diff --git a/packages/auth/src/constants.js b/packages/auth/src/constants.js
index 4b4aef5a42..9892275bec 100644
--- a/packages/auth/src/constants.js
+++ b/packages/auth/src/constants.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ exports.UserStatus = {
 exports.Cookies = {
   CurrentApp: "budibase:currentapp",
   Auth: "budibase:auth",
+  Init: "budibase:init",
   OIDC_CONFIG: "budibase:oidc:config",
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte b/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
index d25acf2495..1db5e46261 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/components/start/CreateAppModal.svelte
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@
       }
       const userResp = await api.post(`/api/users/metadata/self`, user)
       await userResp.json()
-      auth.resetInitTemplate()
+      await auth.setInitInfo({})
       $goto(`/builder/app/${appJson.instance._id}`)
     } catch (error) {
       console.error(error)
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/_layout.svelte b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/_layout.svelte
index 39c93f0fb0..9ef171d7c7 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/_layout.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/_layout.svelte
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <script>
-  import { isActive, redirect } from "@roxi/routify"
+  import { isActive, redirect, params } from "@roxi/routify"
   import { admin, auth } from "stores/portal"
   import { onMount } from "svelte"
 
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@
   }
 
   onMount(async () => {
+    if ($params["?template"]) {
+      console.log("SETTING COOKIE", $params["?template"])
+      await auth.setInitInfo({ init_template: $params["?template"] })
+    }
+
     await auth.checkAuth()
     await admin.init()
 
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/auth/_layout.svelte b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/auth/_layout.svelte
index 7236638ca2..a76ddfc329 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/auth/_layout.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/auth/_layout.svelte
@@ -16,11 +16,7 @@
     $admin.accountPortalUrl &&
     !$admin?.checklist?.sso?.checked
   ) {
-    let url = $admin.accountPortalUrl
-    if ($auth.initTemplate) {
-      url += `?template=${$auth.initTemplate}`
-    }
-    window.location.href = url
+    window.location.href = $admin.accountPortalUrl
   }
 </script>
 
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/apps/index.svelte b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/apps/index.svelte
index 94198caeab..f9aac6e0c1 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/apps/index.svelte
+++ b/packages/builder/src/pages/builder/portal/apps/index.svelte
@@ -201,9 +201,10 @@
     await apps.load()
     loaded = true
     // if the portal is loaded from an external URL with a template param
-    const templateKey = $auth.initTemplate
-    if (templateKey) {
-      createAppFromTemplateUrl(templateKey)
+    const initInfo = await auth.getInitInfo()
+    console.log(initInfo)
+    if (initInfo.init_template) {
+      createAppFromTemplateUrl(initInfo.init_template)
     }
   })
 </script>
diff --git a/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/auth.js b/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/auth.js
index 9723b64ffc..47ebbfe7ef 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/auth.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/stores/portal/auth.js
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ export function createAuthStore() {
       user: $store.user,
       tenantId: $store.tenantId,
       tenantSet: $store.tenantSet,
-      initTemplate: $store.initTemplate,
       loaded: $store.loaded,
       initials,
       isAdmin,
@@ -81,28 +80,22 @@ export function createAuthStore() {
     }
   }
 
-  function updateInitTemplate(template) {
-    auth.update(store => {
-      store.initTemplate = template
-      return store
-    })
-  }
-
   return {
     subscribe: store.subscribe,
-    resetInitTemplate: () => updateInitTemplate(null),
     setOrganisation: setOrganisation,
+    getInitInfo: async () => {
+      const response = await api.get(`/api/global/auth/init`)
+      return await response.json()
+    },
+    setInitInfo: async info => {
+      await api.post(`/api/global/auth/init`, info)
+    },
     checkQueryString: async () => {
       const urlParams = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search)
       if (urlParams.has("tenantId")) {
         const tenantId = urlParams.get("tenantId")
         await setOrganisation(tenantId)
       }
-
-      // set the template to create an app from
-      if (urlParams.has("template")) {
-        updateInitTemplate(urlParams.get("template"))
-      }
     },
     setOrg: async tenantId => {
       await setOrganisation(tenantId)
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/auth.js b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/auth.js
index 50b4ec969b..e111619041 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/auth.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/controllers/global/auth.js
@@ -77,6 +77,17 @@ exports.authenticate = async (ctx, next) => {
   })(ctx, next)
 }
 
+exports.setInitInfo = ctx => {
+  const initInfo = ctx.request.body
+  setCookie(ctx, initInfo, Cookies.Init)
+  ctx.status = 200
+}
+
+exports.getInitInfo = ctx => {
+  const initInfo = getCookie(ctx, Cookies.Init)
+  ctx.body = initInfo
+}
+
 /**
  * Reset the user password, used as part of a forgotten password flow.
  */
diff --git a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/global/auth.js b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/global/auth.js
index 9cd77ce153..7baad60ecd 100644
--- a/packages/worker/src/api/routes/global/auth.js
+++ b/packages/worker/src/api/routes/global/auth.js
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ router
     authController.resetUpdate
   )
   .post("/api/global/auth/logout", authController.logout)
+  .post("/api/global/auth/init", authController.setInitInfo)
+  .get("/api/global/auth/init", authController.getInitInfo)
   .get(
     "/api/global/auth/:tenantId/google",
     updateTenant,