diff --git a/src/activities/Elsa.Activities.Timers/Activities/TimerEvent/TimerEvent.cs b/src/activities/Elsa.Activities.Timers/Activities/TimerEvent/TimerEvent.cs
index 2df6bf797..cbf39ab60 100644
--- a/src/activities/Elsa.Activities.Timers/Activities/TimerEvent/TimerEvent.cs
+++ b/src/activities/Elsa.Activities.Timers/Activities/TimerEvent/TimerEvent.cs
@@ -6,10 +6,7 @@ using NodaTime;
 // ReSharper disable once CheckNamespace
 namespace Elsa.Activities.Timers
 {
-    [ActivityDefinition(
-        Category = "Timers",
-        Description = "Triggers at a specified interval."
-    )]
+    [ActivityDefinition(Category = "Timers", Description = "Triggers at a specified interval.")]
     public class TimerEvent : Activity
     {
         private readonly IClock _clock;
@@ -19,11 +16,15 @@ namespace Elsa.Activities.Timers
             _clock = clock;
         }
 
-        [ActivityProperty(Hint = "An expression that evaluates to a Duration value")]
+        [ActivityProperty(Hint = "An expression that evaluates to a Duration value.")]
         public Duration Timeout { get; set; } = default!;
 
-        private Instant? StartTime { get; set; }
-
+        private Instant? StartTime
+        {
+            get => GetState<Instant?>();
+            set => SetState(value);
+        }
+        
         protected override bool OnCanExecute() => StartTime == null || IsExpired();
         protected override IActivityExecutionResult OnExecute() => ExecuteInternal();
         protected override IActivityExecutionResult OnResume() => ExecuteInternal();
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/ActivityResults/SuspendResult.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/ActivityResults/SuspendResult.cs
index 54f01cf32..cf6e7233f 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/ActivityResults/SuspendResult.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/ActivityResults/SuspendResult.cs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace Elsa.ActivityResults
         {
             var activityDefinition = activityExecutionContext.ActivityBlueprint;
             var blockingActivity = new BlockingActivity(activityDefinition.Id, activityDefinition.Type);
-            activityExecutionContext.WorkflowExecutionContext.BlockingActivities.Add(blockingActivity);
+            activityExecutionContext.WorkflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.BlockingActivities.Add(blockingActivity);
             activityExecutionContext.WorkflowExecutionContext.Suspend();
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Comparers/BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Comparers/BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.cs
index e3c773874..27fb9fc7d 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Comparers/BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Comparers/BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ namespace Elsa.Comparers
 {
     public class BlockingActivityEqualityComparer : IEqualityComparer<BlockingActivity>
     {
+        public static BlockingActivityEqualityComparer Instance { get; } = new BlockingActivityEqualityComparer();
+        
         public bool Equals(BlockingActivity x, BlockingActivity y) => x.ActivityId.Equals(y.ActivityId);
         public int GetHashCode(BlockingActivity obj) => obj.ActivityId.GetHashCode();
     }
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Extensions/JObjectExtensions.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Extensions/JObjectExtensions.cs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..592faaa97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Extensions/JObjectExtensions.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+using System;
+using Newtonsoft.Json;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
+using NodaTime;
+using NodaTime.Serialization.JsonNet;
+
+namespace Elsa
+{
+    public static class JObjectExtensions
+    {
+        private static readonly JsonSerializer Serializer = new JsonSerializer().ConfigureForNodaTime(DateTimeZoneProviders.Tzdb);
+
+        public static T GetState<T>(this JObject state, string key, Func<T>? defaultValue = null)
+        {
+            var item = state.GetValue(key, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+
+            if (item == null || item.Type == JTokenType.Null)
+                return defaultValue != null ? defaultValue() : default!;
+
+            return item.ToObject<T>(Serializer)!;
+        }
+
+        public static T GetState<T>(this JObject state, Type type, string key, Func<T>? defaultValue = null)
+        {
+            var item = state.GetValue(key, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+            return item != null ? (T)item.ToObject(type, Serializer)! : defaultValue != null ? defaultValue() : default!;
+        }
+
+        public static void SetState(this JObject state, string key, object? value) => state[key] = value != null ? JToken.FromObject(value, Serializer) : null;
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Models/WorkflowInstance.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Models/WorkflowInstance.cs
index 5ee8c3a65..17bd506c5 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Models/WorkflowInstance.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Models/WorkflowInstance.cs
@@ -6,11 +6,12 @@ namespace Elsa.Models
 {
     public class WorkflowInstance
     {
+        private HashSet<BlockingActivity> _blockingActivities = new HashSet<BlockingActivity>(BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.Instance);
+        
         public WorkflowInstance()
         {
             Variables = new Variables();
             Activities = new List<ActivityInstance>();
-            BlockingActivities = new HashSet<BlockingActivity>(new BlockingActivityEqualityComparer());
             ExecutionLog = new List<ExecutionLogEntry>();
             ScheduledActivities = new Stack<ScheduledActivity>();
         }
@@ -25,7 +26,13 @@ namespace Elsa.Models
         public Variables Variables { get; set; }
         public object? Output { get; set; }
         public ICollection<ActivityInstance> Activities { get; set; }
-        public HashSet<BlockingActivity> BlockingActivities { get; set; }
+
+        public HashSet<BlockingActivity> BlockingActivities
+        {
+            get => _blockingActivities;
+            set => _blockingActivities = new HashSet<BlockingActivity>(value, BlockingActivityEqualityComparer.Instance);
+        }
+        
         public ICollection<ExecutionLogEntry> ExecutionLog { get; set; }
         public WorkflowFault? Fault { get; set; }
         public Stack<ScheduledActivity> ScheduledActivities { get; set; }
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Activity.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Activity.cs
index 4e826f113..25a606441 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Activity.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Activity.cs
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Elsa.ActivityResults;
 using Elsa.Models;
 using Elsa.Services.Models;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.Localization;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
 
