diff --git a/examples/SaveRestore/Controls.vue b/examples/SaveRestore/Controls.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9ca6cd13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/SaveRestore/Controls.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<script lang="ts" setup>
+import localforage from 'localforage'
+import { useZoomPanHelper, OnLoadParams, FlowExportObject, Node } from '~/index'
+
+localforage.config({
+  name: 'vue-flow',
+  storeName: 'flows',
+})
+
+const flowKey = 'example-flow'
+
+const getNodeId = () => `randomnode_${+new Date()}`
+
+const { transform } = useZoomPanHelper()
+
+type ControlsProps = {
+  flowInstance?: OnLoadParams
+}
+
+const props = defineProps<ControlsProps>()
+const emit = defineEmits(['restore', 'add'])
+
+const onSave = () => {
+  if (props.flowInstance) {
+    const flow = props.flowInstance.toObject()
+    localforage.setItem(flowKey, flow)
+  }
+}
+
+const onRestore = () => {
+  const restoreFlow = async () => {
+    const flow: FlowExportObject | null = await localforage.getItem(flowKey)
+
+    console.log(flow)
+    if (flow) {
+      const [x = 0, y = 0] = flow.position
+      emit('restore', flow.elements ?? [])
+      transform({ x, y, zoom: flow.zoom || 0 })
+    }
+  }
+
+  restoreFlow()
+}
+
+const onAdd = () => {
+  const newNode = {
+    id: `random_node-${getNodeId()}`,
+    data: { label: 'Added node' },
+    position: { x: Math.random() * window.innerWidth - 100, y: Math.random() * window.innerHeight },
+  } as Node
+  emit('add', newNode)
+}
+</script>
+<template>
+  <div class="save__controls">
+    <button @click="onSave">save</button>
+    <button @click="onRestore">restore</button>
+    <button @click="onAdd">add node</button>
+  </div>
+</template>
diff --git a/examples/SaveRestore/SaveRestoreExample.vue b/examples/SaveRestore/SaveRestoreExample.vue
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..38d755d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/SaveRestore/SaveRestoreExample.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<script lang="ts" setup>
+import Controls from './Controls.vue'
+import Flow, { addEdge, Connection, Node, Edge, Elements, OnLoadParams, removeElements } from '~/index'
+
+import './save.css'
+
+const initialElements: Elements = [
+  { id: '1', data: { label: 'Node 1' }, position: { x: 100, y: 100 } },
+  { id: '2', data: { label: 'Node 2' }, position: { x: 100, y: 200 } },
+  { id: 'e1-2', source: '1', target: '2' },
+] as Elements
+
+const elements = ref(initialElements)
+const flowInstance = ref()
+
+const onConnect = (params: Connection | Edge) => (elements.value = addEdge(params, elements.value))
+const onElementsRemove = (elementsToRemove: Elements) => (elements.value = removeElements(elementsToRemove, elements.value))
+const onLoad = (instance: OnLoadParams) => (flowInstance.value = instance)
+const onRestore = (els: Elements) => (elements.value = els)
+const onAdd = (el: Node) => (elements.value = elements.value.concat(el))
+</script>
+<template>
+  <Flow :elements="elements" @elements-remove="onElementsRemove" @connect="onConnect" @load="onLoad">
+    <Controls :flow-instance="flowInstance" @restore="onRestore" @add="onAdd" />
+  </Flow>
+</template>
diff --git a/examples/SaveRestore/save.css b/examples/SaveRestore/save.css
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ffd028dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/SaveRestore/save.css
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+.save__controls {
+  position: absolute;
+  right: 10px;
+  top: 10px;
+  z-index: 4;
+  font-size: 12px;
+}
+
+.save__controls button {
+  margin-left: 5px;
+}
diff --git a/examples/router.ts b/examples/router.ts
index ea3a18f2..bb60ab57 100644
--- a/examples/router.ts
+++ b/examples/router.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ export const routes: RouterOptions['routes'] = [
     path: '/overview',
     component: () => import('./Overview/Overview.vue'),
   },
+  {
+    path: '/provider',
+    component: () => import('./Provider/ProviderExample.vue'),
+  },
+  {
+    path: '/save-restore',
+    component: () => import('./SaveRestore/SaveRestoreExample.vue'),
+  },
 ]
 
 export const router = createRouter({
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 373045e2..db7bb5dc 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
     "eslint": "^7.32.0",
     "eslint-config-prettier": "^8.3.0",
     "eslint-plugin-prettier": "^3.4.1",
+    "localforage": "^1.10.0",
     "np": "^7.5.0",
     "pnpm": "^6.18.0",
     "postcss": "^8.3.9",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index dbf324d6..09a6d5da 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ specifiers:
   eslint-config-prettier: ^8.3.0
   eslint-plugin-prettier: ^3.4.1
   fast-deep-equal: ^3.1.3
+  localforage: ^1.10.0
   np: ^7.5.0
   pinia: ^2.0.0-rc.14
   pnpm: ^6.18.0
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ devDependencies:
   eslint: 7.32.0
   eslint-config-prettier: 8.3.0_eslint@7.32.0
   eslint-plugin-prettier: 3.4.1_6e975bd57c7acf028c1a9ddbbf60c898
+  localforage: 1.10.0
   np: 7.5.0
   pnpm: 6.18.0
   postcss: 8.3.9
@@ -3416,6 +3418,10 @@ packages:
     engines: {node: '>= 4'}
     dev: true
 
+  /immediate/3.0.6:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha1-nbHb0Pr43m++D13V5Wu2BigN5ps=}
+    dev: true
+
   /import-cwd/3.0.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-4pnzH16plW+hgvRECbDWpQl3cqtvSofHWh44met7ESfZ8UZOWWddm8hEyDTqREJ9RbYHY8gi8DqmaelApoOGMg==}
     engines: {node: '>=8'}
@@ -3967,6 +3973,12 @@ packages:
       type-check: 0.4.0
     dev: true
 
+  /lie/3.1.1:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha1-mkNrLMd0bKWd56QfpGmz77dr2H4=}
+    dependencies:
+      immediate: 3.0.6
+    dev: true
+
   /lilconfig/2.0.3:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-EHKqr/+ZvdKCifpNrJCKxBTgk5XupZA3y/aCPY9mxfgBzmgh93Mt/WqjjQ38oMxXuvDokaKiM3lAgvSH2sjtHg==}
     engines: {node: '>=10'}
@@ -4050,6 +4062,12 @@ packages:
       mlly: 0.2.10
     dev: true
 
+  /localforage/1.10.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-14/H1aX7hzBBmmh7sGPd+AOMkkIrHM3Z1PAyGgZigA1H1p5O5ANnMyWzvpAETtG68/dC4pC0ncy3+PPGzXZHPg==}
+    dependencies:
+      lie: 3.1.1
+    dev: true
+
   /locate-path/2.0.0:
     resolution: {integrity: sha1-K1aLJl7slExtnA3pw9u7ygNUzY4=}
     engines: {node: '>=4'}
diff --git a/src/types/types.ts b/src/types/types.ts
index 811c3c9d..c41824cf 100644
--- a/src/types/types.ts
+++ b/src/types/types.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { KeyCode, PanOnScrollMode } from '~/types/panel'
 
 export type ElementId = string
 
-export type FlowElement<T = any> = Partial<Node<T>> | Partial<Edge<T>>
+export type FlowElement<T = any> = Node<T> | Edge<T>
 
 export type Elements<T = any> = Array<FlowElement<T>>
 
diff --git a/src/utils/graph.ts b/src/utils/graph.ts
index 52a03f40..73e64903 100644
--- a/src/utils/graph.ts
+++ b/src/utils/graph.ts
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ const parseElements = (nodes: Node[], edges: Edge[]): Elements => [
 
     n.position = n.__rf.position
 
-    n.__rf = {} as any
     return n
   }),
   ...edges.map((e) => ({ ...e })),
@@ -282,11 +281,16 @@ const parseElements = (nodes: Node[], edges: Edge[]): Elements => [
 export const onLoadGetElements = (currentStore: FlowStore) => (): Elements =>
   parseElements(currentStore.nodes || [], currentStore.edges || [])
 
-export const onLoadToObject = (currentStore: FlowStore) => (): FlowExportObject => ({
-  elements: parseElements(currentStore.nodes || [], currentStore.edges || []),
-  position: [currentStore.transform[0], currentStore.transform[1]],
-  zoom: currentStore.transform[2],
-})
+export const onLoadToObject = (currentStore: FlowStore) => (): FlowExportObject => {
+  // we have to stringify/parse so objects containing refs (like nodes and edges) can potentially be saved in a storage
+  return JSON.parse(
+    JSON.stringify({
+      elements: parseElements(currentStore.nodes || [], currentStore.edges || []),
+      position: [currentStore.transform[0], currentStore.transform[1]],
+      zoom: currentStore.transform[2],
+    }),
+  )
+}
 
 export const getTransformForBounds = (
   bounds: Rect,