153,30 @@ export class NodeClient extends BaseClient<NodeClientOptions> {
    * @param checkIn An object that describes a check in.
    * @param upsertMonitorConfig An optional object that describes a monitor config. Use this if you want
    * to create a monitor automatically when sending a check in.
+   * @returns A string representing the id of the check in.
    */
-  public captureCheckIn(checkIn: CheckIn, monitorConfig?: MonitorConfig): void {
+  public captureCheckIn(checkIn: CheckIn, monitorConfig?: MonitorConfig): string {
+    const id = checkIn.status !== 'in_progress' && checkIn.checkInId ? checkIn.checkInId : uuid4();
     if (!this._isEnabled()) {
       __DEBUG_BUILD__ && logger.warn('SDK not enabled, will not capture checkin.');
-      return;
+      return id;
     }
 
     const options = this.getOptions();
     const { release, environment, tunnel } = options;
 
     const serializedCheckIn: SerializedCheckIn = {
-      check_in_id: uuid4(),
+      check_in_id: id,
       monitor_slug: checkIn.monitorSlug,
       status: checkIn.status,
-      duration: checkIn.duration,
       release,
       environment,
     };
 
+    if (checkIn.status !== 'in_progress') {
+      serializedCheckIn.duration = checkIn.duration;
+    }
+
     if (monitorConfig) {
       serializedCheckIn.monitor_config = {
         schedule: monitorConfig.schedule,
@@ -183,6 +188,7 @@ export class NodeClient extends BaseClient<NodeClientOptions> {
 
     const envelope = createCheckInEnvelope(serializedCheckIn, this.getSdkMetadata(), tunnel, this.getDsn());
     void this._sendEnvelope(envelope);
+    return id;
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/node/src/sdk.ts b/packages/node/src/sdk.ts
index d8bb6c25c989..d4e2df4ac5f9 100644
--- a/packages/node/src/sdk.ts
+++ b/packages/node/src/sdk.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   logger,
   nodeStackLineParser,
   stackParserFromStackParserOptions,
+  uuid4,
 } from '@sentry/utils';
 
 import { setNodeAsyncContextStrategy } from './async';
@@ -273,12 +274,17 @@ export function captureCheckIn(
   checkIn: CheckIn,
   upsertMonitorConfig?: MonitorConfig,
 ): ReturnType<NodeClient['captureCheckIn']> {
+  const capturedCheckIn =
+    checkIn.status !== 'in_progress' && checkIn.checkInId ? checkIn : { ...checkIn, checkInId: uuid4() };
+
   const client = getCurrentHub().getClient<NodeClient>();
   if (client) {
-    return client.captureCheckIn(checkIn, upsertMonitorConfig);
+    client.captureCheckIn(capturedCheckIn, upsertMonitorConfig);
+  } else {
+    __DEBUG_BUILD__ && logger.warn('Cannot capture check in. No client defined.');
   }
 
-  __DEBUG_BUILD__ && logger.warn('Cannot capture check in. No client defined.');
+  return capturedCheckIn.checkInId;
 }
 
 /** Node.js stack parser */
diff --git a/packages/node/test/client.test.ts b/packages/node/test/client.test.ts
index c29627accb2e..ee5fd5bdd957 100644
--- a/packages/node/test/client.test.ts
+++ b/packages/node/test/client.test.ts
@@ -294,8 +294,8 @@ describe('NodeClient', () => {
       // @ts-ignore accessing private method
       const sendEnvelopeSpy = jest.spyOn(client, '_sendEnvelope');
 
