diff --git a/cmd/argo/commands/get.go b/cmd/argo/commands/get.go
index 24ab11366cf3..ad7c9932b19a 100644
--- a/cmd/argo/commands/get.go
+++ b/cmd/argo/commands/get.go
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/tabwriter"
 
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo/errors"
 	wfv1 "github.com/argoproj/argo/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1"
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo/util/file"
 	"github.com/argoproj/pkg/humanize"
 	"github.com/ghodss/yaml"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -49,6 +51,10 @@ func NewGetCommand() *cobra.Command {
 			if showMetrics {
 				metricsConfigMap = getMetricsConfigMap(wf, kubeClient)
 			}
+			err = CheckAndDecompress(wf)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatal(err)
+			}
 			printWorkflow(wf, output)
 		},
 	}
@@ -60,6 +66,21 @@ func NewGetCommand() *cobra.Command {
 	return command
 }
 
+func CheckAndDecompress(wf *wfv1.Workflow) error {
+	if wf.Status.CompressedNodes != "" {
+		nodeContent, err := file.DecodeDecompressString(wf.Status.CompressedNodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.InternalWrapError(err)
+		}
+		err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(nodeContent), &wf.Status.Nodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		wf.Status.CompressedNodes = ""
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func printWorkflow(wf *wfv1.Workflow, outFmt string) {
 	switch outFmt {
 	case "name":
diff --git a/cmd/argo/commands/list.go b/cmd/argo/commands/list.go
index 471a3f356f26..20647b59c89d 100644
--- a/cmd/argo/commands/list.go
+++ b/cmd/argo/commands/list.go
@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ func countPendingRunningCompleted(wf *wfv1.Workflow) (int, int, int) {
 	pending := 0
 	running := 0
 	completed := 0
+	err := CheckAndDecompress(wf)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
 	for _, node := range wf.Status.Nodes {
 		tmpl := wf.GetTemplate(node.TemplateName)
 		if tmpl == nil || !tmpl.IsPodType() {
diff --git a/cmd/argo/commands/logs.go b/cmd/argo/commands/logs.go
index 1a2ac6b1660e..ffb978e08cbc 100644
--- a/cmd/argo/commands/logs.go
+++ b/cmd/argo/commands/logs.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 	"k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	v1 "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
@@ -130,6 +131,11 @@ func (p *logPrinter) PrintPodLogs(podName string) error {
 // Prints logs for workflow pod steps and return most recent log timestamp per pod name
 func (p *logPrinter) printRecentWorkflowLogs(wf *v1alpha1.Workflow) map[string]*time.Time {
 	var podNodes []v1alpha1.NodeStatus
+	err := CheckAndDecompress(wf)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warn(err)
+		return nil
+	}
 	for _, node := range wf.Status.Nodes {
 		if node.Type == v1alpha1.NodeTypePod && node.Phase != v1alpha1.NodeError {
 			podNodes = append(podNodes, node)
@@ -208,6 +214,11 @@ func (p *logPrinter) printLiveWorkflowLogs(workflow *v1alpha1.Workflow, timeByPo
 	streamedPods := make(map[string]bool)
 
 	processPods := func(wf *v1alpha1.Workflow) {
+		err := CheckAndDecompress(wf)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Warn(err)
+			return
+		}
 		for id := range wf.Status.Nodes {
 			node := wf.Status.Nodes[id]
 			if node.Type == v1alpha1.NodeTypePod && node.Phase != v1alpha1.NodeError && streamedPods[node.ID] == false {
diff --git a/cmd/argo/commands/watch.go b/cmd/argo/commands/watch.go
index 133ee033a5ee..abdcaaee5ae1 100644
--- a/cmd/argo/commands/watch.go
+++ b/cmd/argo/commands/watch.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ func watchWorkflow(name string) {
 		select {
 		case next := <-watchIf.ResultChan():
 			wf, _ = next.Object.(*wfv1.Workflow)
+			err := CheckAndDecompress(wf)
+			errors.CheckError(err)
 		case <-ticker.C:
 		}
 		if wf == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1/types.go b/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1/types.go
index 13e405758b6a..ae7d7173795e 100644
--- a/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1/types.go
+++ b/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1/types.go
@@ -450,6 +450,9 @@ type WorkflowStatus struct {
 	// A human readable message indicating details about why the workflow is in this condition.
 	Message string `json:"message,omitempty"`
 
