A system includes an internal combustion engine producing an exhaust stream, a particulate filtering device that treats the exhaust stream, a particulate sensor operatively coupled to the exhaust stream at a position downstream of the particulate filtering device, and a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the exhaust stream. The system includes a controller that interprets a particulate sensor particulate stability condition, interprets a particulate sensor input value and a particulate sensor temperature, compensates the particulate sensor input value in response to the particulate sensor temperature, and filters the compensated particulate sensor input value. The controller determines a soot accumulation value in response to the filtered compensated particulate sensor input value, interprets a diagnostic enable condition, and determines a particulate filter diagnostic value in response to the active diagnostic enable condition and the soot accumulation value. The controller provides the particulate filter diagnostic value to an output device.