diff --git a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/resources/parser.go b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/resources/parser.go
index 9148a38f7e0..bf634b81956 100644
--- a/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/resources/parser.go
+++ b/pkg/registry/apis/provisioning/resources/parser.go
@@ -228,9 +228,13 @@ func (r *Parser) Parse(ctx context.Context, info *repository.FileInfo, validate
 }
 
 func (f *ParsedResource) ToSaveBytes() ([]byte, error) {
-	// TODO... should use the validated one?
-	obj := f.Obj.Object
-	delete(obj, "metadata")
+	// TODO? should we use the dryRun (validated) version?
+	obj := make(map[string]any)
+	for k, v := range f.Obj.Object {
+		if k != "metadata" {
+			obj[k] = v
+		}
+	}
 
 	switch path.Ext(f.Info.Path) {
 	// JSON pretty print
diff --git a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/saving/SaveProvisionedDashboard.tsx b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/saving/SaveProvisionedDashboard.tsx
index dbec204d1cd..0c44cd2e69a 100644
--- a/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/saving/SaveProvisionedDashboard.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/dashboard-scene/saving/SaveProvisionedDashboard.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import { SaveDashboardFormCommonOptions } from './SaveDashboardForm';
 import { DashboardChangeInfo } from './shared';
 
 type FormData = {
-  ref: string;
+  ref?: string;
   path: string;
   comment?: string;
   repo: string;
@@ -54,12 +54,12 @@ function getDefaultValues(meta: DashboardMeta, repository = '') {
 }
 
 const getDefaultWorkflow = (config?: RepositorySpec) => {
-  return config?.github?.branchWorkflow ? WorkflowOption.PullRequest : WorkflowOption.Branch;
+  return config?.github?.branchWorkflow ? WorkflowOption.PullRequest : WorkflowOption.Direct;
 };
 
 function getWorkflowOptions(branch = 'main') {
   return [
-    { label: `Commit to ${branch}`, value: WorkflowOption.Branch },
+    { label: `Commit to ${branch}`, value: WorkflowOption.Direct },
     { label: 'Create pull request', value: WorkflowOption.PullRequest },
   ];
 }
@@ -127,14 +127,15 @@ export function SaveProvisionedDashboard({ drawer, changeInfo, dashboard }: Prop
       return;
     }
 
+    // The dashboard spec
     const saveModel = dashboard.getSaveAsModel({
       isNew: isNew,
       title: title,
       description: description,
     });
 
-    if (workflow === WorkflowOption.Branch) {
-      ref = repositoryConfig?.github?.branch || 'main';
+    if (workflow === WorkflowOption.Direct) {
+      ref = undefined;
     }
 
     action({ ref, name: repo, path, message: comment, body: saveModel });
diff --git a/public/app/features/provisioning/types.ts b/public/app/features/provisioning/types.ts
index 8603b34af50..b33ae57c758 100644
--- a/public/app/features/provisioning/types.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/provisioning/types.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@ export interface ProvisioningPreview {
 }
 
 export enum WorkflowOption {
-  Branch = 'branch',
+  Direct = 'direct',
   PullRequest = 'pr',
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/provisioning/utils/git.ts b/public/app/features/provisioning/utils/git.ts
index 447832011ff..6905e69d418 100644
--- a/public/app/features/provisioning/utils/git.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/provisioning/utils/git.ts
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ export function createPRLink(spec?: RepositorySpec, dashboardName?: string, ref?
  * 5. The branch name cannot include the following characters: `~`, `^`, `:`, `?`, `*`, `[`, `\`, or `]`.
  * 6. The branch name must have at least one character and must not be empty.
  */
-export function validateBranchName(branchName: string) {
+export function validateBranchName(branchName?: string) {
   const branchNameRegex = /^(?!\/|.*\/\/|.*\.\.|.*@{)(?!.*[~^:?*[\]\\]).+(?<!\/|\.|\s)$/;
 
-  return branchNameRegex.test(branchName);
+  return branchName && branchNameRegex.test(branchName!);
 }