diff --git a/meshroom/core/graph.py b/meshroom/core/graph.py
index 89faefb5..817af336 100644
--- a/meshroom/core/graph.py
+++ b/meshroom/core/graph.py
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ class Graph(BaseObject):
         self.header = fileData.get(Graph.IO.Keys.Header, {})
         nodesVersions = self.header.get(Graph.IO.Keys.NodesVersions, {})
 
+        # check whether the file was saved as a template in minimal mode
+        isTemplate = self.header.get("template", False)
+
         with GraphModification(self):
             # iterate over nodes sorted by suffix index in their names
             for nodeName, nodeData in sorted(graphData.items(), key=lambda x: self.getNodeIndexFromName(x[0])):
@@ -273,7 +276,8 @@ class Graph(BaseObject):
                 #   3. fallback to no version "0.0": retro-compatibility
                 if "version" not in nodeData:
                     nodeData["version"] = nodesVersions.get(nodeData["nodeType"], "0.0")
-                n = nodeFactory(nodeData, nodeName)
+
+                n = nodeFactory(nodeData, nodeName, template=isTemplate)
 
                 # Add node to the graph with raw attributes values
                 self._addNode(n, nodeName)
@@ -999,7 +1003,7 @@ class Graph(BaseObject):
     def asString(self):
         return str(self.toDict())
 
-    def save(self, filepath=None, setupProjectFile=True):
+    def save(self, filepath=None, setupProjectFile=True, template=False):
         path = filepath or self._filepath
         if not path:
             raise ValueError("filepath must be specified for unsaved files.")
@@ -1015,10 +1019,18 @@ class Graph(BaseObject):
             for p in usedNodeTypes
         }
 
-        data = {
-            Graph.IO.Keys.Header: self.header,
-            Graph.IO.Keys.Graph: self.toDict()
-        }
+        data = {}
+        if template:
+            self.header["template"] = True
+            data = {
+                Graph.IO.Keys.Header: self.header,
+                Graph.IO.Keys.Graph: self.getNonDefaultAttributes()
+            }
+        else:
+            data = {
+                Graph.IO.Keys.Header: self.header,
+                Graph.IO.Keys.Graph: self.toDict()
+            }
 
         with open(path, 'w') as jsonFile:
             json.dump(data, jsonFile, indent=4)
@@ -1026,6 +1038,35 @@ class Graph(BaseObject):
         if path != self._filepath and setupProjectFile:
             self._setFilepath(path)
 
+    def getNonDefaultAttributes(self):
+        """
+        Instead of getting all the inputs/outputs attribute keys, only get the keys of
+        the attributes whose value is not the default one.
+
+        Returns:
+            dict: self.toDict() with all the inputs/outputs attributes with default values removed
+        """
+        graph = self.toDict()
+        for nodeName in graph.keys():
+            node = self.node(nodeName)
+
+            inputKeys = list(graph[nodeName]["inputs"].keys())
+            outputKeys = list(graph[nodeName]["outputs"].keys())
+
+            for attrName in inputKeys:
+                attribute = node.attribute(attrName)
+                # check that attribute is not a link for choice attributes
+                if attribute.isDefault and not attribute.isLink:
+                    del graph[nodeName]["inputs"][attrName]
+
+            for attrName in outputKeys:
+                attribute = node.attribute(attrName)
+                # check that attribute is not a link for choice attributes
+                if attribute.isDefault and not attribute.isLink:
+                    del graph[nodeName]["outputs"][attrName]
+
+        return graph
+
     def _setFilepath(self, filepath):
         """
         Set the internal filepath of this Graph.
diff --git a/meshroom/core/node.py b/meshroom/core/node.py
index 2149c8cd..ecaab7fc 100644
--- a/meshroom/core/node.py
+++ b/meshroom/core/node.py
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ class CompatibilityNode(BaseNode):
     issueDetails = Property(str, issueDetails.fget, constant=True)
 
