diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/analyzer.go b/cmd/lifecycle/analyzer.go
index d1138d1aa..12b1dbbe2 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/analyzer.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/analyzer.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/cmd"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/cmd/lifecycle/cli"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/image"
-	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/internal/encoding"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/lifecycle"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/platform"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/priv"
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ func (a *analyzeCmd) Exec() error {
 		a.PlatformAPI,
 		&cmd.BuildpackAPIVerifier{},
 		NewCacheHandler(a.keychain),
-		lifecycle.NewConfigHandler(),
+		lifecycle.Config,
 		image.NewHandler(a.docker, a.keychain, a.LayoutDir, a.UseLayout, a.InsecureRegistries),
 		image.NewRegistryHandler(a.keychain, a.InsecureRegistries),
 	)
@@ -112,10 +111,5 @@ func (a *analyzeCmd) Exec() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return cmd.FailErrCode(err, a.CodeFor(platform.AnalyzeError), "analyze")
 	}
-	cmd.DefaultLogger.Debugf("Run image info in analyzed metadata is: ")
-	cmd.DefaultLogger.Debugf(encoding.ToJSONMaybe(analyzedMD.RunImage))
-	if err = encoding.WriteTOML(a.AnalyzedPath, analyzedMD); err != nil {
-		return cmd.FailErr(err, "write analyzed")
-	}
-	return nil
+	return lifecycle.Config.WriteAnalyzed(a.AnalyzedPath, &analyzedMD, cmd.DefaultLogger)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go b/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
index fadf67a88..6f05976c2 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/creator.go
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ func (c *createCmd) Exec() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := lifecycle.Config.WriteAnalyzed(c.AnalyzedPath, &analyzedMD, cmd.DefaultLogger); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
 	// Detect
 	cmd.DefaultLogger.Phase("DETECTING")
@@ -164,8 +167,7 @@ func (c *createCmd) Exec() error {
 			Platform: c.Platform,
 			keychain: c.keychain,
 		}
-		err := restoreCmd.restore(analyzedMD.LayersMetadata, group, cacheStore)
-		if err != nil {
+		if err := restoreCmd.restore(analyzedMD.LayersMetadata, group, cacheStore); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/lifecycle/detector.go b/cmd/lifecycle/detector.go
index d2aba450d..07ef35ab4 100644
--- a/cmd/lifecycle/detector.go
+++ b/cmd/lifecycle/detector.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/buildpack"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/cmd"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/cmd/lifecycle/cli"
-	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/internal/encoding"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/lifecycle"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/platform"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/platform/files"
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ func (d *detectCmd) Exec() error {
 			return err
 		}
 	}
-	group, plan, err := doDetect(detector, d.Platform)
+	group, _, err := doDetect(detector, d.Platform)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err // pass through error
 	}
@@ -103,16 +102,14 @@ func (d *detectCmd) Exec() error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return d.unwrapGenerateFail(err)
 		}
-
-		if err = d.writeGenerateData(result.AnalyzedMD); err != nil {
+		if err := lifecycle.Config.WriteAnalyzed(d.AnalyzedPath, &result.AnalyzedMD, cmd.DefaultLogger); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		// was the build plan updated?
-		if result.UsePlan {
-			plan = result.Plan
+		if err := lifecycle.Config.WritePlan(d.PlanPath, &result.Plan); err != nil {
+			return err
 		}
 	}
-	return d.writeDetectData(group, plan)
+	return nil
 }
 
