diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 109ab186..aa91ce42 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1463,6 +1463,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "eyre",
  "flume",
  "pyo3",
+ "pythonize",
  "serde_yaml 0.8.26",
 ]
 
@@ -1538,6 +1539,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "opentelemetry 0.18.0",
  "opentelemetry-system-metrics",
  "pyo3",
+ "pythonize",
  "serde_yaml 0.8.26",
  "tokio",
  "tokio-stream",
@@ -3694,6 +3696,16 @@ dependencies = [
  "syn 1.0.109",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "pythonize"
+version = "0.18.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "9a0e1bbcd2a3856284bf4f4ef09ccb1157e9467847792754556f153ea3fe6b42"
+dependencies = [
+ "pyo3",
+ "serde",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "quick-xml"
 version = "0.28.2"
diff --git a/apis/python/node/Cargo.toml b/apis/python/node/Cargo.toml
index 8e92a8c9..ad676943 100644
--- a/apis/python/node/Cargo.toml
+++ b/apis/python/node/Cargo.toml
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ serde_yaml = "0.8.23"
 flume = "0.10.14"
 dora-runtime = { workspace = true, features = ["tracing", "python"] }
 arrow = { version = "35.0.0", features = ["pyarrow"] }
+pythonize = "0.18.0"
 
 [lib]
 name = "dora"
diff --git a/apis/python/node/src/lib.rs b/apis/python/node/src/lib.rs
index 32c7012a..af77bf08 100644
--- a/apis/python/node/src/lib.rs
+++ b/apis/python/node/src/lib.rs
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ impl Node {
             self.send_output_slice(output_id, data.len(), data, metadata)
         })
     }
+
+    /// Returns the full dataflow descriptor that this node is part of.
+    ///
+    /// This method returns the parsed dataflow YAML file.
+    pub fn dataflow_descriptor(&self, py: Python) -> pythonize::Result<PyObject> {
+        pythonize::pythonize(py, self.node.dataflow_descriptor())
+    }
 }
 
 impl Node {
diff --git a/apis/rust/node/src/node/mod.rs b/apis/rust/node/src/node/mod.rs
index b677a72c..5e637489 100644
--- a/apis/rust/node/src/node/mod.rs
+++ b/apis/rust/node/src/node/mod.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use self::{control_channel::ControlChannel, drop_stream::DropStream};
 use dora_core::{
     config::{DataId, NodeId, NodeRunConfig},
     daemon_messages::{Data, DropToken, NodeConfig},
+    descriptor::Descriptor,
     message::{uhlc, Metadata, MetadataParameters},
 };
 use eyre::{bail, WrapErr};
@@ -31,6 +32,8 @@ pub struct DoraNode {
     sent_out_shared_memory: HashMap<DropToken, ShmemHandle>,
     drop_stream: DropStream,
     cache: VecDeque<ShmemHandle>,
+
+    dataflow_descriptor: Descriptor,
 }
 
 impl DoraNode {
@@ -61,6 +64,7 @@ impl DoraNode {
             node_id,
             run_config,
             daemon_communication,
+            dataflow_descriptor,
         } = node_config;
 
         let event_stream = EventStream::init(dataflow_id, &node_id, &daemon_communication)
@@ -78,6 +82,8 @@ impl DoraNode {
             sent_out_shared_memory: HashMap::new(),
             drop_stream,
             cache: VecDeque::new(),
+
+            dataflow_descriptor,
         };
         Ok((node, event_stream))
     }
@@ -239,6 +245,13 @@ impl DoraNode {
             self.cache.pop_front();
         }
     }
+
+    /// Returns the full dataflow descriptor that this node is part of.
+    ///
+    /// This method returns the parsed dataflow YAML file.
+    pub fn dataflow_descriptor(&self) -> &Descriptor {
+        &self.dataflow_descriptor
+    }
 }
 
 impl Drop for DoraNode {
diff --git a/binaries/coordinator/src/run/mod.rs b/binaries/coordinator/src/run/mod.rs
index 4e2843a1..9e752a5f 100644
--- a/binaries/coordinator/src/run/mod.rs
+++ b/binaries/coordinator/src/run/mod.rs
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@ pub(super) async fn spawn_dataflow(
         dataflow_id: uuid,
         working_dir,
         nodes: nodes.clone(),
-        communication: dataflow.communication,
         machine_listen_ports,
+        dataflow_descriptor: dataflow,
     };
     let message = serde_json::to_vec(&DaemonCoordinatorEvent::Spawn(spawn_command))?;
 
