diff --git a/internal/db_client/database_config.go b/internal/db_client/database_config.go
index a021a117..4a8ebdcc 100644
--- a/internal/db_client/database_config.go
+++ b/internal/db_client/database_config.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func GetDatabaseConfigForResource(resource modconfig.ModTreeItem, workspaceMod *
 	// if the database is a cloud workspace, resolve the connection string
 	if steampipeconfig.IsCloudWorkspaceIdentifier(database) {
 		var err error
-		defaultDatabase, err = GetCloudWorkspaceConnectionString(database)
+		database, err = GetCloudWorkspaceConnectionString(database)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", backend.SearchPathConfig{}, err
 		}
diff --git a/internal/initialisation/cloud_metadata.go b/internal/initialisation/cloud_metadata.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 35d0fec1..00000000
--- a/internal/initialisation/cloud_metadata.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-package initialisation
-
-import (
-	"context"
-	"github.com/spf13/viper"
-	"github.com/turbot/pipe-fittings/backend"
-	"github.com/turbot/pipe-fittings/cloud"
-	"github.com/turbot/pipe-fittings/constants"
-	"github.com/turbot/pipe-fittings/error_helpers"
-	"github.com/turbot/pipe-fittings/steampipeconfig"
-)
-
-func getCloudMetadata(ctx context.Context) (*steampipeconfig.CloudMetadata, error) {
-	database := viper.GetString(constants.ArgDatabase)
-	if database == "" {
-		// nothing configured - nothing to do here
-		return nil, nil
-	}
-
-	var cloudMetadata *steampipeconfig.CloudMetadata
-	// so a backend was set - is it a connection string or a cloud workspace name
-	workspaceDatabaseIsConnectionString := backend.HasBackend(database)
-	if !workspaceDatabaseIsConnectionString {
-		// it must be a cloud workspace name - verify the cloud token was provided
-		cloudToken := viper.GetString(constants.ArgPipesToken)
-		if cloudToken == "" {
-			return nil, error_helpers.MissingCloudTokenError()
-		}
-
-		// so we have a database and a token - build the connection string and set it in viper
-		var err error
-		if cloudMetadata, err = cloud.GetCloudMetadata(ctx, database, cloudToken); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		// now update the connection string in viper database flag with the cloud metadata conneciotn string
-		viper.Set(constants.ArgDatabase, cloudMetadata.ConnectionString)
-	}
-
-	return cloudMetadata, nil
-}