diff --git a/cli_tests/app.sh b/cli_tests/app.sh
index b6596f24..6c1337a2 100755
--- a/cli_tests/app.sh
+++ b/cli_tests/app.sh
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ EOF
 }
 
 @test "framework export" {
-  run $KETCH framework export "$FRAMEWORK"
+  run $KETCH framework export "$FRAMEWORK" -f framework.yaml
   result=$(cat framework.yaml)
   echo "RECEIVED:" $result
   [[ $result =~ "name: $FRAMEWORK" ]]
@@ -171,13 +171,13 @@ EOF
 }
 
 @test "app export" {
-  run $KETCH app export "$APP_NAME"
+  run $KETCH app export "$APP_NAME" -f app.yaml
   result=$(cat app.yaml)
   echo "RECEIVED:" $result
   [[ $result =~ "name: $APP_NAME" ]]
   [[ $result =~ "type: Application" ]]
   [[ $result =~ "framework: $FRAMEWORK" ]]
-  rm -f framework.yaml
+  rm -f app.yaml
 }
 
 @test "app stop" {
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/app.go b/cmd/ketch/app.go
index 007cf58d..82a734ed 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/app.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/app.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func newAppCmd(cfg config, out io.Writer, packSvc *pack.Client, configDefaultBui
 	cmd.AddCommand(newAppInfoCmd(cfg, out))
 	cmd.AddCommand(newAppStartCmd(cfg, out, appStart))
 	cmd.AddCommand(newAppStopCmd(cfg, out, appStop))
-	cmd.AddCommand(newAppExportCmd(cfg, exportApp))
+	cmd.AddCommand(newAppExportCmd(cfg, exportApp, out))
 	return cmd
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/app_export.go b/cmd/ketch/app_export.go
index b8687513..86a428f9 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/app_export.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/app_export.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -17,9 +18,9 @@ const appExportHelp = `
 Export an application as a yaml file.
 `
 
-type appExportFn func(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions) error
+type appExportFn func(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions, out io.Writer) error
 
-func newAppExportCmd(cfg config, appExport appExportFn) *cobra.Command {
+func newAppExportCmd(cfg config, appExport appExportFn, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	options := appExportOptions{}
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "export APPNAME",
@@ -28,13 +29,13 @@ func newAppExportCmd(cfg config, appExport appExportFn) *cobra.Command {
 		Args:  cobra.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			options.appName = args[0]
-			return appExport(cmd.Context(), cfg, options)
+			return appExport(cmd.Context(), cfg, options, out)
 		},
 		ValidArgsFunction: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string, toComplete string) ([]string, cobra.ShellCompDirective) {
 			return autoCompleteAppNames(cfg, toComplete)
 		},
 	}
-	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&options.filename, "file", "f", "app.yaml", "filename for app export")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&options.filename, "file", "f", "", "filename for app export")
 	return cmd
 }
 
