diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/.gitignore b/spiffworkflow-backend/.gitignore
index ac2b0d10..0d420dae 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/.gitignore
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/.gitignore
@@ -21,3 +21,4 @@ node_modules
 *null-ls_*
 /local_wheels/*.whl
 /some_cache_dir
+/process.json
diff --git a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
index 41c3487b..cd4c56f2 100644
--- a/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
+++ b/spiffworkflow-backend/src/spiffworkflow_backend/services/process_instance_processor.py
@@ -1728,6 +1728,11 @@ class ProcessInstanceProcessor:
                 return task
         return None
 
+    # for debugging, get the full json representation into a file on disk
+    def dump_to_disk(self, filename: str = "process.json") -> None:
+        with open(filename, "w") as f:
+            f.write(json.dumps(self.serialize(), indent=2))
+
     def remove_spiff_tasks_for_termination(self) -> None:
         start_time = time.time()
         deleted_tasks = self.bpmn_process_instance.cancel() or []