diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index e2f480a..19e6457 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -699,6 +699,133 @@ function M.set_roof(x, y, value, map_id)
     map._dirty = true
 end
 
+-- =====================================================================
+-- Internal JSON pretty-printer (hand-rolled, 2-space indent).
+-- Supports: nil/null, bool, number (int + float), string, array, object.
+-- Deterministic key ordering (sorted) so saves are byte-stable.
+-- =====================================================================
+local json_value  -- forward declaration
+local json_table  -- forward declaration
+
+local function json_escape_string(s)
+    local replacements = {
+        ['"']  = '\\"',
+        ['\\'] = '\\\\',
+        ['\n'] = '\\n',
+        ['\r'] = '\\r',
+        ['\t'] = '\\t',
+        ['\b'] = '\\b',
+        ['\f'] = '\\f',
+    }
+    return '"' .. s:gsub('[%z\1-\31"\\]', function(c)
+        return replacements[c] or string.format('\\u%04x', string.byte(c))
+    end) .. '"'
+end
+
+json_value = function(v, indent)
+    if v == nil then return "null" end
+    local t = type(v)
+    if t == "boolean" then return v and "true" or "false" end
+    if t == "number" then
+        if v ~= v then return "null" end                       -- NaN
+        if v == math.huge or v == -math.huge then return "null" end
+        if math.type(v) == "integer" or v == math.floor(v) then
+            return string.format("%d", v)
+        end
+        return string.format("%.17g", v)
+    end
+    if t == "string" then return json_escape_string(v) end
+    if t == "table" then
+        return json_table(v, indent)
+    end
+    error("json: cannot serialize value of type " .. t)
+end
+
+json_table = function(t, indent)
+    -- Detect array vs object by checking integer keys 1..n
+    local n = #t
+    local is_array = n > 0
+    if is_array then
+        for k, _ in pairs(t) do
+            if type(k) ~= "number" then is_array = false; break end
+        end
+    end
+    local indent_next = indent .. "  "
+
+    if is_array then
+        if n == 0 then return "[]" end
+        local parts = {}
+        for i = 1, n do
+            parts[i] = indent_next .. json_value(t[i], indent_next)
+        end
+        return "[\n" .. table.concat(parts, ",\n") .. "\n" .. indent .. "]"
+    end
+
+    -- Object: collect & sort keys for determinism
+    local keys = {}
+    for k, _ in pairs(t) do
+        table.insert(keys, tostring(k))
+    end
+    table.sort(keys)
+    if #keys == 0 then return "{}" end
+    local parts = {}
+    for _, k in ipairs(keys) do
+        parts[#parts + 1] = indent_next .. json_escape_string(k) ..
+            ": " .. json_value(t[k], indent_next)
+    end
+    return "{\n" .. table.concat(parts, ",\n") .. "\n" .. indent .. "}"
+end
+
+-- =====================================================================
+-- v2-Map serialization: reverse the internal resolved shape back to the
+-- on-disk JSON schema (atlases as ID strings, layers in canonical order).
+-- =====================================================================
+local LAYER_DISK_ORDER = {
+    "foundation", "subsurface", "surface", "topsurface",
+    "lower_wall", "wall", "upper_wall", "canopy",
+}
+
+local function serialize_map_v2(map)
+    local out = {
+        schema_version = 2,
+        id   = map.id,
+        size = { w = map.size.w, h = map.size.h },
+        atlases = {},
+        layers = {},
+    }
+    -- Use atlas_aliases (raw string IDs from disk) for round-trip fidelity.
+    for i, alias in ipairs(map.atlas_aliases) do
+        out.atlases[i] = alias
+    end
+    for _, layer_name in ipairs(LAYER_DISK_ORDER) do
+        local layer = map.layers[layer_name]
+        if layer then
+            local tiles_copy = {}
+            for i = 1, #layer.tiles do tiles_copy[i] = layer.tiles[i] end
+            out.layers[layer_name] = { tiles = tiles_copy }
+        end
+    end
+    if map.roof then
+        local roof_copy = {}
+        for i = 1, #map.roof do roof_copy[i] = map.roof[i] end
+        out.roof = roof_copy
+    end
+    return json_value(out, "") .. "\n"
+end
+
+function M.save_to_disk(map_id, path)
+    local map = require_map(map_id)
+    local json_str = serialize_map_v2(map)
+    local f, err = io.open(path, "w")
+    if not f then
+        error(string.format("maps.save_to_disk: cannot open '%s' (%s)",
+            path, err or "?"))
+    end
+    f:write(json_str)
+    f:close()
+    map._dirty = false
+end
+
 function M.is_indoor(x, y, map_id)
     local id = map_id or current_map_id
     if not id then error("maps.is_indoor: no current map") end