diff --git a/cmd/k3d/create.go b/cmd/k3d/create.go
index 68a4381a6..07b00af6d 100644
--- a/cmd/k3d/create.go
+++ b/cmd/k3d/create.go
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ import (
 	githttps "github.com/go-git/go-git/v5/plumbing/transport/http"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst-api/pkg/handlers"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst-api/pkg/reports"
-	runtimetypes "github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst-api/pkg/types"
-	utils "github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst-api/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst-api/pkg/wrappers"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst/internal/gitShim"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst/internal/telemetryShim"
@@ -176,7 +174,7 @@ func runK3d(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	viper.Set("flags.domain-name", k3d.DomainName)
 	viper.Set("flags.git-provider", gitProviderFlag)
 	viper.Set("flags.git-protocol", gitProtocolFlag)
-
+	viper.Set("kubefirst.cloud-provider", "k3d")
 	viper.WriteConfig()
 
 	// Switch based on git provider, set params
@@ -1339,35 +1337,19 @@ func runK3d(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	consoleDeployment, err := k8s.ReturnDeploymentObject(
 		kcfg.Clientset,
 		"app.kubernetes.io/instance",
-		"kubefirst",
-		"kubefirst",
+		"argo",
+		"argo",
 		600,
 	)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error().Msgf("Error finding console Deployment: %s", err)
+		log.Error().Msgf("Error finding argo workflows Deployment: %s", err)
 		return err
 	}
 	_, err = k8s.WaitForDeploymentReady(kcfg.Clientset, consoleDeployment, 120)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Error().Msgf("Error waiting for console Deployment ready state: %s", err)
+		log.Error().Msgf("Error waiting for argo workflows Deployment ready state: %s", err)
 		return err
 	}
-
-	// * console port-forward
-	consoleStopChannel := make(chan struct{}, 1)
-	defer func() {
-		close(consoleStopChannel)
-	}()
-	k8s.OpenPortForwardPodWrapper(
-		kcfg.Clientset,
-		kcfg.RestConfig,
-		"kubefirst-console",
-		"kubefirst",
-		8080,
-		9094,
-		consoleStopChannel,
-	)
-
 	progressPrinter.IncrementTracker("wrapping-up", 1)
 
 	// Mark cluster install as complete
@@ -1378,25 +1360,9 @@ func runK3d(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// Set flags used to track status of active options
 	helpers.SetClusterStatusFlags(k3d.CloudProvider, config.GitProvider)
 
-	//Export and Import Cluster
-	cl := utilities.CreateClusterRecordFromRaw(useTelemetryFlag, cGitOwner, cGitUser, cGitToken, cGitlabOwnerGroupID, gitopsTemplateURLFlag, gitopsTemplateBranchFlag)
-
-	var localFilePath = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s.json", "/tmp/api/cluster/export", clusterNameFlag)
-	utilities.CreateClusterRecordFile(clusterNameFlag, cl)
-
-	// Upload the zip file with FPutObject
-	info, err = minioClient.FPutObject(ctx, bucketName, fmt.Sprintf("%s.json", clusterNameFlag), localFilePath, minio.PutObjectOptions{ContentType: "application/json"})
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Info().Msgf("Error uploading to Minio bucket: %s", err)
-	}
-
-	kubernetesConfig := runtimetypes.KubernetesClient{
-		Clientset:      kcfg.Clientset,
-		KubeConfigPath: kcfg.KubeConfigPath,
-		RestConfig:     kcfg.RestConfig,
-	}
+	cluster := utilities.CreateClusterRecordFromRaw(useTelemetryFlag, cGitOwner, cGitUser, cGitToken, cGitlabOwnerGroupID, gitopsTemplateURLFlag, gitopsTemplateBranchFlag)
 
-	err = utils.ExportCluster(kubernetesConfig, cl)
+	err = utilities.ExportCluster(cluster, kcfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error().Err(err).Msg("error exporting cluster object")
 		viper.Set("kubefirst.setup-complete", false)
@@ -1404,7 +1370,7 @@ func runK3d(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		viper.WriteConfig()
 		return err
 	} else {
-		err = pkg.OpenBrowser(pkg.KubefirstConsoleLocalURLCloud)
+		err = pkg.OpenBrowser(pkg.KubefirstConsoleLocalURLTLS)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error().Err(err).Msg("")
 		}
diff --git a/internal/gitShim/init.go b/internal/gitShim/init.go
index 397d54960..d0f9b26ff 100644
--- a/internal/gitShim/init.go
+++ b/internal/gitShim/init.go
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ type GitInitParameters struct {
 
 // InitializeGitProvider
 func InitializeGitProvider(p *GitInitParameters) error {
-	progress.AddStep("Validate git environment")
+	cloudProvider := viper.Get("kubefirst.cloud-provider")
+	showProgress := cloudProvider != "k3d"
+
+	if showProgress {
+		progress.AddStep("Validate git environment")
+	}
 
 	switch p.GitProvider {
 	case "github":
@@ -114,7 +119,9 @@ func InitializeGitProvider(p *GitInitParameters) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	progress.CompleteStep("Validate git environment")
+	if showProgress {
+		progress.CompleteStep("Validate git environment")
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/utilities/utilities.go b/internal/utilities/utilities.go
index 0148a22a7..c6e5d5188 100644
--- a/internal/utilities/utilities.go
+++ b/internal/utilities/utilities.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ package utilities
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
@@ -17,9 +18,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst/configs"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst/internal/progress"
 	"github.com/kubefirst/kubefirst/internal/types"
+	"github.com/kubefirst/runtime/pkg/k8s"
 	"github.com/rs/zerolog/log"
 	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/bson/primitive"
+	v1secret "k8s.io/api/core/v1"
+	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 )
 
 // CreateK1ClusterDirectory
@@ -193,23 +197,31 @@ func CreateClusterDefinitionRecordFromRaw(gitAuth apiTypes.GitAuth, cliFlags typ
 	return cl
 }
 
-func CreateClusterRecordFile(clustername string, cluster apiTypes.Cluster) error {
-	var localFilePath = fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s.json", exportFilePath, clustername)
+func ExportCluster(cluster apiTypes.Cluster, kcfg *k8s.KubernetesClient) error {
+	cluster.Status = "provisioned"
+	cluster.InProgress = false
 
-	log.Info().Msgf("creating export file %s", localFilePath)
+	time.Sleep(time.Second * 10)
 
-	if _, err := os.Stat(exportFilePath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		log.Info().Msgf("cluster exports directory does not exist, creating")
-		err := os.MkdirAll(exportFilePath, 0777)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+	payload, err := json.Marshal(cluster)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error().Msg(err.Error())
+		return err
+	}
+
+	secret := &v1secret.Secret{
+		ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{Name: "mongodb-state", Namespace: "kubefirst"},
+		Data: map[string][]byte{
+			"cluster-0":    []byte(payload),
+			"cluster-name": []byte(cluster.ClusterName),
+		},
 	}
 
-	file, _ := json.MarshalIndent(cluster, "", " ")
-	_ = os.WriteFile(localFilePath, file, 0644)
+	err = k8s.CreateSecretV2(kcfg.Clientset, secret)
 
-	log.Info().Msgf("file created %s", localFilePath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprintf("unable to save secret to management cluster. %s", err))
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }