diff --git a/components/process-flow/ProcessFlowCanvas.vue b/components/process-flow/ProcessFlowCanvas.vue
index 4eb570e..8e577e8 100644
--- a/components/process-flow/ProcessFlowCanvas.vue
+++ b/components/process-flow/ProcessFlowCanvas.vue
@@ -493,13 +493,21 @@ const onDrop = (event) => {
       id: `${componentData.type}-${Date.now()}`,
       type: componentData.type,
       position,
+      label: componentData.label,
       data: { 
         ...componentData.data,
         label: componentData.label
       }
     };
 
+    // Add to Vue Flow for immediate visual feedback
     addNodes([newNode]);
+    
+    // IMPORTANT: Also emit the node to be added to the process store
+    // This ensures the node persists in the application state and can be saved
+    emit('nodesChange', [{ type: 'add', id: newNode.id, item: newNode }], nodes.value);
+    
+    console.log('🎯 Node dropped and added:', newNode.type, newNode.id);
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error handling drop:', error);
   }
diff --git a/pages/process-builder/index.vue b/pages/process-builder/index.vue
index 2669203..9c64cf6 100644
--- a/pages/process-builder/index.vue
+++ b/pages/process-builder/index.vue
@@ -380,6 +380,21 @@ const handleConditionUpdate = (conditions) => {
 const onNodesChange = (changes, currentNodes) => {
   if (!changes || !currentNodes) return;
   
+  // Handle node additions (from drag & drop)
+  const addedNodes = changes.filter(change => change.type === 'add' && change.item);
+  if (addedNodes.length > 0) {
+    addedNodes.forEach(change => {
+      // Check if node already exists in store to prevent duplicates
+      const existingNode = processStore.currentProcess?.nodes?.find(n => n.id === change.item.id);
+      if (!existingNode) {
+        console.log('🔥 Adding node to store from canvas:', change.item);
+        processStore.addNode(change.item);
+      } else {
+        console.log('⚠️  Node already exists in store, skipping:', change.item.id);
+      }
+    });
+  }
+  
   // Handle node removals
   const removedNodes = changes
     .filter(change => change.type === 'remove')
diff --git a/server/api/process/[id].put.js b/server/api/process/[id].put.js
index 996bea9..2bf10f4 100644
--- a/server/api/process/[id].put.js
+++ b/server/api/process/[id].put.js
@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@ export default defineEventHandler(async (event) => {
       }
     });
 
+    // Debug logging to see what we received
+    console.log('🔥 Server received process update:', {
+      processId,
+      nodeCount: (body.nodes || []).length,
+      edgeCount: (body.edges || []).length,
+      nodes: (body.nodes || []).map(n => ({ id: n.id, type: n.type, label: n.label })),
+      edges: (body.edges || []).map(e => ({ id: e.id, source: e.source, target: e.target }))
+    });
+
     // Prepare process definition
     const processDefinition = {
       nodes: body.nodes || [],
diff --git a/stores/processBuilder.js b/stores/processBuilder.js
index 0717e5b..3e95e5d 100644
--- a/stores/processBuilder.js
+++ b/stores/processBuilder.js
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ export const useProcessBuilderStore = defineStore('processBuilder', {
           if (nodes.length === 0 && edges.length > 0) {
             const nodeMap = new Map();
             
-            // Extract unique nodes from edge sourceNode and targetNode
+            // First try to extract unique nodes from edge sourceNode and targetNode if they exist
             edges.forEach(edge => {
               if (edge.sourceNode) {
                 nodeMap.set(edge.sourceNode.id, {
@@ -156,6 +156,68 @@ export const useProcessBuilderStore = defineStore('processBuilder', {
               }
             });
             
+            // If no nodes were extracted from embedded data, create placeholder nodes from edge references
+            if (nodeMap.size === 0) {
+              const nodeIds = new Set();
+              edges.forEach(edge => {
+                if (edge.source) nodeIds.add(edge.source);
+                if (edge.target) nodeIds.add(edge.target);
+              });
+              
+              let nodePosition = { x: 100, y: 100 };
+              const spacing = 200;
+              
+              nodeIds.forEach((nodeId, index) => {
+                // Determine node type from ID prefix
+                let nodeType = 'task'; // default
+                let label = nodeId;
+                let icon = 'schedule';
+                
+                if (nodeId.includes('start-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'start';
+                  label = 'Start Point';
+                  icon = 'play_circle_filled';
+                } else if (nodeId.includes('end-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'end';
+                  label = 'End Point';
+                  icon = 'stop_circle';
+                } else if (nodeId.includes('form-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'form';
+                  label = 'Form';
+                  icon = 'description';
+                } else if (nodeId.includes('api-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'api';
+                  label = 'API Call';
+                  icon = 'api';
+                } else if (nodeId.includes('gateway-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'gateway';
+                  label = 'Decision Point';
+                  icon = 'call_split';
+                } else if (nodeId.includes('script-')) {
+                  nodeType = 'script';
+                  label = 'Script';
+                  icon = 'code';
+                }
+                
+                nodeMap.set(nodeId, {
+                  id: nodeId,
+                  type: nodeType,
+                  label: label,
+                  position: {
+                    x: nodePosition.x + (index % 3) * spacing,
+                    y: nodePosition.y + Math.floor(index / 3) * spacing
+                  },
+                  data: {
+                    label: label,
+                    description: `Recovered ${nodeType} node`,
+                    icon: icon
+                  }
+                });
+              });
+              
+              console.warn('Process had edges but no nodes. Created placeholder nodes from edge references:', Array.from(nodeIds));
+            }
+            
             // Convert to array
             nodes = Array.from(nodeMap.values());
             
@@ -259,6 +321,15 @@ export const useProcessBuilderStore = defineStore('processBuilder', {
           // Status changes should only happen through explicit publish/unpublish actions
         };
 
+        // Debug logging to see what we're actually sending
+        console.log('💾 Saving process data:', {
+          processId: this.currentProcess.id,
+          nodeCount: processData.nodes.length,
+          edgeCount: processData.edges.length,
+          nodes: processData.nodes.map(n => ({ id: n.id, type: n.type, label: n.label })),
+          edges: processData.edges.map(e => ({ id: e.id, source: e.source, target: e.target }))
+        });
+
         const response = await $fetch(`/api/process/${this.currentProcess.id}`, {
           method: 'PUT',
           body: processData
@@ -488,6 +559,13 @@ export const useProcessBuilderStore = defineStore('processBuilder', {
     addNode(node) {
       if (!this.currentProcess) return;
 
+      // Check if node already exists to prevent duplicates
+      const existingNode = this.currentProcess.nodes.find(n => n.id === node.id);
+      if (existingNode) {
+        console.warn('Node already exists in store:', node.id);
+        return existingNode;
+      }
+
       const newNode = {
         id: node.id || uuidv4(),
         type: node.type,