@@ -43,26 +44,29 @@ type appExportOptions struct {
 	filename string
 }
 
-func exportApp(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions) error {
+func exportApp(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions, out io.Writer) error {
 	app := ketchv1.App{}
 	if err := cfg.Client().Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: options.appName}, &app); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get app: %w", err)
 	}
 	application := deploy.GetApplicationFromKetchApp(app)
-	// open file, err if exist, write application
-	_, err := os.Stat(options.filename)
-	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		return errFileExists
+	if options.filename != "" {
+		// open file, err if exist, write application
+		_, err := os.Stat(options.filename)
+		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return errFileExists
+		}
+		f, err := os.Create(options.filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer f.Close()
+		out = f
 	}
-	f, err := os.Create(options.filename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	defer f.Close()
 	b, err := yaml.Marshal(application)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	_, err = f.Write(b)
+	_, err = out.Write(b)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/app_export_test.go b/cmd/ketch/app_export_test.go
index 67a7dfda..7e00a974 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/app_export_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/app_export_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
@@ -29,7 +31,7 @@ func Test_newAppExportCmd(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			name: "happy path",
 			args: []string{"foo-bar"},
-			appExport: func(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions) error {
+			appExport: func(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options appExportOptions, out io.Writer) error {
 				require.Equal(t, "foo-bar", options.appName)
 				return nil
 			},
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ func Test_newAppExportCmd(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			cmd := newAppExportCmd(nil, tt.appExport)
+			cmd := newAppExportCmd(nil, tt.appExport, &bytes.Buffer{})
 			cmd.SetArgs(tt.args)
 			err := cmd.Execute()
 			if tt.wantErr {
@@ -112,6 +114,27 @@ func Test_appExport(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
+			options: appExportOptions{
+				appName:  "dashboard",
+				filename: "app.yaml",
+			},
+			wantOut: `framework: gke
+name: dashboard
+type: Application
+version: v1
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "success - stdout",
+			cfg: &mocks.Configuration{
+				CtrlClientObjects: []runtime.Object{dashboard, gke},
+				StorageInstance: &mockStorage{
+					OnGet: func(name string) (*templates.Templates, error) {
+						require.Equal(t, templates.IngressConfigMapName(ketchv1.IstioIngressControllerType.String()), name)
+						return &templates.Templates{}, nil
+					},
+				},
+			},
 			options: appExportOptions{
 				appName: "dashboard",
 			},
@@ -136,15 +159,20 @@ version: v1
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			tt.options.filename = filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "app.yaml")
 			defer os.Remove(tt.options.filename)
-
-			err := exportApp(context.Background(), tt.cfg, tt.options)
+			buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+			err := exportApp(context.Background(), tt.cfg, tt.options, buf)
 			if tt.wantErr != "" {
 				require.Equal(t, err.Error(), tt.wantErr)
+				return
 			} else {
 				require.Nil(t, err)
+			}
+			if tt.options.filename != "" {
 				b, err := os.ReadFile(tt.options.filename)
 				require.Nil(t, err)
 				require.Equal(t, tt.wantOut, string(b))
+			} else {
+				require.Equal(t, tt.wantOut, buf.String())
 			}
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/framework.go b/cmd/ketch/framework.go
index 84789d37..ee08c905 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/framework.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/framework.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ func newFrameworkCmd(cfg config, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.AddCommand(newFrameworkAddCmd(cfg, out, addFramework))
 	cmd.AddCommand(newFrameworkRemoveCmd(cfg, out))
 	cmd.AddCommand(newFrameworkUpdateCmd(cfg, out))
-	cmd.AddCommand(newFrameworkExportCmd(cfg))
+	cmd.AddCommand(newFrameworkExportCmd(cfg, out))
 	return cmd
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/framework_add.go b/cmd/ketch/framework_add.go
index a978b00b..beecd263 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/framework_add.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/framework_add.go
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ func newFrameworkFromArgs(options frameworkAddOptions) *ketchv1.Framework {
 			Name: options.name,
 		},
 		Spec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+			Name:          options.name,
 			NamespaceName: namespace,
 			AppQuotaLimit: &options.appQuotaLimit,
 			IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/framework_add_test.go b/cmd/ketch/framework_add_test.go
index 6132a238..8ff87add 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/framework_add_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/framework_add_test.go
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ ingressController:
 				ingressClusterIssuer:   "le-production",
 			},
 			wantFrameworkSpec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+				Name:          "hello",
 				NamespaceName: "gke",
 				AppQuotaLimit: conversions.IntPtr(5),
 				IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ ingressController:
 				ingressClusterIssuer:   "le-production",
 			},
 			wantFrameworkSpec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+				Name:          "hello",
 				NamespaceName: "gke",
 				AppQuotaLimit: conversions.IntPtr(5),
 				IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
@@ -160,6 +162,7 @@ ingressController:
 				ingressType:            traefik,
 			},
 			wantFrameworkSpec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+				Name:          "aws",
 				NamespaceName: "ketch-aws",
 				AppQuotaLimit: conversions.IntPtr(5),
 				IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
@@ -367,6 +370,7 @@ func TestNewFrameworkFromArgs(t *testing.T) {
 					Name: "hello",
 				},
 				Spec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+					Name:          "hello",
 					NamespaceName: "my-namespace",
 					AppQuotaLimit: conversions.IntPtr(5),
 					IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
@@ -389,6 +393,7 @@ func TestNewFrameworkFromArgs(t *testing.T) {
 					Name: "hello",
 				},
 				Spec: ketchv1.FrameworkSpec{
+					Name:          "hello",
 					NamespaceName: "ketch-hello",
 					AppQuotaLimit: conversions.IntPtr(5),
 					IngressController: ketchv1.IngressControllerSpec{
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/framework_export.go b/cmd/ketch/framework_export.go
index ddb18221..db60ab11 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/framework_export.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/framework_export.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
+	"io"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -21,7 +22,7 @@ const frameworkExportHelp = `Export a framework's configuration file.`
 
 var errFileExists = errors.New("file already exists")
 
