diff --git a/daemon/core/xml/corexml.py b/daemon/core/xml/corexml.py
index db6d8bd7..0e79137c 100644
--- a/daemon/core/xml/corexml.py
+++ b/daemon/core/xml/corexml.py
@@ -664,12 +664,12 @@ class CoreXmlReader:
 
             file_elements = service_configuration.find("files")
             if file_elements is not None:
-                files = []
+                files = set(service.configs)
                 for file_element in file_elements.iterchildren():
                     name = file_element.get("name")
                     data = file_element.text
                     service.config_data[name] = data
-                    files.append(name)
+                    files.add(name)
                 service.configs = tuple(files)
 
     def read_emane_configs(self):
diff --git a/daemon/scripts/core-imn-to-xml b/daemon/scripts/core-imn-to-xml
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..725d7119
--- /dev/null
+++ b/daemon/scripts/core-imn-to-xml
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+import argparse
+import re
+import sys
+from pathlib import Path
+
+from core import utils
+from core.api.grpc.client import CoreGrpcClient
+from core.errors import CoreCommandError
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    # parse flags
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Converts CORE imn files to xml")
+    parser.add_argument("-f", "--file", dest="file", help="imn file to convert")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "-d", "--dest", dest="dest", default=None, help="destination for xml file, defaults to same location as imn"
+    )
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    # validate provided file exists
+    imn_file = Path(args.file)
+    if not imn_file.exists():
+        print(f"{args.file} does not exist")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # validate destination
+    if args.dest is not None:
+        dest = Path(args.dest)
+        if not dest.exists() or not dest.is_dir():
+            print(f"{dest.resolve()} does not exist or is not a directory")
+            sys.exit(1)
+        xml_file = Path(dest, imn_file.with_suffix(".xml").name)
+    else:
+        xml_file = Path(imn_file.with_suffix(".xml").name)
+
+    # validate xml file
+    if xml_file.exists():
+        print(f"{xml_file.resolve()} already exists")
+        sys.exit(1)
+
+    # run provided imn using core-gui batch mode
+    try:
+        print(f"running {imn_file.resolve()} in batch mode")
+        output = utils.cmd(f"core-gui --batch {imn_file.resolve()}")
+        last_line = output.split("\n")[-1].strip()
+
+        # check for active session
+        if last_line == "Another session is active.":
+            print("need to restart core-daemon or shutdown previous batch session")
+            sys.exit(1)
+
+        # parse session id
+        m = re.search(r"Session id is (\d+)\.", last_line)
+        if not m:
+            print(f"failed to find session id: {output}")
+            sys.exit(1)
+        session_id = int(m.group(1))
+        print(f"created session {session_id}")
+
+        # save xml and delete session
+        client = CoreGrpcClient()
+        with client.context_connect():
+            print(f"saving xml {xml_file.resolve()}")
+            client.save_xml(session_id, xml_file)
+
+            print(f"deleting session {session_id}")
+            client.delete_session(session_id)
+    except CoreCommandError as e:
+        print(f"core-gui batch failed for {imn_file.resolve()}: {e}")
+        sys.exit(1)