It was only a matter of time before Jorja Fox found herself in a pair of handcuffs.

The off-again, on-again “CSI” star makes a guest appearance on Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” Sunday at 9 p.m., playing a soccer mom with a felonious past.

“I’ve been trying to get into an orange jumpsuit for years,” Fox told the Daily News. “I hope I pulled it off.”

For eight seasons, Fox played crime scene investigator Sara Sidle on the CBS procedural before bowing out to take a break from series TV. But when Josh Berman, a former “CSI” producer called to say he had a role for her on his new show “Diva,” she leapt at the opportunity.

“I just love the show. It reminds me a lot of ‘The Love Boat,’ which was one of my favorites as a kid,” Fox said. “It’s funny but always poignant, and I’m honored to be a part of all the amazing guest stars they’re bringing in.” Those guests include Rosie O’Donnell, Elliot Gould, Paula Abdul and Tim Gunn.

Fox said she enjoys the “spirit of love” on “Diva,” and though her character doesn’t get to explore it in much depth, she was happy to at least get out of the dark crime lab.

“I’ve had dreams of doing some type of a romantic comedy for years,” she said. “William Petersen [who played ‘CSI’s’ Gil Grissom] and myself, we drew on that as often as possible, but ‘CSI’ isn’t really the right genre for romantic comedy.”

Still, Fox says it’s been great to be back on the “CSI” set, where she’s filming a guest spot on the first five episodes of the show’s upcoming 10th season, which premieres Sept. 24 at 9 p.m.

“I’m a little rusty with the lingo and the gadgets. It’s been two years since I’ve been at ‘CSI,’” she said. “I was in a couple of episodes last year, but I wasn’t on the job.”

Fox’s return is just one of several adjustments “CSI” is making this season, including giving George Eads’ character, Nick Stokes, a promotion and adjusting the wardrobe of Laurence Fishburne’s Ray Langston.

After a ratings slip following Petersen’s departure last season, the show is shaking things up to draw viewers back to the once-dominant Thursday night series.

Fox can’t reveal exactly why Sara returns to the lab, but promises that all viewers’ questions (including ones about Grissom) will be answered.

“The only thing I can say is that last year was a really hard year for all the CSIs, within the context of the story,” said Fox. “Sara loves everyone and will always have a loyalty there, so she’s back for a little bit to see if she can help.”