diff --git a/thermal_events/schemas.py b/thermal_events/schemas.py
index 5b69459..62a9b4b 100644
--- a/thermal_events/schemas.py
+++ b/thermal_events/schemas.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from marshmallow import fields
 from .thermal_event_instance import ThermalEventInstance
 from .thermal_event import ThermalEvent
+from .strike_line_descriptor import StrikeLineDescriptor
 
 
 class ThermalEventInstanceSchema(SQLAlchemyAutoSchema):
@@ -31,3 +32,14 @@ class Meta:
         include_fk = True
         load_instance = True
         transient = True
+
+
+class StrikeLineDescriptorSchema(SQLAlchemyAutoSchema):
+    """Schema for the StrikeLineDescriptor model."""
+
+    class Meta:
+        model = StrikeLineDescriptor
+        include_relationships = True
+        include_fk = True
+        load_instance = True
+        transient = True
diff --git a/thermal_events/strike_line_descriptor.py b/thermal_events/strike_line_descriptor.py
index 18626db..e3f010e 100644
--- a/thermal_events/strike_line_descriptor.py
+++ b/thermal_events/strike_line_descriptor.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from copy import deepcopy
 from sqlalchemy import (
     Boolean,
     Column,
@@ -6,7 +7,7 @@
 )
 from sqlalchemy.dialects import sqlite
 from sqlalchemy.dialects.mysql import DOUBLE
-from sqlalchemy.orm import relationship
+from sqlalchemy.orm import make_transient, relationship
 
 from .base import Base
 from .thermal_event_instance import (
@@ -107,6 +108,14 @@ def __init__(
                 else:
                     setattr(self, key, value)
 
+    def to_dict(self):
+        from .schemas import StrikeLineDescriptorSchema
+
+        out = deepcopy(self)
+        make_transient(out)
+        make_transient(out.instance)
+        return {"0": StrikeLineDescriptorSchema().dump(out)}
+
     def return_segmented_points(self) -> list:
         """Return the segmented points as a list.
 
diff --git a/thermal_events/thermal_event.py b/thermal_events/thermal_event.py
index 7b874a4..43e2962 100644
--- a/thermal_events/thermal_event.py
+++ b/thermal_events/thermal_event.py
@@ -321,13 +321,17 @@ def compute(self) -> None:
 
         self._computed = True
 
-    def to_dict(self):
+    def to_dict(self, use_id_as_key=False):
         from .schemas import ThermalEventSchema
 
         out = deepcopy(self)
         make_transient(out)
         [make_transient(x) for x in out.instances]
-        return {"0": ThermalEventSchema().dump(out)}
+        if use_id_as_key:
+            key = str(self.id)
+        else:
+            key = "0"
+        return {key: ThermalEventSchema().dump(out)}
 
     def to_json(self, path_to_file):
         """
diff --git a/thermal_events/thermal_event_instance.py b/thermal_events/thermal_event_instance.py
index 68604d8..a5b751b 100644
--- a/thermal_events/thermal_event_instance.py
+++ b/thermal_events/thermal_event_instance.py
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ class ThermalEventInstance(Base):
         "StrikeLineDescriptor",
         back_populates="instance",
         cascade="all, delete, delete-orphan",
+        uselist=False,
     )
 
     _buffer = None  # image bugger used to draw polygons