diff --git a/binaries/daemon/src/lib.rs b/binaries/daemon/src/lib.rs
index e8c28361..3b9f2ce1 100644
--- a/binaries/daemon/src/lib.rs
+++ b/binaries/daemon/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use coordinator::CoordinatorEvent;
-use dora_core::config::{Input, LocalCommunicationConfig, OperatorId};
+use dora_core::config::{Input, OperatorId};
 use dora_core::coordinator_messages::CoordinatorRequest;
 use dora_core::daemon_messages::{Data, InterDaemonEvent};
 use dora_core::message::uhlc::HLC;
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ impl Daemon {
             dataflow_id: Uuid::new_v4(),
             working_dir,
             nodes,
-            communication: descriptor.communication,
             machine_listen_ports: BTreeMap::new(),
+            dataflow_descriptor: descriptor,
         };
 
         let exit_when_done = spawn_command
@@ -271,10 +271,10 @@ impl Daemon {
                 dataflow_id,
                 working_dir,
                 nodes,
-                communication,
                 machine_listen_ports,
+                dataflow_descriptor,
             }) => {
-                match communication.remote {
+                match dataflow_descriptor.communication.remote {
                     dora_core::config::RemoteCommunicationConfig::Tcp => {}
                 }
                 for (machine_id, socket) in machine_listen_ports {
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ impl Daemon {
                 }
 
                 let result = self
-                    .spawn_dataflow(dataflow_id, working_dir, nodes, communication.local)
+                    .spawn_dataflow(dataflow_id, working_dir, nodes, dataflow_descriptor)
                     .await;
                 if let Err(err) = &result {
                     tracing::error!("{err:?}");
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ impl Daemon {
         dataflow_id: uuid::Uuid,
         working_dir: PathBuf,
         nodes: Vec<ResolvedNode>,
-        daemon_communication_config: LocalCommunicationConfig,
+        dataflow_descriptor: Descriptor,
     ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let dataflow = RunningDataflow::new(dataflow_id, self.machine_id.clone());
         let dataflow = match self.running.entry(dataflow_id) {
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ impl Daemon {
                     &working_dir,
                     node,
                     self.events_tx.clone(),
-                    daemon_communication_config,
+                    dataflow_descriptor.clone(),
                 )
                 .await
                 .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to spawn node `{node_id}`"))
diff --git a/binaries/daemon/src/spawn.rs b/binaries/daemon/src/spawn.rs
index 174e47f9..85e0638a 100644
--- a/binaries/daemon/src/spawn.rs
+++ b/binaries/daemon/src/spawn.rs
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@ use crate::{
     runtime_node_outputs, DoraEvent, Event, NodeExitStatus,
 };
 use dora_core::{
-    config::{LocalCommunicationConfig, NodeRunConfig},
+    config::NodeRunConfig,
     daemon_messages::{DataflowId, NodeConfig, RuntimeConfig},
-    descriptor::{resolve_path, source_is_url, OperatorSource, ResolvedNode, SHELL_SOURCE},
+    descriptor::{
+        resolve_path, source_is_url, Descriptor, OperatorSource, ResolvedNode, SHELL_SOURCE,
+    },
 };
 use dora_download::download_file;
 use eyre::WrapErr;
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ pub async fn spawn_node(
     working_dir: &Path,
     node: ResolvedNode,
     daemon_tx: mpsc::Sender<Event>,
-    config: LocalCommunicationConfig,
+    dataflow_descriptor: Descriptor,
 ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let node_id = node.id.clone();
     tracing::debug!("Spawning node `{dataflow_id}/{node_id}`");
@@ -35,8 +37,14 @@ pub async fn spawn_node(
         .into_iter()
         .map(|(k, v)| (k, v.queue_size.unwrap_or(10)))
         .collect();
-    let daemon_communication =
-        spawn_listener_loop(&dataflow_id, &node_id, &daemon_tx, config, queue_sizes).await?;
+    let daemon_communication = spawn_listener_loop(
+        &dataflow_id,
+        &node_id,
+        &daemon_tx,
+        dataflow_descriptor.communication.local,
+        queue_sizes,
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     let mut child = match node.kind {
         dora_core::descriptor::CoreNodeKind::Custom(n) => {
@@ -84,6 +92,7 @@ pub async fn spawn_node(
                 node_id: node_id.clone(),
                 run_config: n.run_config.clone(),
                 daemon_communication,
+                dataflow_descriptor,
             };
 
             command.env(
@@ -149,6 +158,7 @@ pub async fn spawn_node(
                         outputs: runtime_node_outputs(&n),
                     },
                     daemon_communication,
+                    dataflow_descriptor,
                 },
                 operators: n.operators,
             };
diff --git a/binaries/runtime/Cargo.toml b/binaries/runtime/Cargo.toml
index bdc1976a..431fb2df 100644
--- a/binaries/runtime/Cargo.toml
+++ b/binaries/runtime/Cargo.toml
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ dora-download = { workspace = true }
 flume = "0.10.14"
 clap = { version = "4.0.3", features = ["derive"] }
 tracing-opentelemetry = { version = "0.18.0", optional = true }
+pythonize = "0.18.0"
 
