diff --git a/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.test.tsx b/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.test.tsx
index 366111a..b9489c7 100644
--- a/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.test.tsx
@@ -7,10 +7,19 @@
 
 import React, { act } from "react";
 import { createRoot, type Root } from "react-dom/client";
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import { ClaimDrawerHeader } from "./ClaimDrawerHeader";
+import * as apiModule from "@/lib/api";
+import * as downloadModule from "@/lib/download";
 import type { ClaimDetail } from "@/types";
 
+// Mock the api + download helpers so we can assert the wiring without
+// hitting the network or the real Blob/anchor machinery. The spies live
+// at module scope but `beforeEach` resets their call history so the
+// happy-path test doesn't leak into the error-path test.
+const serializeSpy = vi.spyOn(apiModule.api, "serializeClaim837");
+const downloadSpy = vi.spyOn(downloadModule, "downloadTextFile");
+
 function renderIntoContainer(element: React.ReactElement): {
   container: HTMLDivElement;
   unmount: () => void;
@@ -104,16 +113,21 @@ function makeDetail(overrides: Partial<ClaimDetail> = {}): ClaimDetail {
 
 function renderHeader(
   claim: Partial<ClaimDetail>,
-  onClose: () => void = vi.fn()
-): { container: HTMLDivElement; unmount: () => void; onClose: () => void } {
+  onClose: () => void = vi.fn(),
+  onError: (message: string) => void = vi.fn()
+): { container: HTMLDivElement; unmount: () => void; onClose: () => void; onError: (m: string) => void } {
   const element = (
-    <ClaimDrawerHeader claim={makeDetail(claim)} onClose={onClose} />
+    <ClaimDrawerHeader claim={makeDetail(claim)} onClose={onClose} onError={onError} />
   );
   const { container, unmount } = renderIntoContainer(element);
-  return { container, unmount, onClose };
+  return { container, unmount, onClose, onError };
 }
 
 describe("ClaimDrawerHeader", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    serializeSpy.mockReset();
+    downloadSpy.mockReset();
+  });
   it("test_renders_claim_id_label_and_value", () => {
     const { container, unmount } = renderHeader({ id: "CLM-42" });
 
