diff --git a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
index 0f5df27ee..062d7bfd0 100644
--- a/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
+++ b/pkgs/clan-cli/clan_cli/machines/create.py
@@ -1,13 +1,17 @@
 import argparse
 import logging
 import re
-from pathlib import Path
 
 from ..api import API
 from ..clan_uri import FlakeId
 from ..errors import ClanError
-from ..git import commit_file
-from ..inventory import Machine, MachineDeploy, get_path, load_inventory, save_inventory
+from ..inventory import (
+    Machine,
+    MachineDeploy,
+    load_inventory_eval,
+    load_inventory_json,
+    save_inventory,
+)
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -20,12 +24,15 @@ def create_machine(flake: FlakeId, machine: Machine) -> None:
             "Machine name must be a valid hostname", location="Create Machine"
         )
 
-    inventory = load_inventory(flake.path)
+    inventory = load_inventory_json(flake.path)
+    full_inventory = load_inventory_eval(flake.path)
+
+    if machine.name in full_inventory.machines.keys():
+        raise ClanError(f"Machine with the name {machine.name} already exists")
+
     inventory.machines.update({machine.name: machine})
     save_inventory(inventory, flake.path, f"Create machine {machine.name}")
 
-    commit_file(get_path(flake.path), Path(flake.path))
-
 
 def create_command(args: argparse.Namespace) -> None:
     create_machine(
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/.gitignore b/pkgs/webview-ui/.gitignore
index 9e5bfb42d..590601772 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/.gitignore
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/.gitignore
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-api
\ No newline at end of file
+api
+
+.vite
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/Routes.tsx b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/Routes.tsx
index 51f0c01d6..aceef3271 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/Routes.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/Routes.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import { Flash } from "./routes/flash/view";
 import { Settings } from "./routes/settings";
 import { Welcome } from "./routes/welcome";
 import { Deploy } from "./routes/deploy";
+import { CreateMachine } from "./routes/machines/create";
 
 export type Route = keyof typeof routes;
 
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@ export const routes = {
     label: "Machines",
     icon: "devices_other",
   },
+  "machines/add": {
+    child: CreateMachine,
+    label: "create Machine",
+    icon: "add",
+  },
   hosts: {
     child: HostList,
     label: "hosts",
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/api.ts b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/api.ts
index 602ef26c8..bcb1689cf 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/api.ts
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/api.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,17 @@ function createFunctions<K extends OperationNames>(
   dispatch: (args: OperationArgs<K>) => void;
   receive: (fn: (response: OperationResponse<K>) => void, id: string) => void;
 } {
+  window.clan[operationName] = (s: string) => {
+    const f = (response: OperationResponse<K>) => {
+      // Get the correct receiver function for the op_key
+      const receiver = registry[operationName][response.op_key];
+      if (receiver) {
+        receiver(response);
+      }
+    };
+    deserialize(f)(s);
+  };
+
   return {
     dispatch: (args: OperationArgs<K>) => {
       // Send the data to the gtk app
@@ -78,15 +89,6 @@ function createFunctions<K extends OperationNames>(
     receive: (fn: (response: OperationResponse<K>) => void, id: string) => {
       // @ts-expect-error: This should work although typescript doesn't let us write
       registry[operationName][id] = fn;
-
-      window.clan[operationName] = (s: string) => {
-        const f = (response: OperationResponse<K>) => {
-          if (response.op_key === id) {
-            registry[operationName][id](response);
-          }
-        };
-        deserialize(f)(s);
-      };
     },
   };
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/index.css b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/index.css
index 169082015..bbde75111 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/index.css
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/index.css
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 @tailwind components;
 @tailwind utilities;
 
-
 html {
     overflow-x: hidden;
     overflow-y: scroll;
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/create.tsx b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/create.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0a379c0b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/create.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+import { callApi, OperationArgs, pyApi } from "@/src/api";
+import { activeURI } from "@/src/App";
+import { createForm, required } from "@modular-forms/solid";
+import toast from "solid-toast";
+
+type CreateMachineForm = OperationArgs<"create_machine">;
+
+export function CreateMachine() {
+  const [formStore, { Form, Field }] = createForm<CreateMachineForm>({});
+
+  const handleSubmit = async (values: CreateMachineForm) => {
+    const active_dir = activeURI();
+    if (!active_dir) {
+      toast.error("Open a clan to create the machine in");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    callApi("create_machine", {
+      flake: {
+        loc: active_dir,
+      },
+      machine: {
+        name: "jon",
+        deploy: {
+          targetHost: null,
+        },
+      },
+    });
+    console.log("submit", values);
+  };
+  return (
+    <div class="px-1">
+      Create new Machine
+      <Form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+        <Field
+          name="machine.name"
+          validate={[required("This field is required")]}
+        >
+          {(field, props) => (
+            <>
+              <label class="input input-bordered flex items-center gap-2">
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  class="grow"
+                  placeholder="name"
+                  required
+                  {...props}
+                />
+              </label>
+              <div class="label">
+                {field.error && (
+                  <span class="label-text-alt font-bold text-error">
+                    {field.error}
+                  </span>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </>
+          )}
+        </Field>
+        <Field name="machine.description">
+          {(field, props) => (
+            <>
+              <label class="input input-bordered flex items-center gap-2">
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  class="grow"
+                  placeholder="description"
+                  required
+                  {...props}
+                />
+              </label>
+              <div class="label">
+                {field.error && (
+                  <span class="label-text-alt font-bold text-error">
+                    {field.error}
+                  </span>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </>
+          )}
+        </Field>
+        <Field name="machine.deploy.targetHost">
+          {(field, props) => (
+            <>
+              <label class="input input-bordered flex items-center gap-2">
+                <input
+                  type="text"
+                  class="grow"
+                  placeholder="root@flash-installer.local"
+                  required
+                  {...props}
+                />
+              </label>
+              <div class="label">
+                <span class="label-text-alt text-neutral">
+                  Must be set before deployment for the following tasks:
+                  <ul>
+                    <li>
+                      <span>Detect hardware config</span>
+                    </li>
+                    <li>
+                      <span>Detect disk layout</span>
+                    </li>
+                    <li>
+                      <span>Remote installation</span>
+                    </li>
+                  </ul>
+                </span>
+                {field.error && (
+                  <span class="label-text-alt font-bold text-error">
+                    {field.error}
+                  </span>
+                )}
+              </div>
+            </>
+          )}
+        </Field>
+        <button class="btn btn-error float-right" type="submit">
+          <span class="material-icons">add</span>Create
+        </button>
+      </Form>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/view.tsx b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/view.tsx
index 969033ddc..441fe755e 100644
--- a/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/view.tsx
+++ b/pkgs/webview-ui/app/src/routes/machines/view.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import {
   createSignal,
   type Component,
 } from "solid-js";
-import { activeURI, route, setActiveURI } from "@/src/App";
+import { activeURI, route, setActiveURI, setRoute } from "@/src/App";
 import { OperationResponse, callApi, pyApi } from "@/src/api";
 import toast from "solid-toast";
 import { MachineListItem } from "@/src/components/MachineListItem";
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ export const MachineListView: Component = () => {
           <span class="material-icons ">refresh</span>
         </button>
       </div>
+      <div class="tooltip tooltip-bottom" data-tip="Create machine">
+        <button class="btn btn-ghost" onClick={() => setRoute("machines/add")}>
+          <span class="material-icons ">add</span>
+        </button>
+      </div>
       {/* <Show when={services()}>
         {(services) => (
           <For each={Object.values(services())}>