diff --git a/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepApplicationsInstanceForm.vue b/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepApplicationsInstanceForm.vue
index 2b0f0ae95b..5581ecf64c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepApplicationsInstanceForm.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepApplicationsInstanceForm.vue
@@ -233,15 +233,22 @@ export default {
                 })
                 .then((application) => {
                     if (this.instanceFollowUp && !this.shouldHideInstanceSteps) {
-                        return instanceApi.create({
+                        const payload = {
                             applicationId: application.id,
                             name: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.name,
                             projectType: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.instanceType,
                             stack: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.nodeREDVersion,
-                            template: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.template,
-                            flowBlueprintId: this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id ?? '',
-                            flows: this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows ?? ''
-                        })
+                            template: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.template
+                        }
+
+                        if (this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id) {
+                            payload.flowBlueprintId = this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id
+                        }
+
+                        if (this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows) {
+                            payload.flows = this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows
+                        }
+                        return instanceApi.create(payload)
                     }
                 })
                 .catch(err => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepInstanceForm.vue b/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepInstanceForm.vue
index f66284d057..9e10433371 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepInstanceForm.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/multi-step-forms/instance/MultiStepInstanceForm.vue
@@ -118,9 +118,15 @@ export default {
                 name: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.name,
                 projectType: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.instanceType,
                 stack: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.nodeREDVersion,
-                template: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.template,
-                flowBlueprintId: this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id ?? '',
-                flows: this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows ?? ''
+                template: this.form[INSTANCE_SLUG].input.template
+            }
+
+            if (this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id) {
+                payload.flowBlueprintId = this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].blueprint?.id
+            }
+
+            if (this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows) {
+                payload.flows = this.form[FLOWS_SLUG].flows
             }
 
             return instanceApi.create(payload)
diff --git a/test/e2e/frontend/cypress/tests/invitations.spec.js b/test/e2e/frontend/cypress/tests/invitations.spec.js
index 699a1ea36a..c77e881600 100644
--- a/test/e2e/frontend/cypress/tests/invitations.spec.js
+++ b/test/e2e/frontend/cypress/tests/invitations.spec.js
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ describe('FlowFuse platform invitees', () => {
         })
 
         cy.get('[data-el="notifications-drawer"]').should('be.visible')
-        cy.get('[data-el="invitation-message"]').eq(0).click()
+        cy.get('[data-el="invitation-message"]:first .body').click()
 
         // user should see a message