 func unwrapErrorFailWithMessage(err error, msg string) error {
@@ -152,25 +149,11 @@ func doDetect(detector *lifecycle.Detector, p *platform.Platform) (buildpack.Gro
 			return buildpack.Group{}, files.Plan{}, cmd.FailErrCode(err, p.CodeFor(platform.DetectError), "detect")
 		}
 	}
-	return group, plan, nil
-}
-
-func (d *detectCmd) writeDetectData(group buildpack.Group, plan files.Plan) error {
-	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(d.GroupPath, group); err != nil {
-		return cmd.FailErr(err, "write buildpack group")
-	}
-	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(d.PlanPath, plan); err != nil {
-		return cmd.FailErr(err, "write detect plan")
+	if err := lifecycle.Config.WriteGroup(p.GroupPath, &group); err != nil {
+		return buildpack.Group{}, files.Plan{}, err
 	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-// writeGenerateData re-outputs the analyzedMD that we read previously, but now we've added the RunImage, if a custom runImage was configured
-func (d *detectCmd) writeGenerateData(analyzedMD files.Analyzed) error {
-	cmd.DefaultLogger.Debugf("Run image info in analyzed metadata is: ")
-	cmd.DefaultLogger.Debugf(encoding.ToJSONMaybe(analyzedMD.RunImage))
-	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(d.AnalyzedPath, analyzedMD); err != nil {
-		return cmd.FailErr(err, "write analyzed metadata")
+	if err := lifecycle.Config.WritePlan(p.PlanPath, &plan); err != nil {
+		return buildpack.Group{}, files.Plan{}, err
 	}
-	return nil
+	return group, plan, nil
 }
diff --git a/lifecycle/detector.go b/lifecycle/detector.go
index afcc35c5b..29ceea7fb 100644
--- a/lifecycle/detector.go
+++ b/lifecycle/detector.go
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ func (f *HermeticFactory) NewDetector(inputs platform.LifecycleInputs, logger lo
 	}
 	var err error
 	if detector.AnalyzeMD, err = f.configHandler.ReadAnalyzed(inputs.AnalyzedPath, logger); err != nil {
-		// TODO: fix creator
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if detector.Order, detector.HasExtensions, err = f.getOrder(inputs.OrderPath, logger); err != nil {
diff --git a/lifecycle/generator.go b/lifecycle/generator.go
index 349627a7d..12915424d 100644
--- a/lifecycle/generator.go
+++ b/lifecycle/generator.go
@@ -49,11 +49,9 @@ func (f *HermeticFactory) NewGenerator(inputs platform.LifecycleInputs, stdout,
 	}
 	var err error
 	if generator.Extensions, err = f.getExtensions(inputs.GroupPath, logger); err != nil {
-		// TODO: fix detector
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if generator.Plan, err = f.configHandler.ReadPlan(inputs.PlanPath); err != nil {
-		// TODO: fix creator
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	if generator.RunMetadata, err = f.configHandler.ReadRun(inputs.RunPath, logger); err != nil {
@@ -68,7 +66,6 @@ func (f *HermeticFactory) NewGenerator(inputs platform.LifecycleInputs, stdout,
 type GenerateResult struct {
 	AnalyzedMD files.Analyzed
 	Plan       files.Plan
-	UsePlan    bool
 }
 
 func (g *Generator) Generate() (GenerateResult, error) {
@@ -139,7 +136,6 @@ func (g *Generator) Generate() (GenerateResult, error) {
 	return GenerateResult{
 		AnalyzedMD: finalAnalyzedMD,
 		Plan:       filteredPlan,
-		UsePlan:    true,
 	}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/lifecycle/handlers.go b/lifecycle/handlers.go
index 651ececf3..a6a082df4 100644
--- a/lifecycle/handlers.go
+++ b/lifecycle/handlers.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/BurntSushi/toml"
 
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/buildpack"
+	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/internal/encoding"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/log"
 	"github.com/buildpacks/lifecycle/platform/files"
 )
@@ -55,8 +56,19 @@ func NewConfigHandler() *DefaultConfigHandler {
 	return &DefaultConfigHandler{}
 }
 
-func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadAnalyzed(path string, logr log.Logger) (files.Analyzed, error) {
-	return files.ReadAnalyzed(path, logr)
+// ReadAnalyzed TODO
+func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadAnalyzed(path string, logger log.Logger) (files.Analyzed, error) {
+	return files.ReadAnalyzed(path, logger)
+}
+
+// WriteAnalyzed TODO
+func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) WriteAnalyzed(path string, analyzedMD *files.Analyzed, logger log.Logger) error {
+	logger.Debugf("Run image info in analyzed metadata is: ")
+	logger.Debugf(encoding.ToJSONMaybe(analyzedMD.RunImage))
+	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(path, analyzedMD); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write analyzed: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadGroup(path string) (buildpackGroup []buildpack.GroupElement, extensionsGroup []buildpack.GroupElement, err error) {
@@ -78,6 +90,14 @@ func ReadGroup(path string) (buildpack.Group, error) {
 	return group, err
 }
 
+// WriteGroup TODO
+func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) WriteGroup(path string, group *buildpack.Group) error {
+	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(path, group); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write group: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // ReadPlan TODO
 func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadPlan(path string) (files.Plan, error) {
 	var plan files.Plan
@@ -87,6 +107,14 @@ func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadPlan(path string) (files.Plan, error) {
 	return plan, nil
 }
 
+// WritePlan TODO
+func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) WritePlan(path string, plan *files.Plan) error {
+	if err := encoding.WriteTOML(path, plan); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write plan: %w", err)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (h *DefaultConfigHandler) ReadOrder(path string) (buildpack.Order, buildpack.Order, error) {
 	orderBp, orderExt, err := ReadOrder(path)
 	if err != nil {