diff --git a/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.sip b/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.sip
index 1948d83d443..7bc037e89b9 100644
--- a/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.sip
+++ b/python/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.sip
@@ -153,6 +153,12 @@ class QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm : QgsProcessingAlgorithm
  :rtype: bool
 %End
 
+        QString asPythonCode() const;
+%Docstring
+ Attempts to convert the source to executable Python code.
+ :rtype: str
+%End
+
     };
 
     class Component
@@ -549,6 +555,12 @@ Copies are protected to avoid slicing
  :rtype: bool
 %End
 
+        QString asPythonCode() const;
+%Docstring
+ Attempts to convert the child to executable Python code.
+ :rtype: str
+%End
+
     };
 
     QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm( const QString &name = QString(), const QString &group = QString() );
@@ -802,6 +814,12 @@ Copies are protected to avoid slicing
 .. seealso:: sourceFilePath()
 %End
 
+    QString asPythonCode() const;
+%Docstring
+ Attempts to convert the model to executable Python code.
+ :rtype: str
+%End
+
   protected:
 
      virtual QVariantMap processAlgorithm( const QVariantMap &parameters,
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerAlgorithm.py b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerAlgorithm.py
index 0753516189d..4a39437a973 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerAlgorithm.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerAlgorithm.py
@@ -66,47 +66,6 @@ from processing.gui.Help2Html import getHtmlFromDescriptionsDict
 pluginPath = os.path.split(os.path.dirname(__file__))[0]
 
 
-class Algorithm(QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm.ChildAlgorithm):
-
-    def __init__(self, consoleName=None):
-        super().__init__(consoleName)
-
-    def todict(self):
-        return {k: v for k, v in list(self.__dict__.items()) if not k.startswith("_")}
-
-    def getOutputType(self, outputName):
-        output = self.algorithm().outputDefinition(outputName)
-        return "output " + output.__class__.__name__.split(".")[-1][6:].lower()
-
-    def toPython(self):
-        s = []
-        params = []
-        if not self.algorithm():
-            return None
-
-        for param in self.algorithm().parameterDefinitions():
-            value = self.parameterSources()[param.name()]
-
-            def _toString(v):
-                if isinstance(v, (ValueFromInput, ValueFromOutput)):
-                    return v.asPythonParameter()
-                elif isinstance(v, str):
-                    return "\\n".join(("'%s'" % v).splitlines())
-                elif isinstance(v, list):
-                    return "[%s]" % ",".join([_toString(val) for val in v])
-                else:
-                    return str(value)
-            params.append(_toString(value))
-        for out in self.algorithm().outputs:
-            if not out.flags() & QgsProcessingParameterDefinition.FlagHidden:
-                if out.name() in self.outputs:
-                    params.append(safeName(self.outputs[out.name()].description()).lower())
-                else:
-                    params.append(str(None))
-        s.append("outputs_%s=processing.run('%s', %s)" % (self.childId(), self.algorithmId(), ",".join(params)))
-        return s
-
-
 class ValueFromInput(object):
 
     def __init__(self, name=""):
@@ -124,9 +83,6 @@ class ValueFromInput(object):
         except:
             return False
 
-    def asPythonParameter(self):
-        return self.name
-
 
 class ValueFromOutput(object):
 
@@ -146,9 +102,6 @@ class ValueFromOutput(object):
     def __str__(self):
         return self.alg + ":" + self.output
 
-    def asPythonParameter(self):
-        return "outputs_%s['%s']" % (self.alg, self.output)
-
 
 class CompoundValue(object):
 
@@ -223,33 +176,3 @@ class ModelerAlgorithm(QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm):
         else:
             v = value
         return param.evaluateForModeler(v, self)
-
-    def toPython(self):
-        s = ['##%s=name' % self.name()]
-        for param in list(self.parameterComponents().values()):
-            s.append(param.param.asScriptCode())
-        for alg in list(self.algs.values()):
-            for name, out in list(alg.modelOutputs().items()):
-                s.append('##%s=%s' % (safeName(out.description()).lower(), alg.getOutputType(name)))
-
-        executed = []
-        toExecute = [alg for alg in list(self.algs.values()) if alg.isActive()]
-        while len(executed) < len(toExecute):
-            for alg in toExecute:
-                if alg.childId() not in executed:
-                    canExecute = True
-                    required = self.dependsOnChildAlgorithms(alg.childId())
-                    for requiredAlg in required:
-                        if requiredAlg != alg.childId() and requiredAlg not in executed:
-                            canExecute = False
-                            break
-                    if canExecute:
-                        s.extend(alg.toPython())
-                        executed.append(alg.childId())
-
-        return '\n'.join(s)
-
-
-def safeName(name):
-    validChars = 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
-    return ''.join(c for c in name.lower() if c in validChars)
diff --git a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerDialog.py b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerDialog.py
index c272a649a98..917459439c5 100644
--- a/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerDialog.py
+++ b/python/plugins/processing/modeler/ModelerDialog.py
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ class ModelerDialog(BASE, WIDGET):
         if not filename.lower().endswith('.py'):
             filename += '.py'
 
