diff --git a/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUIForm.java b/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUIForm.java
index 7abbbd3e99..c22bdbc513 100644
--- a/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUIForm.java
+++ b/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUIForm.java
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ public class SparkUIForm extends VBox {
 
   static final String CONNECT = "Start";
   static final String PROFILE_DESC = "Profile";
-  private static final String CONFIG = "config";
   private static final String OK_BUTTON_DESC = "Create";
   private static final String CANCEL_BUTTON_DESC = "Cancel";
   private static final String PROFILE_NAME_PLC_HOLD = "Enter profile name...";
@@ -145,8 +144,7 @@ private void loadProfile() {
     sparkUiDefaults.loadProfiles();
     Map<String, Object> profileData =
             (Map<String, Object>) sparkUiDefaults
-                    .getProfileByName(profileName)
-                    .getOrDefault(CONFIG, new HashMap<>());
+                    .getProfileByName(profileName);
     if (profileData.size() > 0) {
       this.masterURL.setValue(profileData.getOrDefault(SparkUI.SPARK_MASTER, SparkUI.SPARK_MASTER_DEFAULT));
       this.executorCores.setValue(profileData.getOrDefault(SparkUI.SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES, SparkUI.SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES_DEFAULT));
@@ -165,10 +163,8 @@ private void saveProfile() {
     if (profile.getValue().equals(DEFAULT_PROFILE)) {
       return;
     }
-    HashMap sparkConfig = getCurrentConfig();
-    HashMap<String, Object> sparkProfile = new HashMap<>();
+    HashMap sparkProfile = getCurrentConfig();
     sparkProfile.put("name", profile.getValue());
-    sparkProfile.put(CONFIG, sparkConfig);
     sparkUiDefaults.saveProfile(sparkProfile);
     profile.setOptions(sparkUiDefaults.getProfileNames());
     profile.setValue(sparkProfile.get("name"));
@@ -203,10 +199,8 @@ private HashMap<String, Object> getCurrentConfig() {
 
 
   public void saveDefaults() {
-    HashMap sparkConfig = getCurrentConfig();
-    HashMap<String, Object> sparkProfile = new HashMap<>();
+    HashMap sparkProfile = getCurrentConfig();
     sparkProfile.put("name", DEFAULT_PROFILE);
-    sparkProfile.put(CONFIG, sparkConfig);
     sparkUiDefaults.saveProfile(sparkProfile);
   }
 
diff --git a/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImpl.java b/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImpl.java
index 911da1bdd5..40c3f5d32a 100644
--- a/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImpl.java
+++ b/kernel/sparkex/src/main/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImpl.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 import java.util.stream.IntStream;
 
 import static com.twosigma.beakerx.widget.SparkUI.BEAKERX_ID;
+import static com.twosigma.beakerx.widget.SparkUI.SPARK_ADVANCED_OPTIONS_DEFAULT;
 import static com.twosigma.beakerx.widget.SparkUI.SPARK_APP_NAME;
 import static com.twosigma.beakerx.widget.SparkUI.SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES_DEFAULT;
 import static com.twosigma.beakerx.widget.SparkUI.SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY_DEFAULT;
@@ -56,7 +57,6 @@ public class SparkUiDefaultsImpl implements SparkUiDefaults {
   public static final String BEAKERX = "beakerx";
   private static final String SPARK_PROFILES = "profiles";
   private static final String CURRENT_PROFILE = "current_profile";
-  private static final String CONFIG = "config";
 
