diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/basemodel.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/basemodel.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..322fbdc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/basemodel.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+from typing import Optional
+import json
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Type, TypeVar
+
+T = TypeVar("T", bound="KilnBaseModel")
+
+
+class KilnBaseModel(BaseModel):
+    version: int = 1
+    path: Optional[Path] = None
+
+    @classmethod
+    def load_from_file(cls: Type[T], path: Path) -> T:
+        with open(path, "r") as file:
+            m = cls.model_validate_json(file.read(), strict=True)
+        m.path = path
+        return m
+
+    def save_to_file(self) -> None:
+        if self.path is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"Cannot save to file because 'path' is not set. Class: {self.__class__.__name__}, "
+                f"id: {getattr(self, 'id', None)}, path: {self.path}"
+            )
+        data = self.model_dump(exclude={"path"})
+        with open(self.path, "w") as file:
+            json.dump(data, file, indent=4)
+
+        print(f"Project saved to {self.path}")
diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/project.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/project.py
index a40cc956..b038228d 100644
--- a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/project.py
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/project.py
@@ -1,15 +1,5 @@
-from pydantic import BaseModel
-from typing import Optional
+from .basemodel import KilnBaseModel
 
 
-class KilnProject(BaseModel):
-    version: int = 1
+class KilnProject(KilnBaseModel):
     name: str
-    path: Optional[str] = None
-
-    def __init__(self, name: str, path: Optional[str] = None):
-        # TODO: learn about pydantic init
-        super().__init__(name=name, path=path)
-        if path is not None and name is not None:
-            # path and name are mutually exclusive for constructor, name comes from path if passed
-            raise ValueError("path and name are mutually exclusive")
diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_basemodel.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_basemodel.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..aa36144b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_basemodel.py
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+import json
+import pytest
+from kiln_ai.datamodel.basemodel import KilnBaseModel
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_file(tmp_path):
+    test_file_path = tmp_path / "test_model.json"
+    data = {"version": 1}
+
+    with open(test_file_path, "w") as file:
+        json.dump(data, file, indent=4)
+
+    return test_file_path
+
+
+def test_load_from_file(test_file):
+    model = KilnBaseModel.load_from_file(test_file)
+    assert model.version == 1
+    assert model.path == test_file
+
+
+def test_save_to_file(test_file):
+    model = KilnBaseModel(path=test_file)
+    model.save_to_file()
+
+    with open(test_file, "r") as file:
+        data = json.load(file)
+
+    assert data["version"] == 1
+
+
+def test_save_to_file_without_path():
+    model = KilnBaseModel()
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        model.save_to_file()
diff --git a/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_project.py b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_project.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0b9cf68e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libs/core/kiln_ai/datamodel/test_project.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import json
+import pytest
+from kiln_ai.datamodel.project import KilnProject
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def test_file(tmp_path):
+    test_file_path = tmp_path / "test_project.json"
+    data = {"version": 1, "name": "Test Project"}
+
+    with open(test_file_path, "w") as file:
+        json.dump(data, file, indent=4)
+
+    return test_file_path
+
+
+def test_load_from_file(test_file):
+    project = KilnProject.load_from_file(test_file)
+    assert project.version == 1
+    assert project.name == "Test Project"
+    assert project.path == test_file
+
+
+def test_save_to_file(test_file):
+    project = KilnProject(name="Test Project", path=test_file)
+    project.save_to_file()
+
+    with open(test_file, "r") as file:
+        data = json.load(file)
+
+    assert data["version"] == 1
+    assert data["name"] == "Test Project"
+
+
+def test_save_to_file_without_path():
+    project = KilnProject(name="Test Project")
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        project.save_to_file()