-func newFrameworkExportCmd(cfg config) *cobra.Command {
+func newFrameworkExportCmd(cfg config, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	var options frameworkExportOptions
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
@@ -31,34 +32,38 @@ func newFrameworkExportCmd(cfg config) *cobra.Command {
 		Long:  frameworkExportHelp,
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			options.frameworkName = args[0]
-			return exportFramework(cmd.Context(), cfg, options)
+			return exportFramework(cmd.Context(), cfg, options, out)
 		},
 	}
-	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&options.filename, "file", "f", "framework.yaml", "filename for framework export")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&options.filename, "file", "f", "", "filename for framework export")
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func exportFramework(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options frameworkExportOptions) error {
+func exportFramework(ctx context.Context, cfg config, options frameworkExportOptions, out io.Writer) error {
 	var framework ketchv1.Framework
 	err := cfg.Client().Get(ctx, types.NamespacedName{Name: options.frameworkName}, &framework)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	framework.Spec.Name = framework.Name
-	// open file, err if exist, write framework.Spec
-	_, err = os.Stat(options.filename)
-	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
-		return errFileExists
-	}
-	f, err := os.Create(options.filename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+
+	if options.filename != "" {
+		// open file, err if exist, write framework.Spec
+		_, err = os.Stat(options.filename)
+		if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return errFileExists
+		}
+		f, err := os.Create(options.filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		defer f.Close()
+		out = f
 	}
-	defer f.Close()
 	b, err := yaml.Marshal(framework.Spec)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	_, err = f.Write(b)
+	_, err = out.Write(b)
 	return err
 }
diff --git a/cmd/ketch/framework_export_test.go b/cmd/ketch/framework_export_test.go
index cf3b4371..cc4c1c32 100644
--- a/cmd/ketch/framework_export_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ketch/framework_export_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"os"
 	"testing"
@@ -51,6 +52,24 @@ ingressController:
 name: myframework
 namespace: ketch-myframework
 version: v1
+`,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "success - stdout",
+			cfg: &mocks.Configuration{
+				CtrlClientObjects:    []runtime.Object{mockFramework},
+				DynamicClientObjects: []runtime.Object{},
+			},
+			options: frameworkExportOptions{frameworkName: "myframework"},
+			expected: `appQuotaLimit: 1
+ingressController:
+  className: traefik
+  clusterIssuer: letsencrypt
+  serviceEndpoint: 10.10.20.30
+  type: traefik
+name: myframework
+namespace: ketch-myframework
+version: v1
 `,
 		},
 		{
@@ -72,16 +91,21 @@ version: v1
 			if tt.before != nil {
 				tt.before()
 			}
-			err := exportFramework(context.Background(), tt.cfg, tt.options)
+			buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
+			err := exportFramework(context.Background(), tt.cfg, tt.options, buf)
 			if tt.err != nil {
 				require.Equal(t, tt.err, err)
 				return
 			} else {
 				require.Nil(t, err)
 			}
-			data, err := os.ReadFile(tt.options.filename)
-			require.Nil(t, err)
-			require.Equal(t, tt.expected, string(data))
+			if tt.options.filename != "" {
+				data, err := os.ReadFile(tt.options.filename)
+				require.Nil(t, err)
+				require.Equal(t, tt.expected, string(data))
+			} else {
+				require.Equal(t, tt.expected, buf.String())
+			}
 		})
 	}
 }
diff --git a/internal/deploy/yaml.go b/internal/deploy/yaml.go
index 79d5d64e..4bc14b7c 100644
--- a/internal/deploy/yaml.go
+++ b/internal/deploy/yaml.go
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import (
 // Application represents the fields in an application.yaml file that will be
 // transitioned to a ChangeSet.
 type Application struct {
-	Version        *string   `json:"version"`
+	Version        *string   `json:"version,omitempty"`
 	Type           *string   `json:"type"`
 	Name           *string   `json:"name"`
 	Image          *string   `json:"image,omitempty"`