   private List<Map<String, Object>> profiles = new ArrayList<>();
   private Gson gson = new GsonBuilder().setPrettyPrinting().create();
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public void saveSparkConf(List<Map<String, Object>> profiles) {
   public void loadDefaults(SparkSession.Builder builder) {
     SparkConf sparkConf = SparkEngineImpl.getSparkConfBasedOn(builder);
     loadProfiles();
-    Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>) getProfileByName(currentProfile).get(CONFIG);
+    Map<String, Object> map = (Map<String, Object>) getProfileByName(currentProfile);
     if (map != null) {
       map.entrySet().stream()
               .filter(x -> !sparkConf.contains(x.getKey()))
@@ -110,15 +110,13 @@ public void loadProfiles() {
     List<Map<String, Object>> profiles = (List<Map<String, Object>>) sparkOptions.get(SPARK_PROFILES);
     currentProfile = (String) sparkOptions.getOrDefault(CURRENT_PROFILE, DEFAULT_PROFILE);
     if (profiles == null) {
-      //save default config if it doesn't exist
+      //save default config if doesn't exist
       Map<String, Object> defaultProfile = new HashMap<>();
       defaultProfile.put("name", DEFAULT_PROFILE);
-      Map config = new HashMap();
-      config.put(SPARK_MASTER, SPARK_MASTER_DEFAULT);
-      config.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES, SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES_DEFAULT);
-      config.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY, SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY_DEFAULT);
-      config.put(SPARK_ADVANCED_OPTIONS, new ArrayList<>());
-      defaultProfile.put(CONFIG, config);
+      defaultProfile.put(SPARK_MASTER, SPARK_MASTER_DEFAULT);
+      defaultProfile.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES, SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES_DEFAULT);
+      defaultProfile.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY, SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY_DEFAULT);
+      defaultProfile.put(SPARK_ADVANCED_OPTIONS, new ArrayList<>());
       saveProfile(defaultProfile);
     } else {
       this.profiles = profiles;
diff --git a/kernel/sparkex/src/test/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImplTest.java b/kernel/sparkex/src/test/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImplTest.java
index e11344a909..ba190a2bcb 100644
--- a/kernel/sparkex/src/test/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImplTest.java
+++ b/kernel/sparkex/src/test/java/com/twosigma/beakerx/widget/SparkUiDefaultsImplTest.java
@@ -61,11 +61,9 @@ public void saveMasterURL() {
     //given
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[4]");
-    Map<String, Object> profile = new HashMap<>();
-    profile.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig);
+    profileConfig.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig);
     //then
     Map options = getOptions(PROFILE1);
     String prop = (String) options.get(SPARK_MASTER);
@@ -77,11 +75,9 @@ public void saveExecutorMemory() {
     //given
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY, "8g");
-    Map<String, Object> profile = new HashMap<>();
-    profile.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig);
+    profileConfig.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig);
     //then
     Map options = getOptions(PROFILE1);
     String prop = (String) options.get(SPARK_EXECUTOR_MEMORY);
@@ -93,11 +89,9 @@ public void saveCores() {
     //given
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES, "10");
-    Map<String, Object> profile = new HashMap<>();
-    profile.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig);
+    profileConfig.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig);
     //then
     Map options = getOptions(PROFILE1);
     String prop = (String) options.get(SPARK_EXECUTOR_CORES);
@@ -110,11 +104,9 @@ public void saveAsProp() {
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_ADVANCED_OPTIONS, Arrays.asList(
             new SparkConfiguration.Configuration("sparkOption2", "sp2")));
-    Map<String, Object> profile = new HashMap<>();
-    profile.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig);
+    profileConfig.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig);
     //then
     List<Object> props = getProps();
     assertThat(props).isNotEmpty();
@@ -137,7 +129,7 @@ private Map getOptions(String profileName) {
   private Map getOptions(String profileName, Path path) {
     Map<String, Map> beakerxTestJson = sut.beakerxJsonAsMap(path).get(BEAKERX);
     List<Map<String, Object>> profiles = (List<Map<String, Object>>) beakerxTestJson.get("spark_options").get("profiles");
-    return profiles.stream().filter(x -> x.get(NAME).equals(profileName)).map(x -> (Map) x.get(SPARK_OPT)).findFirst().orElse(null);
+    return profiles.stream().filter(x -> x.get(NAME).equals(profileName)).findFirst().orElse(new HashMap<>());
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -147,14 +139,12 @@ public void saveAndLoadDefaults() {
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_ADVANCED_OPTIONS, Arrays.asList(
             new SparkConfiguration.Configuration("sparkOption2", "sp2")));
     profileConfig.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[4]");
-    Map<String, Object> profile = new HashMap<>();
-    profile.put(NAME, DEFAULT_PROFILE);
-    profile.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig);
+    profileConfig.put(NAME, DEFAULT_PROFILE);
 
     List config = new ArrayList();
-    config.add(profile);
+    config.add(profileConfig);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig);
     //then
     SparkSession.Builder builder = SparkSession.builder();
     sut.loadDefaults(builder);
@@ -166,20 +156,15 @@ public void saveAndLoadDefaults() {
   @Test
   public void createTwoProfiles() {
     //given
-    Map<String, Object> profile1 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig1 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig1.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[4]");
-    profile1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile1.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig1);
+    profileConfig1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
 
-
-    Map<String, Object> profile2 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig2 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig2.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[8]");
-    profile2.put(NAME, PROFILE2);
-    profile2.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig2);
+    profileConfig2.put(NAME, PROFILE2);
     //when
-    sut.saveSparkConf(Arrays.asList(profile1, profile2));
+    sut.saveSparkConf(Arrays.asList(profileConfig1, profileConfig2));
     //then
     Map options1 = getOptions(PROFILE1);
     Map options2 = getOptions(PROFILE2);
@@ -193,20 +178,16 @@ public void createTwoProfiles() {
   @Test
   public void removeProfile() {
     //given
-    Map<String, Object> profile1 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig1 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig1.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[4]");
-    profile1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile1.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig1);
+    profileConfig1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
 
-    Map<String, Object> profile2 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig2 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig2.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[8]");
-    profile2.put(NAME, PROFILE2);
-    profile2.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig2);
+    profileConfig2.put(NAME, PROFILE2);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile1);
-    sut.saveProfile(profile2);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig1);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig2);
     sut.removeSparkConf(PROFILE1);
     //then
     Map options2 = getOptions(PROFILE2);
@@ -218,20 +199,16 @@ public void removeProfile() {
   @Test
   public void overwriteProfile() {
     //given
-    Map<String, Object> profile1 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig1 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig1.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[4]");
-    profile1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile1.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig1);
+    profileConfig1.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
 
-    Map<String, Object> profile2 = new HashMap<>();
     HashMap<String, Object> profileConfig2 = new HashMap<>();
     profileConfig2.put(SPARK_MASTER, "local[8]");
-    profile2.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
-    profile2.put(SPARK_OPT, profileConfig2);
+    profileConfig2.put(NAME, PROFILE1);
     //when
-    sut.saveProfile(profile1);
-    sut.saveProfile(profile2);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig1);
+    sut.saveProfile(profileConfig2);
     //then
     Map options = getOptions(PROFILE1);
     String prop = (String) options.get(SPARK_MASTER);