diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
index 5d00cdae8..5fe7914c4 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/cluster.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def __init__(self, config: ClusterConfiguration):
         """
         self.config = config
         self.app_wrapper_yaml = self.create_app_wrapper()
-        self.app_wrapper_name = self.app_wrapper_yaml.split(".")[0]
+        self.app_wrapper_name = self.config.name
 
     def evaluate_dispatch_priority(self):
         priority_class = self.config.dispatch_priority
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ def create_app_wrapper(self):
             image_pull_secrets=image_pull_secrets,
             dispatch_priority=dispatch_priority,
             priority_val=priority_val,
+            write_to_file=self.config.write_to_file,
         )
 
     # creates a new cluster with the provided or default spec
@@ -159,8 +160,8 @@ def up(self):
         try:
             config_check()
             api_instance = client.CustomObjectsApi(api_config_handler())
-            with open(self.app_wrapper_yaml) as f:
-                aw = yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
+            
+            aw = self.app_wrapper_yaml
             api_instance.create_namespaced_custom_object(
                 group="workload.codeflare.dev",
                 version="v1beta1",
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
index bde3f4ca0..6da62c734 100644
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/cluster/config.py
@@ -51,3 +51,4 @@ class ClusterConfiguration:
     local_interactive: bool = False
     image_pull_secrets: list = field(default_factory=list)
     dispatch_priority: str = None
+    write_to_file: bool = False
diff --git a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
index 95e1c5ecb..0a8f2ac58 100755
--- a/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
+++ b/src/codeflare_sdk/utils/generate_yaml.py
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ def generate_appwrapper(
     image_pull_secrets: list,
     dispatch_priority: str,
     priority_val: int,
+    write_to_file: bool,
 ):
     user_yaml = read_template(template)
     appwrapper_name, cluster_name = gen_names(name)
@@ -433,6 +434,9 @@ def generate_appwrapper(
         enable_local_interactive(resources, cluster_name, namespace)
     else:
         disable_raycluster_tls(resources["resources"])
-    outfile = appwrapper_name + ".yaml"
-    write_user_appwrapper(user_yaml, outfile)
-    return outfile
+        
+    if write_to_file:
+        outfile = appwrapper_name + ".yaml"
+        write_user_appwrapper(user_yaml, outfile)
+    
+    return user_yaml
diff --git a/tests/unit_test.py b/tests/unit_test.py
index 78925226a..1be18fe36 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit_test.py
@@ -237,11 +237,15 @@ def test_config_creation():
     assert config.machine_types == ["cpu.small", "gpu.large"]
     assert config.image_pull_secrets == ["unit-test-pull-secret"]
     assert config.dispatch_priority == None
+    assert config.write_to_file == True
 
 
 def test_cluster_creation():
     cluster = createClusterWithConfig()
-    assert cluster.app_wrapper_yaml == "unit-test-cluster.yaml"
+    # load yaml file and compare with in memory yaml
+    with open("unit-test-cluster.yaml") as f:
+        aw = yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
+        assert aw == cluster.app_wrapper_yaml
     assert cluster.app_wrapper_name == "unit-test-cluster"
     assert filecmp.cmp(
         "unit-test-cluster.yaml", f"{parent}/tests/test-case.yaml", shallow=True
@@ -258,7 +262,10 @@ def test_cluster_creation_priority(mocker):
     config.name = "prio-test-cluster"
     config.dispatch_priority = "default"
     cluster = Cluster(config)
-    assert cluster.app_wrapper_yaml == "prio-test-cluster.yaml"
+    # load yaml file and compare with in memory yaml
+    with open("prio-test-cluster.yaml") as f:
+        aw = yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
+        assert aw == cluster.app_wrapper_yaml
     assert cluster.app_wrapper_name == "prio-test-cluster"
     assert filecmp.cmp(
         "prio-test-cluster.yaml", f"{parent}/tests/test-case-prio.yaml", shallow=True
@@ -272,10 +279,14 @@ def test_default_cluster_creation(mocker):
     )
     default_config = ClusterConfiguration(
         name="unit-test-default-cluster",
+        write_to_file=True,
     )
     cluster = Cluster(default_config)
 
-    assert cluster.app_wrapper_yaml == "unit-test-default-cluster.yaml"
+    # open yaml file and compare with in memory yaml
+    with open("unit-test-default-cluster.yaml") as f:
+        aw = yaml.load(f, Loader=yaml.FullLoader)
+        assert aw == cluster.app_wrapper_yaml
     assert cluster.app_wrapper_name == "unit-test-default-cluster"
     assert cluster.config.namespace == "opendatahub"
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_test_support.py b/tests/unit_test_support.py
index a4ea056a0..725009bb5 100644
--- a/tests/unit_test_support.py
+++ b/tests/unit_test_support.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ def createClusterConfig():
         instascale=True,
         machine_types=["cpu.small", "gpu.large"],
         image_pull_secrets=["unit-test-pull-secret"],
+        write_to_file=True,
     )
     return config