 namespace Elsa.Services
 {
@@ -16,6 +19,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
         public string? DisplayName { get; set; }
         public string? Description { get; set; }
         public bool PersistWorkflow { get; set; }
+        public JObject Data { get; set; } = default!;
 
         public ValueTask<bool> CanExecuteAsync(ActivityExecutionContext context, CancellationToken cancellationToken) =>
             OnCanExecuteAsync(context, cancellationToken);
@@ -76,5 +80,9 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
         protected CombinedResult Combine(IEnumerable<IActivityExecutionResult> results) => new CombinedResult(results);
         protected CombinedResult Combine(params IActivityExecutionResult[] results) => new CombinedResult(results);
         protected FaultResult Fault(LocalizedString message) => new FaultResult(message);
+        
+        protected T GetState<T>(Func<T>? defaultValue = null, [CallerMemberName] string name = null!) => Data.GetState(name, defaultValue);
+        protected T GetState<T>(Type type, Func<T>? defaultValue = null, [CallerMemberName] string name = null!) => Data.GetState(type, name, defaultValue);
+        protected void SetState(object? value, [CallerMemberName] string name = null!) => Data.SetState(name, value);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/IActivity.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/IActivity.cs
index df1da1f25..3eb111a84 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/IActivity.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/IActivity.cs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using Elsa.ActivityResults;
 using Elsa.Services.Models;
+using Newtonsoft.Json.Linq;
 
 namespace Elsa.Services
 {
@@ -36,6 +37,11 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
         /// A value indicating whether the workflow instance will be persisted automatically upon executing this activity.
         /// </summary>
         bool PersistWorkflow { get; set; }
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// A data store for the activity to store information that needs to be persisted as part of the workflow instance.
+        /// </summary>
+        JObject Data { get; set; }
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Returns a value of whether the specified activity can execute.
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/ActivityExecutionContext.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/ActivityExecutionContext.cs
index 1b6b7f543..0e96fa362 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/ActivityExecutionContext.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/ActivityExecutionContext.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Linq;
 using System.Threading;
 using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using Elsa.Models;
 using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
 
 namespace Elsa.Services.Models
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
         public object? Input { get; }
         public object? Output { get; set; }
         public IReadOnlyCollection<string> Outcomes { get; set; }
+        public ActivityInstance ActivityInstance => WorkflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.Activities.First(x => x.Id == ActivityBlueprint.Id);
 
         public void SetVariable(string name, object? value) => WorkflowExecutionContext.SetVariable(name, value);
         public object? GetVariable(string name) => WorkflowExecutionContext.GetVariable(name);
@@ -44,7 +47,9 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
         public IActivity ActivateActivity(string activityType, Action<IActivity>? setupActivity = default)
         {
             var activityActivator = ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IActivityActivator>();
-            return activityActivator.ActivateActivity(activityType, setupActivity);
+            var activity = activityActivator.ActivateActivity(activityType, setupActivity);
+            activity.Data = ActivityInstance.Data;
+            return activity;
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowBlueprint.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowBlueprint.cs
index 81d3e3f9d..cd4792ac6 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowBlueprint.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowBlueprint.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
         }
     
         public WorkflowBlueprint(
-            string definitionId,
+            string id,
             int version,
             bool isSingleton,
             bool isEnabled,
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
             IEnumerable<IConnection> connections,
             IActivityPropertyProviders activityPropertyValueProviders)
         {
-            DefinitionId = definitionId;
+            Id = id;
             Version = version;
             IsSingleton = isSingleton;
             IsEnabled = isEnabled;
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
         }
     
         public string Id { get; set; } = default!;
-        public string DefinitionId { get; set; } = default!;
         public int Version { get; set; }
         public bool IsSingleton { get; set; }
         public bool IsEnabled { get; set; }
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowExecutionContext.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowExecutionContext.cs
index 490579b1e..35a800671 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowExecutionContext.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Abstractions/Services/Models/WorkflowExecutionContext.cs
@@ -26,10 +26,6 @@ namespace Elsa.Services.Models
         public IWorkflowBlueprint WorkflowBlueprint { get; }
         public IServiceProvider ServiceProvider { get; }
         public WorkflowInstance WorkflowInstance { get; }
-
-        public HashSet<BlockingActivity> BlockingActivities { get; } =
-            new HashSet<BlockingActivity>(new BlockingActivityEqualityComparer());
-        
         public bool HasScheduledActivities => WorkflowInstance.ScheduledActivities.Any();
         public IWorkflowFault? WorkflowFault { get; private set; }
         public bool IsFirstPass { get; private set; }
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Complete/Complete.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Complete/Complete.cs
index a82e9c899..a9c1d1885 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Complete/Complete.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Complete/Complete.cs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Activities.ControlFlow
 
         protected override IActivityExecutionResult OnExecute(ActivityExecutionContext context)
         {
-            context.WorkflowExecutionContext.BlockingActivities.Clear();
+            context.WorkflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.BlockingActivities.Clear();
             context.WorkflowExecutionContext.Complete();
             
             return Done(OutputValue);
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Join/Join.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Join/Join.cs
index 07adbc490..330c969c5 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Join/Join.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Activities/ControlFlow/Join/Join.cs
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ namespace Elsa.Activities.ControlFlow
                 // Remove any inbound blocking activities.
                 var ancestorActivityIds = workflowExecutionContext.GetInboundActivityPath(Id).ToList();
                 var blockingActivities =
-                    workflowExecutionContext.BlockingActivities.Where(x => ancestorActivityIds.Contains(x.ActivityId)).ToList();
+                    workflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.BlockingActivities.Where(x => ancestorActivityIds.Contains(x.ActivityId)).ToList();
             
                 foreach (var blockingActivity in blockingActivities) 
-                    workflowExecutionContext.BlockingActivities.Remove(blockingActivity);
+                    workflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.BlockingActivities.Remove(blockingActivity);
             }
             
             if (!done)
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Builders/ActivityBuilder.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Builders/ActivityBuilder.cs
index 34259692a..253255353 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Builders/ActivityBuilder.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Builders/ActivityBuilder.cs
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ namespace Elsa.Builders
         public Func<ActivityExecutionContext, CancellationToken, ValueTask<IActivity>> BuildActivityAsync() =>
             async (context, cancellationToken) =>
             {
-                //var activity = context.ActivateActivity(context.ActivityBlueprint.Type, SetupActivity);
                 var activity = context.ActivateActivity(context.ActivityBlueprint.Type);
                 activity.Id = ActivityId;
                 activity.Name = Name;
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowBlueprintMaterializer.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowBlueprintMaterializer.cs
index 37c5a6e37..dd22ed5f4 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowBlueprintMaterializer.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowBlueprintMaterializer.cs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
             var activityBlueprints = workflowDefinition.Activities.Select(CreateBlueprint).ToDictionary(x => x.Id);
 
             return new WorkflowBlueprint(
-                workflowDefinition.WorkflowDefinitionVersionId,
+                workflowDefinition.WorkflowDefinitionId,
                 workflowDefinition.Version,
                 workflowDefinition.IsSingleton,
                 workflowDefinition.IsEnabled,
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowHost.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowHost.cs
index 11ef3d0ec..e706bbfb7 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowHost.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowHost.cs
@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
             object? input = default,
             CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
         {
-            using var scope = _serviceProvider.CreateScope();
-            var workflowExecutionContext = CreateWorkflowExecutionContext(workflowBlueprint, workflowInstance, scope);
+            var workflowExecutionContext = CreateWorkflowExecutionContext(workflowBlueprint, workflowInstance, _serviceProvider);
             var activity = activityId != null ? workflowBlueprint.GetActivity(activityId) : default;
 
             switch (workflowExecutionContext.Status)
@@ -165,7 +164,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
             if (!await CanExecuteAsync(workflowExecutionContext, activityBlueprint, input, cancellationToken))
                 return;
 
-            workflowExecutionContext.BlockingActivities.RemoveWhere(x => x.ActivityId == activityBlueprint.Id);
+            workflowExecutionContext.WorkflowInstance.BlockingActivities.RemoveWhere(x => x.ActivityId == activityBlueprint.Id);
             workflowExecutionContext.Resume();
             workflowExecutionContext.ScheduleActivity(activityBlueprint.Id, input);
             await RunAsync(workflowExecutionContext, Resume, cancellationToken);
@@ -177,11 +176,9 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
             object? input,
             CancellationToken cancellationToken)
         {
-            using var scope = _serviceProvider.CreateScope();
-
             var activityExecutionContext = new ActivityExecutionContext(
                 workflowExecutionContext,
-                scope.ServiceProvider,
+                _serviceProvider,
                 activityBlueprint,
                 input);
 
@@ -199,22 +196,13 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
                 var scheduledActivity = workflowExecutionContext.PopScheduledActivity();
                 var currentActivityId = scheduledActivity.ActivityId;
                 var activityBlueprint = workflowExecutionContext.WorkflowBlueprint.GetActivity(currentActivityId)!;
-
-                using (var scope = _serviceProvider.CreateScope())
-                {
-                    var activityExecutionContext = new ActivityExecutionContext(
-                        workflowExecutionContext,
-                        scope.ServiceProvider,
-                        activityBlueprint,
-                        scheduledActivity.Input);
-
-                    var activity = await activityBlueprint.CreateActivityAsync(activityExecutionContext, cancellationToken);
-                    var result = await activityOperation(activityExecutionContext, activity, cancellationToken);
-                    await _mediator.Publish(new ActivityExecuting(activityExecutionContext), cancellationToken);
-                    await result.ExecuteAsync(activityExecutionContext, cancellationToken);
-                    await _mediator.Publish(new ActivityExecuted(activityExecutionContext), cancellationToken);
-                }
-
+                var activityExecutionContext = new ActivityExecutionContext(workflowExecutionContext, _serviceProvider, activityBlueprint, scheduledActivity.Input);
+                var activity = await activityBlueprint.CreateActivityAsync(activityExecutionContext, cancellationToken);
+                var result = await activityOperation(activityExecutionContext, activity, cancellationToken);
+                await _mediator.Publish(new ActivityExecuting(activityExecutionContext), cancellationToken);
+                await result.ExecuteAsync(activityExecutionContext, cancellationToken);
+                await _mediator.Publish(new ActivityExecuted(activityExecutionContext), cancellationToken);
+                
                 activityOperation = Execute;
                 workflowExecutionContext.CompletePass();
             }
@@ -223,13 +211,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
                 workflowExecutionContext.Complete();
         }
 
-        private static WorkflowExecutionContext CreateWorkflowExecutionContext(
-            IWorkflowBlueprint workflowBlueprint,
-            WorkflowInstance workflowInstance,
-            IServiceScope serviceScope) =>
-            new WorkflowExecutionContext(
-                serviceScope.ServiceProvider,
-                workflowBlueprint,
-                workflowInstance);
+        private static WorkflowExecutionContext CreateWorkflowExecutionContext(IWorkflowBlueprint workflowBlueprint, WorkflowInstance workflowInstance, IServiceProvider serviceProvider) =>
+            new WorkflowExecutionContext(serviceProvider, workflowBlueprint, workflowInstance);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowScheduler.cs b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowScheduler.cs
index 6dd6bda7d..7e3f4c5fd 100644
--- a/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowScheduler.cs
+++ b/src/core/Elsa.Core/Services/WorkflowScheduler.cs
@@ -151,9 +151,7 @@ namespace Elsa.Services
             else
                 predicate = x => x.ActivityType == activityType;
 
-            var query = _workflowInstanceManager.Query<WorkflowInstanceBlockingActivitiesIndex>()
-                .Where(predicate);
-
+            var query = _workflowInstanceManager.Query<WorkflowInstanceBlockingActivitiesIndex>().Where(predicate);
             var workflowInstances = await query.ListAsync();
             var tuples = workflowInstances.GetBlockingActivities();