@@ -226,4 +240,64 @@ describe("ClaimDrawerHeader", () => {
 
     unmount();
   });
+
+  it("test_download_button_fetches_and_saves_file_for_claim_id", async () => {
+    // Happy path: click → api.serializeClaim837(claim.id) → downloadTextFile
+    // with the returned text + filename. We don't actually need to wait for
+    // the download side-effect — we just verify the wiring (right ids,
+    // right payload, right mime).
+    serializeSpy.mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      text: "ISA*00*~IEA*0*1~",
+      filename: "claim-CLM-1.x12",
+    });
+
+    const { container, unmount } = renderHeader({ id: "CLM-1" });
+    const btn = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="header-download-837"]'
+    ) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
+    expect(btn).not.toBeNull();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      btn?.click();
+      // Flush the microtask queue so the awaited handler resolves.
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(serializeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(serializeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("CLM-1");
+    expect(downloadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(downloadSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "claim-CLM-1.x12",
+      "text/x12",
+      "ISA*00*~IEA*0*1~"
+    );
+
+    unmount();
+  });
+
+  it("test_download_button_routes_api_error_through_onError", async () => {
+    // When serializeClaim837 throws, the header swallows the error and
+    // hands the message to the optional onError callback. The download
+    // helper must NOT be called on the failure path — that's the
+    // difference between "the file was corrupted in the DB" and "we just
+    // gave the user a broken empty file".
+    serializeSpy.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("404 Not found"));
+    const onError = vi.fn();
+
+    const { container, unmount } = renderHeader({ id: "CLM-1" }, vi.fn(), onError);
+    const btn = container.querySelector(
+      '[data-testid="header-download-837"]'
+    ) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      btn?.click();
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    });
+
+    expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(onError).toHaveBeenCalledWith("404 Not found");
+    expect(downloadSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    unmount();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.tsx b/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.tsx
index 3be96b2..135bee6 100644
--- a/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ClaimDrawer/ClaimDrawerHeader.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-import { X } from "lucide-react";
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { Download, X } from "lucide-react";
 import { Badge, type BadgeProps } from "@/components/ui/badge";
 import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import { api } from "@/lib/api";
+import { downloadTextFile } from "@/lib/download";
 import { fmt } from "@/lib/format";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import type { ClaimDetail } from "@/types";
@@ -8,6 +11,13 @@ import type { ClaimDetail } from "@/types";
 type ClaimDrawerHeaderProps = {
   claim: ClaimDetail;
   onClose: () => void;
+  /**
+   * Optional toast callback for surfacing download failures (network error,
+   * 404 if the claim was deleted out from under us, 422 if the stored
+   * payload can't be regenerated). Defaults to a no-op so consumers that
+   * don't wire a toast still get the happy-path download.
+   */
+  onError?: (message: string) => void;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -44,7 +54,32 @@ function badgeVariantFor(state: string): BadgeProps["variant"] {
  * badge color encodes state so the user can read the drawer's status
  * at a glance without scrolling.
  */
-export function ClaimDrawerHeader({ claim, onClose }: ClaimDrawerHeaderProps) {
+export function ClaimDrawerHeader({
+  claim,
+  onClose,
+  onError,
+}: ClaimDrawerHeaderProps) {
+  // Local "is downloading" flag so the button can show feedback while the
+  // fetch is in flight. The header is rendered above the fold, so a stuck
+  // spinner is the difference between "the click did something" and "did
+  // my click even register?"
+  const [downloading, setDownloading] = useState(false);
+
+  async function handleDownload() {
+    if (downloading) return;
+    setDownloading(true);
+    try {
+      const { text, filename } = await api.serializeClaim837(claim.id);
+      downloadTextFile(filename, "text/x12", text);
+    } catch (err) {
+      const message =
+        err instanceof Error ? err.message : "Failed to download 837 file.";
+      onError?.(message);
+    } finally {
+      setDownloading(false);
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
     <header
       className={cn(
@@ -68,8 +103,8 @@ export function ClaimDrawerHeader({ claim, onClose }: ClaimDrawerHeaderProps) {
         </span>
       </div>
 