+	// Compressed and base64 decoded Nodes map
+	CompressedNodes string `json:"compressedNodes,omitempty"`
+
 	// Nodes is a mapping between a node ID and the node's status.
 	Nodes map[string]NodeStatus `json:"nodes,omitempty"`
 
diff --git a/util/file/fileutil.go b/util/file/fileutil.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..f99b2e5dea34
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/file/fileutil.go
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+package file
+
+import (
+	"archive/tar"
+	"bytes"
+	"compress/gzip"
+	"encoding/base64"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+	"strings"
+
+	log "github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+)
+
+// IsFileOrDirExistInGZip return true if file or directory exists in GZip file
+func IsFileOrDirExistInGZip(sourcePath string, gzipFilePath string) bool {
+
+	fi, err := os.Open(gzipFilePath)
+
+	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return false
+	}
+	defer close(fi)
+
+	fz, err := gzip.NewReader(fi)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	tr := tar.NewReader(fz)
+	for {
+		hdr, err := tr.Next()
+		if err == io.EOF {
+			break
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+
+			return false
+		}
+		if hdr.FileInfo().IsDir() && strings.Contains(strings.Trim(hdr.Name, "/"), strings.Trim(sourcePath, "/")) {
+			return true
+		}
+		if strings.Contains(sourcePath, hdr.Name) && hdr.Size > 0 {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+//Close the file
+func close(f io.Closer) {
+	err := f.Close()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("Failed to close the file/writer/reader. %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+// CompressEncodeString will return the compressed string with base64 encoded
+func CompressEncodeString(content string) string {
+	return base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(CompressContent([]byte(content)))
+}
+
+// DecodeDecompressString will return  decode and decompress the
+func DecodeDecompressString(content string) (string, error) {
+
+	buf, err := base64.StdEncoding.DecodeString(content)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	dBuf, err := DecompressContent(buf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return string(dBuf), nil
+}
+
+// CompressContent will compress the byte array using zip writer
+func CompressContent(content []byte) []byte {
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	zipWriter := gzip.NewWriter(&buf)
+
+	_, err := zipWriter.Write(content)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("Error in compressing: %v", err)
+	}
+	close(zipWriter)
+	return buf.Bytes()
+}
+
+// DecompressContent will return the uncompressed content
+func DecompressContent(content []byte) ([]byte, error) {
+
+	buf := bytes.NewReader(content)
+	gZipReader, _ := gzip.NewReader(buf)
+	defer close(gZipReader)
+	return ioutil.ReadAll(gZipReader)
+}
diff --git a/util/file/fileutil_test.go b/util/file/fileutil_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c6a6ecc7b8d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/file/fileutil_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+package file
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+// TestResubmitWorkflowWithOnExit ensures we do not carry over the onExit node even if successful
+func TestCompressContentString(t *testing.T) {
+	content := "{\"pod-limits-rrdm8-591645159\":{\"id\":\"pod-limits-rrdm8-591645159\",\"name\":\"pod-limits-rrdm8[0]." +
+		"run-pod(0:0)\",\"displayName\":\"run-pod(0:0)\",\"type\":\"Pod\",\"templateName\":\"run-pod\",\"phase\":" +
+		"\"Succeeded\",\"boundaryID\":\"pod-limits-rrdm8\",\"startedAt\":\"2019-03-07T19:14:50Z\",\"finishedAt\":" +
+		"\"2019-03-07T19:14:55Z\"}}"
+
+	compString := CompressEncodeString(content)
+
+	resultString, _ := DecodeDecompressString(compString)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, content, resultString)
+}
diff --git a/workflow/controller/controller.go b/workflow/controller/controller.go
index 6b3831829af3..1d26f211a44d 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/controller.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/controller.go
@@ -248,6 +248,16 @@ func (wfc *WorkflowController) processNextItem() bool {
 	}
 
 	woc := newWorkflowOperationCtx(wf, wfc)
+	//Decompress the node if it is compressed
+
+	err = woc.checkAndDecompress()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Warnf("Failed to decompress  '%s' to workflow object: %v", key, err)
+		woc.markWorkflowFailed(fmt.Sprintf("invalid spec: %s", err.Error()))
+		woc.persistUpdates()
+		wfc.throttler.Remove(key)
+		return true
+	}
 	woc.operate()
 	if woc.wf.Status.Completed() {
 		wfc.throttler.Remove(key)
diff --git a/workflow/controller/operator.go b/workflow/controller/operator.go
index 34da222db159..433642112ff1 100644
--- a/workflow/controller/operator.go
+++ b/workflow/controller/operator.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/errors"
 	wfv1 "github.com/argoproj/argo/pkg/apis/workflow/v1alpha1"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/pkg/client/clientset/versioned/typed/workflow/v1alpha1"
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo/util/file"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/util/retry"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/workflow/common"
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/workflow/util"
@@ -72,6 +73,9 @@ var (
 // for before requeuing the workflow onto the workqueue.
 const maxOperationTime time.Duration = 10 * time.Second
 
