diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
index 8d6fe1873..55d5b2dc5 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js
@@ -160,8 +160,15 @@ function setFlows(_config,_credentials,type,muteLog,forceStart,user) {
         var credsDirty;
 
         if (_credentials) {
+            credentials.clean(config);
             // A full set of credentials have been provided. Use those instead
-            configSavePromise = credentials.load(_credentials);
+            let credentialSavePromises = [];
+            for (let id in _credentials) {
+                if (_credentials.hasOwnProperty(id)) {
+                    credentialSavePromises.push(credentials.add(id,_credentials[id]));
+                }
+            }
+            configSavePromise = Promise.all(credentialSavePromises);
             credsDirty = true;
         } else {
             // Allow the credential store to remove anything no longer needed