-      {/* Right: state badge + total amount + close */}
-      <div className="flex items-start gap-4">
+      {/* Right: state badge + total amount + download + close */}
+      <div className="flex items-start gap-2">
         <div className="flex flex-col items-end gap-1">
           <Badge
             variant={badgeVariantFor(claim.state)}
@@ -86,6 +121,17 @@ export function ClaimDrawerHeader({ claim, onClose }: ClaimDrawerHeaderProps) {
             {fmt.usdPrecise(claim.billedAmount)}
           </span>
         </div>
+        <Button
+          variant="ghost"
+          size="icon"
+          onClick={handleDownload}
+          disabled={downloading}
+          aria-label={downloading ? "Downloading 837 file" : "Download 837 file"}
+          title="Download 837 file"
+          data-testid="header-download-837"
+        >
+          <Download className="h-4 w-4" strokeWidth={1.75} />
+        </Button>
         <Button
           variant="ghost"
           size="icon"
diff --git a/src/lib/api.test.ts b/src/lib/api.test.ts
index 7986805..7c1bcbd 100644
--- a/src/lib/api.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api.test.ts
@@ -175,4 +175,46 @@ describe("api GET helpers", () => {
     expect(caught).toBeInstanceOf(ApiError);
     expect((caught as ApiError).status).toBe(404);
   });
+
+  it("serializeClaim837 returns the regenerated text + filename from Content-Disposition", async () => {
+    const x12 = "ISA*00*          *00*          *ZZ*CYCLONE        *ZZ*RECEIVER       *260620*1200*^*00501*000000001*0*P*:~IEA*0*000000001~";
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      new Response(x12, {
+        status: 200,
+        headers: {
+          "content-type": "text/x12",
+          // Backend emits: attachment; filename="claim-{id}.x12"
+          "content-disposition": 'attachment; filename="claim-CLM-1.x12"',
+        },
+      })
+    );
+    const out = await api.serializeClaim837("CLM-1");
+    expect(out.text).toBe(x12);
+    expect(out.filename).toBe("claim-CLM-1.x12");
+    // URL must hit the new SP8 endpoint with the encoded id.
+    const called = mockFetch.mock.calls[0][0] as string;
+    expect(called).toContain("/api/claims/CLM-1/serialize-837");
+    // No Accept header negotiation needed — backend always returns text/x12.
+    const init = mockFetch.mock.calls[0][1] as RequestInit | undefined;
+    const headers = (init?.headers ?? {}) as Record<string, string>;
+    expect(headers.Accept).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it("serializeClaim837 falls back to a default filename if Content-Disposition is missing", async () => {
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      new Response("ISA*00*~", { status: 200 })
+    );
+    const out = await api.serializeClaim837("CLM-2");
+    expect(out.filename).toBe("claim-CLM-2.x12");
+  });
+
+  it("serializeClaim837 throws ApiError on 404", async () => {
+    mockFetch.mockResolvedValueOnce(
+      new Response(
+        JSON.stringify({ error: "Not found", detail: "Claim ghost not found" }),
+        { status: 404, headers: { "content-type": "application/json" } }
+      )
+    );
+    await expect(api.serializeClaim837("ghost")).rejects.toBeInstanceOf(ApiError);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/api.ts b/src/lib/api.ts
index 97072bc..8ed06bb 100644
--- a/src/lib/api.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api.ts
@@ -476,6 +476,42 @@ async function getClaimDetail(id: string): Promise<ClaimDetail> {
   return (await res.json()) as ClaimDetail;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Serialize a claim back to an X12 837P file via the backend's outbound
+ * serializer (SP8).
+ *
+ * Returns both the regenerated X12 text and the filename the backend
+ * suggested (from the `Content-Disposition: attachment; filename=...`
+ * header). Callers usually pipe both into `downloadTextFile` so the user
+ * gets a byte-faithful file named after the claim id.
+ *
+ * Throws `ApiError` on non-2xx — 404 (claim missing) and 422 (stored
+ * `raw_json` unparseable / serializer rejected the payload) are both
+ * reachable, and the caller may want to branch on `.status` to surface a
+ * useful message ("claim data is corrupted — open the batch file
+ * manually" vs. "this claim no longer exists").
+ */
+async function serializeClaim837(
+  id: string,
+): Promise<{ text: string; filename: string }> {
+  if (!isConfigured) throw notConfiguredError();
+  const res = await fetch(
+    joinUrl(`/api/claims/${encodeURIComponent(id)}/serialize-837`),
+  );
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    const detail = await readErrorBody(res);
+    throw new ApiError(res.status, detail || res.statusText);
+  }
+  const text = await res.text();
+  // Filename comes from Content-Disposition (set by the backend). Fall back
+  // to a sensible default if the header is missing or malformed so the UI
+  // always has something to hand to `downloadTextFile`.
+  const cd = res.headers.get("content-disposition") ?? "";
+  const match = /filename="?([^";]+)"?/i.exec(cd);
+  const filename = match?.[1] ?? `claim-${id}.x12`;
+  return { text, filename };
+}
+
 async function listRemittances<T = unknown>(
   params: ListRemittancesParams
 ): Promise<PaginatedResponse<T>> {
@@ -700,6 +736,7 @@ export const api = {
   getBatchDiff,
   listClaims,
   getClaimDetail,
+  serializeClaim837,
   listRemittances,
   getRemittance,
   listProviders,