 [features]
 default = ["tracing"]
diff --git a/binaries/runtime/src/lib.rs b/binaries/runtime/src/lib.rs
index 2419c663..bb68a5c9 100644
--- a/binaries/runtime/src/lib.rs
+++ b/binaries/runtime/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ pub fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     #[cfg(feature = "tracing")]
     set_up_tracing(&node_id.to_string()).context("failed to set up tracing subscriber")?;
 
+    let dataflow_descriptor = config.dataflow_descriptor.clone();
+
     let operator_definition = if operators.is_empty() {
         bail!("no operators");
     } else if operators.len() > 1 {
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ pub fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
         incoming_events,
         operator_events_tx,
         init_done_tx,
+        &dataflow_descriptor,
     )
     .wrap_err_with(|| format!("failed to run operator {operator_id}"))?;
 
diff --git a/binaries/runtime/src/operator/mod.rs b/binaries/runtime/src/operator/mod.rs
index 12cd65bd..8f6725fd 100644
--- a/binaries/runtime/src/operator/mod.rs
+++ b/binaries/runtime/src/operator/mod.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use dora_core::{
     config::{DataId, NodeId},
-    descriptor::{OperatorDefinition, OperatorSource},
+    descriptor::{Descriptor, OperatorDefinition, OperatorSource},
     message::MetadataParameters,
 };
 use dora_node_api::{DataSample, Event};
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ pub fn run_operator(
     incoming_events: flume::Receiver<Event>,
     events_tx: Sender<OperatorEvent>,
     init_done: oneshot::Sender<Result<()>>,
+    dataflow_descriptor: &Descriptor,
 ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     match &operator_definition.config.source {
         OperatorSource::SharedLibrary(source) => {
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ pub fn run_operator(
                 events_tx,
                 incoming_events,
                 init_done,
+                dataflow_descriptor,
             )
             .wrap_err_with(|| {
                 format!(
diff --git a/binaries/runtime/src/operator/python.rs b/binaries/runtime/src/operator/python.rs
index 3414c959..52ae4267 100644
--- a/binaries/runtime/src/operator/python.rs
+++ b/binaries/runtime/src/operator/python.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 use super::{OperatorEvent, StopReason};
 use dora_core::{
     config::{NodeId, OperatorId},
-    descriptor::source_is_url,
+    descriptor::{source_is_url, Descriptor},
 };
 use dora_download::download_file;
 use dora_node_api::Event;
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ pub fn run(
     events_tx: Sender<OperatorEvent>,
     incoming_events: flume::Receiver<Event>,
     init_done: oneshot::Sender<Result<()>>,
+    dataflow_descriptor: &Descriptor,
 ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
     let path = if source_is_url(source) {
         let target_path = Path::new("build")
@@ -98,6 +99,11 @@ pub fn run(
         let operator = py
             .eval("Operator()", None, Some(locals))
             .map_err(traceback)?;
+        operator.setattr(
+            "dataflow_descriptor",
+            pythonize::pythonize(py, dataflow_descriptor)?,
+        )?;
+
         Result::<_, eyre::Report>::Ok(Py::from(operator))
     };
 
diff --git a/libraries/core/src/daemon_messages.rs b/libraries/core/src/daemon_messages.rs
index 5929fb6a..af955f48 100644
--- a/libraries/core/src/daemon_messages.rs
+++ b/libraries/core/src/daemon_messages.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use crate::{
-    config::{CommunicationConfig, DataId, NodeId, NodeRunConfig, OperatorId},
-    descriptor::{OperatorDefinition, ResolvedNode},
+    config::{DataId, NodeId, NodeRunConfig, OperatorId},
+    descriptor::{Descriptor, OperatorDefinition, ResolvedNode},
 };
 use dora_message::Metadata;
 use uuid::Uuid;
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub struct NodeConfig {
     pub node_id: NodeId,
     pub run_config: NodeRunConfig,
     pub daemon_communication: DaemonCommunication,
+    pub dataflow_descriptor: Descriptor,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize)]
@@ -250,6 +251,6 @@ pub struct SpawnDataflowNodes {
     pub dataflow_id: DataflowId,
     pub working_dir: PathBuf,
     pub nodes: Vec<ResolvedNode>,
-    pub communication: CommunicationConfig,
     pub machine_listen_ports: BTreeMap<String, SocketAddr>,
+    pub dataflow_descriptor: Descriptor,
 }