-      client.captureCheckIn(
-        { monitorSlug: 'foo', status: 'ok', duration: 1222 },
+      const id = client.captureCheckIn(
+        { monitorSlug: 'foo', status: 'in_progress' },
         {
           schedule: {
             type: 'crontab',
@@ -314,10 +314,9 @@ describe('NodeClient', () => {
           [
             expect.any(Object),
             {
-              check_in_id: expect.any(String),
-              duration: 1222,
+              check_in_id: id,
               monitor_slug: 'foo',
-              status: 'ok',
+              status: 'in_progress',
               release: '1.0.0',
               environment: 'dev',
               monitor_config: {
@@ -333,6 +332,26 @@ describe('NodeClient', () => {
           ],
         ],
       ]);
+
+      client.captureCheckIn({ monitorSlug: 'foo', status: 'ok', duration: 1222, checkInId: id });
+
+      expect(sendEnvelopeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+      expect(sendEnvelopeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
+        expect.any(Object),
+        [
+          [
+            expect.any(Object),
+            {
+              check_in_id: id,
+              monitor_slug: 'foo',
+              duration: 1222,
+              status: 'ok',
+              release: '1.0.0',
+              environment: 'dev',
+            },
+          ],
+        ],
+      ]);
     });
 
     it('does not send a checkIn envelope if disabled', () => {
@@ -342,7 +361,7 @@ describe('NodeClient', () => {
       // @ts-ignore accessing private method
       const sendEnvelopeSpy = jest.spyOn(client, '_sendEnvelope');
 
-      client.captureCheckIn({ monitorSlug: 'foo', status: 'ok', duration: 1222 });
+      client.captureCheckIn({ monitorSlug: 'foo', status: 'in_progress' });
 
       expect(sendEnvelopeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
     });
diff --git a/packages/node/test/sdk.test.ts b/packages/node/test/sdk.test.ts
index abd0265b62c4..f7c2595c66a5 100644
--- a/packages/node/test/sdk.test.ts
+++ b/packages/node/test/sdk.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
+import { getCurrentHub } from '@sentry/core';
 import type { Integration } from '@sentry/types';
 
+import type { NodeClient } from '../build/types';
 import { init } from '../src/sdk';
 import * as sdk from '../src/sdk';
 
@@ -90,3 +92,21 @@ describe('init()', () => {
     expect(newIntegration.setupOnce as jest.Mock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 });
+
+describe('captureCheckIn', () => {
+  it('always returns an id', () => {
+    const hub = getCurrentHub();
+    const client = hub.getClient<NodeClient>();
+    expect(client).toBeDefined();
+
+    const captureCheckInSpy = jest.spyOn(client!, 'captureCheckIn');
+
+    // test if captureCheckIn returns an id even if client is not defined
+    hub.bindClient(undefined);
+
+    expect(captureCheckInSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    expect(sdk.captureCheckIn({ monitorSlug: 'gogogo', status: 'in_progress' })).toBeTruthy();
+
+    hub.bindClient(client);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/types/src/checkin.ts b/packages/types/src/checkin.ts
index 67537e46d390..a316c0c7a375 100644
--- a/packages/types/src/checkin.ts
+++ b/packages/types/src/checkin.ts
@@ -38,15 +38,26 @@ export interface SerializedCheckIn {
   };
 }
 
-export interface CheckIn {
+interface InProgressCheckIn {
   // The distinct slug of the monitor.
   monitorSlug: SerializedCheckIn['monitor_slug'];
   // The status of the check-in.
-  status: SerializedCheckIn['status'];
+  status: 'in_progress';
+}
+
+export interface FinishedCheckIn {
+  // The distinct slug of the monitor.
+  monitorSlug: SerializedCheckIn['monitor_slug'];
+  // The status of the check-in.
+  status: 'ok' | 'error';
+  // Check-In ID (unique and client generated).
+  checkInId: SerializedCheckIn['check_in_id'];
   // The duration of the check-in in seconds. Will only take effect if the status is ok or error.
   duration?: SerializedCheckIn['duration'];
 }
 
+export type CheckIn = InProgressCheckIn | FinishedCheckIn;
+
 type SerializedMonitorConfig = NonNullable<SerializedCheckIn['monitor_config']>;
 
 export interface MonitorConfig {