-        text = self.model.toPython()
+        text = self.model.asPythonCode()
         with codecs.open(filename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as fout:
             fout.write(text)
 
diff --git a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.cpp b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.cpp
index a82641ee469..4532eddd2db 100644
--- a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.cpp
+++ b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.cpp
@@ -213,6 +213,33 @@ bool QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildAlgorithm::loadVariant( const QVariant &c
   return true;
 }
 
+QString QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildAlgorithm::asPythonCode() const
+{
+  QStringList lines;
+
+  if ( !algorithm() )
+    return QString();
+
+  QStringList paramParts;
+  QMap< QString, QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildParameterSource >::const_iterator paramIt = mParams.constBegin();
+  for ( ; paramIt != mParams.constEnd(); ++paramIt )
+  {
+    QString part = paramIt->asPythonCode();
+    if ( !part.isEmpty() )
+      paramParts << QStringLiteral( "'%1':%2" ).arg( paramIt.key(), part );
+  }
+
+  lines << QStringLiteral( "outputs['%1']=processing.run('%2', {%3}, context=context, feedback=feedback)" ).arg( mId, mAlgorithmId, paramParts.join( ',' ) );
+
+  QMap< QString, QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ModelOutput >::const_iterator outputIt = mModelOutputs.constBegin();
+  for ( ; outputIt != mModelOutputs.constEnd(); ++outputIt )
+  {
+    lines << QStringLiteral( "results['%1']=outputs['%2']['%3']" ).arg( outputIt.key(), mId, outputIt.value().childOutputName() );
+  }
+
+  return lines.join( '\n' );
+}
+
 bool QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildAlgorithm::parametersCollapsed() const
 {
   return mParametersCollapsed;
@@ -491,6 +518,92 @@ void QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::setSourceFilePath( const QString &sourceFile )
   mSourceFile = sourceFile;
 }
 
+QString QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::asPythonCode() const
+{
+  QStringList lines;
+  lines << QStringLiteral( "##%1=name" ).arg( name() );
+
+  QMap< QString, ModelParameter >::const_iterator paramIt = mParameterComponents.constBegin();
+  for ( ; paramIt != mParameterComponents.constEnd(); ++paramIt )
+  {
+    QString name = paramIt.value().parameterName();
+    if ( parameterDefinition( name ) )
+    {
+      lines << parameterDefinition( name )->asScriptCode();
+    }
+  }
+
+  auto safeName = []( const QString & name )->QString
+  {
+    QString n = name.toLower().trimmed();
+    QRegularExpression rx( "[^a-z_]" );
+    n.replace( rx, QString() );
+    return n;
+  };
+
+  QMap< QString, ChildAlgorithm >::const_iterator childIt = mChildAlgorithms.constBegin();
+  for ( ; childIt != mChildAlgorithms.constEnd(); ++childIt )
+  {
+    if ( !childIt->isActive() || !childIt->algorithm() )
+      continue;
+
+    // look through all outputs for child
+    QMap<QString, QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ModelOutput> outputs = childIt->modelOutputs();
+    QMap<QString, QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ModelOutput>::const_iterator outputIt = outputs.constBegin();
+    for ( ; outputIt != outputs.constEnd(); ++outputIt )
+    {
+      const QgsProcessingOutputDefinition *output = childIt->algorithm()->outputDefinition( outputIt->childOutputName() );
+      lines << QStringLiteral( "##%1=output %2" ).arg( safeName( outputIt->name() ), output->type() );
+    }
+  }
+
+  lines << QStringLiteral( "results={}" );
+
+  QSet< QString > toExecute;
+  childIt = mChildAlgorithms.constBegin();
+  for ( ; childIt != mChildAlgorithms.constEnd(); ++childIt )
+  {
+    if ( childIt->isActive() && childIt->algorithm() )
+      toExecute.insert( childIt->childId() );
+  }
+
+  QSet< QString > executed;
+  bool executedAlg = true;
+  while ( executedAlg && executed.count() < toExecute.count() )
+  {
+    executedAlg = false;
+    Q_FOREACH ( const QString &childId, toExecute )
+    {
+      if ( executed.contains( childId ) )
+        continue;
+
+      bool canExecute = true;
+      Q_FOREACH ( const QString &dependency, dependsOnChildAlgorithms( childId ) )
+      {
+        if ( !executed.contains( dependency ) )
+        {
+          canExecute = false;
+          break;
+        }
+      }
+
+      if ( !canExecute )
+        continue;
+
+      executedAlg = true;
+
+      const ChildAlgorithm &child = mChildAlgorithms[ childId ];
+      lines << child.asPythonCode();
+
+      executed.insert( childId );
+    }
+  }
+
+  lines << QStringLiteral( "return results" );
+
+  return lines.join( '\n' );
+}
+
 QVariantMap QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::helpContent() const
 {
   return mHelpContent;
@@ -1014,6 +1127,22 @@ bool QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildParameterSource::loadVariant( const QVari
   return true;
 }
 
