diff --git a/chainladder/core/io.py b/chainladder/core/io.py
index e1588be3..12f637ec 100644
--- a/chainladder/core/io.py
+++ b/chainladder/core/io.py
@@ -26,7 +26,14 @@ def sparse_out(tri):
             return json.dumps(dict(zip([str(item) for item in zip(coo.row, coo.col)], coo.data)))
 
         json_dict = {}
-        attributes = ['kdims', 'vdims', 'odims', 'ddims']
+        if self.is_val_tri:
+            ddims = self.ddims.to_timestamp(how='e')
+            json_dict['ddims'] = {
+                'dtype': str(ddims.dtype),
+                'array': ddims.values.tolist()}
+            attributes = ['kdims', 'vdims', 'odims']
+        else:
+            attributes = ['kdims', 'vdims', 'odims', 'ddims']
         for attribute in attributes:
             json_dict[attribute] = {
                 'dtype': str(getattr(self, attribute).dtype),
@@ -46,6 +53,7 @@ def sparse_out(tri):
         json_dict['development_grain'] = self.development_grain
         json_dict['nan_override'] = self.nan_override
         json_dict['is_cumulative'] = self.is_cumulative
+        json_dict['is_val_tri'] = self.is_val_tri
         json_dict['valuation_date'] = self.valuation_date.strftime('%Y-%m-%d')
         return json.dumps(json_dict)
 
diff --git a/chainladder/core/tests/test_triangle.py b/chainladder/core/tests/test_triangle.py
index 40e811b3..1c55cd7e 100644
--- a/chainladder/core/tests/test_triangle.py
+++ b/chainladder/core/tests/test_triangle.py
@@ -293,3 +293,14 @@ def test_slicers_honor_order():
     assert clrd.iloc[[1,0], [1, 0]].iloc[0, 0] == clrd.iloc[1, 1] #col
     assert clrd.loc[:,['CumPaidLoss','IncurLoss']].iloc[0, 0] == clrd.iloc[0,1]
     assert clrd.loc[['ppauto', 'medmal'],['CumPaidLoss','IncurLoss']].iloc[0,0] == clrd.iloc[3]['CumPaidLoss']
+
+def test_exposure_tri():
+    x = cl.load_dataset('auto')
+    x= x[x.development==12]
+    x = x['paid'].to_frame().T.unstack().reset_index()
+    x.columns=['LOB', 'origin', 'paid']
+    x.origin = x.origin.astype(str)
+    y = cl.Triangle(x, origin='origin', index='LOB', columns='paid')
+    x = cl.load_dataset('auto')['paid']
+    x = x[x.development==12]
+    assert x == y
diff --git a/chainladder/utils/tests/test_utilities.py b/chainladder/utils/tests/test_utilities.py
index 50e43a0d..39fe5675 100644
--- a/chainladder/utils/tests/test_utilities.py
+++ b/chainladder/utils/tests/test_utilities.py
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@ def test_triangle_json_io():
     xp.testing.assert_array_equal(clrd.ddims, clrd2.ddims)
     assert np.all(clrd.valuation == clrd2.valuation)
 
+def test_json_for_val():
+    x = cl.load_dataset('raa').dev_to_val().to_json()
+    cl.read_json(x) == cl.load_dataset('raa').dev_to_val()
+
 def test_estimator_json_io():
     assert cl.read_json(cl.Development().to_json()).get_params() == \
            cl.Development().get_params()
diff --git a/chainladder/utils/utility_functions.py b/chainladder/utils/utility_functions.py
index 19b012c8..71746155 100644
--- a/chainladder/utils/utility_functions.py
+++ b/chainladder/utils/utility_functions.py
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ def sparse_in(json_str, dtype, shape):
                     'nan_override', 'is_cumulative']
         for prop in properties:
             setattr(tri, prop, json_dict[prop])
+        if json_dict.get('is_val_tri', False):
+            tri.ddims = pd.PeriodIndex(tri.ddims, freq=tri.development_grain)
         tri.valuation_date = pd.to_datetime(
             json_dict['valuation_date'], format='%Y-%m-%d')
         tri._set_slicers()