diff --git a/doc/changelog.rst b/doc/changelog.rst
index 4a8f22d4..bb1c7a20 100644
--- a/doc/changelog.rst
+++ b/doc/changelog.rst
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ Upcoming version (not yet released)
 
 - Added island support for the :ref:`PGS solver<soAlgorithms>`.
 
+Python
+^^^^^^
+
+- Added ``MjSpec.encode`` method, wrapping :ref:`mj_encode`.
+
 Version 3.8.0 (April 24, 2026)
 ------------------------------
 
diff --git a/doc/python.rst b/doc/python.rst
index 61761b0b..95beb3ff 100644
--- a/doc/python.rst
+++ b/doc/python.rst
@@ -547,6 +547,12 @@ Compiled ``MjSpec`` objects can be saved to XML string with the ``to_xml()`` met
      </worldbody>
    </mujoco>
 
+Alternatively, the spec can be saved directly to a file using ``encode()``:
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+   spec.encode('model.xml', model)
+
 Attachment
 ----------
 
diff --git a/python/mujoco/specs.cc b/python/mujoco/specs.cc
index e58d66cc..2ba20431 100644
--- a/python/mujoco/specs.cc
+++ b/python/mujoco/specs.cc
@@ -431,6 +431,51 @@ PYBIND11_MODULE(_specs, m) {
       throw FatalError(std::string(err.data()));
     }
   });
+  mjSpec.def(
+      "encode",
+      [](MjSpec& self, std::string filename,
+         std::optional<py::object> model,
+         std::optional<std::string> content_type) -> int {
+        raw::MjModel* m = nullptr;
+        if (model.has_value() && !model->is_none()) {
+          auto& wrapper =
+              py::cast<_impl::MjModelWrapper&>(*model);
+          m = wrapper.get();
+        }
+
+        mjVFS vfs;
+        mjVFS* vfs_ptr = nullptr;
+        if (!self.assets.empty()) {
+          mj_defaultVFS(&vfs);
+          vfs_ptr = &vfs;
+          for (const auto& asset : self.assets) {
+            std::string buffer_name =
+                py::cast<std::string>(asset.first);
+            std::string buffer =
+                py::cast<std::string>(asset.second);
+            mj_addBufferVFS(vfs_ptr, buffer_name.c_str(),
+                            buffer.c_str(), buffer.size());
+          }
+        }
+
+        std::array<char, 1024> err;
+        err[0] = '\0';
+        const char* ct =
+            content_type.has_value() ? content_type->c_str() : nullptr;
+        int nbytes = mj_encode(self.ptr, m, filename.c_str(), ct,
+                               vfs_ptr, err.data(), err.size());
+
+        if (vfs_ptr) {
+          mj_deleteVFS(vfs_ptr);
+        }
+
+        if (nbytes < 0) {
+          throw FatalError(std::string(err.data()));
+        }
+        return nbytes;
+      },
+      py::arg("filename"), py::arg("model") = py::none(),
+      py::arg("content_type") = py::none());
   mjSpec.def(
       "add_default",
       [](MjSpec* spec, std::string& classname,
diff --git a/python/mujoco/specs_test.py b/python/mujoco/specs_test.py
index 8bb9360e..fe3f45b1 100644
--- a/python/mujoco/specs_test.py
+++ b/python/mujoco/specs_test.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import textwrap
 import typing
 import zipfile  # pylint: disable=unused-import
 
+from absl import flags
 from absl.testing import absltest
 from etils import epath
 import mujoco
@@ -34,6 +35,11 @@ def get_linenumber():
 
 
 class SpecsTest(absltest.TestCase):
+  def setUp(self):
+    super().setUp()
+    # Mark flags as parsed to avoid pytest errors about unparsed flags.
+    # This is needed for `create_tempdir()` calls below.
+    flags.FLAGS.mark_as_parsed()
 
   def test_typing(self):
     spec = mujoco.MjSpec()
@@ -1964,5 +1970,49 @@ class SpecsTest(absltest.TestCase):
     self.assertGreater(cam_sd[0], cam_sd[1])  # dist > depth
     self.assertAlmostEqual(cam_sd[1], 2.0, places=6)  # depth is still 2.0
 
+  def test_encode_xml(self):
+    # Create a simple spec and compile.
+    spec = mujoco.MjSpec()
+    body = spec.worldbody.add_body()
+    geom = body.add_geom()
+    geom.size[0] = 1
+    model = spec.compile()
+
+    # Encode to XML.
+    filename = os.path.join(self.create_tempdir().full_path, 'output.xml')
+    nbytes = spec.encode(filename, model)
+    self.assertGreater(nbytes, 0)
+
+    # Verify the output is valid XML that can be loaded.
+    reloaded = mujoco.MjSpec.from_file(filename)
+    reloaded_model = reloaded.compile()
+    self.assertEqual(reloaded_model.ngeom, model.ngeom)
+
+  def test_encode_xml_without_model(self):
+    # Create a simple spec and compile so XML can be written.
+    spec = mujoco.MjSpec()
+    body = spec.worldbody.add_body()
+    geom = body.add_geom()
+    geom.size[0] = 1
+    spec.compile()
+
+    # Encode to XML without passing a model explicitly.
+    filename = os.path.join(self.create_tempdir().full_path, 'output.xml')
+    nbytes = spec.encode(filename)
+    self.assertGreater(nbytes, 0)
+
+  def test_encode_no_encoder_raises(self):
+    # Create a simple spec and compile.
+    spec = mujoco.MjSpec()
+    body = spec.worldbody.add_body()
+    geom = body.add_geom()
+    geom.size[0] = 1
+    model = spec.compile()
+
+    # Encode with an unknown extension should fail.
+    filename = os.path.join(self.create_tempdir().full_path, 'output.unknown')
+    with self.assertRaises(mujoco.FatalError):
+      spec.encode(filename, model)
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
   absltest.main()
diff --git a/src/user/user_api.cc b/src/user/user_api.cc
index 4b5effaf..f03b5e85 100644
--- a/src/user/user_api.cc
+++ b/src/user/user_api.cc
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <cstring>
+#include <filesystem>
 #include <functional>
 #include <iterator>
 #include <map>
@@ -143,6 +144,18 @@ mjSpec* mj_parse(const char* filename, const char* content_type,
 int mj_encode(const mjSpec* s, const mjModel* m, const char* filename,
               const char* content_type, const mjVFS* vfs, char* error,
               int error_sz) {
+  // TODO(shaves) Move MJCF and URDF to encoders/decoders.
+  auto filepath = mujoco::user::FilePath(filename);
+  if (filepath.Ext() == ".xml" ||
+      (content_type && std::strcmp(content_type, "text/xml") == 0)) {
+    int result = mj_saveXML(s, filename, error, error_sz);
+    if (result < 0) {
+      return -1;
+    }
+
+    return std::filesystem::file_size(filename);
+  }
+
   const mjpEncoder* encoder = mjp_findEncoder(filename, content_type);
   if (!encoder) {
     if (error) {