The hot deformation behavior of alloy 617 has been studied by performing hot compression in a range of temperatures (1173–1473K) and strain rates (0.001–10s−1). The peak flow stress found to increase with Zener–Hollomon parameter (Z) following a hyperbolic-sine function relationship whereas peak strain followed power-law type relationship with Z. The average activation energy for the entire hot deformation domain was estimated to be 481kJmol−1. The experimental stress-strain data has been used to develop processing map employing dynamic material model. The material exhibits a wide stable domain below 0.1s−1 spanning over 1250–1473K, with a peak efficiency of ~45%. Based on the processing map and subsequent microstructural observation, the optimum hot deformation domain of alloy 617 is identified as 1323–1423K and 0.001–0.1s−1. Furthermore, microstructural observation alone has revealed that a significant DRX with grain refinement could also be obtained at high temperature (>1373K) and high strain rate (>1s−1) domain although processing map has marked this region as unstable domain.