diff --git a/terraform-validate/README.md b/terraform-validate/README.md
index 8709593..4e29a4e 100644
--- a/terraform-validate/README.md
+++ b/terraform-validate/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Validate Terraform configuration files using the official Terraform CLI.
 | `terraform-version` | No | `~1.15` | Terraform version to use |
 | `workspace` | No | `""` | Terraform workspace to use |
 | `jfrog-token` | No | `""` | JFrog Artifactory token for the Terraform provider registry (`TF_TOKEN_schmalz_jfrog_io`) |
+| `mock-files` | No | `""` | Newline-separated list of file paths (relative to repo root) to create as empty files before validation. Useful when Terraform uses `file()` references that do not exist in CI. |
 
 ## Usage
 
@@ -20,8 +21,22 @@ Validate Terraform configuration files using the official Terraform CLI.
     jfrog-token: ${{ secrets.JFROG_TOKEN }}
 ```
 
+With mock files for `file()` dependencies:
+
+```yaml
+- uses: https://schmalz-git.git.onstackit.cloud/schmalz/shared-actions/terraform-validate@terraform-validate-v1
+  with:
+    workspace: stage
+    jfrog-token: ${{ secrets.JFROG_TOKEN }}
+    mock-files: |
+      config/app.json
+      secrets/tls.crt
+      secrets/tls.key
+```
+
 ## Notes
 
 - Runs `terraform init -backend=false`, `terraform fmt -check -recursive`, and `terraform validate`.
 - Sets `TF_WORKSPACE` during validate if `workspace` is provided.
-- Sets `TF_TOKEN_schmalz_jfrog_io` on both `init` and `validate` steps if `jfrog-token` is provided.
\ No newline at end of file
+- Sets `TF_TOKEN_schmalz_jfrog_io` on both `init` and `validate` steps if `jfrog-token` is provided.
+- When `mock-files` is set, empty files are created at the given paths (including any missing parent directories) before `terraform init` runs. This allows validation of configurations that reference external files via `file()`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/terraform-validate/action.yml b/terraform-validate/action.yml
index 9ca015a..783882c 100644
--- a/terraform-validate/action.yml
+++ b/terraform-validate/action.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ inputs:
     description: JFrog Artifactory token used for Terraform provider registry (sets TF_TOKEN_schmalz_jfrog_io)
     required: false
     default: ""
+  mock-files:
+    description: |-
+      Newline-separated list of file paths to create as empty files before validation.
+      Useful when Terraform configurations reference external files via file() that do not exist in CI.
+      Paths are relative to the repository root.
+    required: false
+    default: ""
 
 runs:
   using: composite
@@ -43,6 +50,16 @@ runs:
         key: ${{ runner.os }}-terraform-providers-${{ inputs.terraform-version }}-${{ hashFiles(format('{0}/.terraform.lock.hcl', inputs.terraform-dir)) }}
         restore-keys: ${{ runner.os }}-terraform-providers-${{ inputs.terraform-version }}-
 
+    - name: Create mock files
+      if: ${{ inputs.mock-files != '' }}
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        while IFS= read -r mock_file; do
+          [ -z "$mock_file" ] && continue
+          mkdir -p "$(dirname "$mock_file")"
+          touch "$mock_file"
+        done <<< "${{ inputs.mock-files }}"
+
     - name: Terraform Init
       shell: bash
       env: