diff --git a/core/save.go b/core/save.go
index b890abc9f..4768b0cb4 100644
--- a/core/save.go
+++ b/core/save.go
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"sync"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/log"
 	clablinks "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/links"
+	clabnetconf "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/netconf"
 	clabnodes "github.com/srl-labs/containerlab/nodes"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
 )
 
 func (c *CLab) Save(
@@ -17,6 +21,35 @@ func (c *CLab) Save(
 		return err
 	}
 
+	// Load credentials from ansible-inventory.yml for Nokia SROS/SRSIM nodes only
+	credsMap := make(map[string]*NodeCredentials)
+
+	// Check if we have any Nokia SROS/SRSIM nodes
+	hasTargetNodes := false
+	for _, node := range c.Nodes {
+		nodeKind := node.Config().Kind
+		if nodeKind == "nokia_sros" || nodeKind == "nokia_srsim" {
+			hasTargetNodes = true
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Only read ansible-inventory if we have target nodes
+	if hasTargetNodes {
+		inventoryPath := c.TopoPaths.AnsibleInventoryFileAbsPath()
+		if data, err := os.ReadFile(inventoryPath); err == nil {
+			var inventoryYAML AnsibleInventoryYAML
+			if err := yaml.Unmarshal(data, &inventoryYAML); err == nil {
+				// Process both nokia_sros and nokia_srsim
+				for _, kind := range []string{"nokia_sros", "nokia_srsim"} {
+					if group, ok := inventoryYAML.All.Children[kind]; ok {
+						c.loadGroupCredentials(kind, group, credsMap)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 
 	wg.Add(len(c.Nodes))
@@ -25,9 +58,30 @@ func (c *CLab) Save(
 		go func(node clabnodes.Node) {
 			defer wg.Done()
 
+			nodeKind := node.Config().Kind
+			nodeName := node.Config().ShortName
+
+			// For Nokia SROS/SRSIM nodes, use NETCONF with credentials from ansible-inventory.yml
+			if nodeKind == "nokia_sros" || nodeKind == "nokia_srsim" {
+				if creds, ok := credsMap[nodeName]; ok {
+					err := c.saveNetconfConfig(
+						ctx,
+						node,
+						creds.Username,
+						creds.Password,
+						"nokia_sros",
+					)
+					if err != nil {
+						log.Errorf("Failed to save config for %s: %v", nodeName, err)
+					}
+					return
+				}
+			}
+
+			// For all other nodes, use default SaveConfig behavior
 			err := node.SaveConfig(ctx)
 			if err != nil {
-				log.Errorf("err: %v", err)
+				log.Errorf("Failed to save config for %s: %v", nodeName, err)
 			}
 		}(node)
 	}
@@ -36,3 +90,110 @@ func (c *CLab) Save(
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// loadGroupCredentials loads credentials for a specific node kind from ansible inventory.
+func (c *CLab) loadGroupCredentials(
+	kind string,
+	group AnsibleInventoryGroup,
+	credsMap map[string]*NodeCredentials,
+) {
+	// Group-level credentials (default for all hosts)
+	groupUser := group.Vars.AnsibleUser
+	groupPass := group.Vars.AnsiblePassword
+
+	if groupUser != "" && groupPass != "" {
+		log.Infof("Using credentials from ansible-inventory.yml for %s nodes (user: %s)", kind, groupUser)
+	}
+
+	for nodeName, hostVars := range group.Hosts {
+		// Host-level credentials override group-level
+		username := groupUser
+		password := groupPass
+
+		if hostVars.AnsibleUser != "" {
+			username = hostVars.AnsibleUser
+		}
+		if hostVars.AnsiblePassword != "" {
+			password = hostVars.AnsiblePassword
+		}
+
+		if username != "" && password != "" {
+			credsMap[nodeName] = &NodeCredentials{
+				Username: username,
+				Password: password,
+			}
+			if hostVars.AnsibleUser != "" || hostVars.AnsiblePassword != "" {
+				log.Debugf("Loaded host-specific credentials for %s node %s (user: %s)", kind, nodeName, username)
+			} else {
+				log.Debugf("Loaded group credentials for %s node %s", kind, nodeName)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// NodeCredentials holds username and password for a node.
+type NodeCredentials struct {
+	Username string
+	Password string
+}
+
+// AnsibleInventoryYAML represents the structure of the generated ansible-inventory.yml file.
+type AnsibleInventoryYAML struct {
+	All struct {
+		Children map[string]AnsibleInventoryGroup `yaml:"children"`
+	} `yaml:"all"`
+}
+
+// AnsibleInventoryGroup represents a group in the ansible inventory YAML.
+type AnsibleInventoryGroup struct {
+	Vars  AnsibleInventoryVars            `yaml:"vars"`
+	Hosts map[string]AnsibleInventoryHost `yaml:"hosts"`
+}
+
+// AnsibleInventoryVars represents the vars section in ansible inventory YAML.
+type AnsibleInventoryVars struct {
+	AnsibleUser     string `yaml:"ansible_user"`
+	AnsiblePassword string `yaml:"ansible_password"`
+}
+
+// AnsibleInventoryHost represents a host entry in ansible inventory YAML.
+type AnsibleInventoryHost struct {
+	AnsibleHost     string `yaml:"ansible_host"`
+	AnsibleUser     string `yaml:"ansible_user"`
+	AnsiblePassword string `yaml:"ansible_password"`
+}
+
+// saveNetconfConfig saves configuration using NETCONF with custom credentials.
+func (c *CLab) saveNetconfConfig(
+	ctx context.Context,
+	node clabnodes.Node,
+	username, password, platform string,
+) error {
+	cfg := node.Config()
+
+	// Use management IPv4 address for NETCONF connection
+	addr := cfg.MgmtIPv4Address
+	if addr == "" {
+		addr = cfg.MgmtIPv6Address
+	}
+	if addr == "" {
+		addr = cfg.Fqdn
+	}
+	if addr == "" {
+		addr = cfg.LongName
+	}
+
+	// Call netconf SaveRunningConfig with custom credentials
+	err := clabnetconf.SaveRunningConfig(
+		fmt.Sprintf("[%s]", addr),
+		username,
+		password,
+		platform,
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save config via NETCONF: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	log.Infof("saved %s running configuration to startup configuration file\n", cfg.ShortName)
+	return nil
+}