I can reply to this. The project has 50+ process definitions located in a hierarchical fashion where the packaging structure generally matches the process-to-subprocess hierarchy. The top level process definition sits at the top and the other process definitions sit underneath it, probably 5 or 6 deep. It takes 5 minutes open processDefinition.xml from the top level in Eclipse using jbpm-jpdl-designer.3.1.0. The first directory structure shows our "problem" layout. If you move defs.processDefinition.xml into a subdirectory than it opens instantly. So the secnd directory structure works fine. example poorly performing number defs defs.processDefinition.xml defs.sub1 defs.sub1.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2 defs.sub2.processDefinitions.xml defs.sub2.sub3 defs.sub2.sub3.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub4 defs.sub2.sub3.sub4.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub5 defs.sub2.sub3.sub5.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub6 defs.sub2.sub3.sub6.processDefinition.xml --45+ other entries follow-- Example well performing structure defs defs.master defs.master.processDefinition.xml defs.sub1 defs.sub1.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2 defs.sub2.processDefinitions.xml defs.sub2.sub3 defs.sub2.sub3.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub4 defs.sub2.sub3.sub4.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub5 defs.sub2.sub3.sub5.processDefinition.xml defs.sub2.sub3.sub6 defs.sub2.sub3.sub6.processDefinition.xml --45+ other entries follow-- We're pretty convinced that there is a recursion problem. 2nd level process definitions with several children also have slightly slower performance but not as bad as the instance at the top. View the original post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4093142#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.com/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...