diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/data_store_mgr.py b/cylc/uiserver/data_store_mgr.py
index e8cd7bfa..347dcf0c 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/data_store_mgr.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/data_store_mgr.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 from copy import deepcopy
 from functools import partial
 import logging
-from time import sleep
+import time
 
 from cylc.flow.network.server import PB_METHOD_MAP
 from cylc.flow.network import MSG_TIMEOUT
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
     EDGES, DATA_TEMPLATE, ALL_DELTAS, DELTAS_MAP, WORKFLOW,
     apply_delta, generate_checksum, create_delta_store
 )
+from cylc.flow.suite_files import ContactFileFields as CFF
+
 from .workflows_mgr import workflow_request
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -67,7 +69,34 @@ def __init__(self, workflows_mgr):
         self.executors = {}
         self.delta_queues = {}
 
-    async def sync_workflow(self, w_id, *args, **kwargs):
+    def update_contact(self, w_id, contact_data=None):
+        delta = DELTAS_MAP[WORKFLOW]()
+        delta.time = time.time()
+        flow = delta.updated
+        flow.id = w_id
+        if contact_data:
+            # update with contact file data
+            flow.name = contact_data['name']
+            flow.owner = contact_data['owner']
+            flow.host = contact_data[CFF.HOST]
+            flow.port = int(contact_data[CFF.PORT])
+            flow.api_version = int(contact_data[CFF.API])
+        else:
+            # wipe pre-existing contact-file data
+            flow.host = ''
+            flow.port = 0
+            flow.api_version = 0
+            flow.status = 'stopped'
+
+        # Apply to existing workflow data
+        apply_delta(WORKFLOW, delta, self.data[w_id])
+        if 'delta_times' not in self.data[w_id]:
+            self.data[w_id]['delta_times'] = {}
+        self.data[w_id]['delta_times'][WORKFLOW] = delta.time
+        # Queue delta for subscription push
+        self.delta_store_to_queues(w_id, ALL_DELTAS, delta)
+
+    async def sync_workflow(self, w_id, contact_data):
         """Run data store sync with workflow services.
 
         Subscriptions and sync management is instantiated and run in
@@ -76,6 +105,9 @@ async def sync_workflow(self, w_id, *args, **kwargs):
 
         """
         print(f'$ sync_workflow({w_id})')
+
+        self.update_contact(w_id, contact_data)
+
         if self.loop is None:
             self.loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
         if w_id in self.w_subs:
@@ -87,25 +119,30 @@ async def sync_workflow(self, w_id, *args, **kwargs):
         # non-blocking subscriptions, but this works.
         self.executors[w_id] = ThreadPoolExecutor()
         self.executors[w_id].submit(
-            partial(self.start_subscription, w_id, *args, **kwargs)
+            partial(
+                self.start_subscription,
+                w_id,
+                contact_data['name'],
+                contact_data[CFF.HOST],
+                contact_data[CFF.PORT]
+            )
         )
         await self.entire_workflow_update(ids=[w_id])
 
     async def register_workflow(self, w_id, name, owner):
         print(f'$ register_workflow({w_id})')
+        self.delta_queues[w_id] = {}
+
+        # create new entry in the data store
         data = deepcopy(DATA_TEMPLATE)
-        flow = data[WORKFLOW]
-        flow.id = w_id
-        flow.name = name
-        flow.owner = owner
-        flow.status = 'stopped'
         self.data[w_id] = data
 
+        # create new entry in the delta store
+        self.update_contact(w_id)
+
     def stop_workflow(self, w_id):
         print(f'$ stop_workflow({w_id})')
-        self.data[w_id]['status'] = 'stopped'
-        self.data[w_id]['host'] = None
-        self.data[w_id]['port'] = None
+        self.update_contact(w_id)
 
     def purge_workflow(self, w_id):
         """Purge the manager of a workflow's subscription and data."""
@@ -158,7 +195,7 @@ def update_workflow_data(self, topic, delta, w_id):
             while loop_cnt < self.INIT_DATA_WAIT_TIME:
                 if w_id in self.data:
                     break
-                sleep(self.INIT_DATA_RETRY_DELAY)
+                time.sleep(self.INIT_DATA_RETRY_DELAY)
                 loop_cnt += 1
                 continue
         if topic == 'shutdown':
@@ -250,9 +287,9 @@ async def entire_workflow_update(self, ids=None):
             ids = []
 
         # Prune old data
-        for w_id in list(self.data):
-            if w_id not in self.workflows_mgr.active:
-                del self.data[w_id]
+        # for w_id in list(self.data):
+        #     if w_id not in self.workflows_mgr.active:
+        #         del self.data[w_id]
 
         # Request new data
         req_method = 'pb_entire_workflow'
diff --git a/cylc/uiserver/workflows_mgr.py b/cylc/uiserver/workflows_mgr.py
index e685ab9f..a173dec5 100644
--- a/cylc/uiserver/workflows_mgr.py
+++ b/cylc/uiserver/workflows_mgr.py
@@ -144,8 +144,6 @@ async def _workflow_state_changes(self):
                 The scan data (i.e. the contents of the contact file).
 
         """
-        owner = getuser()
-
         active_before = set(self.active)
         inactive_before = set(self.inactive)
 
@@ -153,7 +151,8 @@ async def _workflow_state_changes(self):
         inactive = set()
 
         async for flow in self._scan_pipe:
-            wid = f'{owner}{ID_DELIM}{flow["name"]}'
+            flow['owner'] = self.owner
+            wid = f'{flow["owner"]}{ID_DELIM}{flow["name"]}'
             flow['id'] = wid
 
             if not flow.get('contact'):
@@ -197,7 +196,7 @@ async def _register(self, wid, flow):
         """Register a new workflow with the data store."""
         print(f'_register({wid})')
         await self.uiserver.data_store_mgr.register_workflow(
-            wid, flow['name'], self.owner
+            wid, flow['name'], flow['owner']
         )
 
     async def _connect(self, wid, flow):
@@ -207,9 +206,7 @@ async def _connect(self, wid, flow):
         flow['req_client'] = SuiteRuntimeClient(flow['name'])
         await self.uiserver.data_store_mgr.sync_workflow(
             wid,
-            flow['name'],
-            flow[CFF.HOST],
-            flow[CFF.PUBLISH_PORT]
+            flow
         )
 
     async def _disconnect(self, wid):