+QString QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildParameterSource::asPythonCode() const
+{
+  switch ( mSource )
+  {
+    case ModelParameter:
+      return QStringLiteral( "parameters['%1']" ).arg( mParameterName );
+
+    case ChildOutput:
+      return QStringLiteral( "outputs['%1']['%2']" ).arg( mChildId, mOutputName );
+
+    case StaticValue:
+      return mStaticValue.toString();
+  }
+  return QString();
+}
+
 QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ModelOutput::ModelOutput( const QString &name, const QString &description )
   : QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::Component( description )
   , mName( name )
diff --git a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.h b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.h
index f50df11a9a7..46517ede121 100644
--- a/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.h
+++ b/src/core/processing/qgsprocessingmodelalgorithm.h
@@ -152,6 +152,11 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm : public QgsProcessingAlgorithm
          */
         bool loadVariant( const QVariantMap &map );
 
+        /**
+         * Attempts to convert the source to executable Python code.
+         */
+        QString asPythonCode() const;
+
       private:
 
         Source mSource = StaticValue;
@@ -536,6 +541,11 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm : public QgsProcessingAlgorithm
          */
         bool loadVariant( const QVariant &child );
 
+        /**
+         * Attempts to convert the child to executable Python code.
+         */
+        QString asPythonCode() const;
+
       private:
 
         QString mId;
@@ -793,6 +803,11 @@ class CORE_EXPORT QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm : public QgsProcessingAlgorithm
      */
     void setSourceFilePath( const QString &path );
 
+    /**
+     * Attempts to convert the model to executable Python code.
+     */
+    QString asPythonCode() const;
+
   protected:
 
     QVariantMap processAlgorithm( const QVariantMap &parameters,
diff --git a/tests/src/core/testqgsprocessing.cpp b/tests/src/core/testqgsprocessing.cpp
index 36b38a3d9d9..5caa05f67de 100644
--- a/tests/src/core/testqgsprocessing.cpp
+++ b/tests/src/core/testqgsprocessing.cpp
@@ -4639,12 +4639,26 @@ void TestQgsProcessing::modelExecution()
   alg2c3.setAlgorithmId( "native:extractbyexpression" );
   alg2c3.addParameterSource( "INPUT", QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildParameterSource::fromChildOutput( "cx1", "OUTPUT_LAYER" ) );
   alg2c3.addParameterSource( "EXPRESSION", QgsProcessingModelAlgorithm::ChildParameterSource::fromStaticValue( "true" ) );
+  alg2c3.setDependencies( QStringList() << "cx2" );
   model2.addChildAlgorithm( alg2c3 );
   params = model2.parametersForChildAlgorithm( model2.childAlgorithm( "cx3" ), modelInputs, childResults );
   QCOMPARE( params.value( "INPUT" ).toString(), QStringLiteral( "dest.shp" ) );
   QCOMPARE( params.value( "EXPRESSION" ).toString(), QStringLiteral( "true" ) );
   QCOMPARE( params.value( "OUTPUT" ).toString(), QStringLiteral( "memory:" ) );
   QCOMPARE( params.count(), 3 ); // don't want FAIL_OUTPUT set!
+
+  QStringList actualParts = model2.asPythonCode().split( '\n' );
+  QStringList expectedParts = QStringLiteral( "##model=name\n"
+                              "##DIST=number\n"
+                              "##SOURCE_LAYER=source\n"
+                              "##model_out_layer=output outputVector\n"
+                              "results={}\n"
+                              "outputs['cx1']=processing.run('native:buffer', {'DISSOLVE':false,'DISTANCE':parameters['DIST'],'END_CAP_STYLE':1,'INPUT':parameters['SOURCE_LAYER'],'JOIN_STYLE':2,'SEGMENTS':16}, context=context, feedback=feedback)\n"
+                              "results['MODEL_OUT_LAYER']=outputs['cx1']['OUTPUT_LAYER']\n"
+                              "outputs['cx2']=processing.run('native:centroids', {'INPUT':outputs['cx1']['OUTPUT_LAYER']}, context=context, feedback=feedback)\n"
+                              "outputs['cx3']=processing.run('native:extractbyexpression', {'EXPRESSION':true,'INPUT':outputs['cx1']['OUTPUT_LAYER']}, context=context, feedback=feedback)\n"
+                              "return results" ).split( '\n' );
+  QCOMPARE( actualParts, expectedParts );
 }
 
 void TestQgsProcessing::tempUtils()