diff --git a/wntr/network/base.py b/wntr/network/base.py
index c2229469..a569ab04 100644
--- a/wntr/network/base.py
+++ b/wntr/network/base.py
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ def to_dict(self):
         d['node_type'] = self.node_type
         for k in dir(self):
             if not k.startswith('_') and \
-              k not in ['demand', 'base_demand', 'head', 'leak_area', 'leak_demand',
+              k not in ['demand', 'head', 'leak_area', 'leak_demand',
                         'leak_discharge_coeff', 'leak_status', 'level', 'pressure', 'quality', 'vol_curve', 'head_timeseries']:
                 try:
                     val = getattr(self, k)
diff --git a/wntr/network/elements.py b/wntr/network/elements.py
index 28e3e7fe..561676ff 100644
--- a/wntr/network/elements.py
+++ b/wntr/network/elements.py
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ class Junction(Node):
     _base_attributes = ["name", 
                         "elevation", 
                         "coordinates"]
-    _optional_attributes = ["emitter_coefficient",
+    _optional_attributes = ["base_demand",
+                            "demand_pattern",
+                            "demand_category",
+                            "emitter_coefficient",
                             "initial_quality", 
                             "minimum_pressure", 
                             "required_pressure", 
@@ -216,6 +219,32 @@ def base_demand(self):
     def base_demand(self, value):
         raise RuntimeWarning('The base_demand property is read-only. Please modify using demand_timeseries_list[0].base_value.')
 
+    @property
+    def demand_pattern(self):
+        """Get the pattern_name of the first demand in the demand_timeseries_list.
+
+        This is a read-only property.
+        """
+        if len(self.demand_timeseries_list) > 0:
+            return self.demand_timeseries_list[0].pattern_name
+        return 0.0
+    @demand_pattern.setter
+    def demand_pattern(self, value):
+        raise RuntimeWarning('The demand_pattern property is read-only. Please modify using demand_timeseries_list[0].pattern_name')
+    
+    @property
+    def demand_category(self):
+        """Get the category of the first demand in the demand_timeseries_list.
+
+        This is a read-only property.
+        """
+        if len(self.demand_timeseries_list) > 0:
+            return self.demand_timeseries_list[0].category
+        return 0.0
+    @demand_category.setter
+    def demand_category(self, value):
+        raise RuntimeWarning('The demand_category property is read-only. Please modify using demand_timeseries_list[0].category.')
+    
     def add_leak(self, wn, area, discharge_coeff=0.75, start_time=None, end_time=None):
         """
         Add a leak control to the water network model
diff --git a/wntr/network/io.py b/wntr/network/io.py
index e4ceac8d..8539bbbd 100644
--- a/wntr/network/io.py
+++ b/wntr/network/io.py
@@ -117,18 +117,18 @@ def from_dict(d: dict, append=None):
                 if dl is not None and len(dl) > 0:
                     base_demand = dl[0].setdefault("base_val", 0.0)
                     pattern_name = dl[0].setdefault("pattern_name")
-                    category = dl[0].setdefault("category")
+                    demand_category = dl[0].setdefault("category")
                 else:
-                    base_demand = 0.0
-                    pattern_name = None
-                    category = None
+                    base_demand = node.setdefault('base_demand',0.0)
+                    pattern_name = node.setdefault('pattern_name')
+                    demand_category = node.setdefault('demand_category')
                 wn.add_junction(
                     name=name,
                     base_demand=base_demand,
                     demand_pattern=pattern_name,
                     elevation=node.setdefault("elevation"),
                     coordinates=node.setdefault("coordinates", list()),
-                    demand_category=category,
+                    demand_category=demand_category,
                 )
                 j = wn.get_node(name)
                 j.emitter_coefficient = node.setdefault("emitter_coefficient")
diff --git a/wntr/tests/test_gis.py b/wntr/tests/test_gis.py
index 31513f26..86b2c7c1 100644
--- a/wntr/tests/test_gis.py
+++ b/wntr/tests/test_gis.py
@@ -131,6 +131,9 @@ def test_wn_to_gis(self):
         assert set(['link_type', 'start_node_name', 'end_node_name', 'geometry']).issubset(self.gis_data.pipes.columns)
         assert set(['link_type', 'start_node_name', 'end_node_name', 'geometry']).issubset(self.gis_data.pumps.columns)
         #assert set(['link_type', 'start_node_name', 'end_node_name', 'geometry']).issubset(self.gis_data.valves.columns) # Net1 has no valves
+
+        #check base_demand and demand_pattern attrivutes
+        assert set(['base_demand','demand_pattern']).issubset(self.gis_data.junctions.columns)
         
     def test_gis_to_wn(self):