There is provided a heated aerosol-generating article (100) for use with an electrically-operated aerosol-generating device (200), the article having a mouth end (170) and a distal end (160) upstreamfrom the mouth end. The article includes a heat diffuser (110) at the distal end of the article, and an aerosol-forming substrate (126) downstream of the heat diffuser. The heat diffuser comprises a non-combustible porous body (112) for absorbing heat from an electric heating element such that, in use, air drawn through the aerosol-generating article from the distal end to the mouth end is heatedby the heat absorbed in the porous body.