diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 98afc98fd..f2b7f2c85 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ if scdoc.found()
 		'sway/sway-output.5.scd',
 		'swaybar/swaybar-protocol.7.scd',
 		'swaymsg/swaymsg.1.scd',
+		'swaysavetree/sway-save-tree.1.scd',
 	]
 
 	if get_option('swaynag')
diff --git a/sway/sway.5.scd b/sway/sway.5.scd
index 952d243d2..a56ec5c0f 100644
--- a/sway/sway.5.scd
+++ b/sway/sway.5.scd
@@ -414,6 +414,46 @@ set|plus|minus|toggle <amount>
 The following commands may be used either in the configuration file or at
 runtime.
 
+*append_layout* <path>
+	Appends the container tree described by the JSON file at _path_ to the
+	currently focused workspace. Useful for restoring a saved layout: each
+	leaf container in the JSON is a _placeholder_ with a *swallows* array of
+	matchers; when a window opens whose properties match an unmatched
+	placeholder, sway installs that window into the placeholder's slot
+	instead of the usual focus-based placement.
+
+	The format mirrors i3's, with one extension: in addition to i3's
+	*class*, *instance*, *title*, *window_role*, and *window_type* keys
+	(which target xwayland views), each *swallows* entry may include
+	*app_id* to match Wayland views. The *machine* key is logged and
+	ignored. All values are PCRE2 regex strings.
+
+	A minimal example targeting one Wayland and one xwayland window in
+	a vertical split:
+
+```
+[
+	{
+		"layout": "splitv",
+		"nodes": [
+			{ "swallows": [{ "app_id": "^foot$" }] },
+			{ "swallows": [{ "class": "^Firefox$" }] }
+		]
+	}
+]
+```
+
+	The companion command-line tool *sway-save-tree*(1) generates such
+	files from a live workspace. The i3-save-tree(1) concatenated-object
+	output form is also accepted.
+
+	Floating placeholders (the *floating_nodes* JSON array) are not
+	supported in this release; entries are skipped with a debug-log entry.
+	Placeholder match runs before *assign* rules: an explicit slot wins
+	over workspace assignment. *for_window* rules still run on the
+	swallowed view after placement. If multiple placeholders match the
+	same incoming view, the depth-first, document-order first match wins.
+
 *assign* <criteria> [→] [workspace] [number] <workspace>
 	Assigns windows matching _criteria_ (see *CRITERIA* for details) to
 	_workspace_. The → (U+2192) is optional and cosmetic. This command is
diff --git a/swaysavetree/sway-save-tree.1.scd b/swaysavetree/sway-save-tree.1.scd
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7d00902ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/swaysavetree/sway-save-tree.1.scd
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+sway-save-tree(1)
+
+# NAME
+
+sway-save-tree - Dump a workspace's tiling tree as append_layout-compatible JSON.
+
+# SYNOPSIS
+
+_sway-save-tree_ --workspace <name>
+
+# DESCRIPTION
+
+Reads the live tree of the running sway instance over the IPC socket, walks
+the named workspace, prunes runtime fields, and emits a JSON document
+suitable for *swaymsg append_layout*(5). Each leaf view becomes a
+placeholder entry whose *swallows* array contains a regex-anchored match on
+the view's *app_id* (Wayland) or *class* / *instance* (xwayland).
+
+The output is sent to standard output. Pre-existing placeholders that were
+loaded by *append_layout* and have not yet swallowed a window are echoed
+verbatim from their *swallows* array.
+
+This is the sway counterpart of i3-save-tree(1).
+
+# OPTIONS
+
+*--workspace* <name>
+	Name (or number, as a string) of the workspace to dump. Required.
+
+*-h, --help*
+	Show help and exit.
+
+# LIMITATIONS
+
+Floating windows are skipped in this release; only tiling children of the
+workspace are emitted. A warning is printed to stderr when floating windows
+are present.
+
+# EXAMPLES
+
+Save the layout of workspace 1 to a file, kill the running windows, and
+restore the layout:
+
+```
+$ sway-save-tree --workspace 1 > /tmp/layout.json
+$ swaymsg [workspace=1] kill
+$ swaymsg append_layout /tmp/layout.json
+```
+
+# SEE ALSO
+
+*sway*(5), *sway*(1), *swaymsg*(1)