diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/iterator/ir.py b/src/gt4py/next/iterator/ir.py
index 42da4c83a6..66321ad58c 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/iterator/ir.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/iterator/ir.py
@@ -202,7 +202,9 @@ class FencilDefinition(Node, ValidatedSymbolTableTrait):
     closures: List[StencilClosure]
     implicit_domain: bool = False
 
-    _NODE_SYMBOLS_: ClassVar[List[Sym]] = [Sym(id=name) for name in BUILTINS]
+    _NODE_SYMBOLS_: ClassVar[List[Sym]] = [
+        Sym(id=name) for name in sorted(BUILTINS)
+    ]  # sorted for serialization stability
 
 
 class Stmt(Node): ...
diff --git a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/gtfn_module.py b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/gtfn_module.py
index d729a5ba2f..8c31ea7b65 100644
--- a/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/gtfn_module.py
+++ b/src/gt4py/next/program_processors/codegens/gtfn/gtfn_module.py
@@ -10,13 +10,17 @@
 
 import dataclasses
 import functools
+import os
+import pathlib
+import pickle
 from typing import Any, Callable, Final, Optional
 
 import factory
 import numpy as np
 
+import gt4py.next.config
 from gt4py._core import definitions as core_defs
-from gt4py.eve import codegen
+from gt4py.eve import codegen, utils
 from gt4py.next import common
 from gt4py.next.common import Connectivity, Dimension
 from gt4py.next.ffront import fbuiltins
@@ -37,6 +41,27 @@ def get_param_description(name: str, type_: Any) -> interface.Parameter:
     return interface.Parameter(name, type_)
 
 
+def _generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(
+    program: itir.FencilDefinition,
+    offset_provider: dict[str, Connectivity | Dimension],
+    column_axis: Optional[common.Dimension],
+) -> pathlib.Path:
+    program_hash = utils.content_hash(
+        (
+            program,
+            sorted(offset_provider.items(), key=lambda el: el[0]),
+            column_axis,
+        )
+    )
+
+    if not os.path.exists(gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR):
+        os.mkdir(gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR)
+
+    cache_path = gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR / ("gtfn_" + program.id + "_" + program_hash)
+
+    return cache_path
+
+
 @dataclasses.dataclass(frozen=True)
 class GTFNTranslationStep(
     workflow.ReplaceEnabledWorkflowMixin[
@@ -199,6 +224,13 @@ def generate_stencil_source(
         offset_provider: dict[str, Connectivity | Dimension],
         column_axis: Optional[common.Dimension],
     ) -> str:
+        # TODO(tehrengruber): write a proper caching mechanism
+        cache_path = _generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(program, offset_provider, column_axis)
+
+        if os.path.exists(cache_path):
+            with open(cache_path, "rb") as f:
+                return pickle.load(f)
+
         new_program = self._preprocess_program(program, offset_provider)
         gtfn_ir = GTFN_lowering.apply(
             new_program, offset_provider=offset_provider, column_axis=column_axis
@@ -209,7 +241,11 @@ def generate_stencil_source(
             generated_code = GTFNIMCodegen.apply(gtfn_im_ir)
         else:
             generated_code = GTFNCodegen.apply(gtfn_ir)
-        return codegen.format_source("cpp", generated_code, style="LLVM")
+        result = codegen.format_source("cpp", generated_code, style="LLVM")
+
+        with open(cache_path, "wb") as f:
+            pickle.dump(result, f)
+        return result
 
     def __call__(
         self, inp: stages.CompilableProgram
diff --git a/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/codegens_tests/gtfn_tests/test_gtfn_module.py b/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/codegens_tests/gtfn_tests/test_gtfn_module.py
index e3e0ee474f..eb76abbed7 100644
--- a/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/codegens_tests/gtfn_tests/test_gtfn_module.py
+++ b/tests/next_tests/unit_tests/program_processor_tests/codegens_tests/gtfn_tests/test_gtfn_module.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 import gt4py.next as gtx
+import gt4py.next.config
 from gt4py.next.iterator import ir as itir
 from gt4py.next.iterator.ir_utils import ir_makers as im
 from gt4py.next.otf import arguments, languages, stages
@@ -71,3 +72,44 @@ def test_codegen(fencil_example):
     assert module.entry_point.name == fencil.id
     assert any(d.name == "gridtools_cpu" for d in module.library_deps)
     assert module.language is languages.CPP
+
+
+def test_transformation_caching(fencil_example):
+    program, _ = fencil_example
+    args = dict(
+        program=program,
+        offset_provider={},
+        column_axis=gtx.Dimension("K", kind=gtx.DimensionKind.VERTICAL),
+    )
+
+    # test cache file written is what the function returns
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as cache_dir:
+        try:
+            prev_cache_dir = gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR
+            gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR = pathlib.Path(cache_dir)
+
+            cache_file_path = gtfn_module._generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(**args)
+            assert not os.path.exists(cache_file_path)
+            stencil_source = gtfn_module.translate_program_cpu.generate_stencil_source(**args)
+            assert os.path.exists(cache_file_path)
+            with open(cache_file_path, "rb") as f:
+                stencil_source_from_cache = pickle.load(f)
+            assert stencil_source == stencil_source_from_cache
+        except Exception as e:
+            raise e
+        finally:
+            gt4py.next.config.BUILD_CACHE_DIR = prev_cache_dir
+
+    # test cache file is deterministic
+    assert gtfn_module._generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(
+        **args
+    ) == gtfn_module._generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(**args)
+
+    # test cache file changes for a different program
+    altered_program = copy.deepcopy(program)
+    altered_program.id = "example2"
+    assert gtfn_module._generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(
+        **args
+    ) != gtfn_module._generate_stencil_source_cache_file_path(
+        **(args | {"program": altered_program})
+    )