+//maxWorkflowSize is the maximum  size for workflow.yaml
+const maxWorkflowSize int = 1024 * 1024
+
 // newWorkflowOperationCtx creates and initializes a new wfOperationCtx object.
 func newWorkflowOperationCtx(wf *wfv1.Workflow, wfc *WorkflowController) *wfOperationCtx {
 	// NEVER modify objects from the store. It's a read-only, local cache.
@@ -270,9 +274,17 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) persistUpdates() {
 		return
 	}
 	wfClient := woc.controller.wfclientset.ArgoprojV1alpha1().Workflows(woc.wf.ObjectMeta.Namespace)
-	_, err := wfClient.Update(woc.wf)
+	err := woc.checkAndCompress()
 	if err != nil {
-		woc.log.Warnf("Error updating workflow: %v", err)
+		woc.log.Warnf("Error compressing workflow: %v", err)
+	}
+	if woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes != "" {
+		woc.wf.Status.Nodes = nil
+	}
+
+	_, err = wfClient.Update(woc.wf)
+	if err != nil {
+		woc.log.Warnf("Error updating workflow: %v %s", err, apierr.ReasonForError(err))
 		if argokubeerr.IsRequestEntityTooLargeErr(err) {
 			woc.persistWorkflowSizeLimitErr(wfClient, err)
 			return
@@ -444,11 +456,24 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) podReconciliation() error {
 	}
 
 	for _, pod := range podList.Items {
+		origNodeStatus := *woc.wf.Status.DeepCopy()
 		performAssessment(&pod)
 		err = woc.applyExecutionControl(&pod)
 		if err != nil {
 			woc.log.Warnf("Failed to apply execution control to pod %s", pod.Name)
 		}
+		err = woc.checkAndCompress()
+		if err != nil {
+			woc.wf.Status = origNodeStatus
+			nodeNameForPod := pod.Annotations[common.AnnotationKeyNodeName]
+			woc.log.Warnf("%v", err)
+			woc.markNodeErrorClearOuput(nodeNameForPod, err)
+			err = woc.checkAndCompress()
+			if err != nil {
+				woc.markWorkflowError(err, true)
+			}
+		}
+
 	}
 
 	// Now check for deleted pods. Iterate our nodes. If any one of our nodes does not show up in
@@ -1117,6 +1142,14 @@ func (woc *wfOperationCtx) markNodePhase(nodeName string, phase wfv1.NodePhase,
 	return node
 }
 
+// markNodeErrorClearOuput is a convenience method to mark a node with an error and clear the output
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) markNodeErrorClearOuput(nodeName string, err error) *wfv1.NodeStatus {
+	nodeStatus := woc.markNodeError(nodeName, err)
+	nodeStatus.Outputs = nil
+	woc.wf.Status.Nodes[nodeStatus.ID] = *nodeStatus
+	return nodeStatus
+}
+
 // markNodeError is a convenience method to mark a node with an error and set the message from the error
 func (woc *wfOperationCtx) markNodeError(nodeName string, err error) *wfv1.NodeStatus {
 	return woc.markNodePhase(nodeName, wfv1.NodeError, err.Error())
@@ -1539,3 +1572,61 @@ func expandSequence(seq *wfv1.Sequence) ([]wfv1.Item, error) {
 	}
 	return items, nil
 }
+
+// getSize return the entire workflow json string size
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) getSize() int {
+	nodeContent, err := json.Marshal(woc.wf)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1
+	}
+
+	compressNodeSize := len(woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes)
+
+	if compressNodeSize > 0 {
+		nodeStatus, err := json.Marshal(woc.wf.Status.Nodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return -1
+		}
+		return len(nodeContent) - len(nodeStatus)
+	}
+	return len(nodeContent)
+}
+
+// checkAndCompress will check the workflow size and compress node status if total workflow size is more than maxWorkflowSize.
+// The compressed content will be assign to compressedNodes element and clear the nodestatus map.
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) checkAndCompress() error {
+
+	if woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes != "" || (woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes == "" && woc.getSize() >= maxWorkflowSize) {
+
+		nodeContent, err := json.Marshal(woc.wf.Status.Nodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.InternalWrapError(err)
+		}
+		buff := string(nodeContent)
+		woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes = file.CompressEncodeString(buff)
+
+	}
+	if woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes != "" && woc.getSize() >= maxWorkflowSize {
+		return errors.InternalError(fmt.Sprintf("Workflow is longer than maximum allowed size. Size=%d", woc.getSize()))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// checkAndDecompress will decompress the compressednode and assign to workflow.status.nodes map.
+func (woc *wfOperationCtx) checkAndDecompress() error {
+	if woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes != "" {
+		nodeContent, err := file.DecodeDecompressString(woc.wf.Status.CompressedNodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.InternalWrapError(err)
+		}
+		var tempNodes map[string]wfv1.NodeStatus
+
+		err = json.Unmarshal([]byte(nodeContent), &tempNodes)
+		if err != nil {
+			woc.log.Warn(err)
+			return err
+		}
+		woc.wf.Status.Nodes = tempNodes
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/workflow/executor/docker/docker.go b/workflow/executor/docker/docker.go
index 64ed6c87f734..7701a9f4e765 100644
--- a/workflow/executor/docker/docker.go
+++ b/workflow/executor/docker/docker.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/argoproj/argo/util/file"
+
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/util"
 
 	"github.com/argoproj/argo/errors"