diff --git a/src/lib/download.test.ts b/src/lib/download.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bde47bc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/download.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { downloadTextFile } from "./download";
+
+// Capture the real appendChild before any spy replaces it, so the
+// happy-dom implementation is preserved when the appendChild spy calls
+// through (otherwise removeChild inside downloadTextFile can't find the
+// node we appended).
+const originalAppendChild = document.body.appendChild.bind(document.body);
+
+/**
+ * `downloadTextFile` drives a hidden `<a download>` and clicks it. The
+ * observable side effects we care about:
+ *
+ *   1. An `<a>` element with the right `href` (object URL) and `download`
+ *      (filename) is appended to `document.body`.
+ *   2. The element is removed from the DOM (cleanup).
+ *   3. The object URL is revoked (memory hygiene).
+ *
+ * We don't try to assert on the browser's actual download behavior — that's
+ * not observable from the test environment. We assert on the contract the
+ * implementation honors.
+ */
+describe("downloadTextFile", () => {
+  let createSpy: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>;
+  let revokeSpy: ReturnType<typeof vi.spyOn>;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    createSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(URL, "createObjectURL")
+      .mockReturnValue("blob:test-url");
+    revokeSpy = vi.spyOn(URL, "revokeObjectURL");
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("test_appends_anchor_with_object_url_and_filename_then_cleans_up", async () => {
+    // Spy on appendChild to capture the anchor that's about to be appended
+    // (downloadTextFile removes it again synchronously, so lastElementChild
+    // is back to null by the time the call returns).
+    const captured: HTMLAnchorElement[] = [];
+    const appendSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(document.body, "appendChild")
+      .mockImplementation((node) => {
+        if (node instanceof HTMLAnchorElement) captured.push(node);
+        // Preserve the real append side-effect so removeChild later in
+        // downloadTextFile can find the node.
+        return originalAppendChild.call(document.body, node);
+      });
+
+    downloadTextFile("claim-CLM-1.x12", "text/x12", "ISA*00*~");
+
+    expect(captured).toHaveLength(1);
+    const a = captured[0];
+    expect(a.tagName).toBe("A");
+    expect(a.getAttribute("download")).toBe("claim-CLM-1.x12");
+    expect(a.getAttribute("href")).toBe("blob:test-url");
+    expect(a.style.display).toBe("none");
+
+    // removeChild ran synchronously inside downloadTextFile — the anchor
+    // is no longer a child of document.body.
+    expect(document.body.contains(a)).toBe(false);
+
+    expect(appendSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(createSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    // The revoke is scheduled via queueMicrotask — flush the microtask
+    // queue so the assertion sees it.
+    await Promise.resolve();
+    expect(revokeSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("blob:test-url");
+  });
+
+  it("test_blob_carries_supplied_mime_type_and_text_bytes", () => {
+    downloadTextFile("a.txt", "text/plain", "hello world");
+
+    expect(createSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    const blob = createSpy.mock.calls[0][0] as Blob;
+    expect(blob.type).toBe("text/plain;charset=utf-8");
+    expect(blob.size).toBe("hello world".length);
+  });
+
+  it("test_noop_when_document_undefined", () => {
+    // SSR-style guard: with no `document`, the function returns silently
+    // instead of throwing.
+    const originalDocument = globalThis.document;
+    // @ts-expect-error - intentionally strip document for this case
+    delete (globalThis as { document?: Document }).document;
+    try {
+      expect(() =>
+        downloadTextFile("a.txt", "text/plain", "x"),
+      ).not.toThrow();
+    } finally {
+      (globalThis as { document?: Document }).document = originalDocument;
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/download.ts b/src/lib/download.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1a8bb43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/download.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+/**
+ * Generic browser-side download helper for plain-text files.
+ *
+ * Mirrors `downloadCsv` in `./csv.ts` but takes an explicit MIME type so the
+ * same code path can serve X12 (text/x12), JSON (application/json), or any
+ * other text payload without growing a one-off helper per format.
+ *
+ * The implementation is identical to `downloadCsv` minus the BOM prepending
+ * (we want byte-faithful X12 — prepending a BOM corrupts the ISA segment).
+ *
+ * Safe to call from SSR/Node — guards against a missing `document`.
+ */
+export function downloadTextFile(
+  filename: string,
+  mimeType: string,
+  text: string,
+): void {
+  if (typeof document === "undefined" || typeof URL === "undefined") return;
+  const blob = new Blob([text], { type: `${mimeType};charset=utf-8` });
+  const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+  const a = document.createElement("a");
+  a.href = url;
+  a.download = filename;
+  // Some browsers require the link to be in the DOM before .click() works.
+  a.style.display = "none";
+  document.body.appendChild(a);
+  a.click();
+  document.body.removeChild(a);
+  // Defer revoke so the browser has the URL handle when the download kicks off.
+  queueMicrotask(() => URL.revokeObjectURL(url));
+}