diff --git a/flyteadmin/pkg/manager/impl/execution_manager.go b/flyteadmin/pkg/manager/impl/execution_manager.go
index e3fd87ba71..fb2e0d377c 100644
--- a/flyteadmin/pkg/manager/impl/execution_manager.go
+++ b/flyteadmin/pkg/manager/impl/execution_manager.go
@@ -617,7 +617,6 @@ func (m *ExecutionManager) launchSingleTaskExecution(
 		TaskID:              taskModel.ID,
 		WorkflowID:          workflowModel.ID,
 		// The execution is not considered running until the propeller sends a specific event saying so.
-		Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_UNDEFINED,
 		CreatedAt:             m._clock.Now(),
 		Notifications:         notificationsSettings,
 		WorkflowIdentifier:    workflow.Id,
@@ -1006,7 +1005,6 @@ func (m *ExecutionManager) launchExecutionAndPrepareModel(
 		LaunchPlanID:        launchPlanModel.ID,
 		WorkflowID:          launchPlanModel.WorkflowID,
 		// The execution is not considered running until the propeller sends a specific event saying so.
-		Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_UNDEFINED,
 		CreatedAt:             m._clock.Now(),
 		Notifications:         notificationsSettings,
 		WorkflowIdentifier:    workflow.Id,
diff --git a/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution.go b/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution.go
index 368cd8e4bd..3b8c556abd 100644
--- a/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution.go
+++ b/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution.go
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ type CreateExecutionModelInput struct {
 	LaunchPlanID          uint
 	WorkflowID            uint
 	TaskID                uint
-	Phase                 core.WorkflowExecution_Phase
 	CreatedAt             time.Time
 	Notifications         []*admin.Notification
 	WorkflowIdentifier    *core.Identifier
@@ -76,7 +75,6 @@ func CreateExecutionModel(input CreateExecutionModelInput) (*models.Execution, e
 	}
 	createdAt := timestamppb.New(input.CreatedAt)
 	closure := admin.ExecutionClosure{
-		Phase:         input.Phase,
 		CreatedAt:     createdAt,
 		UpdatedAt:     createdAt,
 		Notifications: input.Notifications,
@@ -87,9 +85,6 @@ func CreateExecutionModel(input CreateExecutionModelInput) (*models.Execution, e
 			OccurredAt: createdAt,
 		},
 	}
-	if input.Phase == core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING {
-		closure.StartedAt = createdAt
-	}
 	if input.Error != nil {
 		closure.Phase = core.WorkflowExecution_FAILED
 		execErr := &core.ExecutionError{
@@ -128,7 +123,7 @@ func CreateExecutionModel(input CreateExecutionModelInput) (*models.Execution, e
 			Name:    input.WorkflowExecutionID.Name,
 		},
 		Spec:                  spec,
-		Phase:                 input.Phase.String(),
+		Phase:                 closure.Phase.String(),
 		Closure:               closureBytes,
 		WorkflowID:            input.WorkflowID,
 		ExecutionCreatedAt:    &input.CreatedAt,
diff --git a/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution_test.go b/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution_test.go
index f3d0b41a5e..e9d12807f5 100644
--- a/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution_test.go
+++ b/flyteadmin/pkg/repositories/transformers/execution_test.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	namespace := "ns"
-	t.Run("running", func(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("successful execution", func(t *testing.T) {
 		execution, err := CreateExecutionModel(CreateExecutionModelInput{
 			WorkflowExecutionID: core.WorkflowExecutionIdentifier{
 				Project: "project",
@@ -81,7 +81,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 			RequestSpec:           execRequest.Spec,
 			LaunchPlanID:          lpID,
 			WorkflowID:            wfID,
-			Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING,
 			CreatedAt:             createdAt,
 			WorkflowIdentifier:    workflowIdentifier,
 			ParentNodeExecutionID: nodeID,
@@ -103,6 +102,7 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, nodeID, execution.ParentNodeExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, sourceID, execution.SourceExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, "launch_plan", execution.LaunchEntity)
+		assert.Equal(t, execution.Phase, core.WorkflowExecution_UNDEFINED.String())
 		expectedSpec := execRequest.Spec
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.Principal = principal
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.SystemMetadata = &admin.SystemMetadata{
@@ -116,9 +116,8 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 
 		expectedCreatedAt, _ := ptypes.TimestampProto(createdAt)
 		expectedClosure, _ := proto.Marshal(&admin.ExecutionClosure{
-			Phase:      core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING,
+			Phase:      core.WorkflowExecution_UNDEFINED,
 			CreatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
-			StartedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			UpdatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			WorkflowId: workflowIdentifier,
 			StateChangeDetails: &admin.ExecutionStateChangeDetails{
@@ -140,7 +139,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 			RequestSpec:           execRequest.Spec,
 			LaunchPlanID:          lpID,
 			WorkflowID:            wfID,
-			Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING,
 			CreatedAt:             createdAt,
 			WorkflowIdentifier:    workflowIdentifier,
 			ParentNodeExecutionID: nodeID,
@@ -163,6 +161,7 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, nodeID, execution.ParentNodeExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, sourceID, execution.SourceExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, "launch_plan", execution.LaunchEntity)
+		assert.Equal(t, core.WorkflowExecution_FAILED.String(), execution.Phase)
 		expectedSpec := execRequest.Spec
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.Principal = principal
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.SystemMetadata = &admin.SystemMetadata{
@@ -185,7 +184,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			CreatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
-			StartedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			UpdatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			WorkflowId: workflowIdentifier,
 			StateChangeDetails: &admin.ExecutionStateChangeDetails{
@@ -207,7 +205,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 			RequestSpec:           execRequest.Spec,
 			LaunchPlanID:          lpID,
 			WorkflowID:            wfID,
-			Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING,
 			CreatedAt:             createdAt,
 			WorkflowIdentifier:    workflowIdentifier,
 			ParentNodeExecutionID: nodeID,
@@ -230,6 +227,7 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, nodeID, execution.ParentNodeExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, sourceID, execution.SourceExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, "launch_plan", execution.LaunchEntity)
+		assert.Equal(t, core.WorkflowExecution_FAILED.String(), execution.Phase)
 		expectedSpec := execRequest.Spec
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.Principal = principal
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.SystemMetadata = &admin.SystemMetadata{
@@ -252,7 +250,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			CreatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
-			StartedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			UpdatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			WorkflowId: workflowIdentifier,
 			StateChangeDetails: &admin.ExecutionStateChangeDetails{
@@ -274,7 +271,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 			RequestSpec:           execRequest.Spec,
 			LaunchPlanID:          lpID,
 			WorkflowID:            wfID,
-			Phase:                 core.WorkflowExecution_RUNNING,
 			CreatedAt:             createdAt,
 			WorkflowIdentifier:    workflowIdentifier,
 			ParentNodeExecutionID: nodeID,
@@ -297,6 +293,7 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, nodeID, execution.ParentNodeExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, sourceID, execution.SourceExecutionID)
 		assert.Equal(t, "launch_plan", execution.LaunchEntity)
+		assert.Equal(t, core.WorkflowExecution_FAILED.String(), execution.Phase)
 		expectedSpec := execRequest.Spec
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.Principal = principal
 		expectedSpec.Metadata.SystemMetadata = &admin.SystemMetadata{
@@ -319,7 +316,6 @@ func TestCreateExecutionModel(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 			CreatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
-			StartedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			UpdatedAt:  expectedCreatedAt,
 			WorkflowId: workflowIdentifier,
 			StateChangeDetails: &admin.ExecutionStateChangeDetails{