 
-def nodeFactory(nodeDict, name=None):
+def nodeFactory(nodeDict, name=None, template=False):
     """
     Create a node instance by deserializing the given node data.
     If the serialized data matches the corresponding node type description, a Node instance is created.
@@ -1437,9 +1437,10 @@ def nodeFactory(nodeDict, name=None):
             compatibilityIssue = CompatibilityIssue.VersionConflict
         # in other cases, check attributes compatibility between serialized node and its description
         else:
-            # check that the node has the exact same set of inputs/outputs as its description
-            if sorted([attr.name for attr in nodeDesc.inputs]) != sorted(inputs.keys()) or \
-                    sorted([attr.name for attr in nodeDesc.outputs]) != sorted(outputs.keys()):
+            # check that the node has the exact same set of inputs/outputs as its description, except if the node
+            # is described in a template file, in which only non-default parameters are saved
+            if not template and (sorted([attr.name for attr in nodeDesc.inputs]) != sorted(inputs.keys()) or \
+                    sorted([attr.name for attr in nodeDesc.outputs]) != sorted(outputs.keys())):
                 compatibilityIssue = CompatibilityIssue.DescriptionConflict
             # verify that all inputs match their descriptions
             for attrName, value in inputs.items():
@@ -1463,5 +1464,7 @@ def nodeFactory(nodeDict, name=None):
         if not internalFolder and nodeDesc:
             logging.warning("No serialized output data: performing automatic upgrade on '{}'".format(name))
             node = node.upgrade()
+        elif template:  # if the node comes from a template file and there is a conflict, it should be upgraded anyway
+            node = node.upgrade()
 
     return node
diff --git a/meshroom/ui/graph.py b/meshroom/ui/graph.py
index 71846a9f..0b450562 100644
--- a/meshroom/ui/graph.py
+++ b/meshroom/ui/graph.py
@@ -354,6 +354,14 @@ class UIGraph(QObject):
 
     @Slot(QUrl)
     def saveAs(self, url):
+        self._saveAs(url)
+
+    @Slot(QUrl)
+    def saveAsTemplate(self, url):
+        self._saveAs(url, setupProjectFile=False, template=True)
+
+    def _saveAs(self, url, setupProjectFile=True, template=False):
+        """ Helper function for 'save as' features. """
         if isinstance(url, (str)):
             localFile = url
         else:
@@ -361,7 +369,7 @@ class UIGraph(QObject):
         # ensure file is saved with ".mg" extension
         if os.path.splitext(localFile)[-1] != ".mg":
             localFile += ".mg"
-        self._graph.save(localFile)
+        self._graph.save(localFile, setupProjectFile=setupProjectFile, template=template)
         self._undoStack.setClean()
         # saving file on disk impacts cache folder location
         # => force re-evaluation of monitored status files paths
diff --git a/meshroom/ui/qml/main.qml b/meshroom/ui/qml/main.qml
index 5b4197d6..63f056f4 100755
--- a/meshroom/ui/qml/main.qml
+++ b/meshroom/ui/qml/main.qml
@@ -142,6 +142,22 @@ ApplicationWindow {
         onRejected: closed(Platform.Dialog.Rejected)
     }
 
+    Platform.FileDialog {
+        id: saveTemplateDialog
+
+        signal closed(var result)
+
+        title: "Save Template"
+        nameFilters: ["Meshroom Graphs (*.mg)"]
+        defaultSuffix: ".mg"
+        fileMode: Platform.FileDialog.SaveFile
+        onAccepted: {
+            _reconstruction.saveAsTemplate(file)
+            closed(Platform.Dialog.Accepted)
+        }
+        onRejected: closed(Platform.Dialog.Rejected)
+    }
+
     Item {
         id: computeManager
 
@@ -550,6 +566,17 @@ ApplicationWindow {
                     saveFileDialog.open()
                 }
             }
+            Action {
+                id: saveAsTemplateAction
+                text: "Save As Template..."
+                shortcut: "Ctrl+Shift+T"
+                onTriggered: {
+                    if(_reconstruction.graph && _reconstruction.graph.filepath) {
+                        saveTemplateDialog.folder = Filepath.stringToUrl(Filepath.dirname(_reconstruction.graph.filepath))
+                    }
+                    saveTemplateDialog.open()
+                }
+            }
             MenuSeparator { }
             Action {
                 text: "Quit"