diff --git a/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts b/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
index 08e7972fac..6577e19d0d 100644
--- a/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright/src/worker/testInfo.ts
@@ -421,8 +421,15 @@ export class TestInfoImpl implements TestInfo {
 
   private _attach(attachment: TestInfo['attachments'][0], stepId: string | undefined) {
     const index = this._attachmentsPush(attachment) - 1;
-    if (stepId)
+    if (stepId) {
       this._stepMap.get(stepId)!.attachmentIndices.push(index);
+    } else {
+      // trace viewer has no means of representing attachments outside of a step, so we create an artificial action
+      const callId = `attach@${++this._lastStepId}`;
+      this._tracing.appendBeforeActionForStep(callId, this._findLastStageStep(this._steps)?.stepId, `attach "${attachment.name}"`, undefined, []);
+      this._tracing.appendAfterActionForStep(callId, undefined, [attachment]);
+    }
+
     this._onAttach({
       testId: this.testId,
       name: attachment.name,
diff --git a/tests/playwright-test/ui-mode-trace.spec.ts b/tests/playwright-test/ui-mode-trace.spec.ts
index f3f586c57f..855d390aa4 100644
--- a/tests/playwright-test/ui-mode-trace.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/playwright-test/ui-mode-trace.spec.ts
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ test('attachments tab shows all but top-level .push attachments', async ({ runUI
       - treeitem /step/:
         - group:
           - treeitem /attach \\"foo-attach\\"/ 
+      - treeitem /attach \\"bar-push\\"/
       - treeitem /attach \\"bar-attach\\"/
   `);
   await page.getByRole('tab', { name: 'Attachments' }).click();
@@ -433,6 +434,7 @@ test('attachments tab shows all but top-level .push attachments', async ({ runUI
     - tabpanel:
       - button /foo-push/
       - button /foo-attach/
+      - button /bar-push/
       - button /bar-attach/
   `);
 });