diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
index a669e4a95..a9c70b613 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/clan/create.py
@@ -1,12 +1,11 @@
 # !/usr/bin/env python3
 import argparse
 import os
-from dataclasses import dataclass, fields
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 from pathlib import Path
 
 from clan_cli.api import API
-from clan_cli.arg_actions import AppendOptionAction
-from clan_cli.inventory import Meta, load_inventory_json, save_inventory
+from clan_cli.inventory import Inventory, init_inventory
 
 from ..cmd import CmdOut, run
 from ..errors import ClanError
@@ -29,11 +28,9 @@ class CreateClanResponse:
 @dataclass
 class CreateOptions:
     directory: Path | str
-    # Metadata for the clan
-    # Metadata can be shown with `clan show`
-    meta: Meta | None = None
     # URL to the template to use. Defaults to the "minimal" template
     template_url: str = minimal_template_url
+    initial: Inventory | None = None
 
 
 def git_command(directory: Path, *args: str) -> list[str]:
@@ -88,17 +85,13 @@ def create_clan(options: CreateOptions) -> CreateClanResponse:
             git_command(directory, "config", "user.email", "clan@example.com")
         )
 
-    # Write inventory.json file
-    inventory = load_inventory_json(directory)
-    if options.meta is not None:
-        inventory.meta = options.meta
-    # Persist creates a commit message for each change
-    save_inventory(inventory, directory, "Init inventory")
-
     flake_update = run(
         nix_shell(["nixpkgs#nix"], ["nix", "flake", "update"]), cwd=directory
     )
 
+    if options.initial:
+        init_inventory(options.directory, init=options.initial)
+
     response = CreateClanResponse(
         flake_init=flake_init,
         git_init=git_init,
@@ -118,15 +111,6 @@ def register_create_parser(parser: argparse.ArgumentParser) -> None:
         default=default_template_url,
     )
 
-    parser.add_argument(
-        "--meta",
-        help=f"""Metadata to set for the clan. Available options are: {", ".join([f.name for f in fields(Meta)]) }""",
-        nargs=2,
-        metavar=("name", "value"),
-        action=AppendOptionAction,
-        default=[],
-    )
-
     parser.add_argument(
         "path", type=Path, help="Path to the clan directory", default=Path(".")
     )
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/inventory/__init__.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/inventory/__init__.py
index 0f409316d..68a8e8bf9 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/inventory/__init__.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/inventory/__init__.py
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ from pathlib import Path
 from types import UnionType
 from typing import Any, get_args, get_origin
 
-from clan_cli.errors import ClanError
+from clan_cli.api import API
+from clan_cli.errors import ClanCmdError, ClanError
 from clan_cli.git import commit_file
 
 from ..cmd import run_no_stdout
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ def load_inventory_json(
     Load the inventory file from the flake directory
     If not file is found, returns the default inventory
     """
-    inventory = default_inventory
+    inventory = default
 
     inventory_file = get_path(flake_dir)
     if inventory_file.exists():
@@ -228,6 +229,10 @@ def load_inventory_json(
                 # Error decoding the inventory file
                 raise ClanError(f"Error decoding inventory file: {e}")
 
+    if not inventory_file.exists():
+        # Copy over the meta from the flake if the inventory is not initialized
+        inventory.meta = load_inventory_eval(flake_dir).meta
+
     return inventory
 
 
@@ -242,3 +247,22 @@ def save_inventory(inventory: Inventory, flake_dir: str | Path, message: str) ->
         json.dump(dataclass_to_dict(inventory), f, indent=2)
 
     commit_file(inventory_file, Path(flake_dir), commit_message=message)
+
+
+@API.register
+def init_inventory(directory: str, init: Inventory | None = None) -> None:
+    inventory = None
+    # Try reading the current flake
+    if init is None:
+        try:
+            inventory = load_inventory_eval(directory)
+        except ClanCmdError:
+            pass
+
+    if init is not None:
+        inventory = init
+
+    # Write inventory.json file
+    if inventory is not None:
+        # Persist creates a commit message for each change
+        save_inventory(inventory, directory, "Init inventory")
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
index 062d7bfd0..cea2412a7 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ def create_machine(flake: FlakeId, machine: Machine) -> None:
         )
 
     inventory = load_inventory_json(flake.path)
+
     full_inventory = load_inventory_eval(flake.path)
 
     if machine.name in full_inventory.machines.keys():
diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_create_flake.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_create_flake.py
index db4c7c8ef..d0e920c80 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_create_flake.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/tests/test_create_flake.py
@@ -20,12 +20,12 @@ def test_create_flake(
     cli.run(["flakes", "create", str(flake_dir), f"--url={url}"])
 
     assert (flake_dir / ".clan-flake").exists()
-
     # Replace the inputs.clan.url in the template flake.nix
     substitute(
         flake_dir / "flake.nix",
         clan_core,
     )
+    # Dont evaluate the inventory before the substitute call
 
     monkeypatch.chdir(flake_dir)
     cli.run(["machines", "create", "machine1"])
diff --git a/pkgs/installer/flake-module.nix b/pkgs/installer/flake-module.nix
index bfd4dc551..b00c22a79 100644
--- a/pkgs/installer/flake-module.nix
+++ b/pkgs/installer/flake-module.nix
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ let
     }
     // flashDiskoConfig;
 
-  # Important: The partition names need to be different to the clan install 
+  # Important: The partition names need to be different to the clan install
   flashDiskoConfig = {
     boot.loader.grub.efiSupport = lib.mkDefault true;
     boot.loader.grub.efiInstallAsRemovable = lib.mkDefault true;
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/clan/clanDetails.tsx b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/clan/clanDetails.tsx
index eb0356b44..fa6e872fe 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/clan/clanDetails.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/clan/clanDetails.tsx
@@ -42,7 +42,15 @@ export const ClanForm = () => {
     await toast.promise(
       (async () => {
         await callApi("create_clan", {
-          options: { directory: target_dir, meta, template_url },
+          options: {
+            directory: target_dir,
+            template_url,
+            initial: {
+              meta,
+              services: {},
+              machines: {},
+            },
+          },
         });
         setActiveURI(target_dir);
         setRoute("machines");
diff --git a/templates/minimal/flake.nix b/templates/minimal/flake.nix
index db76be471..78301b9c9 100644
--- a/templates/minimal/flake.nix
+++ b/templates/minimal/flake.nix
@@ -5,10 +5,7 @@
     { self, clan-core, ... }:
     let
       # Usage see: https://docs.clan.lol
-      clan = clan-core.lib.buildClan {
-        meta.name = "miniclan";
-        directory = self;
-      };
+      clan = clan-core.lib.buildClan { directory = self; };
     in
     {
       # all machines managed by Clan
diff --git a/templates/minimal/inventory.json b/templates/minimal/inventory.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..40109ebd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/minimal/inventory.json
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "meta": { "name": "__CHANGE_ME__" },
+  "machines": {},
+  "services": {}
+}